Story Archive

One for the Books

Adrian Greenwood was an author and historian in Oxford, England, but a prosecutor says it was his wealth and his dealings in rare books that led to his murder: Michael Danaher, they say, was particularly interested in Greenwood’s 50,000 pound (US$62,000), first-edition copy of Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 children’s book, Wind in the Willows. Danaher claims self-defense, and an ex-girlfriend said Greenwood had attacked a postman and held a washing-machine installer hostage. But a prosecutor said Danaher had a list of targets whose assets he was after, which the prosecutor said exuded resentment. “It is almost as if these are people who, because of their wealth, and his lack of it, deserved to be subjected to what he has planned.” Greenwood was stabbed 33 times. (AC/BBC, Oxford Mail, London Independent) ...Sounds like they both needed more time with the right books.