🩸 Horror Fiction

The Real Story Of Caleb Hayes: L'etrangleur Anglais

✍️ Lily Padioleau
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$17.63
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A true crime account of Caleb Hayes's final hours and his secret notebook.

Padioleau examines the intersection of duty and curiosity through Christian Perry’s eyes. The guard becomes an unwitting participant in a posthumous confession. The notebook serves as the primary source for understanding Hayes's motives. Gale acts as the gatekeeper to this information. The narrative structure focuses on the transfer of knowledge rather than the crimes themselves. It questions how much truth one person can bear.

Key Themes
Criminal psychology Posthumous confession Guard and prisoner dynamics
Literary Context

The work is set in Liverpool, England, during the early nineteen sixties. It draws on the tradition of British true crime literature. The period reflects mid-century attitudes toward capital punishment and prison reform. The narrative style aligns with French investigative non-fiction traditions.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Thomas Harris · Patricia Cornwell · Stieg Larsson
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Afnil 📅 2021 🌐 non-English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9782492237119

📝 Description: The Real Story Of Caleb Hayes: L'etrangleur Anglais

Lily Padioleau presents the narrative of Caleb Hayes, known as L'etrangleur Anglais. The story centers on August twenty-third, nineteen sixty-three, when Hayes is executed at Liverpool prison. Before his death, he requests that guard Christian Perry deliver a precious necklace to former cellmate Oscar Gale. This simple act initiates a chain of events that alters Perry's life forever. Gale possesses Hayes’s notebook, which contains dark secrets from the past. At Hayes's behest, Gale prepares to reveal the true reasons for his crimes and the sad events that occurred. The text offers only the truth about these matters. Perry faces consequences he does not anticipate as he uncovers the real story behind the English strangler. This book suits readers interested in historical true crime and psychological suspense. It appeals to those who prefer factual accounts of criminal psychology over fictional horror. Readers seeking fast-paced action or supernatural elements may find the tone too restrained. The narrative relies on dialogue and internal reflection rather than external thrills.

💎 Our verdict on The Real Story Of Caleb Hayes: L'etrangleur Anglais

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Padioleau delivers a compelling examination of truth and consequence through the eyes of guard Christian Perry. The narrative excels in its restrained tone, prioritizing psychological depth over visceral horror. By utilizing Hayes’s notebook as a primary source, the author creates an intimate connection to the killer’s mindset without glorifying his actions. This approach suits readers who appreciate factual accounts of criminal psychology and historical true crime. Those seeking supernatural elements or fast-paced action may find the work too slow. However, fans of character-driven suspense will appreciate the focus on the transfer of knowledge and the heavy burden it carries. The reliance on dialogue and internal reflection creates a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final page.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in the intersection of duty and curiosity will find profound value in this narrative. It appeals to those who prefer factual accounts of criminal psychology over fictional horror, offering a restrained yet intense exploration of how truth is transferred between individuals. The book suits readers who enjoy psychological suspense and historical true crime, providing insight into the motives of Caleb Hayes without relying on supernatural thrills. It is ideal for audiences seeking depth in character motivation and the heavy burden of knowledge, rather than fast-paced action or external scares. By focusing on internal reflection and dialogue, it offers a unique perspective on how one person’s secrets can irrevocably alter another’s life.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Padioleau delivers a compelling examination of truth and consequence through the eyes of guard Christian Perry. The narrative excels in its restrained tone, prioritizing psychological depth over visceral horror. By utilizing Hayes’s notebook as a primary source, the author creates an intimate connection to the killer’s mindset without glorifying his actions. This approach suits readers who appreciate factual accounts of criminal psychology and historical true crime. Those seeking supernatural elements or fast-paced action may find the work too slow. However, fans of character-driven suspense will appreciate the focus on the transfer of knowledge and the heavy burden it carries. The reliance on dialogue and internal reflection creates a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final page.

📖 From the series “Serial Killers”

Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Lily Padioleau
Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
$17.69
86
Read →

✍️ More books by this author Lily Padioleau

Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Lily Padioleau
Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
$17.69
86
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Afnil

Post Mortem: Tome 1 - Sport Mortel
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Cathy Goulet
Post Mortem: Tome 1 - Sport Mortel
$20.31
86
Read →
Virus I
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Ludivine Vernieux
Virus I
$13.46
81
Read →
Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Lily Padioleau
Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
$17.69
86
Read →
Le Collectionneur
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.3
Jessica Peter
Le Collectionneur
$16.39
69
Read →
What an horrorful year: Anthologie #2
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Meg Maine
What an horrorful year: Anthologie #2
$13.16
78
Read →
Sanatorium
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Johanna Zaire
Sanatorium
$12.00
81
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Lily Padioleau
Les douceurs de Giuliana Moretti: La cannibale de Pescara
$17.69
86
Read →
Post Mortem: Tome 1 - Sport Mortel
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Cathy Goulet
Post Mortem: Tome 1 - Sport Mortel
$20.31
86
Read →
Histoires Macabres: Treize nouvelles fantastiques et horrifiques
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Victor Moreau
Histoires Macabres: Treize nouvelles fantastiques et horrifiques
$16.69
81
Read →
Les rivieres sombres
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Mickael Lawrence
Les rivieres sombres
$16.02
81
Read →
Le soulevement des morts
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Ludivine Vernieux
Le soulevement des morts
$15.79
81
Read →
Tempus Mortuorum (L'ere des Morts): Tome 1: Sweet Home
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Johan Duval
Tempus Mortuorum (L'ere des Morts): Tome 1: Sweet Home
$21.44
81
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist