by Lady Anne Somerset (Author)
In the autumn of 1615 the Earl and Countess of Somerset were detained on suspicion of having murdered Sir Thomas Overbury. The arrest of these leading court figures created a sensation. The Countess was both young and beautiful: the Earl was one of the richest and most powerful men in the kingdom, having risen to prominence as the male 'favourite' of the monarch James I. In a vivid narrative, Anne Somerset unravels these extraordinary events, which were widely regarded as an extreme manifestation of the corruption and vice which disfigured the court during this period. It is at once a story rich in passion and intrigue and a murder mystery, for, despite the guilty verdicts, there is much about Overbury's death that remains enigmatic. The Overbury murder case profoundly damaged the monarchy, and constituted the greatest court scandal in English history.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 448
Edition: 2
Publisher: Phoenix
Published: 02 Aug 2004
ISBN 10: 0753801981
ISBN 13: 9780753801987
Book Overview: Reprinted four times in paperback Reissued to coincide with the publication of Anne Somerset's new paperback The Affair of the Poisons 'This is by far the most comprehensive account I have read of the Overbury scandal, combining a firm mastery of complex sources with a narrative drive that impels the reader to turn the page. It is also quite one of the best historical whodunits' Sir Roy Strong, Sunday Times 'It is a gripping story, its intricacies expertly teased out by that seasoned historian of life at court, Anne Somerset' Roy Porter, Evening Standard 'A well-researched and immensely detailed analysis of the Overbury case' Caroline Bingham, Times Literary Supplement 'A gripping detective story. It tells us more about the corruption, debauchery and naked power-plays of 17th-century life than anything I have read' Christopher Hudson, Daily Mail
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