This is based on a true murder that happened in Llanrwst, North Wales, on Christmas Day, 1937.

The blood flowed from the horrific knife wound in William’s neck. William was a cruel, itinerant, out-of-work, lame hawker, who got offensive when he drank and left Caroline penniless and hungry, living in a squalid, condemned house. But she loved him. People had often witnessed her wielding the knife. She called it her ‘protection’. It was her way of keeping herself safe in their constant arguments.
Caroline confirmed to the police that it was just the two of them in the house, which was her downfall, as she was arrested, although she vehemently stated she was innocent. She had no memory of committing the act. Her son, Edward, tells her to say it was Robert, whom William thought she was having an affair with. However, Robert had an alibi. Caroline was taken to Court, listening to the doctors’ reports and the witnesses' statements. What followed was a gruelling court case, trying to fathom out the truth within the lies and deceit as her sons tried to save their mother from the gallows. However, even though the Jury had requested mercy, the Judge donned his black cap, and she was sentenced to hang.  That's not the end of it though as the community come out in support of her.  

This book is about prejudice and how the legal system pre-judges guilt, especially as Caroline was an illiterate gypsy, in Wales, not able to read or write, and naïve in respect of the law. She was not even allowed to go into the witness box.

This book is about prejudice and how the legal system pre-judges guilt, especially as Caroline was an illiterate gypsy, in Wales, not able to read or write, and naïve in respect of the law. She was not even allowed to go into the witness box.

I bring in a Cold Case team to investigate the murder, who discover where her defence team had truly let Caroline down, bringing to light the inconsistencies in the police investigations and trial. I have also given an indication of how an investigation would have been carried out nowadays.