Taking readers on a world-wide journey, bestselling historian Natasha Tidd examines how fifty murders shaped the course of history. From early serial killers to the birth of criminology, she shows how such tragic loss of life can have history-changing consequences.

From ancient Rome to the mid-twentieth century, Natasha Tidd takes readers on a global exploration behind the history of the most heinous of crimes - murder.

Including iconic cases such as Liu Pengli, the Han Dynasty Prince who became one of the world's first-known serial killers; the twisted history of Romanian Ruler, Vlad Draculea, better known as Vlad the Impaler; and the mysterious murders tied to Mary Queen of Scots.

Throughout this book, Tidd charts the evolution in how we view murder, through the rise in criminology from the 1700s and early understanding of criminal psychology and even mental health. Alongside delving into our centuries' long true crime fascination, this thoroughly explores the impact of front-page stories such as Lizzie Borden and Jack the Ripper on how we view crime today.

Also available:
A Short History of the World in 50 Failures (9781789296938)
A Short History of the World in 50 Lies (9781789294606)
A Short History of the World in 50 Books (9781789294088)
A Short History of the World in 50 Animals (9781789292954)
A Short History of the World in 50 Places (9781789291971)

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• Publication Date: December 3, 2026
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