The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher - Kate Summerscale

Are you a fan of true crime? What about murder mysteries? Well, what we have here, recommended by Jackie at Farm Lane Books, is the original true crime mystery, laid out before us in journalistic detail. From the actual investigative files, newspaper articles and various other published works comes a story that set the standard for literary greats such as Charles Dickens, Henry James and Wilkie Collins.

In 1860, in the blended Kent family, a three-year-old is viciously murdered...suffocated, throat cut, and thrown down a privy hole. Based on the facts, it is a given that the perpetrator must have been someone within the Road Hill mansion - a servant or a family-member. Scotland Yard detective Jack Whicher is summoned to investigate the crime. He is the white knight of detectives...sharp and intuitive, with a pristine track record. He unknowingly stumbles into a nest of hidden family secrets, jealously and dysfunction. The crime is close to impossible to solve, and the great Mr. Whicher stands by helplessly as his reputation, and those associated with the case, falls into ruin. Not only that, but the entire country turns its back on the profession, spawning derision and suspicion, and more than a few fictionalized accounts of the disaster.

The book goes on to follow the lives of the Kent family, the investigators, and the Kent servants from the night of the crime until their deaths. The author even muses and interprets, with the benefit of modern science, a few conclusions. While the true nature of the crime eventually, horrifyingly, reveals itself, the damage has already been done.

Before I started blogging, approximately 80% of everything I read was murder/mystery, either in the form of true crime or fiction. I've read The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins, which is said to be the first fictional mystery thriller, a story which was based on this case. Let's face it. This book was made for me. I will admit, it was fascinating stuff. When they say that truth is stranger than fiction, this must have been what they were talking about. There were diagrams of the crime scene, pictures of the major players (I love pictures), and examples of significant documents from the case. It reminded me of Patricia Cornwell's "Portrait of a Killer", where she investigates the unsolved Jack the Ripper case over a hundred years after the fact. The puzzles pieces haunt you.

It was quite a struggle to wade through, however. The writing is very factual and very dense. If I weren't such a fan of the genre, I'm not sure I would have been able to persevere. You can't pick this up and read it when you are waiting for a doctor's appointment or over lunch. You will not be able to absorb the detail. This is a book that must be read in peace and quiet, without a glass of wine and not late at night. You need all your synapses firing for this one.

It is also important to mention, too, that many references are made to various works of literature that were inspired by the case, and their plots. In some examples, you might even find a few spoilers. For me, this was not a huge hill to die on, but was prominent enough to acknowledge.

Am I glad I read it? Yes, absolutely! Would I recommend it? Yes, if this is your genre. Just make sure you are well-rested and on your game!

3.5 out of 5 stars