[3]: 13 [4] The book then covers Dyer's life while he attended Midleton college in County Cork Ireland and his time at Sandhurst,[3]: 17  and then moves on to cover Dyer's life following his graduation from Sandhurst to his postings to the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)[5] in Cork to their deployment to Belfast during the 1886 Belfast riots and then his service during the Third Burmese War.

It covers the reception to the news of the massacre in England to Dyer being pensioned out of the army and the campaign by the Morning Post newspaper which raised £26,000 ($42,386.5) from public donations.

[7] Chandar S. Sundaram writing for Itinerario has said that this was the "definitive work" on the massacre and that Collett had detailed the life of Dyer with exceptional skill.

[6] Mihir Bose writing for History Today said "Collett has told this terrible story with great, forensic skill, marshalling his facts brilliantly.

"[9] Gordon Johnson praised it as an "outstanding contribution to our understanding of this horrific event ... [that] presents a balanced reading of Dyer's character".