Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engrossing Stuff!! and he knows who did it!!, 11 Jun 2006
Brilliant!! An in-depth, easy to follow study of this unsolved crime. The author has laid out his account of the poisoning drama in three sections. The first section is an account of what happened; three members of the same family (Mum, youngest daughter and son-in-law) all dying from arsenic poisoning within 12 months of each other. This is followed by details of the exhumations and three inquests held over the following months, and identifying the various 'players' of the tragedy. The final section is where the author re-investigates the plethora of evidence, and provides an answer to what actually happened.
During the third part of the book, Mr Whittington-Egan leaves no stone unturned in his methodical approach, researching all the evidence and re-examining the numerous, contemporary statements given by the surviving family members, house staff and doctors involved. New information, not uncovered or discussed during the inquests is thrown into the equation. He also manages to locate and re-interview a number of the people directly involved with the case, and even attempts to draw a confession from the (alleged) murderer!!
Additionally, the too-brief defensive postscript by the surviving relative of the accused will make you stop and think. Refreshing to see the tragedy from a different viewpoint, thus gaining an alternative angle on some of the evidence provided.
This book stands out from the rest of its genre, due to the fact it offers a solution to the mystery, clearly explains why / how it is feasible, and includes the aformentioned postscript. Whether it is true, we will never know. Fascinating!!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliantly and thoroughly researched - but not necessarily solved, 1 Sep 2008
I have read the book and seen the Julian Fellowes re-enactment in "A Most Mysterious Murder" and both are very well done, although the TV version is far more superficial, and key events and characters are missed out. Interesting that Fellowes comes too a different conclusion (and that he makes absolutely no reference to Whittington-Egan). Certainly the depth of research that W-H has done is remarkable, especially in unearthing witnesses, and his tracking down and confrontation of his prime suspect 40 years on is probably unique in crime research. However, for all the evidence he presents, there still remain a few doubts as to motive and opportunity and one can understand why no-one was ever brought to trial.
On another level, the book gives fascinating insights into life in suburban London in the 1920s and especially the distant echoes of Victorian times.
A thoroughly recommended read.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent, excellent book. , 6 Jul 2008
I agree with the (so far only) other reviewer: this book is brilliant. I read it after reading the much more recently published "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher", which is also brilliant, but "The Riddle of Birdhurst Rise" is noticeably better. I'm desperate to know more about the whole case. Is the writer of the final afterword still alive I wonder? What do her children think about the whole thing? It's just the most amazing story. I didn't see the Julian Fellowes BBC program about the case (transmitted in 2005 I think), and apparently he came to a different conclusion from Whittington-Egan. I can't quite imagine how, as Wh-Eg's analysis seems pretty watertight to me. One word of advice - if you find the 100-odd pages of inquest transcripts a little slow-going, just skim read the boring bits, it really doesn't matter too much. (But do read them obviously, or the rest won't make much sense).
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