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  • The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

  • or The Murder at Road Hill House
  • By: Kate Summerscale
  • Narrated by: Jessica Ball
  • Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (60 ratings)
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The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher cover art

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

By: Kate Summerscale
Narrated by: Jessica Ball
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Summary

Bloomsbury presents The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale, read by Jessica Ball.  

An exquisite new edition of the true crime classic; 'a classic' (John le Carré).

Saville’s corpse, already stiff, was laid on a table beneath the kitchen window; upstairs the shape of his sleeping self was still indented on the sheets and pillow of the cot.  

On a summer’s morning in 1860, the Kent family awakes in their elegant Wiltshire home to a terrible discovery; their youngest son has been brutally murdered. When celebrated detective Jack Whicher is summoned from Scotland Yard he faces the unenviable task of identifying the killer - when the grieving family are the suspects.  

The original Victorian whodunnit, the murder and its investigation provoked national hysteria at the thought of what might be festering behind the locked doors of respectable homes - scheming servants, rebellious children, insanity, jealousy, loneliness and loathing.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2008 Kate Summerscale (P)2019 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

What listeners say about The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Lots of fascinating info. PDF only viewable on PC

Investigative retelling of this real life murder mystery was what I expected. It’s not a thriller in the sense of some detective fiction if that is what some are expecting, though it is suspenseful. Also full of fascinating asides about the history of detectives and other developments of the time. Many of these piqued my interest and lead me into whole other areas and connections. Living in Sydney I was also fascinated by the later references to Australia (no spoilers).
TIP the referenced PDF is unfortunately not available on the audible phone app, but is on your Audible library on your PC.
Also very good narration (though horrible mispronunciation of Wagga Wagga, but it’s a common one so I’ll forgive her).
The writer mentions at the end how at one point she is reminded of the child at the centre of this tragedy. I never forgot him. I had his image in my mind at the start and throughout; the horror and immense sadness of the family, and the cruelty and finger pointing of the general public and media. Little has changed on that front.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

awful

Duller and dryer than desert soil. No character development, not a story, no seeds to germinate, no growth.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

No pdf included!!

PDF with audio book mentioned multiple times but not included with purchase - why not? Can it be got separately?

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect narration, excellent research

Not read anything like this before but really thoroughly enjoyed it. A combination of mystery story and non fiction detailed research historical information about the genre and the times. Fascinating! Also this narrator is incredible

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Slow

I didn’t realise this is a true crime account. The narrative format is unusual and I didn’t enjoy the narration or the rather deadpan delivery. It’s basically a locked room type mystery. Finished with a struggle.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Murder most horrid

A fascinating unfolding of the life of the perpertator (s) of a shocking murder, and the contemporary investigation by Mr Whicher. It is interesting how people were as wholey obsessed with crime and amateur sleuthing as we are today.

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