In 1953, a man installing a shelf in a North Kensington apartment in London stumbled upon a horrifying scene: the concealed bodies of three young women hidden behind a makeshift partition. Beneath the floor lay the remains of a middle-aged tenant, Ethel Christie, whose husband Reg was notably missing.
Authorities soon realized a dangerous murderer was at large.
Police warnings grew increasingly grim, cautioning that each hour the killer remained free posed a grave threat to women nationwide, alluding to the possibility of sexual violence and necrophilia. They stressed that without capture, the perpetrator could continue his horrific acts unchecked.
Kate Summerscale’s book, "The Peepshow," offers a meticulous exploration of this infamous case. It is not a mystery novel—Reg Christie’s guilt is clear—but Summerscale’s narrative, enriched by her sharp sociological insight and storytelling skill, brings fresh perspective to the chilling details.
At the time, around 80 percent of Britain's 50 million population consumed daily newspapers, with tabloids dominating and sensationalizing stories of crime, sex, and violence to captivate readers.
One of the era’s most skilled crime reporters, Harry Procter of the Sunday Pictorial, had previously interviewed Reg Christie four years before the 1953 discovery. That earlier case involved the bodies of Beryl Evans and her 13-month-old daughter, found in a separate flat within Christie’s building.
Initially, Beryl’s husband Tim confessed to the murders but later retracted, accusing Christie instead. Despite this, Tim was convicted and executed. Yet, evidence uncovered later—including more victims’ remains and disturbing artifacts in the garden—pointed to a depraved serial killer at work, raising questions about the true extent of the crimes and miscarriages of justice.
