|
I've always been a big fan of in "whodunits" and historical novels, so I was pretty excited when I saw this book come out and immediately had to snatch it up. The author is very good at making it not feel like you're reading a non-fiction book that just is crammed with facts, even though she has obviously done her research and has her share of documents pertaining to the case. Summerscale writes a great novel of a murder mystery set it gothic Victorian London, where the family are the only suspects. The case proves to be very captivating with various theories laid out for the reader to examine. I could've maybe done without the deeper information she gives into Whicher's life and the history of detective work, although some of it was insightful. Recommended to anyone who likes a good, real-life murder mystery.
A good combination of whodunit and history of the period (1860). I found it really fascinating, from the gruesome murder of a young child to the personal and professional lives of Scotland Yard detectives. The author includes maps, room plans and photographs which ensure that the reader can't forget the reality of the murder. Yet at the beginning of the book there is a family tree and a 'List of Characters' which almost suggests it's a work of detective fiction, popular at the time. Summerscale has researched her material and the facts of the case very well and the result is a book that satisfies lovers of both facts and fiction.
Reading this book, one can't help but notice the similarities between this case and the high profile over hyped crimes constantly being "sold" on cable tv. What's particularly interesting is the parallels between the stupid commentary of the papers of the day and the stupid commentary of the talking head on cable news. I was also impressed at the level of skill of Mr Whicher, a man who'd clearly have a detective show named after him were he alive today.It's also beyond that, an interesting look at the actions of someone who's committed a horrible crime but now feels remorse and guilt for their actions and is trying on some level to atone even though it's ultimately impossible to do so. It's a shame that we couldn't confirm whether the killer really did have an accomplice.
Though he brought charges against Constance Kent, the child's half-sister, the person he considered the most likely suspect, his evidence was only circumstantial and she was released. But Summerscale gives us much more in this fascinating analysis of a murder that shocked England in 1860.The brutal murder of a child made everyone in the household a suspect, a situation similar to the more recent Jon Benet Ramsay case. This would be an interesting book if it were only the history of one particular crime. Public sympathy turned against the detective and he returned to London in disgrace.Even the confession of his suspect five years later and her sentence to prison failed to vindicate Whicher. The murder had national ramifications--exposing the private life of a family to public scrutiny for the first time in British history and arousing fear and curiosity across the nation. Scotland Yard sent its best man to investigate and, from all accounts, Jonathan Whicher exerted his best efforts to find the killer.Unfortunately, delays in his assignment and jealousy on the part of local police stymied his investigation. His career had been permanently tarnished and he had retired in 1864, his health damaged as if his ".thoughts had run too obsessively on the conundrum of the Road Hill murder."Despite the confession, doubts continue about certain aspects of the case.The case gave rise to a "detective-fever" in Britain and paved the way for our fascination with mystery novels. In addition to her revelations about the case and the times, Summerscale also provides interesting tidbits such as the origin of the words "clue" and "sleuth."
Summerscale uses the Road House Murder as a lens by which to view much of Victorian society, riffing into fascinating historical tangents. This book start out great and shows tremendous promise. But it ultimately dissipates all that energy and falls flat. The tension of the murder itself keeps the book a page turner throughout the first half, but is paced oddly so that the last half of the book is concerned with events after the investigation. Odd pacing, and because the book never reaches a strong conclusion it feels like it just trails off.
|
