Murder at No. 4 Euston Square : The Mystery of the Lady in the Cellar

Number 4 Euston Square was a respectable boarding house, well-kept and hospitable, like many others in Victorian London. But beneath this very ordinary veneer, there was a murderous darkness at its heart. On 8th May 1879, the corpse of former resident, Matilda Hacker, was uncovered by chance in the coal cellar. The investigation that followed this macabre discovery stripped bare the shadow-side of Victorian domesticity, throwing the lives of everyone within into an extraordinary and destructive maelstrom. For someone in Number 4 Euston Square must have had full knowledge of what had happened to Matilda Hacker. Someone in that house had killed her. How could the murderer prove so amazingly elusive? Bestselling author, Sinclair McKay delves into this intriguing story and sheds light on a mystery that eluded the detectives of Scotland Yard. A chilling true crime story of a baffling boarding house murder in Victorian London and the stunning secrets revealed by the investigation. Someone must have known what happened to Matilda Hacker. For someone in that house had killed her. So how could the murderer prove so elusive? Standing four storeys tall in an elegant Bloomsbury terrace, No. 4, Euston Square was a well-kept, respectable boarding house. But beneath this genteel Victorian London veneer lay murderous intrigue. On 9 May 1879, the body of a former resident, Matilda Hacker, was discovered by chance in the coal cellar. The ensuing investigation—led by Inspector Charles Hagen, rising star of the recently formed CID—stripped bare the dark side of Victorian domesticity. In this true-crime story, Sinclair McKay meticulously evaluates the evidence in first-hand sources. His gripping account sheds new light on a mystery that eluded Scotland Yard. Praise for Murder at No. 4 Euston Square "With the gusto of a penny dreadful, Murder at No. 4 Euston Road dodges any stodgy courtroom testimony that can weigh down true crime stories and sticks to the juicy details. It is hard to avoid the comparison with Kate Summerscale's The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and it has similar historical richness and plot twisting." — The Spectator (UK) "Sinclair McKay is an accomplished and talented author with a rare skill. . . . True crime fans and history buffs will enjoy this book, coming away with an enthralling true crime story and a new knowledge and understanding of Victorian London." — Crime Traveller (UK) "Gripping, gothic and deeply poignant." — The Mail on Sunday (UK) "A meticulously researched book." —Brian Viner, Daily Mail (UK) Someone must have known what happened to Matilda Hacker. For someone in that house had killed her. So how could the murderer prove so elusive? Standing four storeys tall in an elegant Bloomsbury terrace, No. 4, Euston Square was a well-kept, respectable boarding house. But beneath this genteel Victorian London veneer lay murderous intrigue. On 9 May 1879, the body of a former resident, Matilda Hacker, was discovered by chance in the coal cellar. The ensuing investigation – led by Inspector Charles Hagen, rising star of the recently formed CID – stripped bare the dark side of Victorian domesticity. In this true-crime story, Sinclair McKay meticulously evaluates the evidence in first-hand sources. His gripping account sheds new light on a mystery that eluded Scotland Yard. ‘With the gusto of a penny dreadful, Murder at No. 4 Euston Road dodges any stodgy courtroom testimony that can weigh down true crime stories and sticks to the juicy details. It is hard to avoid the comparison with Kate Summerscale’s The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and it has similar historical richness and plot twisting...’ The Spectator 'Sinclair McKay is an accomplished and talented author with a rare skill... True crime fans and history buffs will enjoy this book, coming away with an enthralling true crime story and a new knowledge and understanding of Victorian London.' Crime Traveller ‘Gripping, gothic and deeply poignant’ Mail on Sunday ‘A meticulously researched book’ - Brian Viner, Daily Mail Standing four stories tall in an elegant Bloomsbury terrace, number 4, Euston Square was a well-kept, respectable boarding house, whose tenants felt themselves to be on the rise in Victorian London. But beneath this genteel veneer lay a murderous darkness. For on 9th May 1879, the body of a former resident, Matilda Hacker, was discovered by chance in the coal cellar. The ensuing investigation stripped bare the dark side of Victorian domesticity, revealing violence, sex and scandal, and became the first celebrity case of the early tabloids. Someone must have had full knowledge of what had happened to Matilda Hacker. For someone in that house had killed her. So how could the murderer prove so elusive? Bestselling author Sinclair McKay gives a gripping account of a murder in the heart of Victorian London, which intrigued and scandalised Bloomsbury society. Bestselling author Sinclair McKay sheds light on a murder in the heart of Victorian London, which intrigued and scandalised Bloomsbury society