Paul Donnelley – författare

Fact is never more strange than fiction than when it comes to crime, and the crimes described here are so bizarre it's inconceivable that they could have been made up. In this all-new collection of truly unusual crimes, a sequel to the bestselling Mammoth Book of Bizarre Crimes, Odell and Donnelley tell the extraordinary stories of criminal acts far stranger than any fiction, including the murder of Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace by spree-killer Andrew Cunanan and the killing of intern Chandra Ann Levy, who had had an affair with US Representative Gary Condit, though he was cleared of any involvement in her murder. They reveal how Danilo Restivo was eventually convicted of the murder of Heather Barnett in England after the ritualistic placing of hair connected him to another murder in Italy. They tell the terrible story of the inexplicably brutal murder, over a number of days, of 15-year-old Kristy Bamu by his sister and her lover because they believed him to be practising 'witchcraft'. They also give a chilling account of the thirty-one-year-old mother-of-two, Joanna Dennehy, who killed three men.'I started killing,' she said, 'to see if I was as cold as I thought I was. Then it got moreish and I got a taste for it.'

Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is a rugby fan's delight, chock-full of astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and distinctly unlikely facts. Beginning in 1823 with an event that probably didn't happen, the book charts the history of the sport to the present day. Did you know that Wasps were not included at the formation of the Rugby Football Union because their representative went to the wrong venue and got drunk? Or that the first international was won by Scotland because the umpire, a Dr Almond, adjudged: 'When an umpire is in doubt, I think he is justified in deciding against the side which makes the most noise. They are probably in the wrong'? Do you know which was the first novel to mention rugby? When the last 20-a-side rugby match was played? Or why a fan cut off his testicles to celebrate a win? All this, and so much more.

From the thousands of matches ever played by Arsenal, stretching from a muddy field on the Isle of Dogs in the 19th century to the Premier League era and the pristine perfection of the Emirates Stadium, here are 50 of the club's most glorious, epochal and thrilling games of all! Expertly presented in evocative historical context, and described incident-by-incident in atmospheric detail, Arsenal Greatest Games offers a terrace ticket back in time, taking in their first FA Cup win in 1930, 1930s dominance of domestic football under the great Herbert Chapman, through to the great 1971 double-winning side; on to the exploits under George Graham in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Arsene Wenger's revolution and his all-conquering invincibles of 2004. An irresistible cast list of club legends - Frank McLintock, Charlie George, Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp - comes to life in these thrilling tales of goalscoring feats, great comebacks, Wembley glory and the odd glorious yet crushing disappointment. In all, a journey through the highlights of the Gunners' history which is guaranteed to make any fan's heart swell with pride.

Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is a tennis fan's delight, chock-full of astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and extraordinary facts. The book takes a light-hearted but authoritative look at every major tennis tournament in the world, including the Wimbledon Championships. Discover how the first championships - held in 1877, the same year as the first cricket Test match - were almost an afterthought. Did you know that no women were allowed in the first tournament? Or that the All England Club was actually founded to promote croquet? The book is packed with fascinating trivia that will tantalise and enthral. When did strawberries and cream become a Wimbledon staple? Who was the first man to win all four major titles in the same year? Who is or was Roland Garros? Filled with bizarre curiosities from the sport's past - from the heir to the throne whose death was caused by tennis, to the vicar who won Wimbledon, to the murderer who reached a final - this is a book every tennis fan should own.

Firsts, Lasts & Onlys: A Truly Wonderful Collection of Horseracing Trivia is filled with improbable facts and mind-boggling trivia that will test and tease every horseracing enthusiast.Try these questions for size: How did the word ‘thoroughbred’ come into existence, and what is a dam sire? Which Grand National-winning horse opened supermarkets after he retired and was sent requests for autographs? Which BBC sports commentator often had bad luck around the time of the National? Which classic race almost came to be known as the Bunbury?The perfect gift for every horseracing fan, this is a book you can pick up while waiting for the stewards’ inquiry for the 3.15 at Newmarket and learn something new, weird or fascinating. Often all three.

Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is a darts fan's delight, chock-full of astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and extraordinary facts. This highly dippable book explores the history of the pub pastime that became a national sport, albeit with some unlikely looking sportsmen and women. How did darts begin? Which London pub was reputedly the first to host a game of darts? Who won the first News of the World darts competition? How did an overweight Scots darts player come to make an appearance on Top of the Pops? Which player ran a pub and drank roughly 20 bottles of Holsten Pils every single day? And just how did a mass murderer get to appear on a darts TV game show? Test yourself and test your friends with this light-hearted but authoritative trivia collection. It’s a must-read for every darts fan!

Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is a boxing fan's delight, chock-full of astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and extraordinary facts. This highly dippable book explores the history of boxing divided into firsts, lasts and onlys – from the first reference to boxing in the third millennium BC to the first bout with boxing gloves and the last fight of Muhammad Ali. Who was the only world champion to fight an alien? When was the first recorded bare-knuckle fight in Britain? What reason did Muhammad Ali give for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War? Who is the only boxer to win two Olympic golds in different divisions at the same Games? Which Olympic boxing gold medallist captained England at Test cricket? When was the first fight held at Madison Square Garden? Test yourself and test your friends with this light-hearted but authoritative trivia collection. It’s a must-read for every fight fan!

Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is a Formula One fan's delight, chock-full of astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and extraordinary facts. From the first Formula One race to the latest high-octane events, this highly dippable book covers a whole host of firsts, lasts and onlys in motorsport. Where was the first Formula One race held? Who was the only Formula One driver to advertise Viagra? Which champion was nicknamed The Shunt? How much weight does a driver lose during a race? How long does a Formula One engine typically last? Who were the first father and son to win a Formula One race? Test yourself and test your friends with this fabulous feast of Formula One facts and feats. It’s a must-read for every motorsport fan!

Chronicles the lives and deaths of more than 1,000 movie personalities. This title includes not just the big stars but also a wealth of producers, directors and supporting players. It also contains the lives and deaths of movie personalities including Paul Newman, Charlton Heston, Charles Bronson, Farrah Fawcett and Natasha Richardson.

The Arsenal Companion collects together all the vital information you never knew you needed to know about Arsenal FC. In these pages you will find irresistible anecdotes and the most mindblowing stats and facts. Heard the one about the glam rock single, 'A Love Song For My Lady', recorded by Charlie George as 'Charlie Gorgeous'? How about the linesman's injury that led to commentator Jimmy Hill running the line at Highbury? Do you know which former full-back managed the club for the shortest ever spell? Which 80s star advertised fitted kitchens and a white leather suit for Top Man? Or which 60s stopper was known as 'Sponge' due to his ability to soak up pressure? All these stories and hundreds more appear in a brilliantly researched collection of trivia, essential for any fan who holds the riches of red-and-white history close to their heart. Featuring a foreword by Frank McLintock.

Arsenal On This Day revisits all the most magical and memorable moments from the club's distinguished past, mixing in a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary of red-and-white history - with an entry for every day of the year. From the club's Victorian roots playing in donated shirts right up to the Emirates era, Gunners fans have witnessed league, cup and Double triumphs, hard-fought derbies and unforgettable European nights - all featured here. All-time greats including Thierry Henry and George Armstrong, Liam Brady, Charlie George and Eddie Hapgood loom larger than life - while their team-mates bare their buttocks before the North Bank, score solo pop hits and win Olympic gold medals. Find out which legend debuted on the day George Graham was born; the day which links Bertie Mee and Arsene Wenger; and which Arsenal manager was sacked on Friday the 13th.