True tales of executioners culled from the annals of history

Award-winning mystery writer Howard Engel traces the hangman’s tradition from medieval England and early Canada to the present-day United States. From beheadings and hangings to the electric chair, Engel offers gritty details of the executioner’s process, focusing on key players who epitomize both the exemplars and buffoons of the dark profession.

Citing far-removed examples of past punishments, such as the French guillotine, Lord High Executioner addresses the implications history’s lessons could have on modern-day criminal justice. Engel’s studious research and great care toward bringing history’s executioners to life make for a gripping learning experience and an enduring work of nonfiction.