The Wallace Case: Britain's Most Baffling Unsolved Murder

by Roger Wilkes

'It is a formidable, indeed a damning indictment and Wilkes presents the result of his detective work with journalistic panache'P. D. JAMES, Times Literary Supplement'Roger Wilkes's seminal book lays out the facts . . . one of the great unsolved murders of the century' CRAIG TAYLOR, Guardian'I call it the impossible murder because Wallace couldn't have done it. And neither could anyone else. The Wallace case is unbeatable, it will always be unbeatable'RAYMOND CHANDLERWho really killed Julia Wallace? The final verdict.Ever since that terrible night in January 1931, when the body of Julia Wallace was found in her Liverpool home, her head crushed by violent blows, the identity of her killer has remained a mystery. Her husband, William, was accused, tried, convicted and sentenced to hang for murder, but he was then acquitted in a sensational appeal court judgement. Yet the police refused to reopen their investigation. So who did kill Julia? When Roger Wilkes started researching a dramatised radio documentary for Liverpool's Radio City, he uncovered new evidence which suggested a disturbing story - a crucial witness ignored by the police, even a suggestion of a deliberate cover-up. Finally, he provides compelling evidence as to the identify of the real killer.

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2021

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find historical true crime books extremely interesting and so I was keen to read about the murder of Julia Wallace, which took place in Liverpool in 1931. I had heard of the crime, but knew few details.

Author Roger Wilkes first became interested in the case when he did a radio show in 1981, on the fiftieth anniversary of the crime. The basic facts are that William Herbert Wallace, the 'man from the Prue,' was a respectable, rather frail gentleman, who collected insurance premiums and enjoyed a game of chess. One day, a caller to the chess club left a message for him to call at an address in Liverpool - 25 Menlove Gardens East (if the address seems familiar, that is probably because John Lennon grew up in Menlove Avenue). Although Menlove Avenue exists, Menlove Gardens East does not and so Mr Wallace spent an evening wandering the nearby roads before returning home to find his wife murdered.

This book painstakingly takes the reader through the events of that evening, looking at the case against Mr Wallace, who was arrested for the crime, the trial and the events following on from this. The book then goes on to make a case against another suspect who is suggested as the killer. The books contains lots of information, including Wallace's statement to the police and extracts from Wallace's diaries.

My concerns about this book is the way the author presents the other suspect as the definite murderer. I note from looking at the internet that this suspect is accepted as the correct one, so I am not saying that the conclusion is incorrect, but it is surely impossible to say who definitely committed the murder. It seemed to me, having read this, that the evidence against the other suspect was as circumstantial as that against Mr Wallace, in the light of the time that has passed. Although the author is probably right, there are surely other possibilities, such as a neighbour or other acquaintance, so I did had issues with the way the answer was presented so definitely.

Also, I did feel that I would have liked to have learnt more about Julia Wallace. In this book she is simply a victim and the author does not ever seem to flesh her out and make her a real person. This is, I feel, a shame. Although Julia Wallace seems to have been a fairly quiet, and unobtrusive, person, I did think the book would have been improved by setting the scene a little better. However, overall, an interesting book about a, as yet, unsolved murder.

[Cleopatra Pullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wallace Case: Britain’s Most Baffling Unsolved Murder delves into the mysterious and unsolved murder of Julia Wallace in 1931. Julia was found dead in her Liverpool home, and her husband, William Herbert Wallace, was accused, tried, and initially convicted of the crime1. However, he was later acquitted in a sensational appeal court judgment.

Roger Wilkes, who initially researched the case for a radio documentary, presents the evidence he found way back in 1981 and suggests that the police may have ignored crucial witnesses and possibly covered up the true identity of the killer. The book meticulously examines the events of that fateful evening and makes a case against another suspect.

Whilst I found the author's reasoning sound, I have to admit that he didn't convince me that his preferred suspect was 'beyond reasonable doubt' and the possibility remains that the crime was committed by someone else entirely! On the whole the author must be congratulated on finding so much evidence fifty years after the crime was committed and presenting so well.

[Richard Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating case I'd never previously heard of. It has attracted the attention of writers such as Dorothy Sayers and Raymond Chandler who famously said 'He couldn't have done it. Nobody could have done it.' The author of this book believes he has solved the murder and found another suspect Mr P. I was not convinced. Much of the evidence gathered is hearsay. The best case he makes is that there was, perhaps, a suspect against whom as much of a case could have been made, as was made against Mr Wallace, the husband of the victim. The police investigation was undoubtedly poor and, even for the times, the forensics were shoddily handled. The problem really is one of motive. Who, apart from Wallace, had one? And he really didn't seem to have one either. It remains baffling.

[Lord Bathcanoe of Snark · Rating 1 out of 5]

If the three people who provided an alibi for Richard Gordon Parry were truthful, then it is impossible for him to have been the murderer.
And why would three people lie in such serious circumstances? The consequences of doing so in a capital murder case would have been extreme.
Once again a writer rehashes conjecture and rumour and comes up with a solution that holds little water.
Ask yourself this ; if you were a jury member presented with this flimsy evidence, and an alibi endorsed by three people, would you be prepared to send Parry to the gallows.

[Alison Rood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t understand these glowing reviews at all. The premise of the book is a good one - but the writing style is awful. So repetitive. Multiple paragraphs are repeated throughout the book. The same story could have been told in half the pages it took. Just so monotonous. Hated it. I’m from Liverpool and love true crime. So this should have ticked all the boxes for me. But it fell flat of my expectations, by a long stretch.

[Julian Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strangely gripping murder story, which examines changing times, policing practices, social mores and customary conventions, in the hunt for the real killer.

A thoroughly enjoyable read for any fan of true crime (and for others, as this is a well written and engrossing tale).

A cracking detective read.

[Daniel Crompton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting case, but quite repetitive.

[Karl Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched true crime story that I hadn't heard of before. Especially interesting to those familiar with the city of Liverpool.