"Short, gruesome and instantly gripping. Dark City is written in the style of a classic detective novel and features true stories based on crimes committed during the blackouts of the Second World War . . . Simon Read has constructed a literary offering that is not for young or impressionable readers, but one that will be relished by fans of the genre. — Soldier Magazine (official publication of the British Army)

"Read draws heavily on the British Royal Air Force Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) case files to put together the story of what happened after the events portrayed in the 1963 movie The Great Escape . . . A fast-paced, clearly written account of how justice was served in a difficult wartime case." — Kirkus Reviews

"[A] meticulously researched book . . . What Read brings out so vividly in this account is the lack of remorse and disturbing fanaticism that drove the Nazis to commit such acts." —The Daily Mail 

"Read is concerned to unearth what really happened, but a folklorist, especially one interested in rumor-studies and legend-building, will enjoy the extraordinary tangle of fantasy, which sprang up around the case . . . [Read's] book gives a good account of a significant episode in English folklore." — Journal for the Folklore Society (UK)

"An achievement in research and storytelling. A fine, fine book . . . A page-turner to the very end." — Anne Rice, international bestselling author, Interview with the Vampire

"Simon Read enthralls with a historical tale about a serial killer with a thing for blondes . . . The book is a gripping narrative of four killings, two attempted slayings and Scotland Yard's quest to catch a murderer before he strikes again."  — Scripps Howard News Service

"Read relates the facts of this 1930s crime in detail, yet his sense of humor bubbles underneath. There is a kind of poetry in the way Read links words into phrases, sentences into story. His style is magnetic, and his humor lies in wait, ready to surprise and delight." — The Oakland Tribune