Murder by the Book

[A] riveting investigation into a transgression that scandalised the literati of Victorian London in 1840. An engrossing fireside festive treat

The Bookseller

[A] scandalous Victorian mystery... Harman tells the story with clarity and vigour

Guardian Book of the Day

[Harman] is a storyteller, with a sense of pace and timing, relish for a good scene and a wry sense of humour

Economist

A fascinating account.... As Harman skilfully reveals, the real story behind the famous murder is the complex one about the harmful influence of fiction on the mind of the reader.

The Times

A fascinating portrait of Victorian London amid the rising popularity of the novel

The Observer

A riveting investigation into a true and vicious murder that shocked Victorian London

Woman & Home

Enthralling

Oldie

Harman paints a vivid picture of London in thrall to the Jack Sheppard phenomenon.... a brilliant piece of literary detective work

Evening Standard

Harman resists sensationalising the murder... Instead, she offers a long view of the circular relationship between crime and literature

New Statesman

The book's heft lies in its rich detail...characters and settings are so vivid that Murder By The Book will surely soon be snatched up by television producers seeking their next Victorian crime drama

Daily Mail

There is enough ambiguity in the story of Russell's end to satisfy even the most ardent lovers of detective fiction, and Harman's enjoyment at piecing together the evidence is clear

BBC History Magazine

This beautifully produced and impressively researched historical account of a celebrated Victorian murder with a literary twist reads like a thriller. I devoured it in one sitting, and was at once enthralled and chilled. Highly recommended!

Alison Weir

Vivid and punchy prose

Spectator