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His Bloody Project

Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae : a Historical Thriller
May 08, 2017Nicr rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Researching his family history, the narrator comes across a triple murder in 1869 by his relative, Roderick Macrae, then 17. After an initial setup for verisimilitude, what follows are brief accounts from various acquaintances (with various points of view as to the nature of the killer), a long account by the killer himself of his life leading up to and including the crime (written in prison at the behest of his attorney), medical examiner's reports, an account of the trial, etc. Of course, what immediately begins to stand out are the discrepancies. A clever and accomplished piece of fiction masquerading as history.