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A review by inspiretruth
Death in the Air: The True Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson
3.0
Every time I go to Costco, I find a book that catches my eye. First, it was The Perfect Horse, which was a fascinating story; and then it was this book, Death in the Air. The title alone made me curious, but as I read the synopsis, I knew that this was a book I needed to read. Though a dark story that was difficult to swallow at times, this book contained a lot of new information I had never heard about.
Death in the Air followed two different events which shared a connection. The first was a serial killer with a hunger for death; the other was a silent killer that claimed over 12,000 lives in a matter of five days! Both dangerous and both almost walked away without getting caught. However, justice prevailed, and these events caused a significant stir in British Parliament.
The Great London Smog, though an influential catastrophe, was kept quiet by the government for over 50 years. This deadly smog forced Parliament, under Winston Churchill at that time, to take off their blindfolds and address this horrid fog that threatened to kill the people of London. But, they discussed it without drawing public attention as the smog was, in fact, the government's fault.
John Reginald Christie, a maniac who only felt at peace as he strangled the life out of a person, played a key role in the outcome of the death penalty in Britain. Thought to be a kind, yet strange, man, Christie lived a double life which took the soul of his wife and other helpless women.
Just three years prior, a man, Christie's neighbor, was hung on the gallows for the murder of his baby girl. However, the case was reopened after the discovery of the hidden bodies at 10 Rillington Place. Was Christie, in fact, the murderer or were his confessions just as false as the man who was buried in the prison cemetery?
Death in the Air was an important book to read because it focused on the events and circumstances that caused a major shift not only in Parliament but the world. This book showed me just how thankful I am for modern technology and shocked me when I read that there are still parts of the world that are currently being affected by this silent killer!
This book was also a great conversation starter with my grandparents who were living in London during the Great London Smog! My nan even used to live near John Reginald Christie!! The tales they told of being trapped at a friend's house and walking to school through smog, unable to see their hand if they held it in front of them, were truly unreal.
The author, Kate Winkler Dawson, wrote this book with excellence! It was invigorating and felt like a thriller rather than non-fiction. I would recommend this book just to read her words! The way she told the story and incorporated the different events was perfect. If you enjoy a good thriller or learning about the horrors of the past, this a book for you!
Death in the Air followed two different events which shared a connection. The first was a serial killer with a hunger for death; the other was a silent killer that claimed over 12,000 lives in a matter of five days! Both dangerous and both almost walked away without getting caught. However, justice prevailed, and these events caused a significant stir in British Parliament.
The Great London Smog, though an influential catastrophe, was kept quiet by the government for over 50 years. This deadly smog forced Parliament, under Winston Churchill at that time, to take off their blindfolds and address this horrid fog that threatened to kill the people of London. But, they discussed it without drawing public attention as the smog was, in fact, the government's fault.
John Reginald Christie, a maniac who only felt at peace as he strangled the life out of a person, played a key role in the outcome of the death penalty in Britain. Thought to be a kind, yet strange, man, Christie lived a double life which took the soul of his wife and other helpless women.
Just three years prior, a man, Christie's neighbor, was hung on the gallows for the murder of his baby girl. However, the case was reopened after the discovery of the hidden bodies at 10 Rillington Place. Was Christie, in fact, the murderer or were his confessions just as false as the man who was buried in the prison cemetery?
Death in the Air was an important book to read because it focused on the events and circumstances that caused a major shift not only in Parliament but the world. This book showed me just how thankful I am for modern technology and shocked me when I read that there are still parts of the world that are currently being affected by this silent killer!
This book was also a great conversation starter with my grandparents who were living in London during the Great London Smog! My nan even used to live near John Reginald Christie!! The tales they told of being trapped at a friend's house and walking to school through smog, unable to see their hand if they held it in front of them, were truly unreal.
The author, Kate Winkler Dawson, wrote this book with excellence! It was invigorating and felt like a thriller rather than non-fiction. I would recommend this book just to read her words! The way she told the story and incorporated the different events was perfect. If you enjoy a good thriller or learning about the horrors of the past, this a book for you!