Blood on the Thames : Murder, money and the making of the modern detective

A gripping true-crime tale of murder, ambition, and the birth of modern detective work set amid the intrigue and spectacle of Georgian London.

A shocking murder. A suspect with an alibi. A courtroom trial that gripped a nation.

On an autumn night by the London docks, shipyard magnate Isaac Blight is found shot dead in his own armchair. Within hours, rumours spread and all fingers point to his business partner, Richard Patch. But Patch has an alibi. He has no obvious motive. And the crime scene is anything but clear.

What unfolds next is the trial everyone wants to witness. Cabinet ministers angle for seats, British royals flock to the gallery, and a future king of France watches from the wings as the case takes twist after twist.

Enter three men who will change the face of British justice: brilliant young surgeon Astley Cooper, relentless magistrate Aaron Graham, and courtroom superstar William Garrow. Together, they probe the contradictions, expose the secrets, and help forge the foundations of modern detective work.

Blood on the Thames races through the backstreets and courtrooms of Georgian London, blending vivid history with the taut suspense of a classic crime novel. A true story of greed, intrigue and a death that would echo far beyond the docks.