True Crime -- 3 stars
Dr. Thomas Neill Cream masterminded a series of murders in Canada, the U.S., and England. Sloppy police work, nascent forensic science, and his standing as a man of medicine from a wealthy family allowed him to continue his sociopathic killing spree for over fifteen years. Mr. Jobb focuses on Dr. Cream's 1892 trial, backtracking to follow the doctor's evil career and how he illuded the law for so many years. ----- Mr. Jobb's writing is dry and factual. The victims are presented with only minimum background, undoubtedly because so little is known of them over a century after their deaths; but it does make for a lack of emotional connection. And while Dr. Cream's actions are exposed in detail, there is no attempt to explain why he chose this course of action. In the end, Dr. Cream remains a blank--we know what he did, but are left in the dark as to why. Be aware that the book is not nearly as long as the number of pages would seem to suggest. Fully half of the book is an index of his sources. A quick, factual, interesting, if unimpationed read.
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