Illustrated Life and Career of william palmer, of rugeley: containing details of his conduct as school-boy, medical-student, racing-man, and poisoner..

London: Ward and Lock, 1856. [3], 136pp. With an engraved portrait frontispiece, numerous engraved illustrations in the text, and two leaves of Palmer's diary in facsimile. Original publisher's printed yellow wrappers. Extremities rubbed and creased, ink staining to lower wrapper. Scattered spotting. A contemporary account of the life, crimes, and trial of the infamous 'Prince of Poisoners' William Palmer (1824-1856). A doctor by trade, Palmer would be convicted of the murder by strychnine of John Cook with suspicions as to numerous other victims being raised during proceedings. The case gained a great deal of notoriety amongst Victorian society, becoming a nineteenth-century cause celebre, and permeating into popular culture. Arthur Conan Doyle would make reference to Palmer in the Sherlock Holmes tale 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band'; and Charles Dickens reputedly based the Bleak House character of Inspector Bucket on an investigating officer involved - indeed Dickens would dub Palmer 'the greatest villain that ever stood in the Old Bailey'. . 8vo.