Murder by the Book

Narrator Andy Secombe presents this mixture of true crime and literary history set in Victorian England as if he were performing a novel. The story begins with one of the most sensational murders of 1840s England. Lord William Russell was murdered in his bed, his throat slashed so deeply that his head was almost severed from his neck. Secombe does his best to keep things lively, but Harman's research takes too many literary sidetracks, including books and plays focused on criminals and a debate as to whether the glorification of criminals in literary works encourages violence among readers. Harman offers a plot-heavy tale with a frequently shifting focus, leaving listeners unclear about its original purpose, but Secombe's bright, energetic delivery is a win. S.J.H. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine