Out Of The Shadows

Season 38 examines one of Victorian England's most infamous murderers: William Palmer, the Rugeley Poisoner. This four-part series traces his crimes from gambling addiction to serial murder—and the groundbreaking forensic investigation that brought him to justice.The Fatal WagerNovember 1855. A man lies dying in Room 10 of the Talbot Arms inn. His back arches off the mattress. His jaw locks. Every muscle seizes at once.John Parsons Cook had won big at the Shrewsbury races just days earlier. His horse Polestar crossed the finish line first, putting nearly a thousand pounds in his pocket. He should have been celebrating.Instead, he's being murdered—slowly, methodically—by his own friend and physician.Dr. William Palmer stands beside the bed, taking Cook's pulse. He doesn't call for help. He waits.The VictimJohn Parsons Cook was twenty-eight years old in 1855. Born into comfortable circumstances, he inherited enough money from his father to live without working. He trained for the law but never p