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| Detective Inspector Jack Whicher |
4/5 stars
Summerscale tells the true story of the murder of 4 year old Saville Kent, and of the effect it had on his family and the Scotland Yard detective (Jack Whicher) sent to unravel the mystery. Whicher's accusation didn't hold up in court, and as a result his renown and career took a slow but steady decline.
Summerscale uses mainly primary sources to give information from the broad spectrum of public opinion, down to the minutiae of the Kent family daily life. The amount of information is fantastic, and the details give the reader a full picture of the times. Her prose does not sparkle, nor is it lively; at times it is down right dull. Regardless, this is a fascinating look into Victorian detection in general, Whicher and the Kent case in particular.
