No-one has greater love than this...

I recently read "The suspicions of Mr. Whicher." This is not the kind of book I usually read, but I really enjoyed it.As a parent, I found the horrific nature of the murder, with its family involvement, very disturbing.

I liked the mystery, "whodunnit" nature of this story, and Kate Summerscale did a great job at keeping my interest. The historical detail was superb, however at times bordered on overkill - sometimes I felt I was being told extra detail from the authors extensive research, simply because she had come across it, and wanted to make sure she mentioned it all. It was this extra detail that slowed the pace of the book, and either added, or detracted from the telling of the story depending on your view. For me, it slightly detracted.

The best thing about the story though, was the unproven, though very likely possibility that out of love, one family member took the 'rap' for the murder to protect another family member. My mind was twisting to understand how someone could murder a young child to get back at someone else.... then I remembered that it happens all the time today. What a crazy world where the once 'sensational' murders of the past, are today all too common, particular where men kill their children to get back at a partner!

The redemptive note for me came though, as I read about the way in which one family member flourished, because another payed the price of the crime....

"No-one has greater love than this: that a man would lay down his life for his friends!"