Books matching: victorian child murderer
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In 'The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer' by Kate Summerscale, readers are taken on a journey through the true crime case of Robert Coombes, a 13-year-old boy who murdered his mother in 1895. The book delves into the crime itself, the aftermath, and Coombes' life post-incarceration, providing a thorough exploration of historical, social, and cultural themes of the Victorian era. Summerscale's writing is described as superb, with thorough research that balances factual information with engaging storytelling, making it a compelling read for fans of true crime and historical fiction.
Summerscale's narrative not only covers the crime and trial but also examines possible motivations behind the murder, the treatment of criminals in mental institutions like Broadmoor, and the concept of rehabilitation. Readers are taken on a journey through Coombes' life, from his time in the criminal lunatic asylum to his later years, offering a glimpse into his transformation and redemption. The book intertwines historical context, social commentary, and meticulous research to provide a captivating account of a chilling crime and its long-lasting repercussions.
Early in the morning of Monday 8 July 1895, Robert and Nathaniel Coombes dressed themselves, collected the family’s rent book from a room downstairs, and went out to the back yard. It was just after 6...England, early morning June 30th 1860, Road Hill House located five miles from Trowbirdge Wiltshire, Saville Kent aged three years ten months was found missing from his bed. Later that same morning he was found by servants in a most disturbing way stuffed down a make shift toilet the boys throat had been cut. Murder on the streets of London was one thing but a child to be taken from a bedroom in a remote area of a middle-class family home while they all slept was quite another. Summerscale's style is straightforward and direct. But that simplicity masks a staggeringly complex interweaving of themes and narratives. She rarely puts a foot wrong. She may perhaps sometimes spend too long on the correspondence received by the regional press and the middle third of the book does sag a little under the weight of historical detail. But overall she judges brilliantly the points at which she can dip out from the central narrative, and the duration of those digressions.
In the early hours of Friday, 29 June 1860 Samuel and Mary Kent were asleep on the first floor of their detached three-storey Georgian house above the village of Road, five miles from Trowbridge. They...
