Showing results by author "Mark Stokes" in All Categories

Deep in the fabrics of Glasgow’s post-industrial neighborhoods and Brighton’s seaside retreats, one man moved in plain sight—his quiet demeanour hiding a reservoir of calculated evil. In The Devil’s Handyman we follow the disturbing story of Peter Tobin, a former handyman whose wanderings across Scotland and England resulted in a trail of rape, murder and disappearance that shook two countries. Posing as a trusted tradesman and lodger, Tobin’s crimes stripped safety from unsuspecting households and left behind a cracked mirror of trust, normality and horror. This book traces the ...

In the cooling shafts of a South Yorkshire mining town, a young man’s thwarted life erupted into a ruthless killing spree that would leave a community reeling. The Yorkshire Slasher lays bare the brutal reality of Anthony Arkwright—a once-adrift youth whose fury and revenge were manifested in flesh and bone. Over just 56 hours, Arkwright turned the familiar streets of Wath-upon-Dearne into a hunting ground, massacring relatives, neighbours and strangers in an eruption of uncontrolled violence. This book traces the chilling path from his troubled childhood—years in care, early brushes ...

Late at night across south-east London’s parks and pathways, fear took a form that few could have imagined. In Predator on the Common, the story emerges of Robert Napper — a man whose quiet exterior concealed a catalogue of stalking, rape, mutilation and murder. From seemingly mundane roots, his descent into violence escalated until he turned the leafy trails and suburbs into hunting grounds, leaving behind shattered lives and unanswered terrors. This book follows the investigation from its early mis-steps to the breakthrough that finally brought Napper into custody. You’ll move ...

In the grim backdrop of 1980s London, a glib young man with a vaunted love of horror and heavy metal unleashed a chilling spree of violence that would terrify a city. The Horror Movie Killer uncovers the true story of Daniel Gonzalez—a man whose fascination with dark cinema and gothic imagery steeled him for murder. Under the cover of night he struck at the vulnerable, creating a path of devastation that seemed ripped from the screen, and leaving communities reeling for answers. Through painstaking research, court documents and witness statements, this book brings you inside the ...

He was the man sailors were told they could trust: a Royal Navy instructor in crisp uniform, responsible for teaching others how to stay alive at sea. Death in Uniform uncovers the chilling story of Allan Grimson, a petty officer whose authority and experience hid a predatory obsession. Behind the discipline of naval life, he stalked young men under his command, singling out the ones he wanted to dominate—and ultimately murder. This book follows the investigation from the first “tragic” death to the moment detectives realised they were hunting a calculated killer within the ranks. ...

Between 1975 and 1980, northern England lived in fear as a serial killer known only as the “Yorkshire Ripper” stalked the streets of Leeds, Manchester and Bradford. In The Yorkshire Ripper, we follow the unsettling transformation of Peter Sutcliffe—from a seemingly ordinary taxi-driver to one of Britain’s most notorious murderers—who targeted unknown victims with brutal randomness, bludgeoning and stabbing women in a spree that would shock the nation. His motives remained elusive, his movements unpredictable—and the terror he sowed would cast long shadows over countless lives. ...

In the summer of 1986, London’s elderly residents were gripped by fear as a predator moved silently through sheltered housing blocks and quiet residential streets. The Stockwell Strangler tells the unsettling true story of Kenneth Erskine—a young man with a violent past who became one of Britain’s most disturbing serial killers. Preying on society’s most vulnerable, Erskine slipped into homes under cover of darkness, leaving a string of terrorised communities and devastated families in his wake. This book reconstructs the frantic police hunt that followed, tracing how a series of ...

In the quiet English northern town of Hyde, a trusted family doctor carried out one of the most prolific killing sprees in modern history. Doctor Death: The Crimes of Harold Shipman exposes the chilling truth behind a man who appeared to embody professionalism, compassion and respectability—yet used that very trust to prey on the vulnerable. As patients welcomed him into their homes and placed their lives in his hands, Shipman manipulated the role of healer to become a silent executioner, leaving families bewildered by sudden, unexplained losses. This book traces the painstaking ...

Behind an affable exterior and a seemingly ordinary life lurked a monster with a chilling modus operandi. In The Wolf Man: The Crimes of Michael Lupo, you are drawn into the true story of a man who adopted an identity of control and cruelty. As a medical student‐turned‐travel photographer, Lupo travelled across countries and layers of society, weaving a web of manipulation, violence and betrayal. His victims spanned continents, and each act was a calculated move in a game where power and fear were the only rules. This book offers a detailed account of the investigation that eventually ...

Behind the façade of a modest Gloucester home, terror on a scale few in Britain had ever witnessed took root. In The House of Horrors, you will step into the chilling world of Fred West—a man whose cruelty, manipulation and depravity stretched far beyond anything his neighbours expected. This is the story of how a family home became a killing ground, how innocence was betrayed behind front doors, and how one man controlled a household in service of unspeakable violence. This book traces the investigation from the first whispered suspicions to the horrific discovery that transfixed the ...

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, London’s hidden corners became the hunting ground of one of Britain’s most shocking killers. The Muswell Hill Murderer traces the true story of Dennis Nilsen—a man who lurked among society’s fringes, cultivating friendships before committing crimes so chilling they would haunt a city. Behind the image of quiet normality he crafted, Nilsen constructed graveyards of horror within his own homes, leaving families devastated and a community terrified of what lay beneath the surface of everyday life. This book delves deep into the investigation that ...

In the drab suburbs of 1960s Britain, a quiet young man blended into everyday life—yet underneath his unassuming exterior lurked a chilling mastery of death by slow-acting poison. The Teacup Poisoner reveals how Graham Young turned mundane environments into lethal traps, subtly targeting colleagues, family members and friends with arsenic hidden in cups of tea and everyday drinks. His calm façade masked a twisted obsession, and this book traces his descent from curious chemistry student to one of Britain’s most notorious killers. Drawing on a range of sourcea, this book charts ...

Gary Ridgway—known to the public as the “Green River Killer”—was a man who hid in plain sight: a seemingly ordinary truck painter, a family man, and a familiar face in Seattle’s suburbs. Yet beneath the surface lay one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history. Between 1982 and 1998, he strangled dozens of vulnerable women—many of them sex workers or runaways—disposing of their bodies in remote wooded areas near the Green River and elsewhere. Only advances in DNA profiling finally unraveled his facade of normalcy, linking him to a killing spree that spanned two ...

For nearly a century, the Murdaugh family stood as a pillar of legal authority and privilege in South Carolina's Lowcountry. But in 2021, the shocking double homicide of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh shattered that legacy and exposed a web of corruption, deceit, and murder. The Murdaugh Murders delves deep into the rise and fall of this once-revered dynasty. Through meticulous research and exclusive interviews, this book uncovers the family's entanglement in financial crimes, drug abuse, and a series of suspicious deaths that span decades. From the fatal boat crash involving Paul Murdaugh to the...

On Christmas Eve 2002, Laci Peterson vanished from her home in Modesto, California. Eight months pregnant and seemingly living an ideal life with her husband Scott, her disappearance stunned the nation. As volunteers searched and the media descended, Scott appeared as the concerned husband: calm, composed, and pleading for her return. But behind that polished image, suspicions began to grow. The investigation soon uncovered a shocking secret: Scott was having an affair with a woman named Amber Frey, who had no idea he was married. Her cooperation with police helped shift public perception. ...

Step into the chilling world of David Parker Ray, infamously known as the "Toy Box Killer." For decades, Ray operated a soundproof trailer dubbed the "Toy Box," where he subjected his victims to unspeakable horrors. This meticulously researched account delves into the depths of his crimes, exploring the twisted psychology behind his actions and the harrowing experiences of his survivors. Through detailed narratives and investigative insights, this book sheds light on the dark underbelly of human depravity and the resilience of those who survived. It's a haunting reminder of the evil that ...

In the summer of 2021, 22-year-old Gabby Petito and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, embarked on a cross-country road trip that was meant to be a dream come true. But what began as a journey of adventure and love quickly spiraled into a tragic tale of betrayal, manipulation, and murder. The Girl in the Van delves deep into the haunting case of Gabby Petito, unraveling the complexities of her relationship with Laundrie and the chilling events leading up to her disappearance and death. Through meticulous research and poignant storytelling, this book sheds light on the red flags, the missed ...

In the quiet college town of Moscow, Idaho, the unthinkable happened. On a chilly November night in 2022, four University of Idaho students—Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin—were brutally murdered in their off-campus home. The shocking crime sent ripples through the nation, leaving a community in mourning and a country demanding answers. The Moscow Murders delves deep into the heart of this tragic event, exploring the lives of the victims, the intricacies of the investigation, and the arrest of Bryan Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student from a ...

Herbert Mullin was a man tormented by voices and delusions, convinced that his murders were necessary sacrifices to prevent natural disasters. Between October 1972 and February 1973, he terrorized Northern California, killing 13 people—men, women, children, and even a priest—often for no obvious pattern or motive. Mullin believed he was acting on cosmic orders, hearing telepathic instructions from his father or God, and subscribing to a twisted logic that every life he took might avert an earthquake. California’s Forgotten Serial Killer reconstructs Mullin’s tragic descent from a ...

In August 2018, a young Colorado mother and her two daughters vanished without a trace. What began as a missing persons case quickly spiralled into a national obsession — and then, a nightmare. Behind the Watts family's polished social media presence and picture-perfect suburban life, a far darker story was taking shape. When Chris Watts, Shanann’s husband and the girls’ father, stepped in front of the cameras to plead for their safe return, few could have imagined the devastating truth that would soon emerge. Behind Closed Doors takes readers deep inside one of the most haunting ...