Medium – Audiobook
About the Book – Written by the author of ‘The Suspicions of Mr Whitcher’, Kate Summerscale tells the story of Robert Allen Coombs, who, at the age of 14, murdered his mother. The book traces the murder and its aftermath, from the actions of Robert and his brother Natty after the killing of his mother to their arrest, the trials and sentencing and then Robert’s life after his arrest (sorry, spoiler alert – he wasn’t sentenced to death). From the squalor of the East End to the trenches of the First World War, and the wilds of Australia, the author traces the crime and the redemption of the murderer.
My Rating – 3/5
My Thoughts – This was a book I had picked up on a £3 audiobook offer from Audible, and was not one that I would usually pick. Whilst I am a fan of crime novels, true crime is sometimes a bit much for me. However, as I enjoyed the Suspicions of Mr Whitcher, I thought that I would pick this up. The book was a bit depressing in places, although I really enjoyed the tale of the aftermath of the murder. It really depicted the sense of redemption and went beyond the typical ‘horror’ element of the murder. Whilst the matricide of Robert’s mother was awful, the author explored the reasons why it might have been done with sensitivity and tact.
I did think the book was a little ‘long’ in places and not all of it always seemed completely relevant to the tale of Robert Coombs. I found myself drifting off, and I think if the book had been a paper book, I would not have finished it. Being an audiobook, I could, at least, listen to it during my morning walks or whilst doing cross stitch. It wouldn’t be a book that I would listen to again. However, I did really enjoy the epilogue of the book, which really summed up the book (and probably could have come sooner!)
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