The Strange Affair of Madeleine Smith: Victorian Scotland's Trial of the Century

by Douglas MacGowan

Discover the true story of Victorian Scotland's trial of the century.

It was a case that rocked Victorian society. Emile L'Angelier was a working-class immigrant from the Channel Islands who began a clandestine affair with prominent Glasgow socialite Madeleine Smith. Six weeks after Emile threatened to show Madeleine's father their passionate letters, on 23 March 1857, he was found dead from arsenic poisoning. The evidence against Madeleine seemed overwhelming as she went to trial for murdering her lover.

Douglas MacGowan's vivid account reads by turns like a thriller, a love story and a courtroom drama. He quotes extensively from contemporary sources, notably the pathology reports, the trial testimony and the infamous correspondence between Madeleine and Emile, whose explicit content so shocked Victorian sensibilities. Ultimately it is up to the reader to judge Madeleine’s guilt or innocence.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, History

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 2007

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book looking at the victorian crime of the century in Scotland detailing the letters and the trial itself

[Chris Tyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed by this book. A great deal of it is just letters written by the accused to the victim, and they’re not a great read. It is shocking some of it, knowing the sort of society that Victorian Scotland must have been, but it was quite putdownable.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discover the locations in the novel here

I always love to read about real life cases brought back to life via fiction. When they are Victorian and very old cases, even more so as I get thrust into a society without forensics and the medical knowledge we have today. It’s always fascinating to me how they solved crimes and worked things out without the technology we have at our fingertips. Talking of fingertips, fingerprints in crime solving didn’t happen until around 1880 so just before the Jack the Ripper case.

Madeline Smith was a well-educated lady of her time. She was expected to marry well coming from a grand family but she started an affair with a man who was not of her station. Emilie L’Angelier was French, and of a lower status so the family was against their liaisons from the start. They wrote letters to each other, found a way to meet up in secret and even had premarital sex which was unheard of in those days.

Madeline broke off the ‘engagement’ when she was basically forced to become engaged to a wealthy man the family approved of. It is said that L’Angelier was smitten with her and so when she broke off their relaions, he became angry and told her he would make their letters public. When you think what this couple had done – and the scandal it would have caused – something was going to happen. Madeleine apparently then had the idea to poison her lover to sort out this problem. When he was found poisoned on the doorstep of his lodgings, she was immediately put on trial.

Was the case as clear cut as this? This book suggests not. Madeleine seemed to be as smitten as L’Anglelier. She kept the liason secret and wrote many loving letters. When he threatened to reveal them, she resumed their affair and seemed to be genuinely torn between her lover and the man her family wanted her to marry.

So, why and how did L’Angelier die? Did Madeleine poison him or was he driven to suicide by the injustice of it all? There is evidence for both outcomes in the book as Madeleine did buy arsenic before the poisoning and L’Angelier did seem somewhat unstable in the days leading up to his death.

This is a very interesting case. Who is guilty? You can decide but the evidence is more compelling in one way than the other I think.

[Marsali Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it rather distasteful to read obsessively about recent murders, but can get fascinated by long-gone mysteries - and this is one of the best. I suppose if all the actors are long dead, you can indulge your curiosity without feeling you're harming living people. Madeleine Smith was a well-brought up Victorian girl who became the mistress of a handsome but socially-inferior Frenchman. She kept the liason secret, and tried to end it when she became engaged to another man. L'angelier threatened to show her very frank letters to her Papa - she resumed their affair - and then he died of arsenic poisoning. In general, this book goes well into the evidence, and although MacGowan gives no final conclusion, you feel his sympathy is more with Madeleine than with L'angelier - he's slightly heavy-handed in pointing out the places where Madeleine's letters show L'angelier was, for example, apparently objecting to her walking out in town with her brother. It's a bit like one of these weighted toys - every push you give one way it bobs back up the other. Why, for example, if Madeleine killed him, did she not try to get her letters back? (Or did she walk that way, see men already carrying out parcels, and then do her panic flight to the country?) Was she really stupid enough, or just panicked enough, to think she wouldn't be suspected? On a practical note, one expert said at the trial that it was possible to dissolve 40 or more grains of arsenic in cocoa if it was boiled with the liquid - but double this was found left in poor L'angelier - he must have been given almost 400 grains, nearly an ounce. I wonder if that's really possible to dissolve in one cup of cocoa? Imagine trying an ounce (= a serving spoon) of sugar, and we're talking cups, not mugs, and arsenic is less soluble than sugar There must have been something left at the bottom of the cup. Would he really not have noticed? Also, how much arsenic is sixpenny-worth?
On the other hand, he didn't behave in his last hours as if he'd committed suicide...
Fascinating conundrum. I wonder if anyone's ever published a full version of all their letters?

[Lord Bathcanoe of Snark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really an account for dedicated readers of true crime. The majority of the text is taken up by letters written by Madeleine (not always riveting), and witness statements during her trial. The author doesn't actually contribute a great deal to the book. However, as a detailed and accurate account of the case it will appeal to some readers. But not an unputdowable read.

[James Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very engaging read concerning the clandestine affair between Madeleine Smith and Emile L'Angelier, the death of the latter and the subsequent trial. As one of the reviewer points out, the text makes fairly comprehensive use of the letters (Madeleines) which are perhaps not so engaging however, they are important in gaining insight into the state of mind of Madeleine and her interpretation of the affair in which she is involved. The author does interpret these letters as we progress and hint at his interpretation of some of the subtilties of language change etc. The author does not however, reinterpret the outcome of the trial (Not-proven) but draws attention to some of the failings and inconsistencies within the evidence and testimonies. The story does remind me very much of the "Maid of Denside" case (1820s) which also involved a death by arsenic poisoning, a class difference and a not-proven verdict (and a much more eventful trial) but which has not had the same amount of literary attention.
This was a very engaging book which I read in a very short time and would recommend to others which an interest in true crime or social history during the Victorian times.

[Mike O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars, I had recently watched David Lean's film version of this historical story and was interested in reading more on the case, and this book pretty much gave me what I wanted: an easy read but still thorough look on the (probable) poisoner/murderess Madeleine Smith.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read on the thoughts and views of Victorian society in regards a clandestine affair that in the end didn’t end well. It’s up to the reader to decide if the evidence and items put before you is proof of guilt or innocence of Madeleine. The author in between the letters gives a picture of what was happening with correspondence and the trail and what happens after.

[Sian Witch reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very interesting and learned more about what victorians' lives and justice system are. I love a bit of historical true crime, and I enjoyed all the letters putting together clues .
It didn't grip me and could be very samey but I enjoyed it

[Zoe Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coatbridge Coatbridge Coatbridge

[Emily Hathaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7/5 😂

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough analysis of the trial and relationship of Madeleine and Emile. Interesting, if a little dry at times, but it felt like a fair, impartial analysis.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟