Dr Sam Willis

Sam Willis is a historian, archaeologist and broadcaster. He has made more than ten major TV series for the BBC and National Geographic including The Silk Road, Invasion! And Castles. He has also written more than ten critically acclaimed and award-winning books.

An 1812 cartoon by Thomas Rowlandson depicts highwaymen in action in the days when travellers made for easy pickings for criminals (Photo by Culture Club/Getty Images)

Murder and mayhem in Georgian Britain: the scandalous work of Johnson's General History. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.