Riveting…
A riveting and remarkably detailed delve into the murders at Rillington Place whilst shining a spotlight on to the lives of the victims themselves. Researched in a clear and impeccable fashion, providing the reader with an insight into way more than the crimes themselves and also into the time, place and highlighting a slice of social and economic history. Whilst this book may not provide answers, it does highlight evidential considerations which the reader can weigh up for themselves.

A fascinating read, not just about the horrific murders at Rillington Place but at the culture and society at the time. As true crime books go this is one I’d highly recommend.

Okay - so this was not at all the book I expected and yet, I found myself turning page after page, it isn't generally the type of book I read usually, but it is very, very good. I couldn't put it down, it's written clearly, elegantly revealing victims, crime and murderer - a very, very good read.
Thank you to the publishers for my advance copy.

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.

A considered and curious investigation into a case I'd never previously heard of. While not a Whicher, this was a diverting enough story to keep my attention although the last section of the book felt overly drawn out.

As expected, v well researched. A brutal series of murders are presented with compassion. Summerscale explores a possible miscarriage of justice linked to the Christie murders, the justice system's reluctance to revisit the Evans trial in case it provided fuel for those campaigning to abolish the death penalty, and media involvement in sensationalising crime reporting. She also centers the lives (and deaths) of women in post-war Britain and the vulnerabilities of women forced to seek illegal abortions. The human side is never ignored, with time given to consideration of the effects of murders on the families who lost their lived ones, the impact on a reporter who covered the case, and the life of a true crime writer who attended the trial. Quality writing about a difficult subject.

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.

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.

In The Rillington Place Murders, Kate Summerscale delves into one of the most notorious true crime cases of 1950s London. Set against the backdrop of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, the story begins when police discover the bodies of three women hidden in the walls of 10 Rillington Place, a shabby house in Notting Hill. Further investigation reveals more bodies under the floorboards and human remains in the garden. But there's a twist: the police had already investigated a double murder at the same address three years prior, and the supposed killer had been hanged. Did they convict the wrong man?

A nationwide manhunt begins for Reg Christie, the soft-spoken former policeman living in the flat. The case grips the nation, and crime reporter Harry Procter and celebrated writer Fryn Tennyson Jesse become entangled in the race to uncover the truth. The sensational nature of the murders, paired with the rise of the tabloid press, transforms the investigation into a public spectacle. But the deeper they dig, the more they realize the horror of Christie's crimes, including the possible wrongful execution of another man.

Summerscale expertly reconstructs the lives of Christie’s victims and the tabloid frenzy that followed, all while highlighting the social and political context of the time. The story touches on significant issues, such as violent racism, the demonization of sex workers, and the misogyny that allowed Christie to evade justice for so long. Summerscale also provides a detailed account of how political forces and legal loopholes shielded Christie, particularly regarding the earlier execution of Tim Evans, wrongly convicted for murders Christie likely committed.

This meticulously researched book offers a nuanced exploration of the flawed justice system and the dark undercurrents of 1950s Britain. While it may not provide the tidy conclusion some true crime readers seek, The Rillington Place Murders is a thought-provoking and engaging read. Highly recommended for those interested in historical true crime that doesn't shy away from the complexities of the case.

The case of 10 Rillington Place has peaked my interest for a number of years so I was very intrigued to read this book which gave me the ability to find out more about and behind the murders.

Well researched and fascinating. I learned lots of facts about the case I had never heard before.

Lots of other details to give the reader an idea of what England was like in the 40’s and 50’s. Depressingly a lot of the issues that were abundant in society then still exist today i.e racism and sexism.

Would recommend for any true crime fans.

A very interesting and expansive account of the Rillington Place murders. Told, in large part, through the stories of those killed, those who lost loved ones, and those whose work brought Reg Christie to justice, this is an engaging true crime read that never looses sight of the real people impacted by these crimes.

I would recommend this for anyone interested in true crime, but especially for those who have also engaged with discussions about the problematic areas of the genre - Summerscale proves that you do not need to take advantage of victims to produce something engaging and truthful.

It feels strange to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book because of the subject matter but I did. It was very well researched and I liked how the author tied in other events that were happening in the UK at that time.
John Reginald Christie was the last serial killer to be hanged in the UK. He was a racist, a bully and he preyed on vulnerable women. It is known that he murdered seven women and one child. It was interesting to get the background information on the victims, they were no longer faceless victims. They had families and friends who loved them very much.
In 1949 Christie murdered Beryl Evans and her young daughter Geraldine. Timothy Evans, her husband was wrongfully convicted and hanged for the murder of his daughter Geraldine. I felt the author was very compassionate about the Evans family.
Harry Proctor was a journalist for a national newspaper who was investigating Christie. He had previously met Christie during the Evans trial. Proctor carried a lot of guilt about how he never picked up on Christie. I liked learning about Proctor's career and how this case affected him. Fryn Tennyson was a crime writer who was also following the case. Fryn could be very detached from the case and had lots of opinions. I found it very interesting how like now people are so very fascinated with crime.
The casual racism and misogyny, I did expect but naively I didn't expect it to be that bad. I think this helped Christie hide in plain sight
Overall this is a fascinating read and I highly recommend it. This book could be turned into an amazing documentary.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the opportunity.

📚 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

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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.

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. I will be adding this review to Goodreads, Amazon and Waterstones on publication day.

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!

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.

The Peepshow is an immaculately researched retelling of the horrors of 10 Rillington Place and a terrible miscarriage of justice. The author skilfully conveys the dark and gloomy period of Britain just after the war. It felt as though I was there. It was shocking to read the casual racism and misogyny that was common at the time. Political events and the Queen's coronation add historical context.
A must-read for fans of true and historical crime.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

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.