A Tale of Two Murders
Ratings1
Average rating5
15
Ratings1
Average rating5
A Tale of Two Murders is an engrossing examination of the Ilford murder, which became a legal cause ceþlèbre in the 1920s, and led to the hanging of Edith Thompson and her lover, Freddy Bywaters. On the night of October 3, 1922, as Edith and her husband, Percy, were walking home from the theatre, a man sprang out of the darkness and stabbed Percy to death. The assailant was none other than Bywaters. When the police discovered his relationship with Edith, she--who had denied knowledge of the attack--was arrested as his accomplice. Her passionate love letters to Bywaters, read out at the ensuing trial, sealed her fate, even though Bywaters insisted Edith had no part in planning the murder. They were both hanged. Freddy was demonstrably guilty; but was Edith truly so? In shattering detail and with masterful emotional insight, Laura Thompson charts the course of a liaison with thrice-fatal consequences, and investigates what a troubling case tells us about perceptions of women, innocence, and guilt.
Reviews with the most likes.
I'm not quite sure when I first heard about Edith Thompson. Given how much Christie, etc., I've read, it was probably a while ago though (this book even uses quotes from Christie and others that reference the case). I've watched Another Life, I have A Pin to See the Peepshow and Messalina of the Suburbs to read. There's just something fascinating about this case, so when I heard about this book I knew had to read it.
This was really well done. I wish it was a bit more linear of a recounting, but the information is so well presented and the sources are used really well. (I can see why Laura Thompson's new book is an edited compilation of the letters!) There's so much detail here. You really get a feel for Edith and Freddy (though he less so). Highly recommend this if you like true crime and/or history.
