A retired detective, Dr Paul Stickler has indulged his passion for history and his interest in murder investigations to explore the detail behind some of the most fascinating cases in criminal history. His presentations are absorbing, challenging, entertaining and informative. His first book, The Murder that Defeated Whitechapel’s Sherlock Holmes: At Mrs Ridgley’s Corner (2018) was published by Pen and Sword and examines the 1919 killing of a shopkeeper in her corner shop in Hitchin. Two police investigations were carried out each with a different conclusion. His second book, The Long Silence (2021) is an extraordinary and unique account of the infamous A6 murder committed in 1961. This is a book told from the surviving victim’s perspective and offers a deeper insight into the police investigation and the turbulent years following the hanging of the man convicted of the murder. Paul is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association.

Paul is a graduate of the FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia and has degrees in history, social sciences and criminology. He also holds a PhD in law and history from the University of Essex. His thesis examined the legal basis of murder investigations in the inter-war years (1919-1939). His hobbies include high-altitude walking, playing the guitar (badly) and the piano (even worse).