The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer

For a Victorian real-life murder of a mother, killed by her own son, this was a pretty bland read. The author's ideas were all over the place. I gather that she wanted the reader to understand that the struggles of the lower class in those times, coupled with kids reading ghastly violent and cheap comic books, and the thrill to see one's name make it in the paper, are all likely factors as to why the son killed his mother. Once we get to the part of how the mother is found dead, there is a lot of potential to make the reader riveted to the edge of their seats. However, the author fails to keep focused enough to make this a page turner. What is lacking in the details of the actual unfolding of the murder is made up by the colorful descriptions of overcrowded London in that era (even though this family lived in the country – away from the bustling crowds).