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The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective
The dramatic story of the real-life murder that inspired the birth of modern detective fiction.
In June of 1860 three-year-old Saville Kent was found at the bottom of an outdoor privy with his throat slit. The crime horrified all England and led to a national obsession with detection, ironically destroying, in the process, the career of perhaps the greatest detective in the land.
At the time, the detective was a relatively new invention; there were only eight detectives in all of England and rarely were they called out of London, but this crime was so shocking, as Kate Summerscale relates in her scintillating new book, that Scotland Yard sent its best man to investigate, Inspector Jonathan Whicher.
Whicher quickly believed the unbelievable—that someone within the family was responsible for the murder of young Saville Kent. Without sufficient evidence or a confession, though, his case was circumstantial and he returned to London a broken man. Though he would be vindicated five years later, the real legacy of Jonathan Whicher lives on in fiction: the tough, quirky, knowing, and all-seeing detective that we know and love today…from the cryptic Sgt. Cuff in Wilkie Collins’s The Moonstone to Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade.
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is a provocative work of nonfiction that reads like a Victorian thriller, and in it Kate Summerscale has fashioned a brilliant, multilayered narrative that is as cleverly constructed as it is beautifully written.
In June of 1860 three-year-old Saville Kent was found at the bottom of an outdoor privy with his throat slit. The crime horrified all England and led to a national obsession with detection, ironically destroying, in the process, the career of perhaps the greatest detective in the land.
At the time, the detective was a relatively new invention; there were only eight detectives in all of England and rarely were they called out of London, but this crime was so shocking, as Kate Summerscale relates in her scintillating new book, that Scotland Yard sent its best man to investigate, Inspector Jonathan Whicher.
Whicher quickly believed the unbelievable—that someone within the family was responsible for the murder of young Saville Kent. Without sufficient evidence or a confession, though, his case was circumstantial and he returned to London a broken man. Though he would be vindicated five years later, the real legacy of Jonathan Whicher lives on in fiction: the tough, quirky, knowing, and all-seeing detective that we know and love today…from the cryptic Sgt. Cuff in Wilkie Collins’s The Moonstone to Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade.
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is a provocative work of nonfiction that reads like a Victorian thriller, and in it Kate Summerscale has fashioned a brilliant, multilayered narrative that is as cleverly constructed as it is beautifully written.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2008
830 people are currently reading
21725 people want to read
About the author
Kate Summerscale
10 books604 followersKate Summerscale (born in 1965) is an English writer and journalist.
She won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction in 2008 with The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House and won a Somerset Maugham Award in 1998 (and was shortlisted for the 1997 Whitbread Awards for biography) for the bestselling The Queen of Whale Cay, about Joe Carstairs, "fastest woman on water."
As a journalist, she worked for The Independent and The Daily Telegraph and her articles have appeared in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph. She stumbled on the story for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher in an 1890s anthology of unsolved crime stories and became so fascinated that she left her post as literary editor of The Daily Telegraph to pursue her investigations. She spent a year researching the book and another year writing it.
She has also judged various literary competitions including the Booker Prize in 2001.
She won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction in 2008 with The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House and won a Somerset Maugham Award in 1998 (and was shortlisted for the 1997 Whitbread Awards for biography) for the bestselling The Queen of Whale Cay, about Joe Carstairs, "fastest woman on water."
As a journalist, she worked for The Independent and The Daily Telegraph and her articles have appeared in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph. She stumbled on the story for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher in an 1890s anthology of unsolved crime stories and became so fascinated that she left her post as literary editor of The Daily Telegraph to pursue her investigations. She spent a year researching the book and another year writing it.
She has also judged various literary competitions including the Booker Prize in 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,464 reviews
October 17, 2008
So disappointing! I was hoping for another "Devil in the White City" but, what I got was "Devil in the over researched, meandering, dull city." Poor Mr. Whicher. From the beginning we are promised a story about this interesting man and the case that brought him down. This was a man who influenced all the famous literary detectives from Sherlock Holmes to Philip Marlowe. But, we never got to know him. He never had a voice. And frankly, the guy on the page would have a hard time influencing anything. Actually, none of the characters came to life. Too much time was spent quoting the novels that were influenced by this case and very little on presenting the actual story in a readable fashion. This read like a dry, overly ambitious thesis paper. I applaud the research that went into this book, I just wish that at least half of that energy went into writing the book instead of just organizing the findings into chapters. I love nonfiction of all styles. I think this suffers from misleading marketing. It's not a "non fiction book that reads like fiction", like the above mentioned "Devil..." Poor, poor Mr. Whicher. I guess his story will remain being told in "The Woman in White" and other mystery novels.
August 9, 2024
This is a true crime story about the gruesome murder of a child in Victorian England.
In mid-1860, the relatively prosperous Kent family lived in a large house on Road Hill in the county of Kent, southeast of Greater London.
The Kents' Road Hill house
The county of Kent is southeast of Greater London
Samuel Kent and his second wife Mary were raising six children, four from Samuel's first marriage, and two from their union. In addition, Mary was pregnant again. (Note: In the course of her life, Mary experienced many pregnancies, most of which ended in miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. The women of this era certainly had it rough. 😒)
On the morning of June 30, 1860, Samuel and Mary's son Saville - three years and ten months old - was missing from his cot in the nursemaid's room. The nursemaid, Elizabeth Gough, thought Saville's mother Mary had taken the boy, and didn't immediately raise the alarm.
Little Saville Kent
When it became clear that Saville was missing, a frantic search ensued, and servants found the boy's body stuffed down a privy outside the house. Saville had been stabbed and his throat had been cut.
The local police were called, and their investigation revealed that the house had been shut up tight, and the murderer was well-acquainted with the home's layout. Thus the murderer must have been a servant or family member....not a random intruder.
Police in England, circa 1860
In Victorian England the home of respectable people was considered sacrosanct, and this severely hampered police inquiries. The authorities weren't able to search the house properly, and when a woman's soiled chemise (a piece of clothing worn under a corset) was found in the privy, the police only 'fitted' it against servants, not family members.
Example of woman's chemise, circa 1860
These constraints, plus police ineptitude, resulted in no arrests...though the police had their suspicions. The failed investigation raised the ire of the general public. The sensational murder of a child was fodder for newspapers, pamphleteers, and balladeers, and people all across Britain heard about the case.
Balladeers helped spread the news in Victorian England
When a murderer wasn't arrested the population roundly criticized the authorities, and 'armchair detectives' came up with their own theories. Many people wrote letters to magistrates and politicians, calling for Scotland Yard to get involved.
The British public was angered by the Saville Kent case
Finally Scotland Yard Detective-Inspector Jonathan Whicher was sent to Road Hill to re-investigate the murder. Whicher had a stellar reputation as a detective, and was renowned for his previous successes in criminal apprehension. Summerscale provides several anecdotes about Whicher's former cases, which are wide-ranging and interesting.
Detective-Inspector Jack Whicher
Whicher was aware the local cops didn't appreciate his 'interference', but he questioned and re-questioned every person of interest, including family members, servants, the local laundress, neighbors, townsfolk, etc. Whicher also found new evidence, which informed his opinion of the case. In the end, the Kent police and Whicher had different theories of the crime.
- The Kent police surmised that little Saville woke up and found his father Samuel (or some other man) in bed with the nursemaid Elizabeth. The guilty couple, fearing Saville would tattle to his mother, killed the child.
Samuel Kent
- Whicher thought Saville's teenage half-sister Constance killed him, out of resentment against her stepmother Mary. It was well known that Mary Kent - who was originally the children's nanny - had an affair with Samuel before his first wife died. In addition, Mary was MUCH nicer to her own children than to her stepchildren.
Young Constance Kent
There were accusations, arrests, court proceedings, and all manner of rigmarole surrounding the Saville Kent murder, which Summerscale describes in detail. The case severely impacted the people in the Kent household, as well as Detective-Inspector Whicher.
The victim's father Samuel Kent - who was already unpopular because his job involved enforcing child labor laws - was reviled by the public, many of whom thought him guilty. Other residents of the Road Hill house were also scrutinized by the press and public, who watched them, wrote about them, etc.
As for Detective-Inspector Whicher, his 'evidence' didn't hold up against the savvy, sarcastic defense lawyers. This led to vicious remarks from the press and public, and Whicher became a broken disheartened man.
In addition to the Kent murder case, Summerscale provides a picture of Victorian England, which was experiencing industrialization and its concomitant problems, especially child labor. Most people seemed to think child labor was perfectly okay, even desirable, and they resented laws restricting the practice.
Child labor was rampant in Victorian England
The murder of Saville Kent, and the way it was solved, makes a fascinating story. However Summerscale doesn't believe justice was completely done, and she explains why. I found the book well-researched, well-written, and interesting. I also like Summerscale's speculation about the impact of syphilis on the lives of the characters. (Consider this a teaser. 😊)
I'd recommend the book to fans of true crime stories.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
June 25, 2009
It's a bit hard to understand all the acclaim "The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher" has received. A recounting of the murder of a three-year-old English boy in 1860 as well as an exploration of the killing's impact on detective work both real and fictional, the book certainly isn't terrible but does suffer from being something of a data dump for the author.
It seems Kate Summerscale felt a need to give us every niggling detail she was able to dig up about the murder, its coverage by the press at the time, and the family history of each of the case's principles. She also not only ties in every famous piece of literature loosely connected to the case -- the Sherlock Holmes stories, Wilkie Collins's "The Moonstone," Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw," and Charles Dickens's "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" among them -- but also gives readers the etymology of myriad detective terms, from "clue" and "red herring" to "sleuth" and "hunch."
None of this is bad in and of itself. Summerscale clearly intends to use the investigation of Saville Kent's murder as a starting point to discuss the rise of the modern detective and the development of the mystery novel. The problem is that her analysis of the subject is relatively shallow. There's almost nothing here that someone with a rudimentary knowledge of the history of detective fiction and police work would be surprised by. One comes away with the feeling that Summerscale really wanted to write about only the Kent case itself, found herself with too little material, and ended up padding the story with anything tenuously connected to the crime.
Another problem with the book is the title character, Jonathan Whicher himself. So little is known about the detective beyond his involvement in the Kent investigation -- it's not clear whether or not he had a son, for instance, and Summerscale is left guessing what earlier cases he might have worked on -- that it seems a miscalculation to put the weight of the book on his shoulders. The crime, too, is not quite enough to carry the book. Sure, the murder of a three-year-old would always be shocking, and was probably even more so in its day. But the victim, being a three-year-old, is by definition a less-than-fascinating character. Don't the best murder mysteries -- and Summerscale herself says at the outset that she's hoping to recreate a murder mystery with this book -- have the most intriguing victims?
All criticisms aside, and I realize I've heaped a lot on "The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher," the book is obviously thoroughly researched -- arguably too well-researched -- and Summerscale's prose is clear, straightforward and free of unnecessary ornamentation. The book doesn't invite loathing, certainly, but is quite a slog to get through. And the reader isn't left feeling it was much worth the effort.
It seems Kate Summerscale felt a need to give us every niggling detail she was able to dig up about the murder, its coverage by the press at the time, and the family history of each of the case's principles. She also not only ties in every famous piece of literature loosely connected to the case -- the Sherlock Holmes stories, Wilkie Collins's "The Moonstone," Henry James's "The Turn of the Screw," and Charles Dickens's "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" among them -- but also gives readers the etymology of myriad detective terms, from "clue" and "red herring" to "sleuth" and "hunch."
None of this is bad in and of itself. Summerscale clearly intends to use the investigation of Saville Kent's murder as a starting point to discuss the rise of the modern detective and the development of the mystery novel. The problem is that her analysis of the subject is relatively shallow. There's almost nothing here that someone with a rudimentary knowledge of the history of detective fiction and police work would be surprised by. One comes away with the feeling that Summerscale really wanted to write about only the Kent case itself, found herself with too little material, and ended up padding the story with anything tenuously connected to the crime.
Another problem with the book is the title character, Jonathan Whicher himself. So little is known about the detective beyond his involvement in the Kent investigation -- it's not clear whether or not he had a son, for instance, and Summerscale is left guessing what earlier cases he might have worked on -- that it seems a miscalculation to put the weight of the book on his shoulders. The crime, too, is not quite enough to carry the book. Sure, the murder of a three-year-old would always be shocking, and was probably even more so in its day. But the victim, being a three-year-old, is by definition a less-than-fascinating character. Don't the best murder mysteries -- and Summerscale herself says at the outset that she's hoping to recreate a murder mystery with this book -- have the most intriguing victims?
All criticisms aside, and I realize I've heaped a lot on "The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher," the book is obviously thoroughly researched -- arguably too well-researched -- and Summerscale's prose is clear, straightforward and free of unnecessary ornamentation. The book doesn't invite loathing, certainly, but is quite a slog to get through. And the reader isn't left feeling it was much worth the effort.
September 6, 2021
If you like 19th century British novels...
If you like detective novels...
If you are interested in the development of the novel...
If you have any interest in the development of the science of forensics...
If you like true crime...
If you enjoy good factual writing...
If you like a good story...
... then this book has it all. It's like the author asked me to write a list of all the things I like to read most, shook them up in a shaker and came out with the perfect book.
I drove my husband nuts while I was reading this, constantly interrupting my reading to tell him how "I really LOVE this book!" It's not a genre he would like so he wasn't interested, but if you see yourself in the list above, go for it.
Like this review? You can find all my reviews on my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews
If you like detective novels...
If you are interested in the development of the novel...
If you have any interest in the development of the science of forensics...
If you like true crime...
If you enjoy good factual writing...
If you like a good story...
... then this book has it all. It's like the author asked me to write a list of all the things I like to read most, shook them up in a shaker and came out with the perfect book.
I drove my husband nuts while I was reading this, constantly interrupting my reading to tell him how "I really LOVE this book!" It's not a genre he would like so he wasn't interested, but if you see yourself in the list above, go for it.
Like this review? You can find all my reviews on my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews
May 6, 2019
Suspicion
This is a version of the true murder investigation, which occurred in Road Hill House on 30th June 1860 in Rode in Wiltshire. The death of 3-year-old Francis Savill Kent became a national outrage and a widespread public condemnation towards the middle-class lifestyles and values. What went on behind closed doors? What can money and social class cover-up?
What was fact, was that behind locked doors the murder occurred and the murderer was one of the household staff or family. Mr Jonathan Whicher was a confident, self-assured detective that was assigned to the case. A case that became recognised as the first to generate national public attention. The case was brought to the masses through newspaper coverage and generated probing debates between those that felt the lives of respectable families shouldn’t be exposed to the public, and those that questioned what went on in middle-class houses that seemed to have immunity from the law.
The detail in the investigation was very methodically presented, and of course, it was very difficult to prove who the killer was, however, the suspicions of Jonathan Whicher are well outlined. It certainly had a long-term effect on the household staff and family, who were under considerable strain with the level of suspicion and rumours that circulated. There was a confession in the end but that may have been only half the guilty party. The book proceeds in a documentary style but very well linked and flows seamlessly.
What is also interesting beyond the case itself, is that Jonathan Whicher was a marketable detective that met with Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens, and probably inspired many detective characters in novels that followed, including Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.
I would recommend reading this book.
This is a version of the true murder investigation, which occurred in Road Hill House on 30th June 1860 in Rode in Wiltshire. The death of 3-year-old Francis Savill Kent became a national outrage and a widespread public condemnation towards the middle-class lifestyles and values. What went on behind closed doors? What can money and social class cover-up?
What was fact, was that behind locked doors the murder occurred and the murderer was one of the household staff or family. Mr Jonathan Whicher was a confident, self-assured detective that was assigned to the case. A case that became recognised as the first to generate national public attention. The case was brought to the masses through newspaper coverage and generated probing debates between those that felt the lives of respectable families shouldn’t be exposed to the public, and those that questioned what went on in middle-class houses that seemed to have immunity from the law.
The detail in the investigation was very methodically presented, and of course, it was very difficult to prove who the killer was, however, the suspicions of Jonathan Whicher are well outlined. It certainly had a long-term effect on the household staff and family, who were under considerable strain with the level of suspicion and rumours that circulated. There was a confession in the end but that may have been only half the guilty party. The book proceeds in a documentary style but very well linked and flows seamlessly.
What is also interesting beyond the case itself, is that Jonathan Whicher was a marketable detective that met with Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens, and probably inspired many detective characters in novels that followed, including Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.
I would recommend reading this book.
May 10, 2010
There don't seem to be many glowing reviews of this book on Goodreads, which I can totally understand. Yes, Summerscale gives us way, way too much extra background information on everything, her attempt to connect Detective Whicher to every single literary detective that has ever been is weak at the best of times, and the book's content doesn't pack quite the sensational punch its title promises.
Those are the book's flaws. I acknowledge their existence, and will now proceed to completely disregard them as I gush over this story.
So, in brief: the book is a nonfiction account of a murder that took place in 1860 and inspired this crazy obsession with detectives and detective fiction in England. The circumstances of the case and the detective (Mr. Whicher) who investigated it would become staples of the mystery and detective genres for decades to come.
The case itself is hella creepy and so unreal it's hard to believe this story isn't fiction. One morning in Road Hill House, a small country manor of a well-off family in England, three-year-old Saville Kent was discovered missing from his crib. After a frenzied search by family and servants, the child's body was discovered in the privy, wrapped in the blanket from his crib. His throat had been cut so far that he was almost decapitated, and he had also been stabbed in the chest. After the local police made absolutely zero progress figuring out who could have done the murder, they called in a London detective to solve the crime. Summerscale documents the investigation, the trial that followed, and Whicher's tireless efforts to discover the killer.
As I said, there's a lot of information in this book. Yes, some of it is useless and obviously padding, but I thought most of it was awesome. For instance:
Random Stuff You Will Learn From This Book
-Details of every case Jack Whicher ever worked. I think it's interesting, anyway.
-At the time of the Road Hill House murder, the London police force had only had actual detectives for about seven years
-Police officers' uniforms included a thick leather collar, to protect them from getting their throats cut
-If someone was being put on trial, they were not allowed to testify in court on their own behalf
-The police employed women so that female suspects could be searched without any impropriety (oh you fussy Victorians, never change)
-Lots and lots of slang, most of it criminal-related
-Origins of the words "clue", "sleuth", and "red herring"
-At the time, policemen were unable to tell if bloodstains on a lady's nightgown were menstrual blood or not, and would usually start behaving like bashful schoolgirls if they had to speculate on this for more than thirty seconds.
Kate Summerscale is doing more than just telling us about a murder investigation. She's giving us an introduction to detective fiction as a genre, and using the Road Hill House murder to illustrate all its different aspects: the brilliant and meddling detective, the closed-house murder mystery, the one odd clue that leads to a solution, the suspects and their secrets, the motives and capacity for murder. You will either find this all fascinating or tedious, depending on your attention level and how much of a crime thriller you're expecting to get. Results may vary.
"A Victorian detective was a secular substitute for a prophet or a priest. In a newly uncertain world, he offered science, conviction, stories that could organise chaos. He turned brutal crimes - the vestiges of the beast in man - into intellectual puzzles. But after the investigation at Road Hill House the image of the detective darkened. ...He exposed the corruptions within the household: sexual transgressions, emotional cruelty, scheming servants, wayward children, insanity, jealousy, loneliness and loathing. ...His conclusions helped to create an era of voyeurism and suspicion, in which the detective was a shadowy figure, a demon as well as a demi-god."
Read for: Social Forces in the Detective Novel
Those are the book's flaws. I acknowledge their existence, and will now proceed to completely disregard them as I gush over this story.
So, in brief: the book is a nonfiction account of a murder that took place in 1860 and inspired this crazy obsession with detectives and detective fiction in England. The circumstances of the case and the detective (Mr. Whicher) who investigated it would become staples of the mystery and detective genres for decades to come.
The case itself is hella creepy and so unreal it's hard to believe this story isn't fiction. One morning in Road Hill House, a small country manor of a well-off family in England, three-year-old Saville Kent was discovered missing from his crib. After a frenzied search by family and servants, the child's body was discovered in the privy, wrapped in the blanket from his crib. His throat had been cut so far that he was almost decapitated, and he had also been stabbed in the chest. After the local police made absolutely zero progress figuring out who could have done the murder, they called in a London detective to solve the crime. Summerscale documents the investigation, the trial that followed, and Whicher's tireless efforts to discover the killer.
As I said, there's a lot of information in this book. Yes, some of it is useless and obviously padding, but I thought most of it was awesome. For instance:
Random Stuff You Will Learn From This Book
-Details of every case Jack Whicher ever worked. I think it's interesting, anyway.
-At the time of the Road Hill House murder, the London police force had only had actual detectives for about seven years
-Police officers' uniforms included a thick leather collar, to protect them from getting their throats cut
-If someone was being put on trial, they were not allowed to testify in court on their own behalf
-The police employed women so that female suspects could be searched without any impropriety (oh you fussy Victorians, never change)
-Lots and lots of slang, most of it criminal-related
-Origins of the words "clue", "sleuth", and "red herring"
-At the time, policemen were unable to tell if bloodstains on a lady's nightgown were menstrual blood or not, and would usually start behaving like bashful schoolgirls if they had to speculate on this for more than thirty seconds.
Kate Summerscale is doing more than just telling us about a murder investigation. She's giving us an introduction to detective fiction as a genre, and using the Road Hill House murder to illustrate all its different aspects: the brilliant and meddling detective, the closed-house murder mystery, the one odd clue that leads to a solution, the suspects and their secrets, the motives and capacity for murder. You will either find this all fascinating or tedious, depending on your attention level and how much of a crime thriller you're expecting to get. Results may vary.
"A Victorian detective was a secular substitute for a prophet or a priest. In a newly uncertain world, he offered science, conviction, stories that could organise chaos. He turned brutal crimes - the vestiges of the beast in man - into intellectual puzzles. But after the investigation at Road Hill House the image of the detective darkened. ...He exposed the corruptions within the household: sexual transgressions, emotional cruelty, scheming servants, wayward children, insanity, jealousy, loneliness and loathing. ...His conclusions helped to create an era of voyeurism and suspicion, in which the detective was a shadowy figure, a demon as well as a demi-god."
Read for: Social Forces in the Detective Novel
November 15, 2018
I absolutely loved this - a fascinating, gripping read, so full of detail and intrigue, and so well written. A real new favourite non-fiction - I would highly recommend.
August 20, 2008
To me this book reads like somebody’s master’s thesis that was expanded for publication – the style is very dry, there’s a compulsive need to share every single random detail of research, and a particular obsession with how much everyone paid for everything – but it’s an interestingly idiosyncratic prism through which to look at the various hang-ups of Victorian society, in particular the glorification of Home and Family, and their terror of the increasing social mobility among the classes. It focuses on the high-profile 1860 murder of a child at Road Hill House in Wiltshire, and more specifically on the investigation that followed, the first important one conducted by Scotland Yard’s newly formed eight-man squad of detective-investigators. Jack Whicher, the lead investigator on the case, found himself dealing not only with the challenge of the crime itself, and the pressure of heightened public scrutiny resulting from the relatively recent power of the newspapers and the telegraph, but also with the family’s resistance to the role he was there to play – especially as it began to seem that the crime had been committed by someone inside the house and not by a stranger. The DIs were generally from working class backgrounds, and there was a very strong feeling that not only were they violating the much-vaunted sanctity of the Englishman’s Home with their blunt questions and dirty fingers, but that there was a fundamental impropriety in their determination to dig into and pass judgment on the private business of their social betters. Along the way we also find out the origins of a lot of detective vocabulary we take for granted (“clue,” for instance, and “sleuth”), and as an English Lit major I was intrigued by the influence the crime and its aftermath had on 19th century Brit Lit; this is where we have the genesis of the Country House Murder novel, and of the detective as a compelling literary figure. Elements of the Road Hill case found their way into Wilkie Collins’ The Moonstone and Dickens’ unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood, while Jack Whicher himself provided inspiration for Collins’ eccentric, rose-loving Inspector Cuff and Dickens’ somewhat less savory Mr Bucket in Bleak House. I also think it’s interesting that the apotheosis of English literary detectives, Sherlock Holmes, who made his first appearance several years after Road Hill, was neither working class nor a sanctioned professional, but a gentlemanly amateur with impeccable manners and social credentials – a detective Victorian society could clasp to its class-conscious breast with impunity.
January 2, 2014
Superb historical documentary of police detectives
This is an amazing book. Rarely have I read a book which has been so meticulously researched. There is an unbelievable amount of detail about the origins of official police detective work, the personalities involved, the journalism of the mid-nineteenth century, the Kent family of Road, the famous and not-so-famous people of that time, and the continuing history of the characters involved into the twentieth century.
So, if I think that this book's so wonderful, why did I only give it three stars? The answer to that question is that it is not at all what I was expecting having read the blurb on the cover and the fly leaf.
"This true story has all the hallmarks of a classic murder mystery. A body, a detective, a country house steeped in secrets and a whole family of suspects - it is the original Victorian whodunnit."
I thought that I'd be reading a description of the crime, the initial investigation, the brilliant interventions of Mr Whicher when he eventually arrived on the scene, the resolution of the crime and, perhaps, the trial of the killer.
Most of this was there, however, so were details of most of the other British crimes of the nineteenth century including the way that the police, press and politicians handled them. There was way too much detail.
If the cover comments had led me to believe that I was about to read a detailed and brilliantly researched documentary of Victorian crime, then I would have been more than satisfied, and would have easily awarded this book a well-deserved five stars.
As it was, I was very disappointed. But I have to say that I found the content to be very interesting, and I enjoyed reading it.
Comment - added on 26th April 2013
A TV series based upon this book is about to be screened in UK. The trailers lead me to believe that this is much more like an action-packed drama around the events and investigation of this crime. I shall watch in hope!
This is an amazing book. Rarely have I read a book which has been so meticulously researched. There is an unbelievable amount of detail about the origins of official police detective work, the personalities involved, the journalism of the mid-nineteenth century, the Kent family of Road, the famous and not-so-famous people of that time, and the continuing history of the characters involved into the twentieth century.
So, if I think that this book's so wonderful, why did I only give it three stars? The answer to that question is that it is not at all what I was expecting having read the blurb on the cover and the fly leaf.
"This true story has all the hallmarks of a classic murder mystery. A body, a detective, a country house steeped in secrets and a whole family of suspects - it is the original Victorian whodunnit."
I thought that I'd be reading a description of the crime, the initial investigation, the brilliant interventions of Mr Whicher when he eventually arrived on the scene, the resolution of the crime and, perhaps, the trial of the killer.
Most of this was there, however, so were details of most of the other British crimes of the nineteenth century including the way that the police, press and politicians handled them. There was way too much detail.
If the cover comments had led me to believe that I was about to read a detailed and brilliantly researched documentary of Victorian crime, then I would have been more than satisfied, and would have easily awarded this book a well-deserved five stars.
As it was, I was very disappointed. But I have to say that I found the content to be very interesting, and I enjoyed reading it.
Comment - added on 26th April 2013
A TV series based upon this book is about to be screened in UK. The trailers lead me to believe that this is much more like an action-packed drama around the events and investigation of this crime. I shall watch in hope!
January 16, 2018
Four-year-old Saville Kent is murdered in his own home. Although originally placed in the hands of local police, the matter is turned over to Jack Whicher who almost immediately suspects daughter Constance of the crime. However, charges do not stick. Whicher is discredited. The crime is confessed a few years later. The crime is interesting because of its influence on the new detective genre of fiction. Both Wilkie Collins in The Moonstone and Charles Dickens in his unfinished work The Mystery of Edwin Drood used the real case in the village of Road, Wiltshire, now Rode, Somerset, as a starting point in their works. The author informs readers of the future lives of the major characters in the case. While it is interesting, the writing is not flawless. I dislike the "hidden endnotes" employed in this work. Publishers need to quit using them. Give credit where credit is due, and let the reader know credit is being given.
March 18, 2025
3.5 stars
The only real problem with this minutely researched and highly compelling account of the Road Hill House murder investigation of 1860 is that it is too minutely researched. What would have made for an engrossing popular history read becomes an exercise in academic thoroughness and a slog of extraneous tangents.
Great for researchers, bad for the casual reader.
Mr Whicher was certainly an extraordinary man and a worthy subject for a popular history. I'm very glad I read about his rise and downfall, the early years of Scotland Yard (he was one of the original agents) and the impact he, Road Hill House and the Yard had on early detective literature. That part was fantastic.
I just wish the entire thing had been less fact-bloated and blessed with a tighter focus, that's all.
The only real problem with this minutely researched and highly compelling account of the Road Hill House murder investigation of 1860 is that it is too minutely researched. What would have made for an engrossing popular history read becomes an exercise in academic thoroughness and a slog of extraneous tangents.
Great for researchers, bad for the casual reader.
Mr Whicher was certainly an extraordinary man and a worthy subject for a popular history. I'm very glad I read about his rise and downfall, the early years of Scotland Yard (he was one of the original agents) and the impact he, Road Hill House and the Yard had on early detective literature. That part was fantastic.
I just wish the entire thing had been less fact-bloated and blessed with a tighter focus, that's all.
June 2, 2009
Very interesting book. Does a nice job of showing how authors of late 19th century England got fascinated by detectives and how this case influenced their detective fiction which in turn influenced the modern detective fiction. Lots of interesting period details and it shows how little people have changed. If you substituted blogs and Fox News for the tabloid papers and letters people wrote to the police, the hysteria and ignorance surrounding a crime in 1860 can still be seen in modern day media coverage.
November 25, 2017
An exceptionally shocking case of a Victorian murder, well-written and developed.
July 19, 2025
“Perhaps this is the purpose of detective investigations, real and fictional -- to transform sensation, horror and grief into a puzzle, and then to solve the puzzle, to make it go away. 'The detective story,' observed Raymond Chandler in 1949, 'is a tragedy with a happy ending.' A storybook detective starts by confronting us with a murder and ends by absolving us of it. He clears us of guilt. He relieves us of uncertainty. He removes us from the presence of death.”
This is the story of one of nineteenth century England’s most notorious murders. In 1860 three-year-old Saville Kent was brutally murdered. He came from a middle-class home which added to the shock. The subsequent investigations captured the public attention, and the tabloid press were just as intrusive and speculative as they are today. After two weeks the local police were baffled, and a Scotland Yard detective was called in: Inspector Whicher. Of course, the trail was already cold, so he was working at a great disadvantage. He was also looking at a family who were of a higher social class. The life of the Kent family and its servants were dissected by the press and inevitably scandals were found. The Mrs Kent of 1860 was the second Mrs Kent, the first having died, however she was previously the governess, and Mr Kent had been having an affair with her. There were two sets of children.
Whicher identified Constance Kent (a daughter of the house, who was 16) as the killer. The evidence was circumstantial and she denied it. The case never went to trial and Whicher was widely criticised and ridiculed and the fallout affected his career. Summerscale details all of this and the subsequent developments. In 1865 Constance, having found religion, did confess to the murder and spent twenty years in jail. Interestingly there was no press clamour for the death penalty as there would have been today. Summerscale takes the story to 1944 when Constance (name changed and living in Australia) died.
Summerscale also takes a look at the development of the detective in Victorian literature looking at Poe, Dickens, Collins and James (looking at the parallels with the Turn of the Screw).
At times the narrative doesn’t flow that well and it does go off at tangents. However it is interesting and I did note that the hatred and vitriol that you find online these days was actually worse than in Victorian times. Civilisation has a very thin veneer.
This is the story of one of nineteenth century England’s most notorious murders. In 1860 three-year-old Saville Kent was brutally murdered. He came from a middle-class home which added to the shock. The subsequent investigations captured the public attention, and the tabloid press were just as intrusive and speculative as they are today. After two weeks the local police were baffled, and a Scotland Yard detective was called in: Inspector Whicher. Of course, the trail was already cold, so he was working at a great disadvantage. He was also looking at a family who were of a higher social class. The life of the Kent family and its servants were dissected by the press and inevitably scandals were found. The Mrs Kent of 1860 was the second Mrs Kent, the first having died, however she was previously the governess, and Mr Kent had been having an affair with her. There were two sets of children.
Whicher identified Constance Kent (a daughter of the house, who was 16) as the killer. The evidence was circumstantial and she denied it. The case never went to trial and Whicher was widely criticised and ridiculed and the fallout affected his career. Summerscale details all of this and the subsequent developments. In 1865 Constance, having found religion, did confess to the murder and spent twenty years in jail. Interestingly there was no press clamour for the death penalty as there would have been today. Summerscale takes the story to 1944 when Constance (name changed and living in Australia) died.
Summerscale also takes a look at the development of the detective in Victorian literature looking at Poe, Dickens, Collins and James (looking at the parallels with the Turn of the Screw).
At times the narrative doesn’t flow that well and it does go off at tangents. However it is interesting and I did note that the hatred and vitriol that you find online these days was actually worse than in Victorian times. Civilisation has a very thin veneer.
May 15, 2015
The crime shocked all of England. Three year old Saville Kent, son of the second family of a well to do British Government Official was found murdered, his small body stuffed in an outdoor privy. This was the infamous Road Hill murder and the man who lead the investigation was Mr. Jonathan Whicher. The story filled the tabloids of the time and was discussed everywhere from pulpits to the halls of Power. The unhappy events inspired not only modern forensic investigative methods but also open up a new genre of fiction-the detective novel. Sam Spade, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot were the literary descendants of Mr. Whicher.
The book captures the essence of the Victorian era and the narrative is easy to follow, allowing the reader to step back in time and experience the sensationalism that ran rampant at the time.
If you are interested in true crime, forensic methods of investigation or are trying to write the greatest detective novel ever this book might be a valuable resource for you.
The book captures the essence of the Victorian era and the narrative is easy to follow, allowing the reader to step back in time and experience the sensationalism that ran rampant at the time.
If you are interested in true crime, forensic methods of investigation or are trying to write the greatest detective novel ever this book might be a valuable resource for you.
January 20, 2009
This book really went beyond what I was expecting from it. Aside from re-telling the mystery of a 3 year old's murder, the author also delved into the life and thoughts of one of the first and greatest dectectives, Mr. Whicher. Since I had never heard of this detective or this murder before, it was shocking to realize how many famous books were so greatly influenced by the story. For instance, Dickens was highly interested in this case, and Lady Audley's Secret was quite heavily based upon the mystery.
Summerscale did a great job putting this story into the context of the Victorian era, and easily and interestingly described some of the details that are now lost to us, so you don't have to have an intricate knowledge of the Victorian era to enjoy this book. I felt that she did a great job investigating each character, and beyond that, was able to get "into" their heads to try and unravel exactly what occurred, and why.
I also enjoyed reading the epilogue and discovering just what happened to each character once the mystery had been solved. One of the children of the family ended up being a great scientist, publishing the first book about the great coral reef and discovering a number of things about underwater animals. I also like the author's interpretation of what happened, especially since we have much more information (and hindsight) than Whicher did at the time.
Summerscale did a great job putting this story into the context of the Victorian era, and easily and interestingly described some of the details that are now lost to us, so you don't have to have an intricate knowledge of the Victorian era to enjoy this book. I felt that she did a great job investigating each character, and beyond that, was able to get "into" their heads to try and unravel exactly what occurred, and why.
I also enjoyed reading the epilogue and discovering just what happened to each character once the mystery had been solved. One of the children of the family ended up being a great scientist, publishing the first book about the great coral reef and discovering a number of things about underwater animals. I also like the author's interpretation of what happened, especially since we have much more information (and hindsight) than Whicher did at the time.
July 26, 2009
What a fascinating book this was. I expected to read about the true story of one of the most shocking crimes in 19th century England but I hadn't bargained for also getting a fantastically written and hugely interesting social commentary of Victorian times and attitudes and behaviours with regards to the emergence of Police Detectives in this country.
Mr Whicher, the Detective called in to this particular case, was one of the first ever Scotland Yard Detectives which came with its own share of suspicion and mistrust. The case in question was of the murder of a 3 year old boy, one of several children of a well-to-do family in a country house in Wiltshire. In June 1860, the young boy was found to be missing from his cot in the morning and later that day his body was discovered (with his throat slit and a stab wound to his chest) down the servants toilet outside in the grounds. It soon became apparant that the purportrator was one of the people inside the house on that night (which consisted of the boys family, the nursemaid and housemaid). Whicher was called in to find out which one of the family murdered the three year old while the whole of England became obsessed with the drama, writing into the newspapers in their thousands offering their opinion on who committed the crime.
While I found the unravelling of this story fascinating in itself, I was also delighted to see so many references to some great Victorian authors inclduing Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Mary Elizabeth Braddon. 1860 was also the year that the first victorian "sensational" novel was published and this appeared to feed the frenzy of the public. This particular case has also been reported to have been the basis for subsequent rather famous novels such as Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood , Collins' The Moonstone and Braddon's Lady Audley's Secret all of which contain themes from this particular story. Dickens (who was also an aquaintance of Mr Whicher) even wrote letters to Collins offering his theory on what took place that night.
This book is completely non-ficiton to point that only recorded conversations and facts are included (which seems to be the reason there are alot of negative reviews about it - perhaps it seemed too dry for some). And while this is more of a why-dunnit than a who-dunnit , there are still a few surprises along the way that caught me off-guard.
I thoroughtly enjoyed this book; infact I could barely put it down. Summerscale stuck to the facts without trying to sensationalise the story any more than it already was by putting words in peoples mouths and the result was a hugely enjoyable novel about a shocking crime and its repercussions in Victorian society. Highly recommended.
Mr Whicher, the Detective called in to this particular case, was one of the first ever Scotland Yard Detectives which came with its own share of suspicion and mistrust. The case in question was of the murder of a 3 year old boy, one of several children of a well-to-do family in a country house in Wiltshire. In June 1860, the young boy was found to be missing from his cot in the morning and later that day his body was discovered (with his throat slit and a stab wound to his chest) down the servants toilet outside in the grounds. It soon became apparant that the purportrator was one of the people inside the house on that night (which consisted of the boys family, the nursemaid and housemaid). Whicher was called in to find out which one of the family murdered the three year old while the whole of England became obsessed with the drama, writing into the newspapers in their thousands offering their opinion on who committed the crime.
While I found the unravelling of this story fascinating in itself, I was also delighted to see so many references to some great Victorian authors inclduing Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Mary Elizabeth Braddon. 1860 was also the year that the first victorian "sensational" novel was published and this appeared to feed the frenzy of the public. This particular case has also been reported to have been the basis for subsequent rather famous novels such as Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood , Collins' The Moonstone and Braddon's Lady Audley's Secret all of which contain themes from this particular story. Dickens (who was also an aquaintance of Mr Whicher) even wrote letters to Collins offering his theory on what took place that night.
This book is completely non-ficiton to point that only recorded conversations and facts are included (which seems to be the reason there are alot of negative reviews about it - perhaps it seemed too dry for some). And while this is more of a why-dunnit than a who-dunnit , there are still a few surprises along the way that caught me off-guard.
I thoroughtly enjoyed this book; infact I could barely put it down. Summerscale stuck to the facts without trying to sensationalise the story any more than it already was by putting words in peoples mouths and the result was a hugely enjoyable novel about a shocking crime and its repercussions in Victorian society. Highly recommended.
May 26, 2021
You could not pay me to travel back in time and hang out with the Victorian's but damned if the whole time period isn't endlessly fascinating to me.
This is an elegant, somewhat mechanical, historical true crime book that has a little something for any fan of the genre. There's shocking, truly horrific murder. There's a wealthy upstanding family that turns out to be anything but. We get a cast of increasingly sinister suspects. And most interestingly to me, the reader is given a ring side seat to the literal birth of modern day murder investigation as well as the barest hint of what will eventually become criminal profiling.
When four year old Saville Kent is found brutally murdered his father, the wealthy Samuel Kent, demands the assistance of a new sort of police men, a detective. The horrific nature of the crime, multiple suspects, the inability of the local costabulary, and Kent's connections bring Detective Whicher to the scene and it isn't long before he has a suspect. If only he could find any proof to go with it.
This might as well be a novel for all of its twists and turns and shocking revelations. There's almost nothing I find more interesting than the inner workings of criminal investigation. I get such a kick out of being taken back stage to see how everything plays out. So its doubly interesting to scratch that itch and also watch the actual job of detection taking shape in real time.
Nobody had ever thought to investigate crimes before now. Either you caught your bad guy in the act or you were more or less out of luck. What Whicher and his colleagues did was entirely new. They talked to people, got a feel for everyone involved in the crime as much as they followed the tangible clues. Some people found this fascinating, there are quite a few references to Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins modeling characters after Whicher and his colleagues. Some found the idea of strangers invading the sanctity of a home to tear it apart looking for low life criminals absolutely appalling.
The journey through the investigation, Whicher's role in it, and the final, truly shocking reveal is worthy of any classic detective story and I wouldn't dream of spoiling it.
Most true crime fans already know how terrific this book is, but if like me you somehow missed it up till now, this is one for the ages.
This is an elegant, somewhat mechanical, historical true crime book that has a little something for any fan of the genre. There's shocking, truly horrific murder. There's a wealthy upstanding family that turns out to be anything but. We get a cast of increasingly sinister suspects. And most interestingly to me, the reader is given a ring side seat to the literal birth of modern day murder investigation as well as the barest hint of what will eventually become criminal profiling.
When four year old Saville Kent is found brutally murdered his father, the wealthy Samuel Kent, demands the assistance of a new sort of police men, a detective. The horrific nature of the crime, multiple suspects, the inability of the local costabulary, and Kent's connections bring Detective Whicher to the scene and it isn't long before he has a suspect. If only he could find any proof to go with it.
This might as well be a novel for all of its twists and turns and shocking revelations. There's almost nothing I find more interesting than the inner workings of criminal investigation. I get such a kick out of being taken back stage to see how everything plays out. So its doubly interesting to scratch that itch and also watch the actual job of detection taking shape in real time.
Nobody had ever thought to investigate crimes before now. Either you caught your bad guy in the act or you were more or less out of luck. What Whicher and his colleagues did was entirely new. They talked to people, got a feel for everyone involved in the crime as much as they followed the tangible clues. Some people found this fascinating, there are quite a few references to Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins modeling characters after Whicher and his colleagues. Some found the idea of strangers invading the sanctity of a home to tear it apart looking for low life criminals absolutely appalling.
The journey through the investigation, Whicher's role in it, and the final, truly shocking reveal is worthy of any classic detective story and I wouldn't dream of spoiling it.
Most true crime fans already know how terrific this book is, but if like me you somehow missed it up till now, this is one for the ages.
October 31, 2015
I expected a detective story set in the Victorian era and instead I got this great and extremely accurate historical novel that percolate into current times.
I enjoyed reading about Mr. Whicher and I suffered with him when the public opinion dragged him down. But what I enjoyed the most is being taken through the genesis of something we take for granted nowadays: the police force.
The tale is surprisingly modern: the media jumped on the story from the start, complaint about the detective work and actively work to diminish his reputation. They also violated the privacy of the household as much as they could for the pleasure of their readers. Self-proclaimed experts dashed to help. The public had been entertained for quite a while right after the murder, and again many years later, when the killer finally confessed.
Please note that the story is very well detailed. I don't think the descriptions of victorian life are too long or out of place, but they are there: if you're looking for something exciting ad fast-paced, please look further. Personally the thing I liked the most are the link to the literary world of the time and the presence of Dickens and Collins on the background.
I enjoyed reading about Mr. Whicher and I suffered with him when the public opinion dragged him down. But what I enjoyed the most is being taken through the genesis of something we take for granted nowadays: the police force.
The tale is surprisingly modern: the media jumped on the story from the start, complaint about the detective work and actively work to diminish his reputation. They also violated the privacy of the household as much as they could for the pleasure of their readers. Self-proclaimed experts dashed to help. The public had been entertained for quite a while right after the murder, and again many years later, when the killer finally confessed.
Please note that the story is very well detailed. I don't think the descriptions of victorian life are too long or out of place, but they are there: if you're looking for something exciting ad fast-paced, please look further. Personally the thing I liked the most are the link to the literary world of the time and the presence of Dickens and Collins on the background.
May 9, 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 burgeoning genre of detective novels like The Woman in White and Turn of the Screw. I had expected the book to focus on the actual crime itself, a horrible child murder, but that seemed almost secondary. The figure of Det. Whicher was not at all compelling and I couldn't have cared less about his interest or investment in solving the crime. I was far more interested in the whodunnit aspect and that still seems quite (truthfully) unresolved. I
Even more disappointing, I really didn't feel this book added anything new to the case except to give us a slightly enlarged view of the detective. Honestly, the Priory book is far more interesting because the analysis of the crime adds new information that forces you to examine the crime and those involved in the case with a new perspective. Reading Mr. Whicher it was obvious who would be accused of the crime and nothing in the analysis really moved me to look at the case any differently.
After I had started this book, Entertainment Weekly posted it under their weekly "MUST" list. I think they compared it in some ways to Devil in the White City as far as a page turning NF book. No way! Devil in the White City is much, much better and the EW reviewer would do better to read the Death at the Priory.
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 burgeoning genre of detective novels like The Woman in White and Turn of the Screw. I had expected the book to focus on the actual crime itself, a horrible child murder, but that seemed almost secondary. The figure of Det. Whicher was not at all compelling and I couldn't have cared less about his interest or investment in solving the crime. I was far more interested in the whodunnit aspect and that still seems quite (truthfully) unresolved. I
Even more disappointing, I really didn't feel this book added anything new to the case except to give us a slightly enlarged view of the detective. Honestly, the Priory book is far more interesting because the analysis of the crime adds new information that forces you to examine the crime and those involved in the case with a new perspective. Reading Mr. Whicher it was obvious who would be accused of the crime and nothing in the analysis really moved me to look at the case any differently.
After I had started this book, Entertainment Weekly posted it under their weekly "MUST" list. I think they compared it in some ways to Devil in the White City as far as a page turning NF book. No way! Devil in the White City is much, much better and the EW reviewer would do better to read the Death at the Priory.
May 19, 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 could logically have been the murderer. Though Whicher was certain he knew which family member was to blame he could not prove his case. The press lambasted him and as a result his career was mostly ruined.
This is a must-read for those who adore the Victorian era with all of its double standards--even as the public shrieked over the horror of the murder, they ate up newspaper accounts on it like crazy; and even though Whicher was the only one with a clue (pun intended) of what was going on, they threw him to the wolves. One of the great pleasures of the book is reading the wonderful Victorian lingo, taken from the historical documents on the case. The book is also a treat for any lover of the Victorian era in general. Some readers have commented that they found the book "too dry" but I found it not just readable but fascinating.
Highly recommended.
This is a must-read for those who adore the Victorian era with all of its double standards--even as the public shrieked over the horror of the murder, they ate up newspaper accounts on it like crazy; and even though Whicher was the only one with a clue (pun intended) of what was going on, they threw him to the wolves. One of the great pleasures of the book is reading the wonderful Victorian lingo, taken from the historical documents on the case. The book is also a treat for any lover of the Victorian era in general. Some readers have commented that they found the book "too dry" but I found it not just readable but fascinating.
Highly recommended.
September 23, 2009
So it wasn't totally bad, but it never lived up to its hype either. The whoddunit part of the story was quite suspenceful, and even before that, the setup where you're introduced to this odd Victorian family, and you know something bad is about to happen (I was picturing a Rosemary's baby scenario leading up to a macare... ) - that part was good.
So here's the deal: the research was thorough, the writing - scientific, unimaginative and drowned in endless details. Not to mention the characters, which were rather underdeveloped; Mr. Whitcher especially.... And I understand, there's a trade-off - giving more insight into Witcher's personality would probably mean fictionalising the story a little, and this was supposed to be an authentic true-crime piece. But, in my humble opinion, if Summerscale left some of the dry data out and let her imagination go at times, the book would get much more likable and inviting.
So here's the deal: the research was thorough, the writing - scientific, unimaginative and drowned in endless details. Not to mention the characters, which were rather underdeveloped; Mr. Whitcher especially.... And I understand, there's a trade-off - giving more insight into Witcher's personality would probably mean fictionalising the story a little, and this was supposed to be an authentic true-crime piece. But, in my humble opinion, if Summerscale left some of the dry data out and let her imagination go at times, the book would get much more likable and inviting.
February 27, 2009
Like most people, I bought this book because I was intrigued by the true story of murder in a good Victorian family, and the detective mystery that followed.
I didn't pay for 200 pages of what read like some friggin mediocre senior honors thesis. I don't care about how the murder turned up in Wiklie Collins, I don't care what Dickens thought about the crime, I don't care which novels it inspired. This book was just saturated with end-notes, footnotes, and quotes ... not that they were distracting from the story itself. There just wasn't any real story here, and the comparisons to literature and all extras are filler.
The best parts of the book deal with the actual crime and the suspects -- probably a total of 90 un-put-downable pages. The rest? ZZZzzzzZZZZZzzzz....
Any more like this and I'll be creating an "I want my money back" shelf.
I didn't pay for 200 pages of what read like some friggin mediocre senior honors thesis. I don't care about how the murder turned up in Wiklie Collins, I don't care what Dickens thought about the crime, I don't care which novels it inspired. This book was just saturated with end-notes, footnotes, and quotes ... not that they were distracting from the story itself. There just wasn't any real story here, and the comparisons to literature and all extras are filler.
The best parts of the book deal with the actual crime and the suspects -- probably a total of 90 un-put-downable pages. The rest? ZZZzzzzZZZZZzzzz....
Any more like this and I'll be creating an "I want my money back" shelf.
February 3, 2019
En verano de 1860, la sociedad inglesa de la época se ve inmersa en el escándalo del asesinato de Saville Kent de 5 años de edad, en un principio la investigación es llevada a cabo por la policía local, sin embargo y debido al tamaño del crimen se solicitó la ayuda de investigadores de Scotland Yard
Kate Summerscale, hace un trabajo realmente impecable y ciertamente impresionante sobre este caso, nos muestra a detalle todo lo relacionado con el crimen, desde lo que se decía en la prensa, documentos guardados por la policía en el expediente del caso, cartas y resúmenes escritas por el investigador principal, Jack Whicher, todo lo dicho en interrogatorios y juicios llevados a cabo en la época sobre este caso.
Pero no se detiene en eso, Summerscale también nos entrega una pintura de la sociedad de la Inglaterra victoriana, como vivían, bajo que esquemas religiosos y sociales se manejaban de tal forma en que se pueda poner en contexto todo el escenario que se movió durante el tiempo que duró la investigación y el juicio en donde Whicer presenta a su sospechoso declarándolo culpable de asesinato y que al final termina en una absolución (aclaro que este no es el final ni del libro ni del caso, así que no estoy haciendo spoiler), ante este hecho, la autora nos presenta la forma en que reaccionó en su momento toda la sociedad inglesa, contra la policía, contra la autoridad, contra la familia afectada que además era burguesa y que desata, entre otras muchas cosas, cartas entre Charles Dickens y Wilkie Collins comentando este tema.
Incita, además inspiración de varios libros, que en ese entonces se ponía de moda, así pues, La piedra lunar de Wilkie Collins está inspirada completamente en este caso, así como la última obra no terminada de Dickens.
Pero no conforme con todo esto, la autora nos regala en que termina el caso, que sucede en la vida de cada uno de los actores, familia, investigadores y sospechosos.
Al principio no estaba segura de sí me gustaba lo que leía porque ciertamente esperaba un libro donde se novelaba el caso verídico que se presenta, en cambio he recibido un tipo ensayo donde se plantean hechos duros y puros, todo enmarcado en un estilo costumbrista, al final debo decir que este libro me ha dejado un extraordinario sabor de boca, no solo por lo que cuenta, que ya es muy interesante, si no por la manera en que lo hace, bien hecho, bien escrito, pulcramente narrado, donde todo está perfectamente explicado y con un ritmo bastante bueno, pero además de todo eso documentado de una manera impecable e impresionante.
He leído varios libros tanto de Dickens como de Collins, pero no he leído la piedra lunar y ahora casi me parece un libro obligado, con esto además aclaro que estos no fueron los únicos escritores de la época a los que les llegó la inspiración basándose en este caso, porque hay que decirlo este caso presenta a un tipo de policía que se convirtió en prototipo, fue un caso de homicidio realmente espectacular (para quienes amamos la novela negra), tan intrigante como interesante, así pues, a todos los escritores de novela de policiaca de la época, se les hicieron los dientes largos, el que no tomó el caso criminal, tomo la personalidad del policía o tomo la personalidad de los miembros de la familia o de los principales sospechosos para escribir sus libros, no solo Dickens y Collins, hablamos de Conan Doyle, de Stevenson y de algunos más que son mencionados en esta obra.
Un libro digno de leerse, realmente interesante y bien muy bien llevado a puerto
Kate Summerscale, hace un trabajo realmente impecable y ciertamente impresionante sobre este caso, nos muestra a detalle todo lo relacionado con el crimen, desde lo que se decía en la prensa, documentos guardados por la policía en el expediente del caso, cartas y resúmenes escritas por el investigador principal, Jack Whicher, todo lo dicho en interrogatorios y juicios llevados a cabo en la época sobre este caso.
Pero no se detiene en eso, Summerscale también nos entrega una pintura de la sociedad de la Inglaterra victoriana, como vivían, bajo que esquemas religiosos y sociales se manejaban de tal forma en que se pueda poner en contexto todo el escenario que se movió durante el tiempo que duró la investigación y el juicio en donde Whicer presenta a su sospechoso declarándolo culpable de asesinato y que al final termina en una absolución (aclaro que este no es el final ni del libro ni del caso, así que no estoy haciendo spoiler), ante este hecho, la autora nos presenta la forma en que reaccionó en su momento toda la sociedad inglesa, contra la policía, contra la autoridad, contra la familia afectada que además era burguesa y que desata, entre otras muchas cosas, cartas entre Charles Dickens y Wilkie Collins comentando este tema.
Incita, además inspiración de varios libros, que en ese entonces se ponía de moda, así pues, La piedra lunar de Wilkie Collins está inspirada completamente en este caso, así como la última obra no terminada de Dickens.
Pero no conforme con todo esto, la autora nos regala en que termina el caso, que sucede en la vida de cada uno de los actores, familia, investigadores y sospechosos.
Al principio no estaba segura de sí me gustaba lo que leía porque ciertamente esperaba un libro donde se novelaba el caso verídico que se presenta, en cambio he recibido un tipo ensayo donde se plantean hechos duros y puros, todo enmarcado en un estilo costumbrista, al final debo decir que este libro me ha dejado un extraordinario sabor de boca, no solo por lo que cuenta, que ya es muy interesante, si no por la manera en que lo hace, bien hecho, bien escrito, pulcramente narrado, donde todo está perfectamente explicado y con un ritmo bastante bueno, pero además de todo eso documentado de una manera impecable e impresionante.
He leído varios libros tanto de Dickens como de Collins, pero no he leído la piedra lunar y ahora casi me parece un libro obligado, con esto además aclaro que estos no fueron los únicos escritores de la época a los que les llegó la inspiración basándose en este caso, porque hay que decirlo este caso presenta a un tipo de policía que se convirtió en prototipo, fue un caso de homicidio realmente espectacular (para quienes amamos la novela negra), tan intrigante como interesante, así pues, a todos los escritores de novela de policiaca de la época, se les hicieron los dientes largos, el que no tomó el caso criminal, tomo la personalidad del policía o tomo la personalidad de los miembros de la familia o de los principales sospechosos para escribir sus libros, no solo Dickens y Collins, hablamos de Conan Doyle, de Stevenson y de algunos más que son mencionados en esta obra.
Un libro digno de leerse, realmente interesante y bien muy bien llevado a puerto
September 27, 2019
3.5 stars!
Considering I'm quite local to the area near where this happened in 1860, I had no idea about this shocking real-life murder until I found a copy of this book in a charity shop. A young three-year-old boy is found slain outside the family home and fingers get pointed around various occupants including the victim's older siblings and the servants. Although I liked how accurate the geography was, the pacing was very slow-going. Most of the characters I wasn't keen on, due to their suspicions against others. An OK read!
Considering I'm quite local to the area near where this happened in 1860, I had no idea about this shocking real-life murder until I found a copy of this book in a charity shop. A young three-year-old boy is found slain outside the family home and fingers get pointed around various occupants including the victim's older siblings and the servants. Although I liked how accurate the geography was, the pacing was very slow-going. Most of the characters I wasn't keen on, due to their suspicions against others. An OK read!
April 11, 2009
I've always been a big fan of "whodunits" and of course you know of my love of historical novels, so I was pretty excited when I saw this book come out and immediately had to snatch it up. 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. 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. 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!
May 28, 2015
I would have given this four stars, but I had an issue with the way the book was structured. The author seemed to be not clear about what she was writing-a historical mystery, social commentary about Nineteenth Century England, or an exploration of the evolution of the fictional detective. The narration constantly switched between these modes and grated on the nerves at times.
That said, the mystery is excellent (with genuine clues, red herrings and all): and Inspector Whicher is as enthralling as any fictional detective, especially with regard to the one vital deduction which points to the solution of the mystery.
I wish the author had structured the book differently, first giving us the mystery without any dressings and then analysing its social and literary impact. I feel it would have been more effective.
That said, the mystery is excellent (with genuine clues, red herrings and all): and Inspector Whicher is as enthralling as any fictional detective, especially with regard to the one vital deduction which points to the solution of the mystery.
I wish the author had structured the book differently, first giving us the mystery without any dressings and then analysing its social and literary impact. I feel it would have been more effective.
September 19, 2018
This is one of those books that I can totally see not being for everyone. It's extremely long-winded and provides a ton of information on detective fiction as a literary genre, leading to long stretches of the book deviating from the topic that is promised by the blurb. This is why I'm docking one star; otherwise this book could have been a new favourite.
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is at its essence a non-fiction true crime novel about the 1860 Road Hill murder case. One night, the 3-year-old son of Samuel Kent, owner of Road Hill House, disappears from the nursery and is subsequently found dead of a stabbing in the closet/toilet outside. The family, consisting of his wife and children of both his current and former marriage, as well as the servants are in uproar and the police quickly begin their investigations. However, they resolutely exclude the family members from their investigation, as they don't consider it proper and are afraid to violate the sanctity of the private English home. The police end up being stumped, and so Mr. Whicher, one of the original members of the newly formed detective force is sent to do some digging.
Whicher's involvement in the case and its depiction in the media both were instrumental in forming the public opinion on the existence of detectives. Whicher was often the target of ridicule and ill will, and had to jump many hurdles in the course of his investigation.
Kate Summerscale not only examines the case, the Kent family and Whicher as a person, but also the genre of detective fiction as a whole. She draws many parallels between Whicher's person and the personalities of the detectives depicted in books written in the late 19th century. While some of them ring true, others appear to me more padding than anything else; similarly, a lot of the information she provides ends up being way too in-depth and deviates, in my opinion, too much from the intended topic of the book.
That all being said, I found the book extremely compelling and interesting. My favourite aspects where obviously the unraveling of the case, but also Summerscale's explanations on the development of detective-related vocabulary, with words such as "sleuth", "clue" and "red herring", that are entirely familiar to us today.
To say it again, I firmly believe this book is not for everyone; but if you want to take a deep, thorough dive into this case as well as learn pretty much everything else of even the slightest relevance, it's definitely worth a read! :D
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is at its essence a non-fiction true crime novel about the 1860 Road Hill murder case. One night, the 3-year-old son of Samuel Kent, owner of Road Hill House, disappears from the nursery and is subsequently found dead of a stabbing in the closet/toilet outside. The family, consisting of his wife and children of both his current and former marriage, as well as the servants are in uproar and the police quickly begin their investigations. However, they resolutely exclude the family members from their investigation, as they don't consider it proper and are afraid to violate the sanctity of the private English home. The police end up being stumped, and so Mr. Whicher, one of the original members of the newly formed detective force is sent to do some digging.
Whicher's involvement in the case and its depiction in the media both were instrumental in forming the public opinion on the existence of detectives. Whicher was often the target of ridicule and ill will, and had to jump many hurdles in the course of his investigation.
Kate Summerscale not only examines the case, the Kent family and Whicher as a person, but also the genre of detective fiction as a whole. She draws many parallels between Whicher's person and the personalities of the detectives depicted in books written in the late 19th century. While some of them ring true, others appear to me more padding than anything else; similarly, a lot of the information she provides ends up being way too in-depth and deviates, in my opinion, too much from the intended topic of the book.
That all being said, I found the book extremely compelling and interesting. My favourite aspects where obviously the unraveling of the case, but also Summerscale's explanations on the development of detective-related vocabulary, with words such as "sleuth", "clue" and "red herring", that are entirely familiar to us today.
To say it again, I firmly believe this book is not for everyone; but if you want to take a deep, thorough dive into this case as well as learn pretty much everything else of even the slightest relevance, it's definitely worth a read! :D
October 19, 2018
Non-fiction account of a real life Victorian murder – of a 3 year old Saville Kent, which gripped the nation.
Summerscale while producing copious research and detail (while avoiding the speculation and insight into characters true minds of fiction) manages to produce a gripping account of the immediate aftermath crime and the attempts to resolve it.
The book concentrates on Jack Wicher (one of the first ever plain clothes detectives) – who going against the common view that the murder was by Saville’s Dad after Saville found him in bed with his nursemaid, instead concludes that it was Constance (one of the children of Mr Kent’s first marriage) and produces circumstantial evidence (a strange episode of how Constance attempts to make it look like the laundress has lost one of her nightshirts – which Wicher believes to have been bloodstained) and motive (the disturbed Constance is jealous about how Mr Kent’s governess supplants his first wife – her mother – and on her death becomes his second wife – and Saville’s mother – and continues to discredit her mother. She then murders Saville as a way of enacting punishment on her stepmother, she also confirms Wicher’s deductions re the nightshirt.
Summerscale’s other achievement is to weave into the story: the invention of plain clothes detectives and the skills of detection/surveillance/espionage; the backlash against the intrusion of detectives which offended both the Victorian ideas of class and of the inviolability of a gentleman’s home; the rise of crime fiction – both sensational novels and the rise of fictional detectives, with in “Moonstone” the calm, rational detective somehow sanitising a sensational plot and making its reading acceptable (while at the same time somehow obscuring the horror of the crime – in an afterword Summerscale confesses that in writing the book she almost forgot that there was actually an innocent victim).
In many ways similar ideas emerge to Arthur & George – Wicher despite probably being correct cannot achieve a conviction which only comes about due to a confession (which particularly due to it being to a controversial high church Anglican has more overtones of old fashioned religion than the new modern science of detection) and even then the actual situation is ambiguous (with the possibility that Constance may have been covering up for the joint involvement of her brother William).
This is in contrast to the usual world of detective novels where everything is wrapped up and the niceties of convincing a jury and the inadequacies of wholly circumstantial evidence are overlooked.
Summerscale while producing copious research and detail (while avoiding the speculation and insight into characters true minds of fiction) manages to produce a gripping account of the immediate aftermath crime and the attempts to resolve it.
The book concentrates on Jack Wicher (one of the first ever plain clothes detectives) – who going against the common view that the murder was by Saville’s Dad after Saville found him in bed with his nursemaid, instead concludes that it was Constance (one of the children of Mr Kent’s first marriage) and produces circumstantial evidence (a strange episode of how Constance attempts to make it look like the laundress has lost one of her nightshirts – which Wicher believes to have been bloodstained) and motive (the disturbed Constance is jealous about how Mr Kent’s governess supplants his first wife – her mother – and on her death becomes his second wife – and Saville’s mother – and continues to discredit her mother. She then murders Saville as a way of enacting punishment on her stepmother, she also confirms Wicher’s deductions re the nightshirt.
Summerscale’s other achievement is to weave into the story: the invention of plain clothes detectives and the skills of detection/surveillance/espionage; the backlash against the intrusion of detectives which offended both the Victorian ideas of class and of the inviolability of a gentleman’s home; the rise of crime fiction – both sensational novels and the rise of fictional detectives, with in “Moonstone” the calm, rational detective somehow sanitising a sensational plot and making its reading acceptable (while at the same time somehow obscuring the horror of the crime – in an afterword Summerscale confesses that in writing the book she almost forgot that there was actually an innocent victim).
In many ways similar ideas emerge to Arthur & George – Wicher despite probably being correct cannot achieve a conviction which only comes about due to a confession (which particularly due to it being to a controversial high church Anglican has more overtones of old fashioned religion than the new modern science of detection) and even then the actual situation is ambiguous (with the possibility that Constance may have been covering up for the joint involvement of her brother William).
This is in contrast to the usual world of detective novels where everything is wrapped up and the niceties of convincing a jury and the inadequacies of wholly circumstantial evidence are overlooked.
February 23, 2017
Do you enjoy Victorian literature? Fascinated by true crime? Then you could find a lot to enjoy in The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, which deals with a murder that rocked Victorian England – the death of the three year old darling of a middle class family, stolen from his crib in a locked house and found dumped in a privy with his throat cut.
Calling upon the Government to send one of its newly created detectives to solve the case (and receiving the titular Mr Whicher, one of their best), at first the public would be as fascinated by the detectives and the new ‘science’ of investigation as by the case and a wave of new novels starring fictional versions of these men fed the public’s mania. However, as the case progressed the public soon found themselves disgusted by the investigation in which everyone in the family was suspect (instead of just the help, which would have better suited middle class sensibilities) and the secrets of their home life laid bare for all to see in the newspapers. The disgust wasn’t confined to the brutality of the murder, or the idea that someone just like them had committed it, but was propelled by the investigation riding roughshod over the notion that an Englishman’s home was his castle, a bastion of middle class privacy that working class detectives had no right to intrude upon, and would leave Mr Whicher’s reputation in tatters.
It was fascinating to see how what we take for granted in modern murder investigations was born, with hunches and interviews providing much of the ‘evidence’, and how Victorian manners could waylay cases (such as the local police not wishing to even look upon a ladies shift that could provide vital evidence, as such a thing was unseemly). The book laid out the facts of the case well, allowing the reader to follow the ‘clues’ in much the same was as Mr Whicher had, as well as providing fascinating commentary on how public opinion could affect both the outcome of case and his career.
Informative and insightful, this book has also inspired me into a little mania of my own which has led to the addition roughly 10,000 more books to my wishlist. More of Summerscale’s books feature on the list, and pay day can’t come soon enough.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 9**
Calling upon the Government to send one of its newly created detectives to solve the case (and receiving the titular Mr Whicher, one of their best), at first the public would be as fascinated by the detectives and the new ‘science’ of investigation as by the case and a wave of new novels starring fictional versions of these men fed the public’s mania. However, as the case progressed the public soon found themselves disgusted by the investigation in which everyone in the family was suspect (instead of just the help, which would have better suited middle class sensibilities) and the secrets of their home life laid bare for all to see in the newspapers. The disgust wasn’t confined to the brutality of the murder, or the idea that someone just like them had committed it, but was propelled by the investigation riding roughshod over the notion that an Englishman’s home was his castle, a bastion of middle class privacy that working class detectives had no right to intrude upon, and would leave Mr Whicher’s reputation in tatters.
It was fascinating to see how what we take for granted in modern murder investigations was born, with hunches and interviews providing much of the ‘evidence’, and how Victorian manners could waylay cases (such as the local police not wishing to even look upon a ladies shift that could provide vital evidence, as such a thing was unseemly). The book laid out the facts of the case well, allowing the reader to follow the ‘clues’ in much the same was as Mr Whicher had, as well as providing fascinating commentary on how public opinion could affect both the outcome of case and his career.
Informative and insightful, this book has also inspired me into a little mania of my own which has led to the addition roughly 10,000 more books to my wishlist. More of Summerscale’s books feature on the list, and pay day can’t come soon enough.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 9**
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