Review by Frank Plowright
This second Compendium of Rick Geary’s impressively analytical Treasury of Victorian Murder series is a far bulkier proposition than its predecessor, combining five books instead of the previous three.
Little connects the subjects of the five forensic explorations other than murder and Geary’s rich presentation. Each case is meticulously researched, and the facts are laid out devoid of sensationalism or speculation. The case of Madeleine Smith occurring in Glasgow at least better fits the ‘Victorian’ aspect of the title, while the remainder took place in 19th century USA, ranging from the celebrity assassination of Abraham Lincoln to the murderous Bender family’s rural atrocities. Lizzie Borden’s situation generated a children’s rhyme still known today, while the tragic Mary Rogers was ill served by contemporary procedures.
The works were created over an eleven year period from 1997, but such is the consistency there’s no way that would be identifiable. Geary opens each selection with a map or schematic of areas in which the crimes occurred, and then proceeds to detail circumstances, investigation, evidence and testimony. The detailed knowledge Geary supplies is all the more admirable when considering most of his research was in the pre-internet era.
How Lincoln was killed is widely known, but Geary supplies plenty of background information not found in your average history book, broadening the dialogue of Lincoln’s premonitions about his death, and Mrs Lincoln’s unreasonable behaviour. What unites the other four cases is either the lack of knowledge or contradictory testimony, meaning the entire truth will never be known. Geary was able to update Lizzie Borden’s circumstances via the chance finding of a contemporary written investigation authenticated in 1990, but there’s very little to go on beyond ineptitude in the case of Mary Rogers, where Geary spends a fair amount of his page allocation on life in New York at the time. Speculation is also unavoidable in the case of the mysterious Benders, but instead of this being a fatal deviation from the regular procedure, the various suggestions and rumours are greatly entertaining.
Just as the text is never sensationalised, neither is the art, Geary remaining circumspect at all times despite the appalling crimes under the spotlight. It’s very respectful. Geary’s presentations all inform and educate, and this bargain priced combination of five stories is surely essential for any crime fan.
