Mark and his pet skunk, Sheldon, outwit a pair of train robbers.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Jurassic Park comes classic historical thriller about Victorian London’s most notorious gold heist. London, 1855, when lavish wealth and appalling poverty exist side by side, one mysterious man navigates both worlds with perfect ease. Edward Pierce preys on the most prominent of the well-to-do as he cunningly orchestrates the crime of his century. Who would suspect that a gentleman of breeding could mastermind the extraordinary robbery aboard the pride of England’s industrial era, the mighty steam locomotive? Based on fact, but studded with all the suspense and style of fiction, here is a classic historical thriller, set a decade before the age of dynamite—yet nonetheless explosive…

Mark and his pet skunk, Sheldon, outwit a pair of train robbers.

The Great Train Robbery of 1963 is one of the most infamous crimes in British history. The bulk of the money stolen (equivalent to over £40 million today) has never been recovered, and there has not been a single year since 1963 when one aspect of the crime or its participants has not been featured in the media. Despite the wealth and extent of this coverage, a host of questions have remained unanswered: Who was behind the robbery? Was it an inside job? And who got away with the crime of the century? Fifty years of selective falsehood and fantasy has obscured the reality of the story behind the robbery. The fact that a considerable number of the original investigation and prosecution files on those involved and alleged to have been involved were closed, in many cases until 2045, has only served to muddy the waters still further. Now, through Freedom of Information requests and the exclusive opening of many of these files, Andrew Cook reveals a new picture of the crime and its investigation that, at last, provides answers to many of these questions.

In May 1855, the citizens of Victorian Great Britain were shocked to read in their morning edition of The Times that 12,000 pounds worth of gold bars and other valuables had been stolen from a train travelling between London and Paris--without explosives or violence! Who did it and how was a great mystery which was finally solved.

The Crime of the Century. The biggest train heist in Britain’s history. The Great Train Robbery. In the early hours of Thursday, 8th August 1963, a fifteen-strong gang stole £2.6 million (£45 million of today’s money) from the Glasgow to London mail train at Sears Crossing, Buckinghamshire. The crime was so epic; every single development of the case was followed tirelessly by the press. Countless books have since been published and, even today, films, television dramas and documentaries continue to study the smallest of details of one of the most daring and cleverly concocted criminal plans of all-time. Much of the gang were later captured and paid the price with lengthy jail sentences. But 50 years on, many still question who the real mastermind behind the plot. For years most people accepted that Bruce Reynolds was but is that really the case? One man knows the answer and the true identity of the man behind the robbery all too well. In this engrossing biography, the only living person who personally knows the real mastermind revisits the Great Train Robbery and rewrites history as we know it. Full of explosive, fresh revelations, The Secret Train Robber sees the final piece of the puzzle firmly set in place and the name of one of Britain’s most sophisticated criminal minds ever is finally revealed.

Gordon Goody is the mystery man of the Great Train Robbery, the most notorious theft in British history. Regarded by his partners as tough and fearless, he has kept his silence for five decades. Until now. Raised in rural Northern Ireland, Goody served as an army sergeant but chose a life of crime and became one of the most professional and prolific robbers in London. He and his gang were offered the job of a lifetime: details of a Glasgow to London mail train laden with cash, provided by The Ulsterman, whose identity Goody reveals for the first time.

In 1981, Detective Inspector Satchwell was the officer in charge of the case against Train Robber Tom Wisbey and twenty others. The case involved massive thefts from mail trains – similar to the Great Train Robbery of 1963 where £2.6 million was taken and only £400,000 ever recovered. Thirty years later their paths crossed again and an unlikely partnership was formed, with the aim of revealing the truth about the Great Train Robbery. This book reassesses the known facts about one of the most infamous crimes in modern history from the uniquely qualified insight of an experienced railway detective, presenting new theories alongside compelling evidence and correcting the widely accepted lies and half-truths surrounding this story.

The Great Train Robbery is a captivating account of the infamous heist that took place in Victorian England. This gripping true story delves into the audacious plan, meticulous execution, and shocking aftermath of one of the most daring crimes of the era. Set in the 19th century, the book explores the events leading up to the robbery, involving secret meetings, meticulous planning, and the assembly of a skilled crew. It then details the night of the heist itself, with the robbery in motion and the daring getaway that followed. As the police investigation unfolds, false leads and dead-ends complicate the pursuit of the culprits. The ensuing media frenzy and intense public interest add further complexity to the case. Mysterious identities, possible suspects, and underground connections create an air of intrigue and suspense. The book also examines the impact of the robbery on public opinion, the consequences for the railway company, and the enduring cultural legacy and folklore that emerged from the event. The unsolved mysteries surrounding the missing loot, the fate of the gang members, and conspiracy theories are explored, leading to the dramatic trial and verdict. With the revelation of new evidence and the unmasking of the mastermind, the line between myth and reality is blurred. The book concludes by examining the lasting impact of the heist on crime history, its influence on literature, music, and art, and the enduring fascination that persists to this day. Throughout the retrospective investigation, persistent unanswered questions and puzzling enigmas keep readers engaged, highlighting the enduring mysteries that continue to captivate our imagination.