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Home > Books > Non-fiction > Crime & Law Books > T Crime & Law Books > The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Or the Murder at Road Hill House - Kate Summerscale

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Or the Murder at Road Hill House - Kate Summerscale

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This is a book that has been heaped in critical praise. It was short listed for the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger and won the Samuel Jonson prize for non-fiction. Regrettably, I failed to... more

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for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Or the Murder at Road Hill House - Kate Summerscale

Rating Summary based on 12 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		2
  • 4 Stars
    		6
  • 3 Stars
    		3
  • 2 Stars
    		1
  • 1 Star
    		0

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  • How interesting was the book?
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  		• 4.3
  		• 3.6
  		• 4.0
  		• 3.3
  		• 3.9
  • 46 of 46 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of brokenangelkisses

    Level 6 brokenangelkisses

    Member since 24/11/2003

    Reviews written: 175

    2 Stars Researching a Murder: a haphazard approach 06/03/2011

    Advantages Advantages often interesting and discusses aspects of the case in detail

    Disadvantages Disadvantages lacks a sense of cohesion and is overly detailed in places

    This is a book that has been heaped in critical praise. It was short listed for the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger and won the Samuel Jonson prize for non-fiction. Regrettably, I failed to like it. I say regrettably because Summerscale has clearly worked hard at her research and because it took me quite a long time to read it. The context In 1860 the brutal murder of a 3 year old boy at a wealthy middle class residence (Road Hill House) shocked and worried Britain. The reasons for its resonance were many but a central feature of the case was the certainty that a member of the household ... more
  • 59 of 59 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of moistbabe

    Level 7 moistbabe

    Member since 10/05/2008

    Reviews written: 306

    3 Stars The crime thriller that didn't thrill me 29/12/2010

    Advantages Advantages Detailed, interesting, well-researched

    Disadvantages Disadvantages long-winded, rambles off the point too much

    The book recounts the events of a notorious Victorian murder case. In 1860 a 3-year old boy, Saville Kent, was taken from his bed at Road Hill House in Wiltshire. His body was later found in an outdoor privy on the premises of the country house. His throat had been cut and there were knife wounds to his chest. The residents of this respectable country house immediately fell under suspicion and, as the murder investigations began, dark family secrets also began to emerge. These secrets demonstrated strikingly the double standards of the era – an outward display of prim elegance, but plenty of ... more
  • 18 of 18 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of oldchem

    oldchem

    5 Stars A 150 year old murder, a modern book, a superb read!! 30/07/2009
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages An incredible well written and fascinating book - SUPERB!!

    Disadvantages Disadvantages None, none, none!!!

    As I was complaining about running out of suitable reading material a friend offered to lend me "The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or the Murder at Road Hill House " by Kate Summerscale. "You'll love it", she told me, "it's a great book". At this my other friend shrieked, "Oh God, it's an awful book!!" - so I had to read it, I had to decide which side of the fence I would take! The book deals with the true story of the murder of three-year-old Saville Kent on the night of 30 June 1860. Over the years the story had inspired many writers - Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins and Arthur Conan-Doyle ... more
  • 67 of 67 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of burtybookworm

    burtybookworm

    3 Stars Just the cold, hard facts! 17/03/2009
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages An interesting case, fascinating look into Victorian society

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Quite boring, no characterisation, too much like a text book

    Winner of the BBC Four Samuel Johnson Prize, this is a true story of a murder mystery that gripped this Country in 1860 and for many years afterwards. At midnight on the 30th June 1860, 3 year old Saville Kent is gruesomely murdered and the family realise that he was murdered by someone in their household - the house is always bolted from the inside at night and therefore only the family and the live in servants could be on the suspect list. Jack Whicher is assigned to solve the case and throughout the book he begins to unravel the lives of the Kents, the motives the back-stories and the ... more
  • 49 of 49 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of wigglylittleworm

    Level 7 wigglylittleworm

    Member since 28/08/2008

    Reviews written: 309

    5 Stars Whodunnit? 09/05/2009
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages fantastic book combining a detective story with a history lesson

    Disadvantages Disadvantages none

    On the night of 30 June 1860 the Kent family retire for the night in Road Hill House in Wiltshire, Samuel Kent taking particular care to make sure that the house is locked up with the windows bolted and shutters closed. When nursemaid Elizabeth Gough wakes and finds that three year old Saville Kent is not in his cot she assumes that his mother has taken him to sleep in her room. When his mother Mary wakes up the house is thrown into panic when they realise the boy has disappeared from his bed. Searchers later discover that Saville had been brutally murdered with his tiny body stuffed down the ... more

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for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Or the Murder at Road Hill House - Kate Summerscale

Product Details

Type Non-Fiction
Genre Crime & Law
Title The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: Or the Murder at Road Hill House
Author Kate Summerscale
ISBN 0747582157

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