Crippen

by John Boyne

July 1910: The grisly remains of Cora Crippen, music hall singer and wife of Dr Hawley Crippen, are discovered in the cellar of 39 Hilldrop Crescent, Camden. But the Doctor and his mistress, Ethel Le Neve, have vanished, much to the frustration of Scotland Yard and the outrage of a horrified London.

Across the Channel in Antwerp, the SS Montrose sets sail on its two week voyage to Canada. Amongst its passengers are the overbearing Antonia Drake and her daughter Victoria, who is hell-bent on romance, the enigmatic Mathieu Zela and the modest Martha Hayes. Also on board are the unassuming Mr John Robinson and his seventeen-year-old son Edmund. But all is not as it seems...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Historical, Mystery Thriller, Thriller

504 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

I was born in Dublin, Ireland, and studied English Literature at Trinity College, Dublin, and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by UEA.

I’ve published 14 novels for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection. The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was adapted for a feature film, a play, a ballet and an opera, selling around 11 million copies worldwide.

Among my most popular books are The Heart’s Invisible Furies, A Ladder to the Sky and My Brother’s Name is Jessica.

I’m also a regular book reviewer for The Irish Times.

In 2012, I was awarded the Hennessy Literary ‘Hall of Fame’ Award for my body of work. I’ve also won 4 Irish Book Awards, and many international literary awards, including the Que Leer Award for Novel of the Year in Spain and the Gustav Heinemann Peace Prize in Germany. In 2015, I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of East Anglia.

My novels are published in 58 languages.

My 14th adult novel, ALL THE BROKEN PLACES, a sequel and companion novel to THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, will be published in the UK on September 15th 2022, in the US and Canada on November 29th, and in many foreign language editions in late 2022 and 2023.

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im Jahr 1910 macht ein Mordfall in London große Schlagzeilen: Dr. Hawley Crippen soll seine Frau Cora Crippen kaltblütig ermordet und ihre zerstückelte Leiche im Keller vergraben haben. Der Mord ist damals tatsächlich geschehen, jedoch gibt es wohl bis heute immer noch Unklarheiten, wie genau und wer den Mord tatsächlich begangen hat.

John Boyne hat diesen alten Fall aufgegriffen und einen Roman darüber geschrieben. Die Geschichte in diesem Buch basiert also auf wahren Begebenheiten, jedoch wurde auch vieles ausgeschmückt und mit fiktiven Begebenheiten ergänzt.
Wer also einen wirklichen Tatsachenroman erwartet, wird hier unweigerlich enttäuscht werden.
Ich wurde keinesfalls enttäuscht, im Gegenteil! Ich habe dieses Buch von Anfang bis Ende genossen und war kaum fähig, es aus der Hand zu legen. Die Geschichte ist so spannend und interessant erzählt, und die Tatsache, dass sie auf einem wahren Mordfall basiert, hat sie für mich nur noch faszinierender werden lassen.

Zudem hat John Boyne einen Schreibstil, der mich begeistern kann. Er hat einen sehr feinen Humor, so dass ich beim Lesen oft ein Lächeln im Gesicht hatte.
Ich habe während der Lektüre des Buches parallel auch ein wenig über den wahren Fall des Dr. Crippen gelesen und dachte daher, ich wäre auf das Ende des Romans vorbereitet. Das erwies sich als Fehler, denn John Boyne hat es tatsächlich noch mal geschafft, mich mit dem Ausgang des Buches zu überraschen.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars.

Oh Boy.....CRIPPEN is a dam good murder-mystery and another great read off my list from John Boyne. I really should just leave it at that, but I can't! What is the real truth here? And who was this Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen? (I see a work of non-fiction in my near future.)

The story begins with Hawley as a young man leaving home to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor, but with zero dollars from his unsupportive parents, the going gets tough and fabrications result as we meet lots....and lots....of quirky characters on land and at sea aboard the SS Montrose......and all before we even get to the meat of Hawley's life.

As we travel from Belgium to Canada in 1910, we discover all passengers are not what they seem....and what a cast it is! Mrs. Drake....the upper class snob and ultimate pain in the ass speaks whatever insult comes to her nasty mind....snooty daughter Victoria desperately awaiting her inheritance...and freedom...is out to nail herself a man....and tries with a big inviting kiss, hahaha, and the irritable, but observant Captain Kendall plays an important role aboard his ship....as does the defiant, and horny, young Tom who makes a big discovery.

Ok.....back to CRIPPEN. At first, I actually felt sorry for him, educating himself through correspondence courses, living in a sparse cellar, working side jobs...one in an abattoir (ICK!) to stay afloat....AND OMGOSH his wives......they humiliate and treat him like dirt, degrade and deem him useless publicly, and one is such a nasty vicious hag that, well....you'll see! So many busy-bodies here that set out to cause trouble....and do!

"Some men are simply not supposed to take wives at all."

But....ole Hawley is not an innocent here....not by a long shot! In some ways, he's actually a wimp, and in others....let's just say you wouldn't want to have him for a Doctor or Dentist. Yikes!

CRIPPEN really is a most entertaining read with shockers (did I mention lots and lots of characters) great storytelling and, of course, a murder to solve, but again.....just what is the truth here?

Interesting facts about the real case in Author's Notes....but I want more!

[Dem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novel to burrow into and one for the Autumn / Winter list. My 10th Novel by John Boyne and I really do find that this author has a talent for creating memorable characters and bringing history to live. Pure entertainment and great stroytelling.

Each of his novels are uniquely different, engaging and enthralling and I love picking up a John Boyne Novel as you never really know where his books are going to take you.
I didn't even read the blurb of this novel and was presently surprised when finishing to realise that this was (loosely) based on true events and I really enjoyed my google search to find photos of the people involved.

"July 1910 The Grisly remains of Cora Crippen, music hall singer and wife of Dr Hawley Crippen are discovered in the cellar of 39 Hilldrop Crescent, Camden. But the Doctor and his mistress Ethel Le Neve have vanished much to the frustration of Scotland Yard and the outrage of horrified London

John Boyne is all about the character development and while many of the characters are dislikable they are certainly memorable and vivid. This Novel is quite long at 500 pages and yet it is beautifully paced and the slow release of the story keeps the reader engaged and in suspense right up until the end. The book moves beautifully from one location and one time frame to another without confusing the reader.

I really enjoyed this one, its an old fashioned style thriller/ historical novel based on an actuary case in history.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

More damn good storytelling by John Boyne. A murder mystery, an odd lot of characters sailing off from Antwerp to Canada, which includes the good “Doctor” Crippen and his mistress/lover, Ethel, in disguise as father and son. There’s a reason for their disguise and identity change.

The story starts off with those boarding the SS Montrose, taking stock of their surroundings and fellow passengers. Each has their own agenda, whether looking for relaxation, love, violence, running away from secrets. A great mix of characters which kept the book really interesting!

Dr. Hawley Crippen, you will find, is not the most dynamic person. He’s always wanted to be a doctor but due to lack of funds, he pursues his “degrees” through correspondence classes. He often sells himself as a Doctor and a Dentist, which is an outright lie, and he fools most, including deluding himself. As a dentist, he takes a personal pleasure in doing procedures with a minimal use of anesthetic/pain reliever. His patients leave his office bloodied and screaming. He finds a job at a homeopathy type of store and is successful, but remember, he is not action oriented or dynamic or assertive by nature. He is quiet, thoughtful, and easily led.

We learn of wife #1 who died tragically in a car accident. They had a son and he relinquished that son to the maternal grandparents, never to be seen again.

Wife #2, Cora, is a singer at a bar/music hall. She thinks/hopes she is going to be the next singing sensation and she is also deluding herself of that expectation. She singles him out at the music hall and sinks her claws in once she finds out he’s a Doctor. And, he is totally entranced with her. She smells her fortune and fame through him and their eventual marriage turns out to be the marriage from hell. She is sly, slick, money hungry, deceitful, abusive to him (and others); an adulteress (I couldn’t keep track of how many infidelities she had)! She’s always screaming at or belittling her husband, Dr. Crippen. Extorting money from him (that they barely have) for voice lessons, fancy dresses, etc. Screaming at him when he comes home from work ten minutes late. This chick, man oh man, she’s a real piece of work. What a witch! When she starts beating on him with a kitchen pan and with her fists, and he does not do anything but answer, “Yes, Cora,” we get a good picture of what their marriage life is all about. Hell. And this hell is real. And Dr. Hawley Crippen is a human doormat who doesn’t stand up for himself.

Mistress/Lover/Potential wife #3, Ethel, who is hired by Dr. Crippen to work at the homeopathy shop. She is nothing like the other women in Crippen’s life. They develop a work friendship, much to Cora’s chagrin, insults and name calling. This eventually turns into more than a work relationship.

Next: Cora disappears, two stories are at work here of her whereabouts - to visit a dying Uncle in California but then she dies there, never to return. Suspicious? You tell me. The other is a note she left on the kitchen table for Crippen stating she has taken off with a man from one of her many affairs and not to look for her. Suspicious? You tell me.

So where’s Cora? Cora is actually found by an Inspector who is looking into her disappearance; she is dismembered/chopped in pieces and her body parts wrapped in newspaper and buried under some tiles in the basement of their marital home. But her head is missing. 🤔

As we all know, the husband is always looked at first when there is foul play concerning his wife. And now he is not to be found, because he’s on the boat to Canada, with Ethel, under an assumed name, which is not a spoiler as this is revealed in the first several pages of the book. Don’t be too hasty in your condemnation, though. There are many who might have had a bone to pick with this loud mouthed, rude, conceited, inflammatory and abusive woman, Cora Crippen.

You’ve really got to read this one! The more I read of John Boyne books, I’m having a hard time deciding which particular one I like the best, because they are all good in their own unique way. And I’m not done; there are more books of his to be read. 4.5 stars for this one.

Note: This story of Dr. Hawley Crippen is based on a true police case, if you are inclined to research into this further. Many of the characters from the original case were worked into this fictional tale. The author has provided a personal note at the back of this book that is worthy of reading.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5~4★
“ ‘I myself, however, received my degrees from two medical colleges, one in Philadelphia and one in New York, so you need have no worries about me in that regard.’

‘From America,’ she exclaimed breathlessly.

’Indeed,’ he said. He had taken to renaming his diplomas as degrees these days; it made things simpler, he believed.”

‘Dr.’ Hawley Harvey Crippen said and did many questionable things to make life simpler. Only fair, he thought, disadvantaged as he was by not having enough money to attend medical school. He had to make do with correspondence courses that included no practical work but did issue diplomas. Petty details.

Crippen was a real man around whom Boyne has fashioned a mystery novel, using the facts as they were accepted and imagining the personalities of the various characters, their back stories, and relationships.

Crippen’s wife Cora, who fancied herself an undiscovered, supremely talented singer, suffered the same resentment about not having the advantages she thought she deserved.

Crippen had gone to a club for a drink when he was particularly lonely, making him an easy target for Cora (excuse me, Bella Elmore!) and her colourful singing act, during which he smiled at her. She approached him after and ordered a bottle of champagne. Flattered, he asked how long she’s been singing. (She is only seventeen.)

“ ‘Three years’, she said. ‘Ever since I turned fourteen. I intend to be one of the world's finest opera singers. I just need to get the right voice coach, that's all. Only, they cost money. The natural gifts are there though, they just need training.’

‘I have no doubt of it,’ said Hawley. ‘And you are from New York originally?’

She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward, closing them into a quiet conspiracy of two. ‘Do you know why I came over here?’ she asked him, and he shook his head. ‘I came over here because when I was on stage I could feel your eyes burning through me.’ She reached her hand under the table and placed it softly on his knee.”

It works, of course, and she convinces him to move to London so she can get a good voice coach and he can become a famous doctor.

The story moves back and forth from Crippen’s youth and first marriage to scenes on a passenger ship bound for America. First class has another unbearable character, Mrs. Antoinette Drake, travelling with her smug, entitled, seventeen-year-old-daughter. They were to dine at the Captain’s table, and she has prepared.

“She had gone for a beauty treatment in Antwerp but the silly girl who had taken charge of her had forgotten to wax her upper lip. She reached for her powder puff and dabbed at it gently. Mrs Drake had chosen an extravagant dark green dress and a brassiere which practically pushed her breasts over the top of it. They rose upwards as she breathed in and one could almost hear them arguing with each other as to which would be released first. Staring at her reflection, she managed to convince herself that she still had the sexual allure of an eighteen-year-old debutante.”

So, of course, they arrive late.

“Mrs Antoinette Drake strode into the hall with her daughter two feet behind her and marched over to the table as if she was about to announce that she was taking command of the ship and they should all fall to their knees and pay homage.”

It’s not immediately clear what this ocean voyage has to do with Crippen, but chapters are headed with dates and places, which makes it easier for the reader to follow the timeline as the story progresses.

Meanwhile, we also see his life in London, henpecked by Cora, whose ‘singing’ practice brings the wrath of the neighbours who complain about the screeching in their flat. Hawley’s doing his best to support her, working double shifts as a doctor/dentist/and homeopathic pharmacy assistant, because his dubious qualifications are useless in England.

I enjoyed the scenes where Cora was striving to move up into higher social circles. She tells a group of women in the Music Hall Ladies Guild that her agent is negotiating for her to debut at the Palladium.

“‘Cora, you must join our guild. We have some wonderful members. You must know Anne Richardson-Lewis? Of the Richardson-Lewises? And Janet Tyler? She's one of the Tylers?’

‘Of course,’ lied Cora.

‘And Alexandra Harrington is a regular attendee.’

‘Is she one of the Harringtons?’

‘No. She's one of the other Harringtons.’

‘Oh, better still. I've always preferred them anyway.’”

What a hoot!

Hawley is befriended by a lonely young woman at the homeopathic pharmacy, Cora disappears, and Scotland Yard is called in. Cora is no loss to us or to anyone else. She is painted as an ill-tempered, domineering, self-centred woman, but a couple of her Guild ladies are suspicious and well-connected.

It’s an odd story, but true, and the way the mystery of Cora’s disappearance was solved – or said to have been solved – seems to be mostly just the way Boyne has portrayed it. He may have imagined the relationship between Crippen and a detective, who was lonely for friends himself, I don’t know.

It’s a well-known case that you can research yourself, and Boyne has taken enough liberties with the plot that, even if you know the gist of it, the ending will be a surprise. John Boyne has written many books better than this, but even his lesser work is enjoyable.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars.
I’m surprised that I have not heard of this book before, which was the author’s debut in America, back in 2004.
This is a work of fiction loosely based on some facts.
As for any work of fiction, you should not expect accuracies. Everything in this book is fruit of the author’s rich imagination.
The writing is superb.
The storyline is gripping or absorbing.
The structure is perfect and skillfully built.
I was so absorbed and transported to that era (London, 1910), as I was living that moment.
I will never forget the scene with the dentist, as it reminds me of my first visit to a dentist when I was very young. It was just as terrorizing.
There is an incredible parade of despicable characters. But because of the time it is based on, they all sounded believable.
I was so entertained with this book that I really did not want to finish it.
It’s not a book of action, but it’s all about a good storytelling, and Boyne is a master one.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is historical fiction with a murder mystery and a little true crime.

Based on the real-life case of Dr Crippen and the murder of his wife Cora Crippen in 1910, John Boyne has built around this event a cast of characters and a plausible theory as to what really happened!



I am a big John Boyne fan and really enjoy his storytelling. As with all his writing this is so immersive and absorbing. The historical elements add a depth and interest to a story that is ultimately about the nature of human beings.

Although not my favourite of his books I would still highly recommend this one.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

He gave his wife poison and sent her to sleep,
And cut up her body and buried it deep.

John Boyne has written a very entertaining account of Dr Crippen’s life and crime. Yes, just the one crime, it seems. I’d always been under the impression that he was a serial killer but he ‘only’ murdered one of his wives for which he was hanged in 1910. I also thought he was English but he was an American who had lived in London for many years. Finally, I thought he was a medical doctor but he wasn’t a qualified doctor of any sort. He just pretended to be. Perhaps because it happened more than a century ago, a dark comedy about these events is now acceptable but there is of course a very serious side to this tale.

This is very much a reimagining - a what if. It’s not wholly based on fact but it largely is. We are invited inside Crippen’s mind and into his marriage to Cora. Was she a lovely woman who married a monster? Or was he a lovely man who married a monster? Read the book and decide for yourself ;)

4.5 stars - so nearly 5.

[Kell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, where to start? How about with just one word: WOW! Crippen is quite one of the most gripping crime faction novels I’ve ever read. That’s the short version.

You want the long version? OK, here goes…

This fictionalised account of a real and infamous crime that gripped the English-speaking world is nothing short of brilliant. The characters are sympathetically drawn, yes, even that of Dr Hawley Crippen himself. Boyne has taken one of Britain’s most notorious and mysterious killers and made him a human being; one with feelings and troubles with which one can readily identify. The relationship he suffers with his overbearing wife, Cora, makes one wish someone would kill her!

Despite Dr Crippen being a name synonymous with gruesome and grisly murder, mystery and misconception surrounds both the man and the case, so proceedings are not so straightforward as one might expect. Indeed, Boyne manages to keep things suspenseful to the very end, which came as a huge surprise to this reader!

I was completely drawn into the plot and loved the back-and-forth style of storytelling which revealed things little by little, drawing things out in such a way that there was always something unexpected around the corner. Time and again I was delighted by some little twist or turn till the thrilling conclusion which was immensely satisfying.

It’s rare that a novel compels me to research a subject further, but this one has had that exact effect. I’m now fascinated by the man and the crime he committed (or did he?), and urge all fans of crime fact and fiction to pick up Crippen as soon as possible. I guarantee you won’t be able to put it down till the last page has been turned.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author's stuff and this book was so good. The writing, the pacing, the historical feel of this story, all of it. I was not familiar the real Dr. Crippen so this read as a bit of a thriller for me as well.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hawley Crippen might have remained a footnote in the history of true crime without his unique capture and the skillful fictionalization of the story by the incomparable John Boyne. Hawley refers to himself as Dr. Crippen, although he lacks the education and credentials to do more than work in a homeopathic pharmacy. His third wife, Cora, calls herself a gifted singer, although she lacks the talent to become more than a dance hall performer. This couple lives in a world of pretension and self-delusion, always hoping to take a step up on what they perceive to be the social ladder. Boyne's descriptions of the society they inhabit in the early 20th century are memorable, and his characterizations of the greedy, self-serving women within this community are especially scathing. While reading this book, I was reminded at times of Dreiser's An American Tragedy when the deplorably shallow Clyde stopped at nothing to achieve his goal of fitting into society.

The SS Montrose is introduced at the beginning of this novel as it prepares to sail from Antwerp to Quebec. The first-class passengers become an early focus, overseen by the pompous Captain Kendall, whose observations are pivotal to Crippen's life. These passengers are described in detail from the overbearing, self-important Mrs. Drake to the reclusive Mr. Robinson and his son, Edmund. The significance of the passage to Canada and its conclusion are significant. I didn't anticipate the ending.

This book was published in 2003, so is perhaps one of Boyne's earliest works. His skill as a writer is in evidence here, as in every book he has written. No two of his books are the same, but he manages to keep his readers enthralled whatever the subject.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Boyne has taken a true crime event and imaginatively re-created it.

Dr Harley Crippen existed and was married to a shrew, Cora. He was under her thumb constantly. Crippen worked in a homeopathic medicine pharmacy in London. His assistant was Ethel LaNeve. She existed too. They fell in love.

The publisher's book description tells us that Cora Crippen was murdered and her dismembered body found in the cellar at 39 Hilldrop Crescent, Camden.

Crippen and LaNeve have fled to Canada, voyaging on the SS Montrose captained by H. G. Kendall. Kendall suspects two of his passengers to be Crippen and LaNeve (who are cleverly disguised) and informs Scotland Yard. A chase over the sea ensues.

Supporting this story are some interesting characters also travelling on the Montrose.

Here are two short reviews I would like to share:

"Boyne is to be commended for his ability to alternate between Wodehousian humor and Edwardian noir."

"His characters are wonderfully memorable and engaging, and this book will satisfy patrons with a thirst for dramatized true-crime stories. Highly recommended for all popular fiction collections." - Library Journal.

5 Stars

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took some time to read but it was quite interesting and had some unexpected turn of events. Not my favorite by this author but a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to lovers of historical fiction based on real life events.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fictionalised reinterpretation of real events, this book often stretches credulity. It is, however, a very entertaining read and surprised me by having some very funny moments.

[Cher 'N Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - It was great. I loved it.

John Boyne never disappoints, and the only thing better than historical fiction, is historical fiction based on actual events.

Once you have read the book, there is an interesting article with engrossing pictures surrounding what happened here, but I recommend not peeking until after you have read the novel to avoid spoilers!
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: That’s the strangest thing about the wealthiest families of Europe: they’re all penniless.

First Sentence: She was over 575 feet in length, with a beam almost an eighth of that size.

[B the BookAddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant read by John Boyne as he takes on the real life figure, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen and gives us a story about a man behind the reputation. Highly Recommended 4.5★

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 solid stars.
I’m surprised that I have not heard of this book before, which was the author’s debut in America, back in 2004.
This is a work of fiction loosely based on some facts.
As for any work of fiction, you should not expect accuracies. Everything in this book is fruit of the author’s rich imagination.
The writing is superb.
The storyline is gripping or absorbing.
The structure is perfect and skillfully built.
I was so absorbed and transported to that era (London, 1910), as I was living that moment.
I will never forget the scene with the dentist, as it reminds me of my first visit to a dentist when I was very young. It was just as terrorizing.
There is an incredible parade of despicable characters. But because of the time it is based on, they all sounded believable.
I was so entertained with this book that I really did not want to finish it.
It’s not a book of action, but it’s all about a good storytelling, and Boyne is a master one.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m obviously in the minority here. I blind bought this book based on my enjoyment of the author’s previous works.

Though I knew nothing about the true story, the author’s telling was uneven in tone. Basically every female character were so lacking in any redeeming qualities that it honestly felt misogynistic. The men were simply buffoons for the woman to control.

I still don’t know if this was supposed to be a serious book, a dark comedy or a farce. Sadly, it just didn’t work for me.

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Boyne presents us with a fictionalised account of the famous Dr Crippen case of the early 20th century with many of the characters and situations taken from the facts of the case and others created, successfully, to serve the plot.

The book moves seamlessly from one location and one time frame to another, beginning with Crippen and his mistress Ethel LeNeve in Antwerp ready to board the SS Montrose en route to Canada and a new life. To completely set the scene and present a portrait of the artist (!), so to speak, it then flits back to Crippen's far from happy youth in Michigan before arriving in London shortly after the alleged crime has taken place.

From then on locations are visited and lively characters are introduced that make the story quite spellbinding, even if one does already know details of the case. The tension mounts with each turn of the page and in an innovative ending reaches quite a crescendo.

The story as presented does, perhaps surprisingly, leave readers with some sympathy for the protagonists, as even the pursuing Inspector Dew discovered. As such it is a most enjoyable and fascinating tale, extremely well told.

[*The Angry Reader* · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictional retelling of an actual murder. Boyne created characters to fill in circumstances of the story. Every one of them was a horrible horrible human being. At times funny, gross, sad and awkward it was a mostly interesting read.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading a lot of John Boyne at the moment as I just love his writing. You always get really good interesting characters in John Boyne novels and this one is no different.

Dr Hawley Crippen is romantically linked to his assistant Ethel Le Neve following the sudden disappearance of his with Cora. Cora is a music hall singer and makes Crippen’s life a misery. She mentally and physically tortures her husband and the rumours start as to what really happened to her. Chief Inspector Walter Dew of Scotland Yard did not expect Dr Crippen’s house to be empty and was even more surprised when he finds a body in the cellar. Buried under the flagstones are the remains of Cora Crippen. The Inspector did not think the quiet, unassuming Dr Crippen capable of murder, yet the doctor and his mistress have disappeared from London, sparking a full-scale hunt for them.

The S.S. Montrose has just set off on its two-week voyage to North America and two passengers are attempting to remain invisible. Mr. John Robinson and his teenage son, Edmund are trying to remain anonymous but there are other fellow passengers who are making that very difficult.

Considering the very serious subject of murder the book remains fairly light, great characters with more than a trace of humour and very well written make this a very entertaining read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
Hearing or reading the name Crippen has always sent a chill down my spine.
Hawley Harley Crippen seemed to be the personification of evil, murdering his wife, dismembering her, and burying the bits in the cellar, before running of with his young lover, and attempting to start a new life in a different country.
So, what surprised me most about John Boyne’s fictionalised account of Crippens life, from his boyhood to his eventual arrest for murder, was that I actually felt a little sorry for him.

The author takes a lot of liberties with real life events, mixing fact and fiction to create a very readable story, which is mostly believable, but did have a few patches when I found myself being a little critical.
It’s John Boyne though, so the writing is great, and there are some good twists to keep it interesting.

After I’d finished the book, it was interesting to read a couple of real accounts of the murder.....I realised that I’d only known the bare, sensationalistic facts about the case, and nothing really about the man himself....and, surprisingly, to learn that, even after all this time, there are some question marks hanging over the whole grisly affair.

[Майя Ставитская · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ужасные невинные
Всякая женщина — зло; но дважды бывает хорошей: Или на ложе любви, или на смертном одре.
Джон Бойн не мой автор. Для того, чтобы в очередной раз в этом убедиться,не стоило и затеваться с чтением очередной книги. Но об этой хорошо говорил человек, литературный вкус которого считаю эталонным и ее перевел Валерий Нугатов, после сезонной тетралогии Али Смит один из лучших в моей табели о рангах. Кроме того, жанр беллетризованной криминальной документалистики дает возможность взглянуть на известные события с другого ракурса, заметить с временной дистанции детали, ускользнувшие от участников, которые порой радикально меняют картину. Не в этом случае, но по порядку.

Не то, чтобы дело Харви Криппена было такой притчей во языцех, о которой странно не иметь представления Гибель Титаника двумя годами позже выбрала весь лимит интереса, отведенный в коллективном бессознательном трагическим происшествиям, связанным с трансатлантическими путешествиями. А потом была Мировая война с несопоставимыми масштабами узаконенных зверств.

Но происшествие остается ужасным, подробности омерзительными, поведение участников могло бы претендовать на премию Дарвина. А главное - это официально первое в истории преступление, раскрытое посредством телеграфа. Как астролог,я сказала бы, что над ситуацией незримо стоят Уран (сверхсовременные средства связи), Нептун (океан, обман и самообман) и Плутон (подземелье, убийство, расчленение, тайна, расследование, вовлеченность широких масс в процесс). Но не скажу, фигуранты слишком убоги, мотивы мелки, а исполнение топорно, простите за невольный каламбур.

Официальная версия, озвученная Викой, гласит: Дальше...Харви Крипен, американский медик с опытом работы на бойне, вдовец, женатый вторым браком на артистке мюзик-холла, переезжает в Лондон, где супруга без особого успеха пытается сделать карьеру певицы. Сам Криппен работает в стоматологическом кабинете. В начале 1910 года Кора перестает появляться на работе, на вопросы ее друзей, Криппен отвечает, что супруга скоропостижно скончалась в Америке (?). Буквально тотчас же в семейное гнездышко въезжает его ассистентка Этель, принимаясь носить вещи жены своего босса. Упс.

Друзья Коры обращаются в Скотланд-Ярд, после того, как детектив Дью наносит визит в дом Криппена, они с Этель бегут из Англии сначала во Францию, затем в Бельгию, потом в Канаду, выдавая себя на корабле за отца и сына Робертсонов. Пришедший с повторным визитом, Дью, не застает хозяина, но обнаруживает в подвале полуразложившиеся останки расчлененного человеческого тела, голова отсутствует, экспертиза обнаруживает в тканях высокое содержание токсина растительного происхождения. Информация попадает в газеты. Капитан парохода, на котором плыли Криппен с сообщницей, подозревает в своих пассажирах убийц, сообщает по телеграфу в Лондон, благодаря чему Дью успевает нагнать беглецов еще до пересечения границы Канады, с которой тогда не было договора об экстрадиции.

В романе все не так, на то он и роман. То есть, событийная канва остается прежней, но Бойн славится умением выворачивать наизнанку привычные представления, эта книга не исключение. И здесь у него предельно странный взгляд на вещи: среднее между детсадовским "она первая начала" и "он сам нарвался" sell block tango. Не,ну я понимаю, в жизни всякое случается, бывает, что и под шкурой ягненка скрывается лев, случается и обратное, а в вопросах домашнего насилия женщина в некоторых случаях может выступать в роли обидчика, не жертвы. Тем более, актриса мюзик-холла (демонстративное поведение и хороший уровень физической подготовки априори).

Но, мать его, муженек, работал на бойне, не забыли? Предполагать в нем тонкую душевную организацию и неумение дать отпор агрессии, исходящей от женщины? Вы смеетесь? До получения женщинами избирательного права в Англии еще восемнадцать лет, а отдельные положения принципа покровительства останутся легитимными до середины XX века (Coverture, средневековый закон о статусе замужней женщины, в отдельных случаях избавляющий жену даже от уголовного преследования, если ее противоправные действия были связаны с выполнением указаний мужа).

И автор хочет сказать, что бедняжечка так уж страдал от нечеловеческой жестокости супруги, так туго скручивал в пружину свое человеческое достоинство, что, когда она раскрутилась, то вот так оно все и вышло? В романе уйма персонажей, прописанных, отдам должное мастерству писателя, с большой достоверностью. И всякая женщина негодяйка, шлюха, в крайнем случае - персонаж кунсткамеры. Более женоненавистнического чтения я не встречала чуть не со времен известного маркиза. Гимн воинствующей мизогинии.

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is now the third book I’ve read by this author and Crippen is a fictionalised version of the case of Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen and the murder of his wife of which he was convicted and hanged in 1910.
It could be said that when you know the ending to a story that it will remove all suspense from the reading (or in my case listening) but this book defies that notion. Yes, I knew that Hawley Crippen’s wife Cora was poisoned then dismembered and her torso found under the floor of the cellar of 39 Hilldrop Crescent, Camden and having a somewhat grisly nature I know quite a bit about the events that are considered to lead up to the discovery, but to say I wasn’t captivated by John Boyne’s interpretation and imagination, would be an outright lie.

The story takes us back to Crippen’s earliest days where it appears John Boyne has invented quite a bit to create the most sympathetic view of the child growing into a man who longs to be a doctor. However the story also flips forwards in time to the ship the SS Montrose where John Robinson and his seventeen year old son Edmund board in Antwerp to make the journey to Canada to start a new life. John Robinson is a Doctor and the pair travel first class.

The journey across the Atlantic was probably my favourite part of the whole book. The passengers included the most hideous Antonia Drake and her spoilt daughter Victoria as well as the far more balanced Frenchman Mathieu Zela travelling with his nephew and the unassuming Martha Hayes. There are moments of almost farcical nature as despite the plan to keep a low profile John Robinson is in high demand to socialise with his fellow passengers, as is young Edmund.

Things weren’t an awful lot better in the past as we follow Crippen through his apprenticeship in an abattoir to fund his medical diplomas, his first marriage and the beginning of his relationship with Cora, a music hall performer who he eventually moves to England with. I’ve condensed this to a few sentences but the author carefully lays the basis for the part that all the readers know is on the way, and his answer to the question what led the mild mannered Crippen to butcher Cora and then recklessly move his lover, Ethel Le Neve into Hilltop Crescent? Once again along this tour we meet some truly memorable characters, most of them pretty awful but, oh so entertaining for being so. What struck me most was how much the social rules of the time seem to have played a part in the actual discovery of the murder and the interaction between the friend who first reported her suspicions to the hapless constable at Scotland Yard was one of my favourite scenes.

So yes there is tension, as much about how having started the story with the underdog Crippen we were going to get to the finale of the hanging. I’m not going to dissect this part but I for one wasn’t wholly convinced by the explanation, but it was a clever route to take and therefore bearing in mind this is a fictionalised tale, albeit with some of the key players, including Inspector Dew, the plotting was in place so it didn’t come out of nowhere; In short if I didn’t have my own views it was plausible. But most of all the and the journey both on land and at sea was exceptionally entertaining. The characters from the ship’s crew to the minor players really do carry this story especially as we all know the ending!

This isn’t a book to read if you want the absolute facts of the case, but if you want to be entertained this is the perfect platform to either take a look at Crippen from a slightly different angle, or simply to read a gripping tale.

I listened to this book in audio format, it had been on my TBR since January 2016 but regular readers will know i repeatedly struggled with listening rather than reading. I’m glad to say this book proved I could do it and the day it ended when I was only halfway through my walk home, I felt utterly bereft after all Crippen had accompanied me on walks and whilst knitting over a total of 17 hours and 43 minutes and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it aided by the wonderful narration by James Daniel Wilson.

This is the second fictionalised story I’ve read about this case, Martin Edwards wrote his version called Dancing for the Hangman which I highly recommend.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once you read one of John Boyne’s books, you will probably want to read all of them. That was the case with me after I read THE HEART’S INVISIBLE FURIES. I was happy to find his older books, including CRIPPEN, a book of fiction about Dr. Hawley Crippen, an actual person who really was accused of murdering his wife in 1910. Many of the facts in this novel really did happen, and many of the characters really did exist. But, again, CRIPPEN is fiction, and most of it comes from Boyne’s imagination.

And what an imagination! CRIPPEN is superb.

The Crippen in the book CRIPPEN is a wimp with a questionable character, maybe a result of his questionable upbringing. As an adult, he’s more a wannabe doctor than an actual doctor. Still, he’s prepared himself as best he could to practice medicine when he leaves Michigan (where he meets and marries his second wife) for New York and then leaves there for England.

Crippen’s second wife, Cora, is another wannabe. She is a not-so-good music hall singer who fancies herself great enough (with a little coaching) to sing before the queen. She is a miserable hellion and abuses Crippen both physically and verbally.

So you probably won’t feel bad about the way she ends up. You may even root for the murderer.

But what will keep you following this story, including Crippen’s attempt at escape on an ocean liner to Canada, is Boyne’s writing and his overall presentation. Although the word “genius” is overused in performance reviews, no other word better describes how Boyne arranges the story the way he does here. Because of this arrangement, you will be surprised again and again.

[Bridget Brooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this at all. It was an interesting take on the Crippen case but I found it over-long and rather tedious. I have loved all John Boyne's books up to now and this won't put me off. He's an amazingly talented and empathetic writer but this early novel is not for me.

[Lawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the cellar of a house in Camden in July 1910, Inspector Walter Dew of Scotland Yard finds the dismembered and buried remains of Cora Crippen, music hall singer and wife of Dr Hawley Crippen. Hawley and his mistress Ethel LeNeve have disappeared without a trace. Shortly afterwards, Captain Kendall of the SS Montrose sailing from Antwerp to Canada observes two of his First Class passengers, a Mr John Robinson and his 17-year-old son Edmund, behaving quite unlike the father and son they claim to be. The hunt for Cora Crippen's killer will take Inspector Dew all the way across the Atlantic, but he is determined not to let Dr Crippen slip away.

Based (somewhat loosely) on the true story of Dr Crippen and the gruesome murder of his wife Cora (though to be fair, by the time I was halfway through the book, I would have cheerfully murdered the bitch - or at least her fictional representation here - myself), this was an intriguing read that grips you more and more the further you get. With the chapters jumping between past and present, the truth behind Cora's death unravels slowly and the suspense just keeps on building right until the end. I wasn't familiar with the true story behind the book before reading it, but this was certainly an good introduction to it - with a very interesting twist.

[Moore Flannery · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually like John Boyne’s written voice - and his relationships between people- and I was slightly suckered into this. Despite a good, convincing start - question marks start popping up by about half way through. The narrative voice is incredibly gentle on Crippen. Tender, indulgent. What’s going on here? Accompanied by building antipathy to Cora Crippen, often motivated by unfavourable physical descriptions of her……..

And then the denouement - it was Ethel LeNeve what dunnit, not Crippen at all.

I know I put myself in this position by reading a fictionalised account of real murder - (I know, I know) but there are statistically so many men who kill their wives, and such a comparably small number of women who kill….. I cannot understand the need to alter the story of an actual wife killer to vindicate him, and make a woman responsible. I mean, just write a new work of fiction, if that’s your jam.

Urgh. A bad taste in my mouth John Boyne.

[Mike Crippen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprised to see so many positive reviews for this. I found the prose clumsy and obvious a lot of the time, and every single character was one dimensional and prone to illogical and overblown reactions.

More disturbingly, however, is the author's constantly vile descriptions of all his female characters. The utter lack of redeeming traits in any of the novel's women made me feel unsettled on more than a few occasions.

Aside from this, it rattles along at a fair old pace and provides some basic entertainment on the way. Wasn't convinced by the one of the major plot twists, but seeing as I was already getting disillusioned with the whole thing at this point, that's no great surprise.