The Suspicions of Mr Whicher
by Kate Summerscale
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 345)
Read in July, 2008
70 pages in... time for a few thoughts.
One of the staples of a good true crime book is the disembodied narrator flying about the crime scene before the crime is committed. It is as if domestic life is the sin of the world and the true killer. This book does not have the eerie space, nor the care for humanity that "In Cold Blood" has, but it does set the stage, and period quite well.
The positives in this book are many. The murder central to the story is MOST HEINOUS, I ca...more
One of the staples of a good true crime book is the disembodied narrator flying about the crime scene before the crime is committed. It is as if domestic life is the sin of the world and the true killer. This book does not have the eerie space, nor the care for humanity that "In Cold Blood" has, but it does set the stage, and period quite well.
The positives in this book are many. The murder central to the story is MOST HEINOUS, I ca...more
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Read in May, 2008
I'm so disappointed in this book. I happened upon it at the library and thought it looked fantastic. Who doesn't love a Victorian murder mystery?
YET, it was much less riveting than my beloved Death at the Priory. It was impossible not to compare the two Victorian murders and Death at the Priory wins hands down. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher was dry as dust and spent far too much time comparing the historical person, Mr. Whicher, with the development of the burgeoni...more
YET, it was much less riveting than my beloved Death at the Priory. It was impossible not to compare the two Victorian murders and Death at the Priory wins hands down. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher was dry as dust and spent far too much time comparing the historical person, Mr. Whicher, with the development of the burgeoni...more
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Read in May, 2008
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale is an account of a real Victorian murder mystery investigated by Jack Whicher, one of the first nine Scotland Yard detectives. In an upper middle class country home, a terrible murder occurred. Three-year-old Saville Kent was discovered dead in a privvy, his throat slashed. A drawing room window had been found open, but it quickly became apparent that no maurading stranger had broken in and committed the dire deed---only one of the family...more
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Read in May, 2008
A fascinating and intriguing book which charts the simultaneous development of the early professional detective - Whicher of Scotland Yard - and the amateur armchair variety encouraged by the fledgling local and national newspapers' reporting of a sensational murder case in 1860. The frankly appalling murder of a child fueled national debate and speculation. A family's secrets were, possibly for the first time, dissected with the morning tea and toast. Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens and other...more
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Read in July, 2008
I wasn’t sure if I would like this one, I checked it out because I liked the title and the artwork on the cover, and because I’m a sucker for the true crime, but I was concerned because Victorian England is my least favorite thing to read about.
This awesome book went above and beyond the ol’ true crime genre. Sure there’s a “unsolved” murder in the book, but what makes this book so different is that it goes into the history of the detective as well as the literary history of the ...more
This awesome book went above and beyond the ol’ true crime genre. Sure there’s a “unsolved” murder in the book, but what makes this book so different is that it goes into the history of the detective as well as the literary history of the ...more
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Read in June, 2008
This book was actually really interesting. It was a really horrible murder case which understandably captured the attention of the whole country for a shockingly long time. A detective was sent from Scotland Yard--there were only 8 in the whole country, and he was the most famous. Detectives themselves were minor celebrities, and everyone from Dickens on down wanted to meet them and talk with them and write about them (if you look, a lot of Dickens' later books were detective stories, includin...more
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Read in May, 2008
recommended to Aaron by:
Time Magazinerecommends it for: true crime completists
There are about 100 pages of an interesting book here. Unfortunately, with the afterword, "Suspicions" is 300 pages long. It's recapitulation/re-exploration of a famous crime in England. The detective comes in, sniffs out the clues, and makes an arrest. He gets it right, but his suspect is released for lack of evidence. The author, Kate Summerscale, attempts to find a deeper social meaning, but it's the type of thing that happens every day here in the U.S. and a tighter, more ente...more
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Read in June, 2008
Interesting read about the beginnings of crime investigation in the mid 1800's in London. The book eludes to a particular murder during that time and shows how crime investigation began as well as society's perception/fascination with murder investigation and trials.
However, I was expecting (or rather hoping) that the book would ceneter around the details of the murder and in passing, discuss it's impact on society/investigation. Rather, it goes into much detail on the beginnings of investig...more
However, I was expecting (or rather hoping) that the book would ceneter around the details of the murder and in passing, discuss it's impact on society/investigation. Rather, it goes into much detail on the beginnings of investig...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
People who like mysteris, history and have more patience them me.
I loved the supposed concept of this book...non-ficition, but written like a Victorian crime novel. I was only 30 pages in, and didn't want to put it down. And then I got to Part Two.
The parts that pertain to the crime and the children's lives once grown are captivating. The intertwining of the influence this case had on the future of detective work, and crime novels, and the development of newspapers at the time was interesting....at first. But ends up being overwhelming. At one time...more
The parts that pertain to the crime and the children's lives once grown are captivating. The intertwining of the influence this case had on the future of detective work, and crime novels, and the development of newspapers at the time was interesting....at first. But ends up being overwhelming. At one time...more
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Read in June, 2008
I was really impressed by the writing in this book. The author gave all of the facts, but she didn't truly assign any feeling or direction to the thoughts. You were able to decide on your own whether Mr. Whicher was right with his assumptions, or if he was just being crazy and overworked. She also referenced several mystery/detective fiction books that were influenced by this crime, and she noted that Dickens and Poe weaved details of this story into several of their books (The Mystery of Edw...more
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My library system bought four copies and i am #24 on the list. Sounds like the word is out on this one.
Contents: To see what we have got to see -- The horror and amazement -- Shall not God search this out? -- A man of mystery -- Every clue seems cut off -- Something in her dark cheek -- Shape-shifters -- All tight shut up -- I know you -- To look at a star by glances -- What games goes on -- Detective-fever -- A general putting of this and that together by the wrong end -- Women! Hold your t...more
Contents: To see what we have got to see -- The horror and amazement -- Shall not God search this out? -- A man of mystery -- Every clue seems cut off -- Something in her dark cheek -- Shape-shifters -- All tight shut up -- I know you -- To look at a star by glances -- What games goes on -- Detective-fever -- A general putting of this and that together by the wrong end -- Women! Hold your t...more
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Read in July, 2008
This isn't your typical true crime novel. The author tries to bring to light how new the field of detective work was during the mid 19th century, how detectives were looked down upon because Victorian life in general treasured it's privacy and detectives had a tendency to threaten that lifestyle. So you have to read it more as an account of the history of detectives and see it less as a juicy horror filled true crime novel. Don't get me wrong, it tells the true story about the horrible murder...more
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Read in April, 2008
This is a fact based narative (ala Devil in The White City) where there is some extrapolation from the facts to make a coherent story. It is based in the mid-19th century and describes the lives and work of the first 8 "detectives" at Scotland Yard. The very best detective is sent to the country to investigate Britain's crime of the century. At the same time the murder investigation is going on, the author keeps us apprised of the press stories, the authors of the time who were writ...more
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Read in May, 2008
Totally fascinating true-crimeish report of a Victorian era murder of a young child and the detective who investigated it. What really made my English Major, Cultural Studies minor heart go pitter-patter was the slant on how the case and the detective were so influential in burgeoning field of the mystery genre and the insight into the Victorian mindset. Occasionally, it felt like the nail was being pounded a little too forcefully (i.e. "oh, and here is yet another example of my point, in c...more
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I usually pick up books that have been given an A in Entertainment Weekly's book review plus the addition to their Must List. I was underwhelmed - this was someone's PhD dissertation. Or at least it read like one. Most of the book was unraveling the murder at Road Hill House, but it was also focused on the first appearance of the Victorian detective and how the detective mentality swept England in the papers and in literature. I could see the author scouring books for quotes for the paper.
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Read in May, 2008
This book was a gripping murder mystery, mostly because it's, well, all true. As a Sherlock Holmes fan, I found it particularly interesting that this one case led to so many cliches in the world of murder mystery literature. (The English country estate full of suspects, the possibly guilty nursemaid, the hidden family intrigue, and so forth.) A good read- but remember, it's true, so the pieces don't necessarily fall into place as neatly as they do in Agatha Christie.
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Read in June, 2008
I liked it all the way until the end. It did feel a bit heavy-handed at times, but you know those Victorians. They did heavy-handed like nobody's business, and I think that tone in the book is a reflection of the primary sources the author used. The only thing I wanted but didn't get was a tidy solution. There was a whole lot of innuendo at the end, but nothing concrete. Boo. Still, though, you could do worse.
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Read in June, 2008
I loved this book. Not only is it about a real crime, but one that happened in the Victorian era, and the book profiles the investigation of said crime. It was entertaining, easy to read - I breezed right through it - and every fact was gleaned from the actual crime reports and interviews with various persons involved in the incident. A great read for the detective/true crime lovers.
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Read in June, 2008
a fairly dry account of a real-life event - the horrific murder of a 4-year old child in victorian england. the detective investigating the case went on to inspire several fictional detectives, including dickens characters. which i thought was interesting. also the odd importance of evidence critical to the case.
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Read in July, 2008
This is quite an interesting true crime book. I'm mortified by the killing of this child for no real reason. You'll have to read the book to find out who did it. It's quite shocking. And Mr. Whicher really was a great detective. The media was really messed up even then in the later 1800's England.
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