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nypeapod's review against another edition
5.0
Very well written "mystery" book. It does concern a murder, but also is an exploration of the changing social mores of Victorian England. The rise of the novel, heavy on Charles Dickens. It was insightful and well written.
ellehartford's review against another edition
4.0
This is definitely an academic book -- heavily cited, organized, and a bit dense at times -- but in my opinion it's still interesting to the casual reader because of the quotes & insights from notable figures at the time! I'd recommend this to anyone looking to dive into the 1840s and the book world in particular. It was fun to see that no matter how much things change, some themes remain the same!
catherine_t's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
In May 1840, the elderly Lord William Russell was found murdered in his bed in his London townhouse in a respectable Mayfair street. His throat had been cut, so savagely that the blow nearly separated his head from his neck. At first glance, the crime appeared to be a robbery gone wrong, but as police investigated further, it became clear that this was murder, pure and simple. All the circumstantial evidence pointed to the new valet, Francois Benjamin Courvoisier, a young Swiss, who had only been in Lord William's employ for five weeks.
Courvoisier seemed unlikely to commit murder, however: he was a polite, self-effacing young man. And underneath this story, which gripped London from the highest to the lowest, was another story: that of a novel by William Harrison Ainsworth, friend of Charles Dickens, among others. Could a novel inspire a crime of such violence?
Harmon's book is a fascinating look into the early Victorian period, at the role of newspapers in sensationalizing crime, and at the literary society of the times. If you're interested in historical true crime, I recommend this book.
Courvoisier seemed unlikely to commit murder, however: he was a polite, self-effacing young man. And underneath this story, which gripped London from the highest to the lowest, was another story: that of a novel by William Harrison Ainsworth, friend of Charles Dickens, among others. Could a novel inspire a crime of such violence?
Harmon's book is a fascinating look into the early Victorian period, at the role of newspapers in sensationalizing crime, and at the literary society of the times. If you're interested in historical true crime, I recommend this book.
da_bos's review against another edition
3.0
Quick, engaging read, though it didn’t quite live up to the promise of the blurb. Still, enjoyable and not uninformative.
sarahlreadseverything's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. Could have been more interesting then it was, but there obviously isn't enough primary source evidence available to actually give any useful analysis or new slant - and the links between the true crime case and the famous authors referenced / impact upon the novel form are pretty tenuous.
amberbour's review against another edition
2.5
I was invested from the beginning but the interest died down when the author talked about the background of Jack Sheppard, Charles Dickens and so on and so on. I forgot about all the details of the crime and I don't know who is who and what is what anymore. At the end, I don't know what is going on anymore.
jillcaesar's review against another edition
3.0
Blaming popular media for an increase in crime is an age-old impulse. Nowadays video games take most of the brunt, but for a long time it was books, along with plays, at whose feet society laid blame for heinous acts. That perennial tendency is at the heart of Murder by the Book: The Crime That Shocked Charles Dickens’ London, which explores two intertwined narratives unfolding in early Victorian Britain: the rise of “Newgate” literature, which romanticized and championed the historical criminal, and the gruesome murder of a nobleman by the very last person that society, at the time, would expect.
Lord William Russell was about as inoffensive to Victorian society as any nobleman could be. He was widowed, lived alone with few servants, and spent a great amount of his time walking around his neighbourhood and reading memoirs. There was no one, as far as anyone knew, who would have found reason to be offended by him. So when he is found slain in his bed, his throat slit to the bone, genteel society is thrown into an uproar. There is no sign of a break-in, or of any struggle. So who could have been able to do this to him? Could it be – God forbid – one of his servants? And if so, what could have possessed them to commit such a heinous act?
The book goes into great detail about the murder and subsequent trial, as well as early Victorian society surrounding it at the time – the writers, such as Charles Dickens and Thackeray, who reacted to, and helped heighten, the trend in literature and drama for romantic villains and heroic criminals. Among them was the now obscure writer William Harrison Ainsworth, whose smash hit novel Jack Sheppard supposedly helped inspire Lord William’s slayer to commit his ghastly deed.
The book is a slim one, only a hair over 200 pages (sans index). Harman has clearly done her research, rendering the minutiae of the murder, investigation, and subsequent trial in detail. The same goes for her chronicle of early Victorian literary trends, including the early years and rise of Charles Dickens. However, I found the book’s weakest point to be its ‘readability’, so to speak – the book is so bogged down with facts and details about everything that it sometimes became hard to hold my attention, especially during the earlier parts of the book regarding the police investigation. However, I am not generally a true crime fan, so what may seem tedious to me may be a true crime lover’s bread and butter. I definitely did enjoy the detailed sections regarding the early Victorian writers and the mania surrounding Jack Sheppard and the rest of the “Newgate” novels.
Overall Murder by the Book is a solid work – a detailed and careful look at a certain moment in history. True crime fans and people interested in the Victorian era alike will surely find much to devour here.
More reviews at Napoleon's Pantaloons
Lord William Russell was about as inoffensive to Victorian society as any nobleman could be. He was widowed, lived alone with few servants, and spent a great amount of his time walking around his neighbourhood and reading memoirs. There was no one, as far as anyone knew, who would have found reason to be offended by him. So when he is found slain in his bed, his throat slit to the bone, genteel society is thrown into an uproar. There is no sign of a break-in, or of any struggle. So who could have been able to do this to him? Could it be – God forbid – one of his servants? And if so, what could have possessed them to commit such a heinous act?
The book goes into great detail about the murder and subsequent trial, as well as early Victorian society surrounding it at the time – the writers, such as Charles Dickens and Thackeray, who reacted to, and helped heighten, the trend in literature and drama for romantic villains and heroic criminals. Among them was the now obscure writer William Harrison Ainsworth, whose smash hit novel Jack Sheppard supposedly helped inspire Lord William’s slayer to commit his ghastly deed.
The book is a slim one, only a hair over 200 pages (sans index). Harman has clearly done her research, rendering the minutiae of the murder, investigation, and subsequent trial in detail. The same goes for her chronicle of early Victorian literary trends, including the early years and rise of Charles Dickens. However, I found the book’s weakest point to be its ‘readability’, so to speak – the book is so bogged down with facts and details about everything that it sometimes became hard to hold my attention, especially during the earlier parts of the book regarding the police investigation. However, I am not generally a true crime fan, so what may seem tedious to me may be a true crime lover’s bread and butter. I definitely did enjoy the detailed sections regarding the early Victorian writers and the mania surrounding Jack Sheppard and the rest of the “Newgate” novels.
Overall Murder by the Book is a solid work – a detailed and careful look at a certain moment in history. True crime fans and people interested in the Victorian era alike will surely find much to devour here.
More reviews at Napoleon's Pantaloons