"Victorian Studies in Scarlet" is a book by Altick that examines the Victorian delight in murder as a social phenomenon. The book is constructed around classic murder cases that provide a vivid perspective on how people lived and died in the Age of Victoria. From the beginning of the age, homicide was a national entertainment.

Altick treats each killing as an excuse to excavate the rich soil of Victorian social history. One review says that Altick thrills over the reports of what a Victorian.