The reading fairies are smiling on me from a height at the moment. But with CROOKS LIKE US they have gone all out. You just wouldn't expect to find a book classified as true crime that's moving, sad, funny, and just so absolutely fascinating that it's unputdownable.
From within the book:
Following procedure:
Special Photographs were first identified as a distinct series in 2004. At that time they were distributed haphazardly thorughout the huge forensic collection in the loft at the Justice & Police Museum in Sydney. In 2005 all the Special Photograph negatives were gathered together and put in numerical order - they start at number 1, cease in the low 2000s, with numerous gaps in between.
This is a book of photographs of people who came to the attention of the Sydney police in the early 20th century. Some were identified and matched against their criminal records in the Police Gazette, some there are no explanations for. Many are unknown names - that came and went in Police attention, there are other glimpses of names and faces that went on to become notorious criminals.
It's utterly fascinating and completely absorbing.
Peter Doyle's new book offers a glimpse into the lives of Sydney's con artists, magsmen, drug dealers and house breakers...