My Review (5 stars out of 5)
(Audiobook)
In the fishing port of Great Yarmouth in September 1900, a young woman known only as Mrs Hood had been staying in a local lodging house. When she was found dead on the beach, strangled with a bootlace, police struggled to learn her identity, and that of her killer. Eventually, she was found to be Mary Jane Bennett, wife of inveterate liar and seller of dodgy violins, Herbert Bennett.
I remember reading about the murder a few years ago but couldn’t recall anything of the police investigation or the subsequent court case. In this book, the dead woman’s great-great niece, Kim Donovan, tells the story in a fascinating account of a Victorian murder that flummoxed police and led to one of the twentieth centuries most notorious trials. Police suspected that Mary’s killer was her own husband, Herbert, but bringing him to justice wasn’t easy. What is most interesting is the distinctly odd life the couple led, moving around the country, fabricating insurance scams and taking trips to South Africa, as well as casting a web of lies that didn’t show either of them in a good light. Herbert also began another relationship, keeping quiet about his marriage while making plans for a new life with his younger mistress. The level of detail and research really bring the story to life, especially in the second half of the book which focuses on the trial. Defended by renowned barrister Edward Marshall Hall, Herbert produced a surprise witness at the last minute which threatened to discredit the prosecution’s case. But as with all murder cases, the guilty parties were certain to get their comeuppance in the end. Having said that, another very similar murder twelve years later, suggested that the police may have nabbed the wrong man…
Narrated by Lucy Scott, this is an enthralling book that lifts the lid on a fascinating case.
Colin Garrow 