Unnatural Murder: Poison At the Court Of James l

I just couldn't get enough of this book. As other reviewers have pointed out, the main characters in it are a young, rich and fashionable couple --loved by few, envied by many-- who were charged with the murder of a former friend of the man's, a disgraced courtier imprisoned in the Tower of London. As a consequence of the trial, several people's lives were ruined --- some were executed, while others were imprisoned and their property confiscated. Yet others managed to escape with their lives and goods more or less untouched. Anne Somerset takes us on a tour of the decadent, corrupt court of King James I --- where people seeking advancement knew that the person to approach was the King's latest male favorite, and where, as the song goes, no one got to get it for free --- ever. She also carefully and painstakingly leads us through the legal issues at stake and the trial itself, introducing us along the way to fascinating characters such as the obsessive, hateful Lord Chief Justice, Edward Coke, and the ambitious and wily Sir Francis Bacon, both of whom played leading roles in the criminal proceedings. I happen to be a lawyer, so of course I loved all the information about the trial, but I really think this book will appeal to many, regardless of their connections to the legal profession. Contrary to what another reviewer says, I don't think her style of writing is at all boring --- her wry humor and compassion are refreshing, and the details only add to our enjoyment of the story, providing us with clues as to what may have happened. Ms Somerset also highlights the many differences between court proceedings in Jacobean times and those of modern times --- it's chilling to think that defendants weren't allowed to have legal counsel, call witnesses in their defense, or even given ink and paper to write down notes to help them in their arguments. In many cases, especially those where the Crown's interests were involved, it was a foregone conclusion that the accused would be found guilty. But, despite the gripping storyline, I found the book ultimately sad. Not only because most of the people in it are unlikeable and morally flawed, but also because it is, after all, the story of a man who was too stupid to take advantage of the staggering opportunities offered him --- and of a woman who, despite her wealth and social status, was so terribly unhappy as to make some very unwise choices --- with dire consequences. Most heartrending of all, it is also the story of many 'little people' who had neither this man's opportunities nor this woman's status, and because of that were simply swept away in the great wave of the King's wrath and the court's envy. There are moral lessons galore. All in all, a highly recommended read!

Much more about her husband rather than the supposed "tart" at the center of the conspiracy, Unnatural Murder leaves you wishing to know more about the Countess of Somerset. For a young woman living at a time when women had even less real power than the present, she made some difficult (and, admittedly, poor) decisions in attempting to wrest control of her life from the men around her. And apparently had the courage to take responsibility for those decisions. Tragic story.

Anne Somerset has written a comprehensive non-fiction account of the Overbury scandal that reads as if it were fictional narrative. The sources are exhaustive but not oppressive, so that this murder mystery turns out to be one of the best historical "whodunits" I have read. The plot is of the ages: the Countess of Somerset is young and beautiful; the Earl of Somerset is rich and powerful. In the Fall of 1615 the Countess and the Earl of Somerset were arrested on sucpicion of having murdered Sir Thomas Overbury. Does the passion, lust and greed that lead up to their arrest turn the plot? This has it all.