DNF.

Regardless of what I think of this read, the descriptive prowess within it is amazing. I can only wish that I held the same capacity for adjectives and metaphors that Sinclair McKay has.

My main issue with this book is that the narrative is gruelling. There's not much dialogue, or introspection to break up the narrative, there just seems to be overwrought long explanations of everything . I literally kept zoning out and struggled to get as far as I did (36%) before I put it down.

There felt like there were lots of bland dates, facts and events to remember than I just wasn't interested in in the first place. Nothing was left to the imagination. There is a complex and detailed history of everything from side characters I'd had no previous knowledge of before an introduction occurred and an immediately intricate backstory followed to Jacobian sideboards that pique no curiosity from me whatsoever.

It really ruined what could have been a dark, enthralling book for me. The Lady in the Cellar: Murder, Scandal and Insanity in Victorian Bloomsbury wasn't my cup of tea. It wasn't even my cup of hot water.

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so interesting. It is the retelling of a true crime from the 1800s.

A woman is found in the cellar of a lodging house, who she is, or how she got there is unknown.
Without the help of modern day forensics Police try to piece together the mystery of what happened at Number 4 Euston Square.

McKay did an excellent job of making this book interesting and enjoyable to read.
I find that sometimes when authors attack a non-fiction subject the writing is redundant and rambling, or just plain boring, going into detail about the things that don't need to be detailed

This book flowed well and kept my interest. I wanted to read more about this family and see how their story ended.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys true crime, or Victorian Era settings.

Historical, true crime, Victorian London... quite the combo! It took me a bit to get into this one as it’s very detailed. There is a lot of information. You can see the work that was put into the research. Thank you NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Well written book about an intriguing case, that also provides details of life in London in the 1870s for immigrant people and their families, as well as those who took lodgings in private houses.

The dramatic, well written and fascinating account of a Victorian true crime.
It's well reaserched, well written, and entertaining.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Quarto Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.




This is the true account of how in 1879 the decomposing body of a woman was found in the coal celler of number 4 Euston Square which at the time was a boarding House.

What follows is the police investigation into trying to find out who the woman was , who murdered her, why was she murdered and how come nobody in the house noticed that there had been a decomposing body in the celler for nearly two years.

The author gives the reader an in depth look at the case and gives some interesting insights as to what may have happened.Was it the maid, was it another boarder, was it the landlord or his wife. The case is bizarre from to start to finish with lots of twists and turns.

This part of my review contains spoilers

The book doesn't resolve what happened to the victim, Matilda Hacker nor does it in my opinion shed new light on to the mystery, but that is my opinion and others may feel differently.

A book I think will fascinate true crime readers and mystery readers alike.

An interesting true crime read. I'd never heard of this case before but thoroughly enjoyed (if that's the right word) learning about it, and different methods that were used in the past.

This one defied expectations for me. I'm not particularly interested in Victorian-era stories, I usually find trial narratives one of the more tedious elements of true crime, and I'm iffy on true crime that's pre-1940s-ish. I'm so glad I took the chance despite it having all those elements (honestly, I might've only given it a shot for the really attractive cover).

This story of a murder discovered nearly two years after it happened in a London boarding house run by the family of a Luxembourg immigrant is populated with a quirky cast of characters from in and around the building, including the dead woman herself as perhaps the quirkiest of them all. It makes for a great truth is stranger than fiction tale and is as twisty-turny as they come. I thought I saw the answer coming a mile away multiple times and was consistently wrong.

Fair warning and I don't think a spoiler - it's not definitively resolved what happened to the victim, Matilda Hacker. There are plenty of interesting theories and some likely combination of circumstances is wrapped up in the story told here but it's not certain or even as close as some stories come to being so. I know some people hate that in true crime so be aware. Not knowing for sure doesn't bother me, but there are a few too many rhetorical questions and although the trial testimony and inquiries were far more interesting and better presented than I've read elsewhere, they did make up a little too much of the second half after a first half that's completely riveting and atmospheric.

The writing is compelling, I loved the inclusion of other scandalous stories and headliners of the time and detailed but readable context about the city, the community of Germanic subculture and of course, Victorian morality and pearl-clutching at its finest while still obsessing fanatically over the grotesque and gory details.

As a bonus, this author has a rich and wonderful vocabulary. I saw words I haven't seen since college, made for unexpectedly delightful reading.

A giant dolls house open to the nation with many different nationalities. A new lodger moved in the Lady in the cellar. The body was found wrapped up under the coal it appeared to have been strangled. All society and the newspapers were fascinated with the anonymous body of the fine lady. This Euston Square Mystery takes you in-depth into living in London at the end of the 1800’s the quickly moving changes in society with people from foreign countries coming there to make a better life. It shows how life can quickly unravel when accusations are made. You follow the players of this mystery though the courts and feel you are actually witnessing the proceedings.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a dramatic, true crime account of a murdered woman found in the basement of a Victorian boarding house. Was it the maid? Was it another boarder? Was it the landlord or his brother? I was kept guessing.

The random twists and turns, plus the aftermath of this case was bizarre, and kept me reading to find out what happened next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have to be honest,I looked at the cover,scanned the blurb and assumed this would be a fictional account of the murder.
It isn't... it's very much factual. 
Again I have to be honest,not my usual style of read.
However,the story of the lady in the cellar,the lies,more lies, even more lies,and the aftermath of the lies,told in a clear and simple way,meant I read the book fairly quickly.
Im non the wiser what exactly happened (who is?) but I'm fine with that. Still a good read