Through a survey of a diverse range of crimes, criminals, detectives, modes of detection and reportage, the essays in this volume chart the development of crime writing as a genre and the growing dialogue between fact and fiction through Victoria's reign.
Beginning with Victoria's enthronement and an exploration of sensationalist accounts of attacks on the Queen, and ending with the notorious case of a fin-de-siècle killer, Victorian Crime, Madness, and Sensation throws new light on nineteenth-century attitudes toward crime and 'deviance'. The essays, which draw on both canonical and liminal texts, examine the Victorian fascination with criminal psychology and pathology, engaging with real life cases alongside fictional accounts by writers as diverse as Ainsworth, Stevenson, and Stoker. Among the topics are shifting definitions of criminality and the ways in which discourses surrounding crime, and particularly its representation by journalists and fiction writers, changed during the nineteenth century. Individual essays also consider the literal and social criminalization of particular sex acts, the gendering of degeneration and insanity, and the role of science and technology in solving cases.
'...a fascinatingly eclectic collection on the Victorians' fascination with crime and madness'. Lyn Pykett, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Professor of English, The University of Aberystwyth '... pleasingly provocative volume... rich and varied collection of essays.' TLS 'With its wide-ranging subject matter and its promise to throw new light on nineteenth-century attitudes to crime and deviance, this book will surely appeal to a wide range of nineteenth-century scholars. Even at such a richly laden table, the finest pieces stand out... The heart of this collection lies in its excellent treatment of gender. It is in this area that the book makes its most cogent and powerful case for itself. With almost half the essays devoted to some aspect of gender, Victorian Crime, Madness and Sensation makes a marvelous and important contribution to the field.' ELT 'This fascinating collection of essays traverses the century and ranges across Victorian criminal activity and social aberrance from regicide and serial number to sensation and child sexual abuse. Focusing on bodies, moral and physical decay, exploitative journalism and abusive commercialism, the collection never fails to be engaging... this carnival of Victorian deviance is a worthwhile read... The collection will be a useful tool for anyone interested in crime.' Victorian Studies '... there are many essays of interest in this [...] very worthwhile volume.' The Year's Work in English Studies
