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

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) Read more Continue reading Read less REVIEW
'Gripping, gothic and deeply poignant' (The Lady in the Cellar) -- The Mail on Sunday

'With the gusto of a penny dreadful, The Lady in the Cellar 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

'I found this a truly breathtaking, eye-opening book.' (The Secret Life of Bletchley Park) -- A.N Wilson

'Painstakingly researched and fascinating as his bestselling The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, and an essential companion to it' (The Secret Listeners) -- Daily Mail

'As he has proved before, Sinclair McKay has no peers when it comes to the history of Bletchley Park - and its aftermath. Lucid, well-researched and rich in detail, The Spies of Winter is a valuable addition to the genre.' (The Spies of Winter) -- Daily Mail

'A fascinating book, by turns riveting and unsettling, and wonderfully rich in period detail.' (Mile End Murder) -- Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday

'Tale of crime and police incompetence is told in lurid detail.' (Mile End Murder) -- James Marriot, The Times

'meticulously researched book' (The Lady in the Cellar) -- Brian Viner, Daily Mail

'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 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. ABOUT THE AUTHOR


SINCLAIR MCKAY is the acclaimed author of history and historical true crime including the best-selling The Secret Life of Bletchley Park. HIs previous Aurum titles include Mile End Murder,The Lost World of Bletchley Park,The Secret Life of Fighter Commandand The Secret Listeners for Aurum, as well as histories of Hammer films and the James Bond films. He writes features for theDaily Telegraphand theMail on Sundayand lives in London.



--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Read more Continue reading Read less