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Review
'I can't think of another book which takes you so fast into the smells, tastes and atmosphere of that time.' --Doris Lessing
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
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
350 of 372 people found the following review helpful
Format: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.
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.
132 of 144 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
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!
'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!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
True Crime is often considered cheap and tawdry, but this is stylish, thorough and perfectly restrained in its approach to its subject. It's about a classic murder in 1860 in a country house in Wiltshire, in which one of the household must (probably) have done it, but none seems to have a motive. Mr Whicher, a detective from London, is sent to solve the case. The book uses this murder as a focusing point for a wide-ranging look at the oddness (to us now) of Victorian family life; at the beginnings of detectives; `scientific' and psychological detecting, and of detective and `sensation' fiction; class and gender issues; newspapers; and the C19th legal system. As such it goes beyond the narration of a crime and gives a marvellous insight into how the Victorians lived. Unusually for a popular book it has notes, an index and a bibliography: the writer does a thorough job herself of uncovering the secrets of the house.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A must for detective fans
This is the true murder of Saville Kent, probably the defining case for the newly established London detective force. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Liz
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher
This was one those books which was hard to put down and caused regret when it was finished. As an enthusiastic student of Victorian Britain I think this book deals with a period... Read more
Published 4 days ago by J. E. Garlington Esq
Poorly written - tedious prose
I must concur with other reviewers giving this book a poor rating, and probably don't have much else to add. This book is badly paced and tedious. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Diana
Ticks all the boxes
I was expecting this to be an entertaining piece of historical crime fiction. It's certainly that, and it delivers in spades. But it's far more than that. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Colin Bell
Very Interesting
I've allways been interested in true crime and had this was given to me as a Christmas present and I also bought it for a friend. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. A. L. Maddocks
When fact becomes a truly readable tale
Winner of The Galaxy Book Of The Year, British Book Awards 2009, Winner of the BBC Four Samuel Johnson Prize and Shortlisted for The Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger, this... Read more
Published 3 months ago by R. A. Davison
Breath of fresh air
This book is a refreshing change from the normal crime novel. Interesting on so many levels and a great insight into Victorian life.
Published 4 months ago by em
Really excellent
This book is brilliant. More gripping than any fiction book I have read for years and this is despite knowing the outcome of the case due to studying it during my BA. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Anyanka
Outstanding
A book to savour. And gripping too! I envy Kate Summerscale's feel for the period and wanted more. Read more
Published 5 months ago by ARB
Kept me interested throughout
This was an amazing book. I must admit, I found the beginning to be slightly slow. However, it was one of the greatest real crime books I've ever read, and I was honestly stumped... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Teinuk
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