Murder by Mail: A Global History of the Letter Bomb

The explosive history of weaponized mail over hundreds of years.

This book unfolds the gripping history of weaponized mail, offering the first-ever comprehensive exploration of this sinister phenomenon. Spanning two centuries, Murder by Mail unveils the history of postal bombs, describing the evolution of both explosives and the postal services that facilitated their deadly use. From an eighteenth-century incident involving Jonathan Swift to modern acts of terror by groups like the IRA, Suffragettes, and lone actors such as the Unabomber, it uncovers the surprising ubiquity of mail bombs.

This chronological account meticulously covers each decade, from early anarchists and world wars through the Cold War to the rise of the serial bomber. Astounding in scope, this book sheds light on the psychopathy, motivations, and political implications behind murder by mail.

Mitchel P. Roth is professor of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University, Texas. His many books include An Eye for an Eye: A Global History of Crime and Punishment, also published by Reaktion Books. Mahmut Cengiz is associate professor and research faculty at the Terrorism, Transnational Crime, and Corruption Center at George Mason University. He and Roth are coauthors of The Illicit Economy in Turkey: How Criminals, Terrorists, and the Syrian Conflict Fuel Underground Markets.