Scotland's Murder Mysteries

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  • FACTUAL
  • 1h
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Get under the skin of these notorious tales of wealth, class & brutality

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Series 1

1. Oscar Slater

Oscar Slater, a Jewish refugee in Glasgow, was charged with the murder of wealthy recluse Marion Gilchrist, despite having no obvious links to the crime.

2. Madeleine Smith

Madeleine Smith was a young, 19th century socialite who rebelled against repressive Victorian ideals by taking a lover. Sex, blackmail, poisoning, a crime of passion, followed by a bizarre trial that saw the accused walk free.

3. Jessie McLachlan

The McLachlan case revolved around the brutal murder of a townhouse servant, Jess McPherson supposedly by her friend Jessie McLachlan. Her battered body was surrounded by female footprints in blood but a motive for the murder was unclear.

4. Dr Edward Pritchard

The physician Dr Pritchard was a bizarre character; a self-promoting womaniser, and a congenital liar who turned to murder. Following the deaths of his wife and mother in law, a tip off led to the arrest of Dr Pritchard.

5. Donald Merrett

A womanising spendthrift, Merrett lived fast and loose, with scant regard for others. Defrauding and ultimately killing his mother, Merrett managed to dodge charges of matricide and was free to kill again..... and again.

6. Eugene Chantrelle

Eugene Chantrelle's seduction of a young female student led to marriage. His young wife was trapped in a miserable and violent marriage. A dreadful litany of domestic abuse culminating in a murder that the accused denied to the end.

7. Jessie King

The practice of taking in unwanted babies in return for a commercial fee, known as ‘baby-farming’ was common place in 19th century Edinburgh. Jessie King and her older lover Thomas Pearson offered themselves as a solution to desperate mothers.

8. Deacon Brodie

Deacon Brodie led a double life. By day, he was a mason and locksmith. By night, he headed up a team of shady burglars who plundered banks and businesses at will. But what caused the downfall of one of Scotland’s most prolific criminals?