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The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place
'Once more, Kate Summerscale shatters our preconceptions of a classic crime' Val McDermid
From Britain's top-selling true crime writer and author of Sunday Times #1 bestseller THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER...
London, 1953. Police discover the bodies of three young women hidden in a wall at 10 Rillington Place, a dingy terrace house in Notting Hill. On searching the building, they find another body beneath the floorboards, then an array of human bones in the garden. But they have already investigated a double murder at 10 Rillington Place, three years ago, and the killer was hanged. Did they get the wrong man?
A nationwide manhunt is launched for the tenant of the ground-floor flat, a softly spoken former policeman named Reg Christie. Star reporter Harry Procter chases after the scoop. Celebrated crime writer Fryn Tennyson Jesse begs to be assigned to the case. The story becomes an instant sensation, and with the relentless rise of the tabloid press the public watches on like never before. Who is Christie? Why did he choose to kill women, and to keep their bodies near him? As Harry and Fryn start to learn the full horror of what went on at Rillington Place, they realise that Christie might also have engineered a terrible miscarriage of justice in plain sight.
In this riveting true story, Kate Summerscale mines the archives to uncover the lives of Christie's victims, the tabloid frenzy that their deaths inspired, and the truth about what happened inside the house.
'A forensic reappraisal of a grimy episode in postwar British history ... Shocking, impeccably researched, lucidly written and always utterly compelling' Graeme Macrae Burnet
From Britain's top-selling true crime writer and author of Sunday Times #1 bestseller THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER...
London, 1953. Police discover the bodies of three young women hidden in a wall at 10 Rillington Place, a dingy terrace house in Notting Hill. On searching the building, they find another body beneath the floorboards, then an array of human bones in the garden. But they have already investigated a double murder at 10 Rillington Place, three years ago, and the killer was hanged. Did they get the wrong man?
A nationwide manhunt is launched for the tenant of the ground-floor flat, a softly spoken former policeman named Reg Christie. Star reporter Harry Procter chases after the scoop. Celebrated crime writer Fryn Tennyson Jesse begs to be assigned to the case. The story becomes an instant sensation, and with the relentless rise of the tabloid press the public watches on like never before. Who is Christie? Why did he choose to kill women, and to keep their bodies near him? As Harry and Fryn start to learn the full horror of what went on at Rillington Place, they realise that Christie might also have engineered a terrible miscarriage of justice in plain sight.
In this riveting true story, Kate Summerscale mines the archives to uncover the lives of Christie's victims, the tabloid frenzy that their deaths inspired, and the truth about what happened inside the house.
'A forensic reappraisal of a grimy episode in postwar British history ... Shocking, impeccably researched, lucidly written and always utterly compelling' Graeme Macrae Burnet
317 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2024
About the author
Kate Summerscale
10 books565 followersKate Summerscale (born in 1965) is an English writer and journalist.
She won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction in 2008 with The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House and won a Somerset Maugham Award in 1998 (and was shortlisted for the 1997 Whitbread Awards for biography) for the bestselling The Queen of Whale Cay, about Joe Carstairs, "fastest woman on water."
As a journalist, she worked for The Independent and The Daily Telegraph and her articles have appeared in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph. She stumbled on the story for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher in an 1890s anthology of unsolved crime stories and became so fascinated that she left her post as literary editor of The Daily Telegraph to pursue her investigations. She spent a year researching the book and another year writing it.
She has also judged various literary competitions including the Booker Prize in 2001.
She won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction in 2008 with The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House and won a Somerset Maugham Award in 1998 (and was shortlisted for the 1997 Whitbread Awards for biography) for the bestselling The Queen of Whale Cay, about Joe Carstairs, "fastest woman on water."
As a journalist, she worked for The Independent and The Daily Telegraph and her articles have appeared in The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph. She stumbled on the story for The Suspicions of Mr Whicher in an 1890s anthology of unsolved crime stories and became so fascinated that she left her post as literary editor of The Daily Telegraph to pursue her investigations. She spent a year researching the book and another year writing it.
She has also judged various literary competitions including the Booker Prize in 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
October 28, 2024
My Top crime book of 2024
Everything you need to know about Reg Christine and Tim Evens
Everything you need to know about Reg Christine and Tim Evens
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2024
A very clear and thoroughly researched book about the London serial killer from the 1950's, Reg Christie. It's set against the backdrop of the Queen's coronation, violent racism against Black people in the city, and the demonisation of sex workers, which I thought was an incredibly important aspect that people often don't consider. Christie was sexist, racist, and narcissistic, and all these facets of his personality helped him get away with murder for as long as he did. The politics of the time also played a massive part which Summerscale goes into great detail about. Too much evidence was ignored due to the law being that a person could only be convicted of one murder at a time, as well as the tory party not wanting to put the death penalty at risk by trying Christie for the murders of Beryl and Geraldine Evans because they'd hung Tim Evans for it years prior to Christie being caught.
If you're looking for a true crime book that has a tidy conclusion with all questions answered, this isn't for you. Otherwise, I highly recommend! I found it engaging, nuanced, and thought-provoking.
If you're looking for a true crime book that has a tidy conclusion with all questions answered, this isn't for you. Otherwise, I highly recommend! I found it engaging, nuanced, and thought-provoking.
October 11, 2024
The Peepshow is the latest book from Kate Summerscale who always writes fantastic books about historical crimes. This time we're in the pea-soup fog of 1950's London as John Reginald Halliday Christie carries out his sinister murders of women at 10 Rillington Place.
A well written account which is sensitive to the victims and their stories. A recommended read.
A well written account which is sensitive to the victims and their stories. A recommended read.
October 1, 2024
I've always had a morbid fascination with the Rillington Place murders even since I watched the film 10 Rillington Place many years ago. This was a completely different view of these murders though, told from the perspective of a journalist, Harry Proctor who reported on and looked into the Timothy Evans and John Christie trials. I thought I knew a lot about these murders, but this book added so much more information which I haven't heard of before. It's obvious that the author has done a huge amount of research into this and we don't only get to hear about the murders but the wrongful execution of Timothy Evans and the miscarriage of justice that this was. I also really liked how we got to hear about the other women murdered, the other occupants of Rillington Place and the neighbourhood in general, both during and after Christie's arrest.
A fascinating read and definitely one for the true crime fans!
A fascinating read and definitely one for the true crime fans!
October 7, 2024
Revealing and engaging retelling of the well-known story of Reg Christie and his serial killing period while living at 10 Rillington Place. Kate Summerscale recounts the story mainly through the narrative voices of Sunday Pictorial journalist, Harry Proctor, and academic author F Tennyson Jesse. She tries hard not to make this a story about Christie and his perpetual need to be centre stage. The lives of the women who were raped, assaulted, and murdered are given the prominence they deserve, and the sadness at their mostly grim lives is palpable. Summerscale balances the competing narrative demands with extreme skill, including a re-examination of both Christie's and Timothy Evans' role in the murders of Beryl and Geraldine Evans. Thoroughly gripping.
October 11, 2024
4.5. Summerscale doesn’t miss. However, I will say I found the sections detailing prostitution in London in the 1940s/50s so much more interesting than the actual case that I’d rather Summerscale write a whole book about that. Guess I’m not a real true crime girlie.
October 10, 2024
A well researched book which also focuses on the victims of a serial killer rather than just the monster of the (true) story, which some books fail to do. Thanks to Pigeonhole and the author for the opportunity to read this.
October 16, 2024
A sordid tale only made palatable by Summerscale's unique style. A rather unsatisfying end to this real life nightmare, but thought Summerscale's closing theory was compelling.
August 21, 2024
This book is incredibly well researched and thought provoking. It goes into depth in the background that Christie‘s murder took place in focusing on sexism and racism and how these aspects affected Christie‘s case. I also enjoyed the amount of time that was taken to establish the political atmosphere and how things were about to change.
I found the way that Christie’s case was spoken about was incredibly respectful towards the victims and their families and the author clearly put a lot of time and care into presenting the victims as complex people.
This was a truly fascinating read and I am eager to read it again. Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for the ARC !
I found the way that Christie’s case was spoken about was incredibly respectful towards the victims and their families and the author clearly put a lot of time and care into presenting the victims as complex people.
This was a truly fascinating read and I am eager to read it again. Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for the ARC !
October 10, 2024
I first knew of 10 Rillington Place via the 1971 film with a chillingly creepy performance from Richard Attenborough as serial killer, Christie, but didn't know any detail about the women he murdered. Kate Summerscale corrects this immediately with a well-researched, more holistic view of the case. The women are given back their names and lives - despite society's view of them, these were women who were loved and missed - against a backdrop of poverty, shocking sexism and racism. The book follows crime reporter Harry Proctor and crime novelist Fryn Tennyson Jesse, as they both follow the case and attempt to secure their versions of it.
The book starts with the discovery of 4 bodies at 10 Rillington Place, including Christie's wife, Ethel, and Christie missing. A manhunt, an investigation of the house, and a trial follow, with the additional question of a possible miscarriage of justice with Timothy Evans hung a few years before for the murder of his wife and baby daughter at the same address while Christie was in residence. (On miscarriages of justice, the book also touches on the Derek Bentley case as well.) Proctor is convinced of Christie's involvement in the Evans deaths and goes all out to get an exclusive with Christie in the hope that he will confess all. I found Proctor's narrative compelling, being directly involved and very conflicted. Determined to uncover the truth, he has doubts about his means of doing so, repulsed by his skill in providing the public with the increasingly salacious and sordid stories that sell. Meanwhile, Fryn considers the psychology of those involved and draws on previous research on women's experiences for her novels. But she also presents startling contradictions in her own attitudes to women.
As with The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Summerscale provides valuable context to the case and a fascinating snapshot of society at the time. Women struggling to retain the earning power and independence they had during wartime and driven to dangerous backstreet abortions. Tension and racism felt by immigrant communities. Ill-health in the very upper echelons of government. Questioning of the death penalty. The crowning of a new young queen. It's an absorbing, if not always comfortable, portrait of a Britain on the cusp of change. Our obsession with true crime still rings true today, but we are fed by a multitude of channels now. The Peepshow adds so much more to the Rillington Place case(s): a lot of things I didn't know, balanced and detailed insight, intriguing characters and a window onto a community many in society chose to ignore. A well-written and captivating read.
The book starts with the discovery of 4 bodies at 10 Rillington Place, including Christie's wife, Ethel, and Christie missing. A manhunt, an investigation of the house, and a trial follow, with the additional question of a possible miscarriage of justice with Timothy Evans hung a few years before for the murder of his wife and baby daughter at the same address while Christie was in residence. (On miscarriages of justice, the book also touches on the Derek Bentley case as well.) Proctor is convinced of Christie's involvement in the Evans deaths and goes all out to get an exclusive with Christie in the hope that he will confess all. I found Proctor's narrative compelling, being directly involved and very conflicted. Determined to uncover the truth, he has doubts about his means of doing so, repulsed by his skill in providing the public with the increasingly salacious and sordid stories that sell. Meanwhile, Fryn considers the psychology of those involved and draws on previous research on women's experiences for her novels. But she also presents startling contradictions in her own attitudes to women.
As with The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Summerscale provides valuable context to the case and a fascinating snapshot of society at the time. Women struggling to retain the earning power and independence they had during wartime and driven to dangerous backstreet abortions. Tension and racism felt by immigrant communities. Ill-health in the very upper echelons of government. Questioning of the death penalty. The crowning of a new young queen. It's an absorbing, if not always comfortable, portrait of a Britain on the cusp of change. Our obsession with true crime still rings true today, but we are fed by a multitude of channels now. The Peepshow adds so much more to the Rillington Place case(s): a lot of things I didn't know, balanced and detailed insight, intriguing characters and a window onto a community many in society chose to ignore. A well-written and captivating read.
September 29, 2024
Kate Summerscale's books are always meticulously researched and well[-presented The Peepshow is no exception. In this, her latest novel she puts 10 Rillington Place under the microscope as she examines the lives of those who lived in the now infamous boarding house.
Given the number of books, films and TV shows featuring the murders this book offers a fresh perspective on the case that gripped 1950s London. The narrative is intricately woven, presenting a multi-layered account that goes beyond the surface of the crimes committed by Reg Christie.
One of the standout features of this book is its unique presentation of the research through the eyes of Harry Proctor, a crime reporter. Proctor’s perspective adds a compelling layer to the story, as he delves into the murky depths of the case, driven by a quest for redemption after he had interviewed Christie at the time of Timothy Evans court case. His journalistic approach provides a gritty, real-time feel to the unfolding events, making the reader feel as though they are uncovering the truth alongside him. In parallel we have the author Fryn Tennyson Jess fascinated by the case and determined to come to a conclusion about whether Timothy Evans was guilty of his wife and daughter's murders, or not.
Summerscale’s meticulous research shines through, as she not only recounts the chilling details of the murders but also examines the broader societal implications, including the miscarriage of justice that led to the wrongful execution of Timothy Evans. The backdrop of 1950s politics and the Queen’s coronation adds a rich historical context that enhances the narrative.
The book is a thought-provoking read, challenging the reader to consider the complexities of justice and the impact of media on public perception. Summerscale’s ability to blend true crime with historical analysis makes The Peepshow a standout in the genre, offering both a gripping story and a profound commentary on the era.
For fans of true crime and historical mysteries, The Peepshow is a must-read, providing a deeply engaging and insightful look into one of Britain’s most notorious criminal cases.
For fans of true crime and historical mysteries, The Peepshow is a must-read, providing a deeply engaging and insightful look into one of Britain’s most notorious criminal cases.
Given the number of books, films and TV shows featuring the murders this book offers a fresh perspective on the case that gripped 1950s London. The narrative is intricately woven, presenting a multi-layered account that goes beyond the surface of the crimes committed by Reg Christie.
One of the standout features of this book is its unique presentation of the research through the eyes of Harry Proctor, a crime reporter. Proctor’s perspective adds a compelling layer to the story, as he delves into the murky depths of the case, driven by a quest for redemption after he had interviewed Christie at the time of Timothy Evans court case. His journalistic approach provides a gritty, real-time feel to the unfolding events, making the reader feel as though they are uncovering the truth alongside him. In parallel we have the author Fryn Tennyson Jess fascinated by the case and determined to come to a conclusion about whether Timothy Evans was guilty of his wife and daughter's murders, or not.
Summerscale’s meticulous research shines through, as she not only recounts the chilling details of the murders but also examines the broader societal implications, including the miscarriage of justice that led to the wrongful execution of Timothy Evans. The backdrop of 1950s politics and the Queen’s coronation adds a rich historical context that enhances the narrative.
The book is a thought-provoking read, challenging the reader to consider the complexities of justice and the impact of media on public perception. Summerscale’s ability to blend true crime with historical analysis makes The Peepshow a standout in the genre, offering both a gripping story and a profound commentary on the era.
For fans of true crime and historical mysteries, The Peepshow is a must-read, providing a deeply engaging and insightful look into one of Britain’s most notorious criminal cases.
For fans of true crime and historical mysteries, The Peepshow is a must-read, providing a deeply engaging and insightful look into one of Britain’s most notorious criminal cases.
October 3, 2024
The Peepshow is an extremely well researched look at the infamous murders which took place in 10 Rillington Place and whether there was a miscarriage of justice leading to the execution of Timothy Evans for the murder of his wife and child rather than serial killer John Christie, who was responsible for the other deaths at the address. So much has already been said about the case, in print and film, that it’s difficult to find a new angle but Kate Summerscale does a good job.
The book looks at the murders themselves, at Christie and Evans personally and tells us some more about the victims (often treated as a faceless afterthought) but also looks at the media frenzy surrounding it. We look at a journalist who has had previous contact with Christie and is covering the story for a sensationalist newspaper, and at a true crime writer also writing about the case. Newspaper readership at the time was enormous and the story was everywhere so it’s easy to see a comparison between the way this story became a mass talking point and how such cases today go viral on social media. The true crime writer is doing a somewhat more nuanced take but her detachment from the victims themselves is striking and it’s interesting to see that even in the 1940s and 1950s, true crime held a strange fascination for many people.
Summerscale also does an excellent job of portraying the suffocating atmosphere of the time, especially for woman and those with less money. It’s a grim life for many of those involved and racism and poverty are everywhere. Christie himself is obviously shown as a very disturbing figure, but there is some very interesting detail about his own damage from injury in the First World War and the author does try to be even handed in her coverage. She’s also very careful to give a balanced view of arguments both for and against a miscarriage of justice and makes clear that the conclusion reached is her own and we’ll never really know for sure.
The book is very thorough but it’s also well written and fast moving so never felt like hard work to get through. It’s a horribly fascinating case and this book is an excellent addition to the works about it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
The book looks at the murders themselves, at Christie and Evans personally and tells us some more about the victims (often treated as a faceless afterthought) but also looks at the media frenzy surrounding it. We look at a journalist who has had previous contact with Christie and is covering the story for a sensationalist newspaper, and at a true crime writer also writing about the case. Newspaper readership at the time was enormous and the story was everywhere so it’s easy to see a comparison between the way this story became a mass talking point and how such cases today go viral on social media. The true crime writer is doing a somewhat more nuanced take but her detachment from the victims themselves is striking and it’s interesting to see that even in the 1940s and 1950s, true crime held a strange fascination for many people.
Summerscale also does an excellent job of portraying the suffocating atmosphere of the time, especially for woman and those with less money. It’s a grim life for many of those involved and racism and poverty are everywhere. Christie himself is obviously shown as a very disturbing figure, but there is some very interesting detail about his own damage from injury in the First World War and the author does try to be even handed in her coverage. She’s also very careful to give a balanced view of arguments both for and against a miscarriage of justice and makes clear that the conclusion reached is her own and we’ll never really know for sure.
The book is very thorough but it’s also well written and fast moving so never felt like hard work to get through. It’s a horribly fascinating case and this book is an excellent addition to the works about it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
October 20, 2024
In 1953, residents in Rillington Place, Notting Hill, were filled with horror when the bodies of three women were found concealed in a wall at number 10. This was followed by the discovery of another body beneath the floorboards and human bones in the garden. While there appeared to be no doubt that the tenant of the house, Reg Christie, was the killer, those with longer memories felt a sense of unease: three years earlier there had already been a double killing at this property and a man was convicted and hanged. Did they get the wrong man?
The story of 10 Rillington Place is one of the most well-known in British crime history yet in The Peepshow, Kate Summerscale has managed to tell the story from a whole new perspective, unearthing fascinating information in the process. This is not simply a retelling of what is already an infamous series of killings but instead, a look at the case from the eyes of others who were involved. By telling the story from the view of Harry Procter, a tenacious reporter, we see a completely different side of the case and also how determined he was to see justice for Timothy Evans, the man who was accused of the murder of his wife and daughter three years earlier.
As in all of Kate Summerscale’s books, this is incredibly well researched, the author giving us a great insight into life in 1950s Notting Hill. What I found particularly fascinating was her research into prostitution at that time. Sex workers are traditionally portrayed as women compelled to sell their bodies out of desperation but here we see women in control of their own lives, earning more money than they would in other place of work. Of course, we also see the flip side with some of the women finding themselves never leaving 10 Rillington Place.
If you are expecting a definitive answer as to whether Tim Evans did, indeed, kill his wife and daughter or whether their deaths were at the hands of Christie, you will not find in in The Peepshow. What Kate Summerscale has done is provide the evidence in a thought-provoking way, leaving you to weigh up the options yourself.
Ever since reading The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, I have always eagerly anticipated anything else by Kate Summerscale and in The Peepshow, she has written another top notch book.
The story of 10 Rillington Place is one of the most well-known in British crime history yet in The Peepshow, Kate Summerscale has managed to tell the story from a whole new perspective, unearthing fascinating information in the process. This is not simply a retelling of what is already an infamous series of killings but instead, a look at the case from the eyes of others who were involved. By telling the story from the view of Harry Procter, a tenacious reporter, we see a completely different side of the case and also how determined he was to see justice for Timothy Evans, the man who was accused of the murder of his wife and daughter three years earlier.
As in all of Kate Summerscale’s books, this is incredibly well researched, the author giving us a great insight into life in 1950s Notting Hill. What I found particularly fascinating was her research into prostitution at that time. Sex workers are traditionally portrayed as women compelled to sell their bodies out of desperation but here we see women in control of their own lives, earning more money than they would in other place of work. Of course, we also see the flip side with some of the women finding themselves never leaving 10 Rillington Place.
If you are expecting a definitive answer as to whether Tim Evans did, indeed, kill his wife and daughter or whether their deaths were at the hands of Christie, you will not find in in The Peepshow. What Kate Summerscale has done is provide the evidence in a thought-provoking way, leaving you to weigh up the options yourself.
Ever since reading The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, I have always eagerly anticipated anything else by Kate Summerscale and in The Peepshow, she has written another top notch book.
October 6, 2024
📚 Book Review 📚
This intense and wonderfully researched book is all about the minute details attached, collated and presented about the last serial killer to be hung in this country.
There is so much here to take on board, aside from the already well documented life of the murderer Reg Christie.
He was racist, sexist as well as a narcissistic killer who preyed carefully and with intent upon those he considered to be vulnerable and worthless. His murders coincided with the shifting perspective of post war Britain, a country where women who had held down paid work during the war, wanted to continue working; a country where some women chose to work in prostitution because they would earn more money than their partners and a country that people from African countries started to settle and call home.
The racism and demonisation of sex workers at this time was massive, I had no idea how bad it was and these factors all culminated in Christie’s ability to melt into the shadows. From the pathologist who reported on the bodies taken from Christie’s kitchen wall saying these girls “were bound to end up meeting violent ends” to the couple who looked for lodging in Rillington Place who noticed a smell in Christie’s flat saying “we noticed a bad smell, but we thought it was just the blacks.”
So much evidence was ignored, particularly over the deaths of Beryl Evans and her baby, Geraldine.
This is a fascinating and engaging read which is purely and absolutely based on fact, there is no dramatisation. This is fantastic introduction for me to this author. If you like true crime, this is a must.
I’d like to thank Bloomsbury PublishingUK, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊
Book released on 3rd October 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This intense and wonderfully researched book is all about the minute details attached, collated and presented about the last serial killer to be hung in this country.
There is so much here to take on board, aside from the already well documented life of the murderer Reg Christie.
He was racist, sexist as well as a narcissistic killer who preyed carefully and with intent upon those he considered to be vulnerable and worthless. His murders coincided with the shifting perspective of post war Britain, a country where women who had held down paid work during the war, wanted to continue working; a country where some women chose to work in prostitution because they would earn more money than their partners and a country that people from African countries started to settle and call home.
The racism and demonisation of sex workers at this time was massive, I had no idea how bad it was and these factors all culminated in Christie’s ability to melt into the shadows. From the pathologist who reported on the bodies taken from Christie’s kitchen wall saying these girls “were bound to end up meeting violent ends” to the couple who looked for lodging in Rillington Place who noticed a smell in Christie’s flat saying “we noticed a bad smell, but we thought it was just the blacks.”
So much evidence was ignored, particularly over the deaths of Beryl Evans and her baby, Geraldine.
This is a fascinating and engaging read which is purely and absolutely based on fact, there is no dramatisation. This is fantastic introduction for me to this author. If you like true crime, this is a must.
I’d like to thank Bloomsbury PublishingUK, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊
Book released on 3rd October 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
October 4, 2024
A fascinating re-look at a case that is so familiar to us that it has become part of the folklore. I first came across John “Reg” Christie at the Chamber of Horrors in the basement of Madame Tussaud’s where his waxwork stood in what I thought was his actual transplanted kitchen. The squallor and banality of the diorama left its mark and subsequent reading of the Ludovic Kennedy book and Richard Attenborough’s depiction of the sinister pervert in its filming was unforgettable.
Summerscale’s forensic re-investigation of The Road House murder had gripped me so I was ready to be persuaded by any new evidence she might produce here. The narrative follows contemporaneous accounts of the happenings at 10 Rillington Place made by Sunday Pictorial crime reporter, Roy Proctor, whose paper paid for Christie’s defence and Fryn Tennyson Jesse who wrote the case up for the Notable British Trials series and had previously written the novel, A Pin To See The Peepshow, which furnished Summerscale with her title.
We are transported to a Britain that is uncomfortable to remember where desperate young women drift into prostitution and companionship with that other terribly marginalised group, immigrant West Indians, in a slum area near Ladbroke Grove and around Paddington that would become familiar to me as a medical student in the 1970s.
Brilliant, but it made me very sad that so many lives were (and remain) blighted by tragic happenings over 60 years ago.
Summerscale’s forensic re-investigation of The Road House murder had gripped me so I was ready to be persuaded by any new evidence she might produce here. The narrative follows contemporaneous accounts of the happenings at 10 Rillington Place made by Sunday Pictorial crime reporter, Roy Proctor, whose paper paid for Christie’s defence and Fryn Tennyson Jesse who wrote the case up for the Notable British Trials series and had previously written the novel, A Pin To See The Peepshow, which furnished Summerscale with her title.
We are transported to a Britain that is uncomfortable to remember where desperate young women drift into prostitution and companionship with that other terribly marginalised group, immigrant West Indians, in a slum area near Ladbroke Grove and around Paddington that would become familiar to me as a medical student in the 1970s.
Brilliant, but it made me very sad that so many lives were (and remain) blighted by tragic happenings over 60 years ago.
October 21, 2024
I don’t normally read non-fiction but when The Peepshow became available on the Pigeonhole app and having read other books by Kate Summerscale, I thought I’d give it a go. It dwells on the horrific murders carried out by John Reginald Christie and the terrible miscarriage of justice dealt out to wrongly convicted Timothy Evans.
I found it a fascinating but macabre read, it’s well researched and gives a great insight into all the characters connected to the case from the murderer himself to the journalists looking for a story, to the victims (and I include Timothy Evans in this) and their families, and even to a murder mystery author investigating as part of their research. It’s not a happy tale and some of it a sent a shiver down my spine. The case went someway to abolishing the death penalty in Britain. There was a TV series a few years ago with Tim Roth as Christie, but the adaptation which has always stuck in my mind is the 1971 film 10 Rillington Place. Richard Attenborough made such an excellent Christie, he was so creepy - so much so I don’t think I could ever watch it again. He scared me to death. 😱. The book, however, is very matter of fact and very absorbing - you’d think twice about doing some d-i-y in your house after reading this! You never know what you might find under the floorboards and behind walls. Recommended for true crime fans.
October 15, 2024
Fascinating tale made even more so by the fact that it is true. It is definitely the case that truth sometimes appears stranger than fiction. Some of the elements to this case are strangely familiar as they bear similarities to other cases, such as a male perpetrator feeling inadequate or mocked by his victim’s demographic, in this case women. Other aspects are strangely unheard of and unique so overall the case certainly piques interest and makes you pay attention. The joint aspect of telling the story through the eyes of a contemporary journalist is definitely a great angle. There is a very immersive feeling of the opinions and social status of the time with difficult topics such as racism and homophobia broached and explained in the context of that time so as a piece of social history this is also very informative. A lot of people love to hate the methods of journalism yet the public are the force driving their very work which is food for thought. The topic of capital punishment is also represented well due to the uncertainties in this case and the possibility that it had not served well in this instance. This was presented very well and enlightened me from any preconceptions re journalism and crime and punishment in general. A thoroughly interesting and poignant read.
October 25, 2024
This was my first true crime novel and I really enjoyed it. The story was so shocking that I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story, I couldn't believe it! It was well written and well told, although I did find the jumping between different years slightly confusing and meant it took me a bit longer to read than usual. I appreciated the adding of context, with the inclusion of information on other events at the time such as the crowning of Queen Elizabeth; this helped to set the scene for me and really understand the time period in which this occurred.
I do feel the writing style got a bit confused between fiction and non-fiction type writing, which for me I didn't really like. It is clear, however, that this story is thoroughly researched and was well laid out.
This book is incredibly interesting and draws on your want to find out the gory details. I liked the historical aspect and learnt a lot about how the justice system has changed in the last 70/80 years. I really enjoyed the section outlining the trial of Christie, I found this really interesting. It was very easy to read and outlined the flow of events well.
Overall, a well written book, although in parts I found the writing style odd. The story was incredibly interesting and clearly well researched.
I do feel the writing style got a bit confused between fiction and non-fiction type writing, which for me I didn't really like. It is clear, however, that this story is thoroughly researched and was well laid out.
This book is incredibly interesting and draws on your want to find out the gory details. I liked the historical aspect and learnt a lot about how the justice system has changed in the last 70/80 years. I really enjoyed the section outlining the trial of Christie, I found this really interesting. It was very easy to read and outlined the flow of events well.
Overall, a well written book, although in parts I found the writing style odd. The story was incredibly interesting and clearly well researched.
October 9, 2024
Over the years there have been many books and articles written around the infamous Reg Christie and the murders of 10 Rillington Place, however The Peepshow is a must for any fan of true crime, or anyone with a vested interest in understanding facts and drawing their own conclusions. I was lucky enough to read it with online book club 'The Pigeonhole' and I raced through it each time a new stave was released. The case is detailed in a storylike tone, and we see events through different voices, and perspectives, and for a change, in a similar manner to Hallie Rubenhold's 'The Five', the focus is on who these women were as people - not just as names on a victim sheet. We also hear from those in Christie's orbit, and how he appeared to them. Putting so many facts and voices together and keeping it readable is a skill, and Kate has this in spades. Not only is it readable, but it's compelling. I was acquainted with the case, but had no clue about some of the details that are contained within these pages. The evidence around Tim Evans is as fascinating and confusing as that around Derek Bentley is heartbreaking. Thank you Kate for bringing their stories to light again. Brilliant.
October 23, 2024
This is a detailed and readable account of the Christie murders, focusing on whether Tim Evans was incorrectly executed for the murder of his wife and child, when it is likely Christie was responsible and also giving a detailed look at the press involvement in the case.
It was in March, 1953, when one of the tenants in 10 Rillington Place, found bodies hidden in the kitchen they had been asked to redecorate. Journalist Harry Proctor recalls interviewing Christie in 1949, when Beryl Evans and her baby daughter, Geraldine, were found dead. Fellow tenant Timothy Evans accused Christie, but was not believed by the jury. Now, Proctor wondered whether he had been taken in by Christie, who seemed to have fled.
As well as being an excellent account of Christie's crime, this is also a social history of the time. Of a post-war, changing London, where West Indian immigrants found themselves unwelcome and of men, like Christie, who was respected in his community, which meant that women's reports of his frightening and persistent behaviour against them was ignored. Author Kate Summerscale specialises in true crime and this is certainly one of her best and most interesting titles.
It was in March, 1953, when one of the tenants in 10 Rillington Place, found bodies hidden in the kitchen they had been asked to redecorate. Journalist Harry Proctor recalls interviewing Christie in 1949, when Beryl Evans and her baby daughter, Geraldine, were found dead. Fellow tenant Timothy Evans accused Christie, but was not believed by the jury. Now, Proctor wondered whether he had been taken in by Christie, who seemed to have fled.
As well as being an excellent account of Christie's crime, this is also a social history of the time. Of a post-war, changing London, where West Indian immigrants found themselves unwelcome and of men, like Christie, who was respected in his community, which meant that women's reports of his frightening and persistent behaviour against them was ignored. Author Kate Summerscale specialises in true crime and this is certainly one of her best and most interesting titles.
October 8, 2024
A great, well-written, factual telling of the murders at 10 Rillington Place.
I liked that there were multiple sources/viewpoints used. I particularly liked the viewpoints of the journalist Harry Proctor and the writer Fryn and what conclusions they had come to.
I learnt that the film I remember watching with Richard Attenborough in it was based on a book.
The biggest development in this version was that I learned more about his victims. What was known about their lives was shared, making them real people and not just names on a page.
Summerscale also set the crimes in the wider context of the time, within the political scene where Churchill's health was declining and the increasing discussion/call for the abolition of the death penalty.
I have enjoyed two of the author's books in the past, although it is probably not appropriate given the subject matter to say I enjoyed this book I found it fascinating and thought-provoking. Highly recommended reading. Withthanks to the Pigeonhole for the opportunity as it was a great surprise to have this available.
I liked that there were multiple sources/viewpoints used. I particularly liked the viewpoints of the journalist Harry Proctor and the writer Fryn and what conclusions they had come to.
I learnt that the film I remember watching with Richard Attenborough in it was based on a book.
The biggest development in this version was that I learned more about his victims. What was known about their lives was shared, making them real people and not just names on a page.
Summerscale also set the crimes in the wider context of the time, within the political scene where Churchill's health was declining and the increasing discussion/call for the abolition of the death penalty.
I have enjoyed two of the author's books in the past, although it is probably not appropriate given the subject matter to say I enjoyed this book I found it fascinating and thought-provoking. Highly recommended reading. Withthanks to the Pigeonhole for the opportunity as it was a great surprise to have this available.
October 7, 2024
I was surprised and delighted that a book by Kate Summerscale was being serialised on The Pigeonhole, having devoured The Suspicions of Mr Whicher when it first came out, and then I discovered that her latest book was about the murders at 10 Rillington Place, which made it even more interesting. I remember, as a child, listening to my mother’s cousin telling her about Reg Christie hiding his victims’ bodies behind a wall; I never forgot that story and, when the film was shown on television, I watched with interest and revulsion. The same thing happened when the story was serialised on television. I did not expect to feel the same feelings while reading this book, stave by stave with The Pigeonhole, but I was wrong. The research must have been intense and horrifying, and the writing of the book much the same. I think this new version of Christie’s murderous history will haunt me for quite a while.
November 10, 2024
Gruesome indeed. This isn’t quite as good as some of her other books. Too much journo-speak and too many repetitions of ‘said’ not even using the word ‘entoned’ when the judge passed the death sentence on Christie after his trial but merely the bland ‘said’ instead. Still, it’s not a bad read full of facts and insights. I do wonder though if Christie was as helpless as he always appeared. Well of course he wasn’t, he was not exactly insane, calculating and devious possibly. I suspect his humiliation did contribute o his need to overpower and kill women. he’s a complex man which, if he had lived in another time would have been a fascinating study subject for psychiatrists, his mental state and personality to unravel. An evil man yes but the motivation for his evil doings is interesting or would be to anyone studying it. A fairly good book spoilt only by those points I have already alluded to previously.
October 12, 2024
I am a big fan of Kate Summerscale’s writing and enjoyed this exploration of the murders at 10 Rillington Place. The author gives a real sense of what was happening in post-war London at the time when Reg Christie was on the run after the bodies of 3 young women were found in the wall of his rented home. She looks at whether a miscarriage of justice took place after the arrest and execution of another man, accused of murdering his wife and child at the same address.
Summerscale does a good job of exposing the horror of what happened at 10 Rillington Place, but also of looking at the victims in a human and empathetic way, exposing the social reality of backstreet abortions and casual racism which allowed Christie to commit his terrible crimes. She also looks at the impact this case had on others, not least the tabloid journalist, Harry Proctor, who tried to uncover the truth about what really happened in this terrible house.
A really fascinating read. Thanks to The Pigeonhole.
Summerscale does a good job of exposing the horror of what happened at 10 Rillington Place, but also of looking at the victims in a human and empathetic way, exposing the social reality of backstreet abortions and casual racism which allowed Christie to commit his terrible crimes. She also looks at the impact this case had on others, not least the tabloid journalist, Harry Proctor, who tried to uncover the truth about what really happened in this terrible house.
A really fascinating read. Thanks to The Pigeonhole.
October 11, 2024
Cracking book, and a welcome addition to the many existing books about these infamous murders. The author's suggested solution at the end makes sense (I won't say what it is in case this is deemed a spoiler). You really get a feel for what life was like in rundown London in the late 1940s and early 1950s. I'm a true crime nerd, so I was delighted to spot one very small possible inaccuracy. At Christie's execution, Pierrepoint is described as already waiting for his customer in the execution chamber; whereas Pierrepoint's own account has him first going into the condemned cell to do the pinioning (as was customary at hangings in this period). Oh, and arguably the summary of the equally notorious Craig & Bentley case is an over-simplification of a complicated set of facts. But I'm really just showing off here. It's a great book and contains a lot of interesting stuff that was new to me.
October 14, 2024
I had the opportunity to read this book through Pigeonhole.
Despite being an avid listener of True Crime podcasts, and knowing the name Kate Summerscale, I've never actually read one of her books. I've now discovered that “Narrative Non-Fiction”, and particularly Kate Summerscale is a style I love.
It reads like a novel, but is a true amalgamation of the various sources. Not only do we learn about the murders at Rillington Place, but also about the lives of those covering them, the social and political events of the time, and the effect that these crimes ultimately had on the English legal system.
There are no gratuitous descriptions of the violence and the bodies, and we learn full backgrounds of the murdered women, once dismissed as "just" prostitutes, the Less Dead.
I'm off to find other books by Kate as I'm now hooked on her style.
Despite being an avid listener of True Crime podcasts, and knowing the name Kate Summerscale, I've never actually read one of her books. I've now discovered that “Narrative Non-Fiction”, and particularly Kate Summerscale is a style I love.
It reads like a novel, but is a true amalgamation of the various sources. Not only do we learn about the murders at Rillington Place, but also about the lives of those covering them, the social and political events of the time, and the effect that these crimes ultimately had on the English legal system.
There are no gratuitous descriptions of the violence and the bodies, and we learn full backgrounds of the murdered women, once dismissed as "just" prostitutes, the Less Dead.
I'm off to find other books by Kate as I'm now hooked on her style.
November 15, 2024
Good book. Wasn't sure what to expect with a new book on a classic case that's been hashed over untold time but it's well done. The author follows it from the journalist side, following two in particular; their lives, careers and involvement and manages to tell the case while giving an insight into Fleet Street at the time. I've read other books that make the case that Timothy Evans may not have been innocent of the crimes and this follows that path to point - the author steers clear of presenting a solid theory but details how murky the whole thing is and definately leaves doubt over who killed Geraldine/Beryl Evans. I've seen this author about but this is my first book of hers, really like her style - straight forward and to the point but refering to sources and investigation when in the nitty gritty.
September 29, 2024
It is hard to find a fresh slant and perspective on the Reg Christie/Rillington Place murder and his connection to the Timothy Evans conviction but acclaimed journalist and historian Kate Summerscale has succeeded in doing so.
This is an impeccably researched history of the case which endeavours to explain and put them into the social context of post war London as well as provide an analysis of how the cases have subsequently been covered and written about.
We learn as much about tabloid journalist Harry Procter and writer Fryn Tennyson Jess and their coverage of Christie and how their views changed as more evidence became known.
Christie too is marvellously well depicted in all his horror and evil and the book is a fascinating if macabre read which really made me think.
This is an impeccably researched history of the case which endeavours to explain and put them into the social context of post war London as well as provide an analysis of how the cases have subsequently been covered and written about.
We learn as much about tabloid journalist Harry Procter and writer Fryn Tennyson Jess and their coverage of Christie and how their views changed as more evidence became known.
Christie too is marvellously well depicted in all his horror and evil and the book is a fascinating if macabre read which really made me think.
October 11, 2024
I feel really disheartened and guilty writing this review as I did not enjoy this book. Everyone else seems to which as a reader makes me feel worse and question myself as to why I do not share the opinions of the majority.
It was interesting in a macabre way and makes you think about justice, the death penalty and of course miscarriages of justice. It makes you wonder why a human being can behave in such a monstrous and abnormal way, as well as wondering about all of Christie's victims. The focus on him sepercedes the women who were unfortunate enough to become one of his victims, which in a way is so sad. He might have been punished by death but he has all the attention of a notorious serial killer.
Anyway, the reason I cannot say I liked this true crime offering is the fact that the relating of events seemed (to me) to jump backwards and forwards and all over the place.
It was interesting in a macabre way and makes you think about justice, the death penalty and of course miscarriages of justice. It makes you wonder why a human being can behave in such a monstrous and abnormal way, as well as wondering about all of Christie's victims. The focus on him sepercedes the women who were unfortunate enough to become one of his victims, which in a way is so sad. He might have been punished by death but he has all the attention of a notorious serial killer.
Anyway, the reason I cannot say I liked this true crime offering is the fact that the relating of events seemed (to me) to jump backwards and forwards and all over the place.
October 5, 2024
As with all Ms Summerscale's books, this one has obviously been meticulously researched, but her writing skills are such that it reads like a crime novel rather than a textbook. I particularly liked her inclusion of national events so that Christie and his actions could be seen as part of wider society and not just in a bubble.
Harry, the journalist was also an interesting character to focus on and the rather dubious practices he followed to get his story.
Sadly in many areas e.g misogyny, violence against women, race riots we as a country, don’t seem to have moved on much.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
Harry, the journalist was also an interesting character to focus on and the rather dubious practices he followed to get his story.
Sadly in many areas e.g misogyny, violence against women, race riots we as a country, don’t seem to have moved on much.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advance copy of this book.
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