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A review by katykelly
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale
4.0
I found this fascinating! I love social history, and the murder (whilst horrifying and grisly) is only a small part of this book. The fact that every aspect of the family, their lives, their house, was investigated, meant that the depth of detail is so incredible for Kate Summerscale to dig into.
The murder of a 3 year old boy in the 1860s sends a London detective to the house to investigate just who killed him and how. It’s a true story and all details taken from the actual police files and statements. Knowing it was a member of the household adds to the drama, and also knowing it took so many months and even years for all the facts to be known makes this more dramatic and suspenseful than any modern TV crime drama!
At times, the detail went a little far (a lot of quotes from Dickens, and The Woman in White) but I found it a well-written account of the case and a very vivid picture of Victorian family and police life.
If you like your crime bloody and fast-moving this isn’t one for you. If you like historical detail, intricacies and slower-moving but intense stories, give this a go.
The murder of a 3 year old boy in the 1860s sends a London detective to the house to investigate just who killed him and how. It’s a true story and all details taken from the actual police files and statements. Knowing it was a member of the household adds to the drama, and also knowing it took so many months and even years for all the facts to be known makes this more dramatic and suspenseful than any modern TV crime drama!
At times, the detail went a little far (a lot of quotes from Dickens, and The Woman in White) but I found it a well-written account of the case and a very vivid picture of Victorian family and police life.
If you like your crime bloody and fast-moving this isn’t one for you. If you like historical detail, intricacies and slower-moving but intense stories, give this a go.