A Life Sentence

Well-known for her subversive criticism of the Victorian class structure, Sergeant ramps things up a notch in ‘A Life Sentence’.

Through the murder of Sydney Vane, we are introduced to his apparent killer Andrew Westwood. However, is he the murderer or has something been overlooked?

While ‘A Life Sentence’ could be viewed as a 19th-century whodunnit, Sergeant uses the characters and situation to explore the idea that good people can find themselves doing bad things, particularly when the upper echelons of society are self-serving and decadent.

‘A Life Sentence’ is an eye-opening book for anyone with an interest in Victorian society or who wants an introduction to Sergeant’s work.



Emily Frances Adeline Sergeant (1851 – 1904) was one of the most prolific novelists of the 19th century. Born in Derbyshire, Emily was the daughter of Richard Sergeant, a Methodist missionary, and Jane Hall, a writer of children’s books. Jane published her stories under the name Adeline, which Emily was later to adopt.

During her lifetime, Adeline Sergeant wrote over 90 novels, including ‘The Story of a Penitent Soul,’ ‘No Saint,’ and ‘The Idol Maker.’ Many of her works explored the theme of religion, as her views changed from committed faith to agnosticism, and finally, to Catholicism.