Join the UK’s leading criminologist Professor David Wilson, author of the fascinating new book Murder At Home as he explores how, for so many victims, their safest space is the place they are most in danger. The bedroom, now considered an inner sanctum, was once a much more communal space, a fact illustrated by the case of Mary Ann Cotton, who poisoned Joseph Nattrass (very likely her 17th victim) in 1872, under the guise of nursing him through gastric flu. While we may be familiar with the dictum that you are more likely to be murdered by someone known to you (the data fluctuates year on year, with significant difference between genders), it is not only these ‘domestic’ situations which impact the location statistics – even stranger attacks and the relative anomalies of serial murder contribute to this sobering data. When it comes to accommodation in Scotland, there's a fantastic choice of amazing stays from luxury hotels to glamping getaways.

The usual suspects are here, of course - Brady and Hindley, Fred and Rose West, Mary Ann Cotton et al, and there's plenty to get your teeth into in this book. Similarly, an act of murder in a living room can be “part of a process of showing the private self to the outside world”.

This booking system and any information appearing on this page relating to the availability of any accommodation is provided by third parties and not by VisitScotland. Where necessary, there are some graphic crime scene descriptions and insights into the murders as they were committed, though Wilson ensures the victims are front and centre of his analysis and treats them with respect. In exploring the cases, David also shows the significance of the location of the murder and what this can tell you about the situation and the perpetrator. There is no place like home: our sanctuaries, the scenes of family drama and tranquillity, host to social gatherings, witness to the entire span of our lives.

And, as the use of various rooms has changed over time, so have those meanings, along with their practical utility and symbolic value to a murderer. Discover wonderful wildlife tours to book and experience in Scotland, including bird watching safaris, whale watching, farm tours and much more! His publishing includes Hunting Evil, A History of British Serial Killing, Signs of Murder, A Plot to Kill and his professional memoir, My Life with Murderers, which was shortlisted for the Saltire Prize for Non-Fiction. Here, he takes a tour around the various parts of the home, examining the significance of each room to “the commission or aftermath” of a murder. I want people who come to the tour to go away thinking that they don't need to be a forensic psychologist, a criminologist, or a police officer, to do something about reducing the incidence of murder in our culture,” he says.This is an original look at crime, to be sure; but it isn't an easy read, all things considered, and certainly won't make anyone feel warmly towards the male of the species. Staying with the USMC for just over 20 years, he retired in 1998 at the age of 38, attaining the rank of CWO-2. The 65,000 word manuscript that he’s written for the forthcoming release to follow-up this month’s publication, Murder At Home, has vanished from his computer. Wilson also adds a terrific list of "Further Reading" (including a biography of Ian Brady written by my old RE teacher 😳) for anyone wishing to delve into the subject more deeply. Wilson also introduces the concept of "whole house murders", or 'annihilations' - which are as horrific as the name suggests.