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The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
 
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The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher (Paperback)

by Kate Summerscale (Author)
3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (179 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (26 Jul 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 074759922X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0747599227
  • Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15.2 x 3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (179 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 13,536 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #18 in  Books > History > Cultural History > Local & Urban History
    #77 in  Books > Biography > True Crime

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Product Description

Review
'It is a beautiful piece, written with great lucidity and respect for the reader, and with immaculate restraint. A classic, to my mind, of the finest documentary writing.' John Le Carre 'A pacy analysis of a true British murder case from 1860, the unravelling of which involved one of the earliest Scotland Yard detectives and inspired sensation novelists such as Dickens and Wilkie Collins Absolutely riveting' Sarah Waters, Guardian 'Summerscale has constructed nothing less than a masterpiece My shelves are stacked with books about crime, but none more satisfying than this' Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday 'Sparse, melancholy, beautifully written the year's most beguiling biography' Independent

The Daily Mail
A tour de force. It sweeps us irresistibly into the investigation, turning us into armchair detectives... Under the spell of [her] scrupulous intelligence and mesmerizing research'

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Customer Reviews

179 Reviews
5 star:
 (49)
4 star:
 (29)
3 star:
 (27)
2 star:
 (33)
1 star:
 (41)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.1 out of 5 stars (179 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
271 of 286 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The birth of detective fiction and the death of a child, 11 April 2008
By Icy (London, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: or the Murder at Road Hill House (Hardcover)
This book is as much a history of Victorian social values and the emerging field of detective fiction in the nineteenth century as it is a book about a hideous country house murder in 1860. Researched using original police papers from the National Archives, books on the crime and many more sources, the book tells the story of the Road Hill House murder of 1860, when a three year old boy was brutally slain by another occupant of his home. The book sets out to detail the case, from the original event to the investigation by Scotland Yard detective Jack Whicher, to the aftermath suffered by the entire family.

It's extremely well written and well researched, and even though there is little to add suspense considering anyone with an Internet connection can discover the identity of the murderer, Summerscale still manages to inject a certain air of tension into proceedings, drawing things out as they must have unfolded at the time. With a peculiar ability to grab your attention and hold it firmly, the book is difficult to put down, and a thoroughly fascinating read for anyone with an interest in detective fiction, real life crime or a historical period that throws up as many questions as it answers.

Highly recommended.
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98 of 107 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly researched and completely engrossing, 1 May 2008
By Snapdragon (London) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: or the Murder at Road Hill House (Hardcover)
The murder of a young child which took place at Road Hill House, Wiltshire in 1860 captured the imagination of the public and turned everyone into amateur detectives. The perfect example of a country house murder with a finite amount of suspects also inspired writers of the time such as Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Mary Elizabeth Braddon.

'The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher' is structured so that first, we learn the details of the crime, then we learn about the investigation which leads on to what happened next and the author's own theory based on the evidence. To say this book is well-researched in something of an understatement; if someone goes through a toll road, we know how much they pay; if someone moves to London we find out who they lived next door to; if someone left a will, we find out exactly what they left and to whom. I'm sure this level of detail would be irritating to some, but I found it absolutely incredible!

The book is also interesting in giving us a taste of the time, the attitudes of the people, the ways in which the Police force was growing and how events were shaping literature.

This is an extraordinary achievement and engrossing throughout. I can't wait to see what she will come up with next!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars A Forgotten Murder Mystery Purportedly Revealed, 24 Jun 2009
By Graceann Macleod "Books Fuel My Life" (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is one of those books that makes me very sad, because of what it could have been. There are so many missed opportunities here, and so many uninteresting threads that are tugged until they snap. Quite a shame given the subject matter - it could have been a cracking read.

In 1860, a three year old boy is murdered within his own home. Mr. Whicher, who is the London detective assigned to the case, has his own suspicions (hence, the title) about who has committed this crime, and they are in opposition to the beliefs of the local constabulary. Working on this case wears him out emotionally, psychologically and physically.

It's quite clear that the author had very little to work with, so she padded the tiny amount of data with information such as the origins of words like "clue," "sleuth" and "red herring," rather than providing what readers would be more interested in, like the thoughts and feelings of the family involved.

Other than pointing me in the direction of detective novels that take the Road Hill Murder as their inspiration, and making me interested in Wilkie Collins, I didn't get much out of Suspicions of Mr. Whicher. A tip for other readers would be that, if you don't already know who committed this crime, don't view the photographs before reading the book, because they give the culprit away.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Shocking Murder, Suspense with a Courtroom Drama and a Detective Extraordinaire. (Real Life Whodunit)
"Do you feel an uncomfortable heat at the pit of your stomach, sir? and a nasty thumping at the top of your head? Ah! not yet? It will lay hold of you..... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Andrea Bowhill

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspicions confirmed
This book is based on fact and is absolutely great. The writing could not be better and the extra details beyond the main storyline, including some historic details of the time,... Read more
Published 5 days ago by Mrs. Geraldine H. Taylor

2.0 out of 5 stars Not so great afterall
I was looking forward to getting a copy of this book. It had great reviews which compared it to one of my favourite authors 'Wilkie Collins'. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Ms. A. Bhandari

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacking
Could have been gripping given the horrific nature of the case on which it is based. This is not writing but a series of newspaper articles and quotes clunkily segued by reportage... Read more
Published 14 days ago by Thomas J. Curtis

5.0 out of 5 stars WHO DONE IT?...
This is a beautifully written, well-researched book that dissects the murder investigation that surrounded an appalling murder that occurred in England in 1860. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Lawyeraau

3.0 out of 5 stars The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House
I enjoyed this book very much and Kate Summerscale writes well. However, I did not like the continual references to Dickens', Wilkie Collins' novels and thought they were... Read more
Published 22 days ago by Mrs. V. J. Low

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, even for those who don't like non-fiction
I've never been a big fan of non-fiction, only occasionally getting excited about certain subjects enough to want to read a whole book about them, WWII being one. Read more
Published 25 days ago by ceb 123

5.0 out of 5 stars Mr Whicher
I have just started to read this book. So far well written. The murder is particularly gruesome, or rather hideous. Read more
Published 25 days ago by K. C. Towers

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly original and an extraordinary achievement
Kate Summerscale has produced something quite original and exciting here, and has deservedly won awards for this book. Read more
Published 25 days ago by hiljean

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe the hype - boring as all get-out
I cannot understand why this book is so acclaimed, it bored me senseless and managed to make a potentially interesting tale dull as ditchwater. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Ms. C. L. Scott

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