Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream:
This Cream has gone bad. (I’ll see myself out.)
Quick synopsis:
The story of Victorian era serial killer, Dr. Thomas Neil Cream.
Fact for Non-History People:
Crime was so bad in one area of London during this time that instead of Waterloo Station people called it “Whoreterloo.” Do not come at me. I merely am reporting what they said back then. Your beef is with Victorian Age Londoners.
Fact for History Nerds:
Reporters found children as young as five out on the streets and stealing to survive.
My Take on The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream:
I have a confession to make. I had this book on my shelf for too long. Admittedly, I bought it because it looked amazing, but when you have a severe book addiction, books can get lost in the shuffle. When I finally pulled it off the shelf, I loved it. The real lesson here? I am an idiot, but we already knew that.
It’s one of the better historical true crime books I have read and that is not a short list. What Dean Jobb has done here is written an extremely interesting book which highlights how a terrible and not very bright man could become a doctor and kill a few people with impunity. Jobb sets the stage for the world Cream lived in exquisitely. The back and forth and downright bizarre twists and turns would be hilariously farcical if it wasn’t for the fact that real people died at the hands of Cream, and it really should not have been all that hard to throw him in jail or hang him. I especially like that Jobb consistently points out themes (e.g., women being ignored, bad policing, Cream being a doctor meaning he could get away with a lot more), but never gets heavy handed. I enjoy it when I don’t feel preached to and just let the story tell itself.
Verdict:
So damn good. Read it. Buy it here!
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