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Rex v Edith Thompson

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Rex v Edith Thompson

By: Laura Thompson
Narrated by: Laura Thompson
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Summary

On the night of 3 October 1922, in the quiet suburb of Ilford, Edith Thompson and her husband, Percy, were walking home after an evening spent at a London theatre, when a man sprang out of the darkness and stabbed Percy to death. 

The assailant was Frederick Bywaters, a 20-year-old merchant seaman who had been Edith's lover. When the police learned of his relationship with Edith, she was arrested as his accomplice, despite protesting her innocence. The remarkably intense love letters Edith wrote to Freddy - some of them couched in ambiguous language - were read out at their trial for murder at the Old Bailey. They would seal her fate: Edith and Freddy were hanged for the murder of Percy Thompson in January 1923. 

Freddy was demonstrably guilty; but was Edith truly so?

©2018 Laura Thompson (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd Europe Great Britain Murder True Crime Women Crime England Marriage
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I found this book absolutely fascinating and horrifying in equal measure. The misogyny and snobbery that surrounded the case of Edith Thompson were made very clear. Ultimately, this book details the lives of the people involved and contextualises how the judgements of the time affected what happened.

Both fascinating and horrifying

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This is a tragic story and it says alot about the times people lived in. The author is to be congratulated on her research and narration.

Tragic

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This book draws out every emotion. It's a warts and all account of Edith Thompson. I played the audio daytime and at night as I slept.

Honest and fair

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A detailed telling of a series of events that are fascinating and of course tragic. What a fabulous book. The narration by the author was perfect. I often feel that books are better when read by the author as they know where they planned the emphasis and intonation whilst writing and this definitely falls into that category. I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t want my journey to 1920s Essex to end. Highly recommended

Just fabulous

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JUST TOO LONG.....When I saw there were still four hours left of micro interpretation and eternal weighing up of motive and volition I just had to stop......

Yes - intriguing, well written, well read.....BUT

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