The Cleveland Street Scandal

‘The privilege and hypocrisy of the Victorian Age are on full display in this riveting tale of sex, coverup, abuse of power, and justice denied. Thanks to Neil Root’s masterful exposé of a scandal that rocked the Royal Family and the British establishment, the whole truth has finally come out.’

‘A remarkable, impressively researched and readable tale, as relevant today as it was in Victorian times.’

‘A fascinating and meticulously researched look at the biggest gay scandal to hit the headlines until Oscar Wilde. Absolutely a must-read.’

‘I was completely drawn into Neil Root’s compelling and deeply researched account of one of the first queer scandals of the modern age. From London telegraph boys to ambitious newspaper editors, and members of Queen Victoria’s own family, Root recounts the complex web of political intrigue that made the Cleveland Street affair emblematic of its age – a case that set in motion nearly a century of policing that ruined the reputation and lives of queer men. With a historian’s eye for detail and a journalists approach to story, Root brings to life not only the many characters who were drawn into the scandal, either publicly and privately, but also makes abundantly clear how charges of “gross indecencies” in the heart of the British Empire depended on one’s power and privilege.’

Neil Root was born in London in 1971. He is a journalist, having written features for national newspapers, magazines and websites, and a true crime historian. Two of his books have been longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction.