The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer

In July 1895, thirteen-year-old Robert Coombes and his younger brother Nattie spent ten days in London attending cricket matches and visiting the seaside while their mother’s decomposing body lay in her bedroom upstairs. Kate Summerscale reconstructs the subsequent trial, documenting how Victorian society blamed Robert’s actions on the influence of sensational "penny dreadful" novels. The narrative tracks Robert beyond his incarceration at Broadmoor Asylum, revealing his eventual rehabilitation, his military service in the Australian Imperial Force during World War I, and his life as a respected citizen after his release.

This book serves readers of social history and criminological biography who seek a factual reconstruction of the Victorian justice system’s evolution. It appeals to those interested in the historical development of juvenile psychiatry and the shift from punitive retribution to medical rehabilitation. Readers gain a detailed perspective on 19th-century class dynamics and finish the book with an understanding of how one individual managed to build a productive life following a notorious childhood crime.

Balanced in tone; a moderate read.

Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?