

Stolen Innocents

A Yorkshire Tragedy
By John Lawless
Set against the industrial streets of nineteenth-century Bradford, Stolen Innocents draws upon the haunting real-life case of John Gill, often remembered locally as Johnny Gill, whose tragic death sent shockwaves through Victorian England.
When the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered, suspicion falls quickly and widely. Among those drawn into the investigation is William Barrett, a milkman whose fate would become inseparable from one of Bradford’s most controversial murder cases. As public fear escalates and rumours of ritualistic violence spread, the case begins to echo the wider anxieties of the era, those same fears that would later surround the infamous Jack the Ripper killings in London.
Leading the pursuit of truth is the meticulous analyst Felix Rimmington, whose forensic reasoning begins to challenge the assumptions of both police and public. Alongside him stands the steady hand of law enforcement, Inspector James Withers, navigating a town gripped by suspicion, moral panic, and mounting pressure for justice.
Blending historical record with immersive narrative, Stolen Innocents explores the fragile boundary between evidence and hysteria, truth and presumption. In a case where the voices of the innocent risk being lost beneath the weight of fear, the question remains:
Was justice truly served… or merely constructed?


Reviews of current catalogue of books
"...cleverly descriptive. It is a fascinating history that has wholeheartedly propelled me back in time..."
Dawn - Verified Amazon Sale

"...A really interesting blend of well-researched facts about true Victorian crimes blended with atmospheric storytelling..."
JJC - Verified Amazon Sale
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