The Chiswick Villain is a novel written in first person, and based on the story of James Ashley a Victorian criminal. It is based on factual evidence from criminal reports at The Old Bailey, London. Set in both Whitechapel where James Ashley was born, and Chiswick, West London in 1834. James was born to be a villain, just like his father.
When James Ashley meets up with Moll Raby in Newgate Prison a romance soon springs up between them. James and Moll, upon their release from Newgate Prison, pledge to set out to make their fortune, and they make a formidable pair as they set out to rob, fleece, deceive, and otherwise deprive the rich Chiswick folk of their worldly goods, in the most effective manner, using every trick in the book, sometimes in the most comical manner, but were they ever caught?

Barbara O'Sullivan
Author