Rex v Edith Thompson cover art

Rex v Edith Thompson

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Rex v Edith Thompson

By: Laura Thompson
Narrated by: Laura Thompson
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About this listen

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 England Marriage

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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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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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Carefully and cleverly narrated, this highly detailed history of the developments surrounding the hangings of Thompson and Bywaters covers a lot of ground and includes some interesting and compassionate thoughts of the author that humanise the court proceedings and official memoranda. If you are interested in law and questions of morality (particularly in the case of Edith Thompson, who appears to have been judged heavily on her femininity and 'threatening' power as an emergent modern woman in postmodern, post war Britain), you'll enjoy this book.

Detailed and compelling

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A heart wrenching account, lovingly researched. Loved the narrator (also the author) too, who's emotional investment in the case was all too evident throughout. A thrilling re-examination of one of the 20th centuries most divisive, and (as this book convincingly argues) shameful murder trials.

Tortuously Gripping

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Brilliant account of the Thompson Bywaters case. Riveting and compellingly told. I was completely gripped from start to finish. Haunting, terrifying and tragic. Superb.

Utterly fascinating

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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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I've read many books over the years on this same subject and thus is one of the best.
The hanging of ede Thompson still manages to appal and shock.
I was reluctant to buy this as the sample and a couple of reviews totally put me off for a while.l
Laura Thompson reads her book far better than the sample chosen and I was hooked. Yes it is a bit long but it does not matter, the subject is too pitiful to ignore.

Very disturbing

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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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I’m an avid listener of audiobooks and podcasts of varying styles. Despite this, and having re-started the book 4 times, I couldn’t maintain focus on the long, rambling prose. I’m sure the book is very interesting, however it is neither succinct enough nor formatted in such a way that lends itself to an audio format.

Interesting but not a good audiobook

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The narration is truly awful the speech is low then high low then high I couldn't find a comfortable volume so I couldn't get past chapter 1. Which is annoying I know the basic case and was looking forward to details.

Maybe a good book not a good audiobook

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