Book Description

A bookseller finds an old diary containing a condemned man’s last words—but can they be trusted? “A compelling book, superbly plotted” (Peter Lovesey, author of The Last Detective). Browsing through a collection of old volumes, a bookseller comes across a diary—contained in it, the final words of a man sentenced to die for murder, addressed to his executioner. But after reading the journal, the bookseller wonders if there was a miscarriage of justice? Did the wrong man go to the gallows? And is there any way to prove it? A Coin for the Hangman is a “mesmerising and thought provoking” work of historical fiction, rich in detail and character, that delves into questions of duty, war, innocence, and guilt (Crime Fiction Lover). A Recommendation of the Walter Scott Prize Academy “A fiendishly clever plot set in the aftermath of World War II. I thoroughly enjoyed it.” —Minette Walters, Edgar Award–winning author of The Sculptress “Capital punishment seems so alien to modern Britain that it is a shock to be reminded that just over fifty years ago there was a middle-aged man in a middle-ranking job in a London office who, two or three times a year, was paid six guineas to visit one of Britain’s prisons and kill one of the prisoners. . . . A disturbing and poignant little novel.” —Historical Novels Review “A very moving piece of fiction.” —Crimesquad