ABSTRACT
Crime, by its nature, is subversive, anti-social and sometimes frightening. And yet, there is a fascination with some aspects of criminal activity, in particular those which tap into wider social anxieties. Members of the general public can become obsessed with particular crimes that create a sensation which simultaneously attracts and repels. In this chapter, three such cases from the middle decades of the twentieth century are examined: the Pyjama Girl mystery, the Shark Arm murder and the Graeme Thorne kidnapping. Particular attention is paid to how they fit with broader concerns of the time, focused on the nuclear family, and the role played by the media in creating interest in them.
