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Murder by Candlelight: The Gruesome Crimes Behind Our Romance with the Macabre
Murder by Candlelight: The Gruesome Crimes Behind Our Romance with the Macabre | Michael Knox Beran
18 posts | 8 read | 49 to read
Arguing that it is less the quality of the crimes than the attitude of the age which determines the gruesomeness of its murders, Michael Beran brings to life the ghastly ambiance of a vanished epoch, and gives us a terrifying glimpse of the horror beneath the seeming civility of the Romantic era. In the early nineteenth century, a series of murders took place in and around London which shocked the whole of England. The appalling nature of the crimesa brutal slaying in the gambling netherworld, the slaughter of two entire households, and the first of the modern lust-murderswas magnified not only by the lurid atmosphere of an age in which candlelight gave way to gaslight, but also by the efforts of some of the keenest minds of the period to uncover the gruesomest details of the killings. These slayings all took place against the backdrop of a London in which the splendor of the fashionable world was haunted by the squalor of the slums. Sir Walter Scott, Lord Byron, Thomas De Quincey, Thomas Carlyle, and Percy Bysshe Shelley and others were fascinated by the blood and deviltry of these crimes. In their contemplations of the most notorious murders of their time, they discerned in the act of killing itself a depth of hideousness that we have lost sight of, now living in an age in which murder has been reduced to a problem of social science and skillful detective work. Interweaving these cultural vignettes alongside criminal history, acclaimed author Michael Beran paints a vivid picture of a time when homicide was thought of as the intrusion of the diabolic into ordinary life.
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RainyDayReading
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Here is my #bookspin and #doublespin for the month! The Great Influenza is on loan from the library. Murder by Candlelight is one of the books that has been on my TBR the longest. Can‘t wait to get started with them!

TiredLibrarian I've been meaning to read this for a while, and I love the cover on the other one! 3y
RainyDayReading @TiredLibrarian The cover is initially what drew me to Murder in Candlelight! I think The Great Influenza is going to be my first read between the two, it sounds fascinating! 3y
31 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Librarybelle
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I‘ve thought and thought about the #mostgruesomecrimescene I found in the classics and couldn‘t come up with anything. Until, I remembered this. Classic crimes that sparked writers to create stories. I didn‘t like the book, but the cover is amazing. #maylovesclassics

Wife Cover 🖤 6y
80 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Librarybelle
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Panpan

My first #CatchUpFriday book complete. For being only 240 pages, this book dragged. I enjoy historic true crime and classic literature, but this book did not keep my attention. I found the middle better than the beginning and ending. It‘s also clearly written for someone who has a way better vocabulary than I do - so many words I‘ve never seen before in anything I‘ve read. And, you know, I read a lot. This is a pan.

TricksyTails What a shame. The cover is so pretty! 6y
SandyW @TricksyTails Never judge a book by its cover. 😉 6y
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TricksyTails @SandyW 🙌 True! 😆 6y
ferskner Oh sad! I had such high hopes for this one. 6y
Librarybelle @ferskner It had so much promise, but it just fell really flat for me. 🙁 6y
tif I hate when people use wanky words just for the sake of it. So pretentious. 6y
Librarybelle Indeed, @tif . 6y
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Librarybelle
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#CatchUpFriday - still reading this one. Only reason: it‘s the only library book I‘ve ever destroyed (leaky ice bag that leaked through another bag into a bigger bag and onto the book). Cutting the soggy margins helped me to salvage the book. However sluggish the narrative is, I‘m going to finish this and file this under #dontjudgeabookbyitscover .

Cinfhen Ha! Pretty cover 6y
65 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Librarybelle
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My current #CatchUpFriday read also works for #IDieYouDie . #nuyear

Cinfhen That cover is UH.MAY.ZING 💕💕💕 6y
Librarybelle @Cinfhen I love the cover too! 6y
CoffeeCatsBooks Saw the cover and stacked it without even looking what it was about, lol. 😍 6y
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Librarybelle Lol, @CoffeeCatsBooks ! I admit...I do that too! 😉 6y
TrishB That‘s a lovely looking book 💕 6y
Librarybelle @TrishB It‘s one of my favorite covers! 6y
LadyChristy Ooooh... 🖤 (edited) 6y
74 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Librarybelle
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My first read for #CatchUpFriday ...I started this in 2016, and it‘s really a slow going read. But, look at the cover!

GripLitGrl Love the cover! 6y
Librarybelle @GripLitGrl ❤️❤️ 6y
ferskner I bought this a few months ago just for the cover (and the title). 6y
Librarybelle @ferskner I hope you like it! It‘s not a favorite of mine. 🙁 6y
75 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Leelee08
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Working on my Scottish saltire cross-stitch bracelet while I read some fun nonfiction about murder in the Romantic period...🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🔪☠️👻🎩

jpmcwisemorgan I‘m interested in this bracelet. Where do you find such a thing? 6y
Leelee08 @jpmcwisemorgan I found the bracelet at Hobby Lobby. I even found some bookmarks to cross-stitch.😊 6y
TommieMarie74 I clearly need to go back to Hobby Lobby!! 😍 6y
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Leelee08 @TommieMarie74 I love it there. I swear, I could buy the whole store!😂😍 6y
TommieMarie74 @Leelee08 Me too! And Michaels. Those stores feed my second obsession. I love to cross stitch, crochet, and decorate cakes. I really need those cross stitch bracelets!! 6y
Leelee08 @TommieMarie74 I love Michaels too! Aww I‘d love to learn to crochet! I need someone to teach me! 6y
TommieMarie74 @Leelee08 it‘s easy and I‘m sure you‘d like it too. I would teach you if I could. I‘m in Kansas. Any chance you are too? Lol! 6y
Leelee08 @TommieMarie74 I wish! Lol I‘m in Alabama. Maybe you could teach me over Skype! I don‘t know anyone who crochets.....😊 6y
TommieMarie74 @Leelee08 Skype might work! We could give it a shot!! 😊 6y
Leelee08 @TommieMarie74 Awesome! I‘ll let you know when I have some free time and we can coordinate schedules.😁😊😄 6y
TommieMarie74 @Leelee08 Perfect!! 😊🎉😊 6y
90 likes2 stack adds11 comments
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MarriedtoMrT
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It‘s a sorting library books kind of day. I was on the fence about what I wanted to do with this one so I consulted Litsy. Scrolling through I saw two so-sos and two bails. Decision made! You may be pretty but you‘re going back unread.

LorieL Thanks for the heads up. I'm a sucker for a pretty cover too! 6y
54 likes1 comment
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ladyclassics
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Mehso-so

Book one in my 19th century murder history series: solid book, although could've been better. It provides insightful information about murder in the height of romanticism and intertwines real crimes with the leading gothic writers of the time. Although at times the order was sporadic and the quotation excessive, it was nevertheless an enjoyable read and a unique investigation of the lesser known murders and their influence on literary history.

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ladyclassics
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Oh Wilson, how you understand me!

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ladyclassics
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When you go to buy ONE book on Amazon and then just glance down for a moment at the "suggestions".....looks like I'm back in my phase of reading all there is to know about the Victorian's fascination with murder and crime! :D #sorrynotsorry

Reviewsbylola Oooooh I need you to read all of these right now so I know which ones I must buy! 7y
ladyclassics Of course!! I started with the Murder By Candlelight one and am liking it so far :) I will be posting my reviews as soon as I finish each one! @Reviewsbylola 7y
26 likes2 comments
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irregularreader
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Mehso-so

New #bookreview at www.theirregularreaderblog.wordpress.com! Learn about the inspiration for gothic literature in these true crime stories!

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irregularreader
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This is why I'm getting nothing done today

Smrloomis So so cute! 💕 7y
16 likes1 comment
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Liberty
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Day 18 of the #Riotgrams challenge: something pretty! I love lacy cutout covers, like The Monsters of Templeton hardcover and this gorgeous cover for gruesome crimes. 🖤☠️❤️

RadicalReader @Liberty what a beautiful book cover? 7y
jpmcwisemorgan Other people blame Litsy for their TBR lists exploding but I know it's you and @bookriot who've blown mine out the water. 😀 7y
RealBooks4ever Love this cover! 💜💜💜 7y
170 likes22 stack adds3 comments
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Dorianna
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Bailedbailed

I don't seem to be having the best luck with my book picks this weekend. While the subject matter is interesting, the writer does not do a good job with it. The narration is muddled. His bashing of murder stories that weren't from his favorite time period came off as childish instead of criticism. There was an overuse of quotations that made me think of a student trying to pad a mediocre research paper at the last minute. #24in48 #readathon #DNF

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tasha
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Pickpick

This is strictly a #CoverLove photo! I adore this #cover. The #book doesn't have amazing #reviews but it sure is #pretty 😍 #bookstagram #bookstore #starbucks #chapters #skull #murderbycandlelight

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AlexandraGriffin
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Bailedbailed

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me at about 50%. It was just kind of boring. It never pulled me in. And I didn't particularly care for the audiobook reader. It's just not for me. Gorgeous cover art though! ⭐️⭐️ of 5

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Liberty
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Spending a snowy afternoon with some murder. 🔪🔫⚰ ☠

Matilda Wise choice. 8y
Sharanya 👍🏾 8y
KharaMercedes Love the image. Hope to hear you discuss is on #allthebooks @Liberty 8y
Liberty @KharaInWonderland Awww, this one is already out, but you can bet it won't be long before I find another dark, creepy new release to discuss. 😀 8y
31 likes10 stack adds4 comments