How did it feel to be faced with the prospect of being branded, pressed to death or boiled alive in oil?

In this classic account of the history of torture, Geoffrey Abbott guides us through some of the worst torture methods known to man, from chilli powder punishment to needles under nails, with a style both chilling and full of dark humour. Prepare to be shocked to the core with this gruesome collection of tormenting tales that span from the early days of the Normans right up to the late nineteenth century.