A really fascinating look at a moment in history. Well and insightfully told. Accessible history that adds to the conversation.

I never know how to review non-fiction books. I can't usually break them down into the things I need from a book as I read non-fiction for a completely different reason to fiction. So, I am usually rubbish at reviewing this type of book.
I wanted to read this book for two reasons. The author - Rhondda Labour MP Chris Bryant whose previous book Code of Conduct was one of my non-fiction highlights last year. I found his attention to detail and meticulous research to be top notch and the whole thing written in an easy to read way. The other reason was the subject (obviously) which is one, going in, I had no idea about. The fact that two men were hanged for "unnatural offences" the details of which were never formally disclosed, so heinous they were, so unmentionable, at a time when there were so many other people "on death row" for one or many of the myriad of capital offences of the time, all of whom got a reprieve.
James Pratt and John Smith were hanged. To a baying crowd. For the crime of loving the wrong person. No one else got hurt.
The author has spent the time caring about these two wronged people. He has given them a voice. With his meticulous research, he has traced their origins - with a bit of educated guesswork thrown in as records for everyday folk of that age are scant and lacking detail. Something I can imagine to be rather challenging to say the least.
It's not an easy book to read (subject matter not writing style). But it's an important story. A part of history that can never be erased as it is important to learn from mistakes so they are not repeated. It's a story that I knew nothing about prior to reading this book, and that shocked me more than anything. But it's a story that will stay with me, educate me, and that's the point of reading it.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I really admire Chris Bryant as a member of parliament, so was pleased to be given a copy of his book for review.
Brilliantly written and meticulously researched, this book was an excellent view into the past. I am very interested in British history so I thoroughly enjoyed this read.