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Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?: A Victorian True Crime Murder Mystery
"As a 'true crimeophile' this is one of the best historical books I have read." Paul Hunt
"A great who-dunnit, brilliantly told. Magnificent!" David Hall
It is every mother's nightmare when a child goes missing. Mary Gill frantically searches for her young son when he doesn't come home after his milk run with William Barrett.
Days later, his mutilated body, eviscerated and washed clean, is found by a butcher's boy in a quiet lane.
Who killed little Johnny Gill? Was it William Barrett or was it Jack the Ripper?
With Barrett drumming up community support, and money shoring up his defense, suddenly, there are more questions than answers.
This is one murder mystery you won't be able to put down until the last page is turned.
A well researched true story that will transport you back to Victorian times where McMaster skilfully brings to life the people and the city of Bradford.
"What an amazing read! Kathryn transports us back to 1888 Bradford, in what was the year of Jack The Ripper, and keeps us transfixed by the characters and events involved. The retelling involves fictional conversations, but the factual events are all there, and it reads as crime non- fiction in real terms. Everything falls into place and The narrative was so compelling. I want to see the crime scenes now ( many streets and surroundings survive to this day) Please buy this book if you like true crime, Jack the Ripper, or simply want a great who-dunnit, brilliantly told. Magnificent! " David Hall
This book is written in British English.
"A great who-dunnit, brilliantly told. Magnificent!" David Hall
It is every mother's nightmare when a child goes missing. Mary Gill frantically searches for her young son when he doesn't come home after his milk run with William Barrett.
Days later, his mutilated body, eviscerated and washed clean, is found by a butcher's boy in a quiet lane.
Who killed little Johnny Gill? Was it William Barrett or was it Jack the Ripper?
With Barrett drumming up community support, and money shoring up his defense, suddenly, there are more questions than answers.
This is one murder mystery you won't be able to put down until the last page is turned.
A well researched true story that will transport you back to Victorian times where McMaster skilfully brings to life the people and the city of Bradford.
"What an amazing read! Kathryn transports us back to 1888 Bradford, in what was the year of Jack The Ripper, and keeps us transfixed by the characters and events involved. The retelling involves fictional conversations, but the factual events are all there, and it reads as crime non- fiction in real terms. Everything falls into place and The narrative was so compelling. I want to see the crime scenes now ( many streets and surroundings survive to this day) Please buy this book if you like true crime, Jack the Ripper, or simply want a great who-dunnit, brilliantly told. Magnificent! " David Hall
This book is written in British English.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2016
107 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn McMaster
11 books51 followersKathryn graduated from the University of Natal, Durban in 1980 with a double degree in English Literature and Psychology. The following year she completed her teaching diploma, and later on a TESOL diploma through Trinity College, London to teach English to adults as a second language. For the majority of her working life she worked in Education, both in the classroom, and in management. She is a co-founder of www.onestopfiction.com a website for both authors and readers for free and discounted books.
Kathryn is a writer of true crime and true crime fact-fiction. Her earlier books written as true crime fact-fiction transport you to a different era. She crafts stories around murders in the USA or unsolved murders of the Victorian and Edwardian eras highlighting poor policing practices with a rudimentary knowledge of Forensic Science that allowed the guilty to walk free, and the innocent to hang.
Kathryn’s books are further enhanced by her in-depth knowledge and training in Psychology, Criminal Profiling and a partial Masters of Forensic Science (Investigation) which she draws on to analyze each crime in the Afterword.
She has long had a fascination with crime and the criminal mind, looking at the ‘why’ rather than the ‘how’.
Her first true crime book was as best seller and was entitled “Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?”
This book covers the shocking murder and mutilation of an eight-year old boy in Bradford, England. The murder was so heinous that it was thought, at one stage, to have been the work of Jack the Ripper.
Kathryn continues to write from her 200 year old stone farmhouse in the beautiful and wild Casentino Valley, Tuscany.
Kathryn is a writer of true crime and true crime fact-fiction. Her earlier books written as true crime fact-fiction transport you to a different era. She crafts stories around murders in the USA or unsolved murders of the Victorian and Edwardian eras highlighting poor policing practices with a rudimentary knowledge of Forensic Science that allowed the guilty to walk free, and the innocent to hang.
Kathryn’s books are further enhanced by her in-depth knowledge and training in Psychology, Criminal Profiling and a partial Masters of Forensic Science (Investigation) which she draws on to analyze each crime in the Afterword.
She has long had a fascination with crime and the criminal mind, looking at the ‘why’ rather than the ‘how’.
Her first true crime book was as best seller and was entitled “Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?”
This book covers the shocking murder and mutilation of an eight-year old boy in Bradford, England. The murder was so heinous that it was thought, at one stage, to have been the work of Jack the Ripper.
Kathryn continues to write from her 200 year old stone farmhouse in the beautiful and wild Casentino Valley, Tuscany.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
October 3, 2017
I’m not normally one for a true crime story; I used to read a lot in my teenage years but lost interest as I got older. But “Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?” caught my attention as it’s set just across West Yorkshire from me in the community of Manningham, just north of Bradford.
It’s a Victorian murder mystery about a young boy of 7 who vanished whilst out on a morning milk round. A couple of days later his small lifeless body was found mutilated. The rest of the story is an insight in to the Victorian methods of detection and trial. This was the very infancy of forensic science so there was only limited help this could offer. There was no national police database, no telephones, no internet. It was all down to old fashioned policing, questioning witnesses, following the trail of clues and gathering evidence.
I did enjoy reading this account of the unfortunate case. It didn’t feel too much like real life but the places were real and the writing was such that I could picture the industrial community being burdening with such a horrific event. After finishing the book, I did a bit of additional reading to find out more about the murder but the author seemed to cover everything out there! It’s the sort of story that I could imagine being adapted for a costume drama!
If you like your historical crime, give this a read! It’s piqued my interest in dipping my toe back into the true crime genre.
Many thanks to the author and Crimebookjunkie Book Blog for my copy of “Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?”.
It’s a Victorian murder mystery about a young boy of 7 who vanished whilst out on a morning milk round. A couple of days later his small lifeless body was found mutilated. The rest of the story is an insight in to the Victorian methods of detection and trial. This was the very infancy of forensic science so there was only limited help this could offer. There was no national police database, no telephones, no internet. It was all down to old fashioned policing, questioning witnesses, following the trail of clues and gathering evidence.
I did enjoy reading this account of the unfortunate case. It didn’t feel too much like real life but the places were real and the writing was such that I could picture the industrial community being burdening with such a horrific event. After finishing the book, I did a bit of additional reading to find out more about the murder but the author seemed to cover everything out there! It’s the sort of story that I could imagine being adapted for a costume drama!
If you like your historical crime, give this a read! It’s piqued my interest in dipping my toe back into the true crime genre.
Many thanks to the author and Crimebookjunkie Book Blog for my copy of “Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?”.
February 14, 2016
Went and bought the Sherlock Holmes anthology, afterwards.
I rooted for Tom Gill (the boy's father) from an early stage.
The book ends shockingly. Would've never thought of the outcome.
I rooted for Tom Gill (the boy's father) from an early stage.
The book ends shockingly. Would've never thought of the outcome.
May 21, 2016
As an avid reader of crime novels and a lover of all things historical the opportunity to read Who Killed Little Johnny Gill? in return for a fair and honest review was too good an opportunity to miss. Subtitled: A Victorian True Crime Murder Mystery, the reader is presented with a fictionalised account of the murder of eight year old John Gill in Bradford in December 1888 at exactly the same time that Jack the Ripper was active in London.
Working from historical documents and trial transcripts, McMaster skilfully brings to life the people and the city of Bradford at the tail end of the 19th century and offers a detailed account of the investigation and subsequent trials of the prime suspect, local milkman, William Barrett.
In these modern, enlightened times, we would be instantly suspicious of the local milkman befriending a young boy and taking him along as he made his deliveries, but this in itself wasn’t what led the authorities to suspect Barrett. It was more his lack of empathy towards the distraught parents of the boy and his odd behaviour after his arrest did nothing to dispel those suspicions.
The novel is an easy read and McMaster is to be commended in choosing not to use the archaic language that we all suppose our Victorian forebears used on a daily basis. Instead, the dialogue is modern and crisp and this I believe allows the reader to identify more with these terrible events. Having said that, there are a few anachronisms eg. the use of the term Ms. to address a female witness but these are few and do not detract from the overall quality of the novel.
This book was an enjoyable read from a skilled practitioner of Victorian True Crime and I eagerly await Kathryn McMaster’s next offering in this genre.
Working from historical documents and trial transcripts, McMaster skilfully brings to life the people and the city of Bradford at the tail end of the 19th century and offers a detailed account of the investigation and subsequent trials of the prime suspect, local milkman, William Barrett.
In these modern, enlightened times, we would be instantly suspicious of the local milkman befriending a young boy and taking him along as he made his deliveries, but this in itself wasn’t what led the authorities to suspect Barrett. It was more his lack of empathy towards the distraught parents of the boy and his odd behaviour after his arrest did nothing to dispel those suspicions.
The novel is an easy read and McMaster is to be commended in choosing not to use the archaic language that we all suppose our Victorian forebears used on a daily basis. Instead, the dialogue is modern and crisp and this I believe allows the reader to identify more with these terrible events. Having said that, there are a few anachronisms eg. the use of the term Ms. to address a female witness but these are few and do not detract from the overall quality of the novel.
This book was an enjoyable read from a skilled practitioner of Victorian True Crime and I eagerly await Kathryn McMaster’s next offering in this genre.
February 16, 2016
I had the privilege of reading Kathryn's book before it was "officially" released. I was caught up in the story of little Johnny immediately and found it hard to put the book down. The author totally immerses the reader in the late 1800s era based on the characters' dialogue and the unique way she sets the scenes. She is a gifted storyteller! I will definitely read more of her "true crime" books in the future.
April 29, 2020
This was a lot easier to read than some true crime stories that I have read and this is the sad story of a little 7 year old boy who was brutally murdered. The author points out in the end that as often happens the true victim of the crime gets almost forgotten. I think they had the right man for the murder and thought if only they had the forensic technology back then that they do now. Although the book is based on a true story it's more like reading a murder mystery fiction which to me gives it more readability.
June 11, 2023
This starts with a little boy waiting for a milkman to take him on his delivery round. The boy is a very attractive boy and is friendly with everyone. This time though, the boy does not return home. The mother becomes very anxious, and eventually goes looking for him. Needless to say, as the title tells you, the body of the boy is found having been very mutilated. The setting for the book is Bradford, but very soon Jack-the-Ripper is talked about. A man is then taken into custody, and the remainder of the story is about the evidence the police find, and linking it to the the accused.
To say I enjoyed the book sounds wrong, but the writing of it really made me feel the parents grief, and the frustration of the police and courts. This is a book telling events of a time in history , but in a fiction way that makes it a compelling read.
To say I enjoyed the book sounds wrong, but the writing of it really made me feel the parents grief, and the frustration of the police and courts. This is a book telling events of a time in history , but in a fiction way that makes it a compelling read.
November 4, 2019
Intriguing case, bogged down by a fictionalized narrative (my least favorite true crime trend!) and grammatical errors.
August 23, 2016
Little Johnny Gill is a well brought up eight year old. He loved nothing more than that working with the milk man, William Barrett, and when one day he doesn't return from his job, his mother quite rightly becomes frantic.
The murder of little Johnny is a brutal read, with Jack the Ripper at large,the police and the local community wonder if this is who has murdered the poor lad.
The setting of Victorian England is well presented in this awful tale, and the reader is transported to a time of poverty, and hard work. Kathryn McMaster is a wonderful story-teller and this historical true crime is brilliantly told.
It is quite easy to become engrossed in the court room drama, and even though it tells of an horrendous savagery against a small child, it is truly gripping.
I could imagine the 'Carnivale' atmosphere of the time and the police investigation is eloquently told.
This for me is a must read for any fan of of true crime and fictional horror. It is a sad and emotional read, but it is also a fabulous whodunnit for those who love working out a good mystery.
The murder of little Johnny is a brutal read, with Jack the Ripper at large,the police and the local community wonder if this is who has murdered the poor lad.
The setting of Victorian England is well presented in this awful tale, and the reader is transported to a time of poverty, and hard work. Kathryn McMaster is a wonderful story-teller and this historical true crime is brilliantly told.
It is quite easy to become engrossed in the court room drama, and even though it tells of an horrendous savagery against a small child, it is truly gripping.
I could imagine the 'Carnivale' atmosphere of the time and the police investigation is eloquently told.
This for me is a must read for any fan of of true crime and fictional horror. It is a sad and emotional read, but it is also a fabulous whodunnit for those who love working out a good mystery.
February 16, 2016
Kathryn McMaster has cleverly fictionalised the gruesome true life murder of a little boy which took place at the end of the 19th century and shocked the whole of the United Kingdom. Her meticulous research is incorporated into an account which brings to life the emotions and ghastly reality of losing a child in this horrific way. A must-read for all lovers of the true crime genre.
February 23, 2016
Interesting story
I was intrigued by this story and found it genuinely interesting. It is amazing how similar and yet how different court cases are from then till now. Today, there would have been no question with DNA evidence. All that one can do however, is speculate about a very sad murder of an innocent boy in 1888.
I was intrigued by this story and found it genuinely interesting. It is amazing how similar and yet how different court cases are from then till now. Today, there would have been no question with DNA evidence. All that one can do however, is speculate about a very sad murder of an innocent boy in 1888.
July 13, 2016
In rural England, a town is shocked by the brutal slaying and mutilation of a young boy. Fears of The Ripper abound. Though the crime was never solved, a prime suspect is examined and the book is excellent at conveying the emotions and fears of those involved.
February 16, 2016
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time, Loved the way everything flowed,
Can't wait to read the next book that Kathryn McMaster brings out
Can't wait to read the next book that Kathryn McMaster brings out
February 23, 2016
Really enjoyed this I liked the writing style and the way the evidence unfolded. Will look out for more from this author
February 28, 2016
Enjoyed
Not the type of book I would read ,but I really enjoyed this story so yes do give it ago
Not the type of book I would read ,but I really enjoyed this story so yes do give it ago
Read
March 25, 2016Kind of dragged in spots, but definitely an interesting book.
March 19, 2023
My Review and Thoughts:
This is a thought provoking mystery and yet not. The book explores this tragic case of true crime. An 8-year-old boy brutally murdered and mutilated beyond words. The story takes place in the year 1888. It’s a thick mystery sadly still unsolved. Johnny Gill never got the justice he deserved. Gill’s mother and father and siblings never got the justice they deserved. It’s obvious who did it. The book showcases that, but no true criminal conviction ever took place, even though they tried. The trail was a sham and the people who had a cheering mentality to favor the one that basically did the crime is an asinine horror. Johnny Gill should have had his justice. His killer should have gone to jail, but because there was no conviction, the crime was never solved, and so the mystery has remained with this brutal case.
Kathryn McMaster takes on this tragic case and horrible brutal murder of a child and a justice system that horribly failed Johnny Gill and his parents. McMaster tells a rich story of character development and a graphic sense of surroundings. She can transport you back to 1888 Manningham Lane in Bradford England. You can sense the tension and persona of characters and the surroundings of the crime. During this time of Johnny Gill’s tragic murder, Jack the Ripper was killing, and the tension and haunting reality of these murder cases, hung over the whole of England.
That is also one of the mystery aspects of Johnny Gill’s case. Did Jack the Ripper kill
Johnny Gill and not the one that was suspected. Letter’s where received supposedly by Jack the Ripper claiming he killed the boy, and so that also brought huge doubts, on who was the killer. McMaster in the Afterword of the book explains her beliefs, and ideas on the subject, and explains in logical, and very believable understandings of who she thinks did it, and how. I agree hundred percent with what McMaster says. It’s logical, and basically the most rational reality of this case. I still can’t fathom why the person was not convicted, it’s so obvious, and totally stupid of the court, and people that did not convict. The mob mentality of cheering this cold-blooded killer is dumbfounding on how stupid they must have been.
But because there was no conviction the mystery remains, and the tragic horror of Johnny Gill’s mutilated 8-year-old body remains a vibrant unsolved ordeal. This is 250 pages of a well-crafted story of Victorian true crime, that I feel, any person that likes a good mystery, and true crime, will take to this, question just what the truth is. It’s so amazing to see, how this unfolds.
I am a huge reader and researcher of Jack the Ripper. Like I have stated some believe that Johnny Gill was a victim of Jack the Ripper, and because there was no solved justice, sadly we will never know. It just adds more mystery to the story. Also, there is a secret Club, a sect, a cult that met in the area that added one more mystery, where some believe Johnny Gill was a sacrifice, by this secret club.
Johnny Gill had his throat cut, his stomach was cut open. He was stabbed twice in the chest, his arms and legs had been cut off, and his ears removed. His penis cut off. His anus cut out. He was drained of blood. So, you tell me what that sounds like.
So, you Chose:
1. Accident and Unplanned and to cover it up the killer used brutality.
2. Sexual Rape and then murder to shut the boy up.
3. A Sacrifice.
4. Jack the Ripper Victim
Would I Return to it Again: No, one time was enough? If I was to write about London in the Jack the Ripper era, I would return to this, and explore it once again.
Would I Recommend: Absolutely. I think any true crime lover, true mystery buff, will take to this. Also, great for any Ripperologist wanting to seek out information outside the basic plot of Jack.
Four Words: Mysterious. Tragic. Emotional. Well-researched.
This is a thought provoking mystery and yet not. The book explores this tragic case of true crime. An 8-year-old boy brutally murdered and mutilated beyond words. The story takes place in the year 1888. It’s a thick mystery sadly still unsolved. Johnny Gill never got the justice he deserved. Gill’s mother and father and siblings never got the justice they deserved. It’s obvious who did it. The book showcases that, but no true criminal conviction ever took place, even though they tried. The trail was a sham and the people who had a cheering mentality to favor the one that basically did the crime is an asinine horror. Johnny Gill should have had his justice. His killer should have gone to jail, but because there was no conviction, the crime was never solved, and so the mystery has remained with this brutal case.
Kathryn McMaster takes on this tragic case and horrible brutal murder of a child and a justice system that horribly failed Johnny Gill and his parents. McMaster tells a rich story of character development and a graphic sense of surroundings. She can transport you back to 1888 Manningham Lane in Bradford England. You can sense the tension and persona of characters and the surroundings of the crime. During this time of Johnny Gill’s tragic murder, Jack the Ripper was killing, and the tension and haunting reality of these murder cases, hung over the whole of England.
That is also one of the mystery aspects of Johnny Gill’s case. Did Jack the Ripper kill
Johnny Gill and not the one that was suspected. Letter’s where received supposedly by Jack the Ripper claiming he killed the boy, and so that also brought huge doubts, on who was the killer. McMaster in the Afterword of the book explains her beliefs, and ideas on the subject, and explains in logical, and very believable understandings of who she thinks did it, and how. I agree hundred percent with what McMaster says. It’s logical, and basically the most rational reality of this case. I still can’t fathom why the person was not convicted, it’s so obvious, and totally stupid of the court, and people that did not convict. The mob mentality of cheering this cold-blooded killer is dumbfounding on how stupid they must have been.
But because there was no conviction the mystery remains, and the tragic horror of Johnny Gill’s mutilated 8-year-old body remains a vibrant unsolved ordeal. This is 250 pages of a well-crafted story of Victorian true crime, that I feel, any person that likes a good mystery, and true crime, will take to this, question just what the truth is. It’s so amazing to see, how this unfolds.
I am a huge reader and researcher of Jack the Ripper. Like I have stated some believe that Johnny Gill was a victim of Jack the Ripper, and because there was no solved justice, sadly we will never know. It just adds more mystery to the story. Also, there is a secret Club, a sect, a cult that met in the area that added one more mystery, where some believe Johnny Gill was a sacrifice, by this secret club.
Johnny Gill had his throat cut, his stomach was cut open. He was stabbed twice in the chest, his arms and legs had been cut off, and his ears removed. His penis cut off. His anus cut out. He was drained of blood. So, you tell me what that sounds like.
So, you Chose:
1. Accident and Unplanned and to cover it up the killer used brutality.
2. Sexual Rape and then murder to shut the boy up.
3. A Sacrifice.
4. Jack the Ripper Victim
Would I Return to it Again: No, one time was enough? If I was to write about London in the Jack the Ripper era, I would return to this, and explore it once again.
Would I Recommend: Absolutely. I think any true crime lover, true mystery buff, will take to this. Also, great for any Ripperologist wanting to seek out information outside the basic plot of Jack.
Four Words: Mysterious. Tragic. Emotional. Well-researched.
September 30, 2017
This time round I wanted to read something a bit different. Browsing through my TBR pile I came across 'Who Killed Little Johnny Gill?' by Kathryn McMaster, a book I had wanted to read for a long time, so I decided now it was time I picked it up.
This book is based on a true horrific story, the brutal murder of a young boy that had taken place in Victorian Bradford, at the time when Jack the Ripper was causing havoc in London.
"Johnny Gill! You come back this minute an' put your coat on. Are you wanting to cop your death out there?"
Little did Johnny's mum, Mary Anne, know how terribly predictive her last words to her son would be. That would be the last time she sees him alive. Johnny was a lovely boy with golden locks and blue eyes. Not yet eight years old, he loved nothing more than spending his mornings with William Barrett on his cart as he completed his daily milk rounds around town. In fact many children enjoyed these adventurous trips. Barrett loved these kids too.
However on 27th December 1888 Johnny failed to return home. Where did he go? What happened to him? He never wandered around town without his mother's consent. Distraught, his parents and their friends desperately search everywhere for the boy, without success. But two days later, Mary Ann's worst fears are confirmed when the savagely mutilated body of Johnny is found very near his own home. Who killed little Johnny Gill? Who could carry out such a horrific deed on his small body? Why?
Chief Constable James Withers takes on this investigation that has sent shockwaves rippling through the whole country. Many suspect Jack the Ripper has come to town from London, but Withers doesn't think so. His prime suspect is Barrett, the last person to have seen Johnny alive. But was it really him? Could this young father who seemed to adore Johnny do such a horrible thing?
Well, I wasn't expecting to be so much engrossed by this story. I ended up devouring half the book in just one sitting, my tea turning cold and my belly grumbling as I skipped mealtime. I literally couldn't put it down. Reading through the many witness accounts and following the police sifting for clues, I wanted to find out who had killed and butchered Johnny and why. I wanted to make sure the killer gets the deserved punishment (hanging). The fact this was a true story made it all the more shocking, terrifying and sad.
It's evident this book required lots of research and I think the author has done an incredible job in reviving this story of which I had never heard. In the afterword the author states that she had retained all of the names of people and places making the story feel even more authentic. She also gives her opinion on the whole story. I agree with many of the aspects she points out. Thanks to her excellent writing, the author takes us back in time, vividly capturing life as it was back then in Bradford. I could clearly visualise the dark cobbled streets, the horse-drawn cabs, the stables, Johnny's parents' utter devastation, the judges and jury assembled in Town Hall. The author even included some original illustrations taken from old newspapers of the time depicting some of the scenes described in the book.
The second half of the book revolves around the court proceedings as Inspector Withers presented his case and lawyer John Craven defended William Barrett, hearing and interrogating all witnesses including the parents. Since we have quite a number of people mentioned, saying what they thought they've seen, I had to try and remember who was who. But was Barrett really the murderer or was he innocent?
For me this was an entirely absorbing read. I can't say it's an enjoyable book as the whole story is so horrific and disturbing, but it's also very faithful to true events and well written. If you love historical mysteries based on not so popular true murder stories, I highly recommend this book. Kathryn McMaster is an author to follow. I'm now looking forward to reading her newly published book, 'Blackmail, sex and lies' also based on a true (as yet unknown to me) story.
This book is based on a true horrific story, the brutal murder of a young boy that had taken place in Victorian Bradford, at the time when Jack the Ripper was causing havoc in London.
"Johnny Gill! You come back this minute an' put your coat on. Are you wanting to cop your death out there?"
Little did Johnny's mum, Mary Anne, know how terribly predictive her last words to her son would be. That would be the last time she sees him alive. Johnny was a lovely boy with golden locks and blue eyes. Not yet eight years old, he loved nothing more than spending his mornings with William Barrett on his cart as he completed his daily milk rounds around town. In fact many children enjoyed these adventurous trips. Barrett loved these kids too.
However on 27th December 1888 Johnny failed to return home. Where did he go? What happened to him? He never wandered around town without his mother's consent. Distraught, his parents and their friends desperately search everywhere for the boy, without success. But two days later, Mary Ann's worst fears are confirmed when the savagely mutilated body of Johnny is found very near his own home. Who killed little Johnny Gill? Who could carry out such a horrific deed on his small body? Why?
Chief Constable James Withers takes on this investigation that has sent shockwaves rippling through the whole country. Many suspect Jack the Ripper has come to town from London, but Withers doesn't think so. His prime suspect is Barrett, the last person to have seen Johnny alive. But was it really him? Could this young father who seemed to adore Johnny do such a horrible thing?
Well, I wasn't expecting to be so much engrossed by this story. I ended up devouring half the book in just one sitting, my tea turning cold and my belly grumbling as I skipped mealtime. I literally couldn't put it down. Reading through the many witness accounts and following the police sifting for clues, I wanted to find out who had killed and butchered Johnny and why. I wanted to make sure the killer gets the deserved punishment (hanging). The fact this was a true story made it all the more shocking, terrifying and sad.
It's evident this book required lots of research and I think the author has done an incredible job in reviving this story of which I had never heard. In the afterword the author states that she had retained all of the names of people and places making the story feel even more authentic. She also gives her opinion on the whole story. I agree with many of the aspects she points out. Thanks to her excellent writing, the author takes us back in time, vividly capturing life as it was back then in Bradford. I could clearly visualise the dark cobbled streets, the horse-drawn cabs, the stables, Johnny's parents' utter devastation, the judges and jury assembled in Town Hall. The author even included some original illustrations taken from old newspapers of the time depicting some of the scenes described in the book.
The second half of the book revolves around the court proceedings as Inspector Withers presented his case and lawyer John Craven defended William Barrett, hearing and interrogating all witnesses including the parents. Since we have quite a number of people mentioned, saying what they thought they've seen, I had to try and remember who was who. But was Barrett really the murderer or was he innocent?
For me this was an entirely absorbing read. I can't say it's an enjoyable book as the whole story is so horrific and disturbing, but it's also very faithful to true events and well written. If you love historical mysteries based on not so popular true murder stories, I highly recommend this book. Kathryn McMaster is an author to follow. I'm now looking forward to reading her newly published book, 'Blackmail, sex and lies' also based on a true (as yet unknown to me) story.
May 28, 2018
Who Killed Little Johnny Gill? is a piece of fiction heavily based on a true crime committed in Manningham, a town to the north of Bradford in West Yorkshire in December 1888.
Johnny Gill was eager to help the local milkman out on his rounds, at just seven years old his mother insisted that he wear his warm coat as protection against the cold December morning. She expected him back as usual for his breakfast but he didn’t turn up. His mother first sent his older sister to look for him, then when she couldn’t find him went running up and down the nearby lanes looking for her eldest son, with his fair hair and sweet face. When his father Tom returned home and day turned to nigh and with still no clue as to where their son was, they went and reported him missing.
I’m not going to lie, the descriptions of the scenes when the small boy’s body was found in a nearby stable are hard to stomach. The crime may have been committed well over a hundred years ago but in some cases, the distance of time makes no difference to the horror felt.
Kathryn McMaster recreates the time and place using meticulous research as well as that of the crime investigations, including the speculation that Jack the Ripper had travelled to this northern town to commit a further atrocity.
The chief suspect wasn’t Jack the Ripper though, it was the milkman, William Barrett, a married man with a baby, who had recently moved to the town and who Johnny had joined on the milk round the morning he disappeared. William Barrett insisted he dropped the boy off before he returned to pick up more milk and start the second half of the morning round but no-one had seen the boy since. Due to the lack of concrete proof all the police had was a whole heap of circumstantial evidence, you will need to read the book to see if this was enough to convict anyone for the crime.
Fictional books of real crimes are tricky to get right, especially when the time period is so very far in the past, but both this book and Blackmail, Sex, Lies and Lies by the same author, concentrates the fiction to bring the personalities, and emotions, of those involved to life, thereby hitting exactly the right spot. We witness the terror and grief of both Johnny’s parents. The bewilderment of the locals that someone, possibly from within their community had carried out such an act and the support the milkman had from his boss and his wife. Intriguingly there was a fund set up to help pay for the twenty-eight year old’s court costs at the time, something that says such a lot about the sympathy and support that this young man garnered at the time.
Who Killed Little Johnny Gill? was an absolutely compelling read although not for the faint-hearted. The fictionalisation is subtlety and expertly woven between the known facts and documents from the time.
Johnny Gill was eager to help the local milkman out on his rounds, at just seven years old his mother insisted that he wear his warm coat as protection against the cold December morning. She expected him back as usual for his breakfast but he didn’t turn up. His mother first sent his older sister to look for him, then when she couldn’t find him went running up and down the nearby lanes looking for her eldest son, with his fair hair and sweet face. When his father Tom returned home and day turned to nigh and with still no clue as to where their son was, they went and reported him missing.
I’m not going to lie, the descriptions of the scenes when the small boy’s body was found in a nearby stable are hard to stomach. The crime may have been committed well over a hundred years ago but in some cases, the distance of time makes no difference to the horror felt.
Kathryn McMaster recreates the time and place using meticulous research as well as that of the crime investigations, including the speculation that Jack the Ripper had travelled to this northern town to commit a further atrocity.
The chief suspect wasn’t Jack the Ripper though, it was the milkman, William Barrett, a married man with a baby, who had recently moved to the town and who Johnny had joined on the milk round the morning he disappeared. William Barrett insisted he dropped the boy off before he returned to pick up more milk and start the second half of the morning round but no-one had seen the boy since. Due to the lack of concrete proof all the police had was a whole heap of circumstantial evidence, you will need to read the book to see if this was enough to convict anyone for the crime.
Fictional books of real crimes are tricky to get right, especially when the time period is so very far in the past, but both this book and Blackmail, Sex, Lies and Lies by the same author, concentrates the fiction to bring the personalities, and emotions, of those involved to life, thereby hitting exactly the right spot. We witness the terror and grief of both Johnny’s parents. The bewilderment of the locals that someone, possibly from within their community had carried out such an act and the support the milkman had from his boss and his wife. Intriguingly there was a fund set up to help pay for the twenty-eight year old’s court costs at the time, something that says such a lot about the sympathy and support that this young man garnered at the time.
Who Killed Little Johnny Gill? was an absolutely compelling read although not for the faint-hearted. The fictionalisation is subtlety and expertly woven between the known facts and documents from the time.
June 2, 2019
I've been meaning to read this for a while now, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. McMaster has taken the facts from the brutal killing of a child and turned them into a touching, emotional story that will leave you thinking.
Poor little Johnny Gill's murder was one of the most horrific at the time, and the police continuously made errors during their investigation. The court procedure is laid out in detail, and is very interesting to follow.
For anyone nowadays, it's hard to understand the carnival atmosphere that surrounded William Barrett when he was acquitted of the murder, and the fact that Johnny Gill's family were completely ignored as they were 'old news'. I like how McMaster gives her own feelings about his parents, and ends with talking about them, giving them the dignity they deserve.
At the end of the book, the author tells the reader her ideas on the case, but leaves it open to personal interpretation. And there are some twists to the story that cause doubt as to who really killed Johnny Gill. Highly recommend, both for the historical factor as well as the true crime story.
Poor little Johnny Gill's murder was one of the most horrific at the time, and the police continuously made errors during their investigation. The court procedure is laid out in detail, and is very interesting to follow.
For anyone nowadays, it's hard to understand the carnival atmosphere that surrounded William Barrett when he was acquitted of the murder, and the fact that Johnny Gill's family were completely ignored as they were 'old news'. I like how McMaster gives her own feelings about his parents, and ends with talking about them, giving them the dignity they deserve.
At the end of the book, the author tells the reader her ideas on the case, but leaves it open to personal interpretation. And there are some twists to the story that cause doubt as to who really killed Johnny Gill. Highly recommend, both for the historical factor as well as the true crime story.
January 24, 2020
This was a short easy read but oh my word it was so very sad for a variety of reasons This is a historical true crime which are my favourite true crime books. It happens just a few months after the Jack the Ripper murders ended in London. A 7 year old boy disappears and then his body is later found, mutilated and drained of all blood. The police did a good job with what they had at the time and in my opinion arrested the right person. However, there was no conviction for reasons you will read about. The real tragedy is the effect that it had on this boy's parents and siblings. The father died young and although the mother lived until 1932 she never got over the loss of her son. For forty four years every Saturday she would visit his grave. That to me was totally heartbreaking. If you like this type of book, I recommend it to you. The last chapter the author pulls together the evidence and the person she felt was the murderer.
July 10, 2017
A well researched account of the gruesome murder of an eight year old boy in Victorian England written with great clarity. The author closely followed events from the morning the boy went missing from a milk delivery cart to the eventual acquittal of the young dairy delivery driver. Reproductions of actual newspaper articles provided a lovely touch.
The account was accurate and provided exact details of events, the police investigation and the trials but I personally felt it was quite a dry read. I would have liked to see either more dramatisation or alternatively the author to have given a stronger opinion on the investigation and trial of William Barrett.
An interesting read, I felt was more of a historical record than a novel.
The account was accurate and provided exact details of events, the police investigation and the trials but I personally felt it was quite a dry read. I would have liked to see either more dramatisation or alternatively the author to have given a stronger opinion on the investigation and trial of William Barrett.
An interesting read, I felt was more of a historical record than a novel.
December 28, 2023
I came across this book, whilst searching online about Victorian Era. I’ve not long started and it has me gripped already! True Crime Mystery …..
This was such an interesting read. Makes you see how far we have come in being able to prove someone is guilty, or of course not guilty!
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This was such an interesting read. Makes you see how far we have come in being able to prove someone is guilty, or of course not guilty!
#victorian #victorianhouse #victorianjewelry #victorianstyle #victorianarchitecture #victorianterrace #victorianera #victorianhome #victoriana #victorianfashion #victorianjewellery #victoriangoth #Victorians #victoriandress #victoriannecklace #victorianlocket #victorianring #victoriantiles #victorianbulldog #victorianart #victoriangothic #victorianhouses #victorianchristmas #victorianailtech #victorianinspired #victorianlondon #victorianwedding #victorianmourning #victorianage #victoriano
December 4, 2017
Who Killed Little Johnny Gill " is the true life account of the unsolved murder of a young boy called Jonny Gill from Bradford. In the year 1888 Jonny was found brutally murdered in in his home town. William Barrett was the last man to see Jonny alive on that fateful day and man the police believed to his killer but was he guilty are innocent of his murder.
The author gives the reader all information she can and leaves you to draw your own conclusions.
The book is well written and thoroughly researched which shows though out the book I would definitely say this well worth any readers time.
The author gives the reader all information she can and leaves you to draw your own conclusions.
The book is well written and thoroughly researched which shows though out the book I would definitely say this well worth any readers time.
July 14, 2017
Well written true crime story, chillingly well told.
A thoroughly chilling, intriguing and unbiased presentation of the heart-breaking, violent murder of a young eight year old boy, Johnny Gill.
The characters and Victorian England came alive at the deft hand of this author.
The inclusion of a few newspaper illustrations from the time and of the case were fascinating and it was interesting to see the power of the press even as long ago as 1888.
Well worth a read. I'll definitely be reading the next book from McMaster.
A thoroughly chilling, intriguing and unbiased presentation of the heart-breaking, violent murder of a young eight year old boy, Johnny Gill.
The characters and Victorian England came alive at the deft hand of this author.
The inclusion of a few newspaper illustrations from the time and of the case were fascinating and it was interesting to see the power of the press even as long ago as 1888.
Well worth a read. I'll definitely be reading the next book from McMaster.
June 19, 2017
Not Jack the Ripper
This case was sidelined, in my opinion, because of the recent JTR killings. I think of it weren't for the Whitechapel killings, this case would have been better handled. After reading this book, I agree with the author on the killer. It doesn't make it so, but it sure looks damning.
This case was sidelined, in my opinion, because of the recent JTR killings. I think of it weren't for the Whitechapel killings, this case would have been better handled. After reading this book, I agree with the author on the killer. It doesn't make it so, but it sure looks damning.
July 25, 2017
A fascinating story based on true crime
This is a well written and interesting book based on a real Victorian murder case. The author does a good job recreating the time and people in Bradford England in the 1880s.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
This is a well written and interesting book based on a real Victorian murder case. The author does a good job recreating the time and people in Bradford England in the 1880s.
I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
May 26, 2019
Well researched!
Author made excellent use of historical accounts and presents a factual retelling of the murder and investigation. Timeline of the events was easy to follow in this retelling.
Author made excellent use of historical accounts and presents a factual retelling of the murder and investigation. Timeline of the events was easy to follow in this retelling.
July 5, 2017
ohh .. yes a Good Book .. Need to know more ...
February 3, 2018
I loved this book. Reading about crimes that happened so long ago is fascinating. It was very interesting and I couldn't put it down.
April 26, 2018
Enjoyed this book, found it quite interesting although a bit gruesome. Although I did find Barrett to be a strange character still wasnt really sure who did it.
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