The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

The art of detection was in its infancy when the murder of 3-year-old Saville Kent rocked Britain's sensibilities. The child's body was found on the family's estate, stuffed down the servants' outdoor privy. It was a week before DI Jack Whicher of Scotland Yard was called in to investigate. Summerscale uses excerpts from popular Victorian detective fiction as examples of the period, and Simon Vance inhabits each new voice with gusto and originality. He expertly conveys British attitudes toward criminality and class distinction, and when Whicher names his prime suspect, Vance makes listeners feel Whicher's disappointment and subsequent disgrace as the media and the courts turn against him. The audiobook includes a house plan a family tree, and a chart listing the large cast of characters. Artful, suspenseful, and worthwhile listening. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Starred review from November 19, 2007
Summerscale (The Queen of Whale Cay
) delivers a mesmerizing portrait of one of England's first detectives and the gruesome murder investigation that nearly destroyed him. In 1860, three-year-old Saville Kent was found murdered in the outdoor privy of his family's country estate. Local police scrambled for clues, but to no avail. Scotland Yard Det.-Insp. Jonathan “Jack” Whicher was called in and immediately suspected the unthinkable: someone in the Kent family killed Saville. Theories abounded as everyone from the nursemaid to Saville's father became a suspect. Whicher tirelessly pursued every lead and became convinced that Constance Kent, Saville's teenage half-sister, was the murderer, but with little evidence and no confession, the case went cold and Whicher returned to London, a broken man. Five years later, the killer came forward with a shocking account of the crime, leading to a sensational trial. Whicher is a fascinating hero, and readers will delight in following every lurid twist and turn in his investigation.

December 22, 2008
Simon Vance does a fine job reading this unusually detailed and thoughtful true crime investigation into a notorious child murder case in 1860 London. At the time, there were only eight detectives working in England. Scotland Yard’s top man was Insp. Jonathan Whicher, and he headed the investigation. Intertwined with the tale of detection in its infancy is a fascinating examination of the role played by this case and its inspector in the creation of the detective novel genre by the likes of Wilkie Collins, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Occasionally, the large number of characters that listeners must sort through can become confusing. HighBridge helpfully provides a printed who’s who inside the CD box. Vance’s perfect diction and agile acting skills are always a pleasure for listeners, and Summerscale’s achievement is a must for anyone who loves detective stories, but this audio requires exceptional concentration. A Walker hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 11, 2007).

Starred review from March 1, 2009
Summerscale's second work of nonfiction, following "The Queen of Whale Cay" (1997), is at once a riveting true-crime tale, a fascinating history of the origins of detective fiction, and sharp social commentary on Victorian sensibilities. Audie Award winner Simon Vance's ("The Spanish Game") sublime narration transforms listeners into armchair detectives as though they're standing alongside incomparable Scotland Yard detective-inspector Jonathan Whicher as he makes his inquiries. Essential for crime and mystery collections. [Audio clip available through www.highbridgeaudio.com; the Walker hc was recommended "for public and academic libraries," "LJ" 2/1/08.Ed.]Beth Farrell, Portage Cty. Dist. Lib., Garrettsville, OH

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