
Passion, Poison and Power
The Mysterious Death of Sir Thomas Overbury
Brian Harris(Author)
Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing
Published on 31. October 2010
Book
Hardback
219 pages
978-0-85490-077-0 (ISBN)
Description
Little attention was paid at the time to the death in the Tower of London of Sir Thomas Overbury, but it was not long before foul play was suspected. Two years later six people went to the gallows for his murder in a case which was said to involve wizardry, love potions, coded letters and a poisoned enema. Following them into the dock were the most glamorous couple at the court of King James.
The husband, who was widely rumoured to be the King's lover, was convicted of Overbury's murder despite his protestations of innocence; but was he actually guilty? His pretty young wife confessed to the murder; but did she actually commit the crime? And the Lord Chief Justice was convinced that the case had a far wider and more sinister significance than appeared on the surface, possibly involving the suspicious death of the Prince of Wales.
Despite an exhaustive inquiry conducted by England's most feared prosecutor, the whole truth never came to light; even the official report of the trials is suspect. In this entertaining account of one of the most sensational crimes in English history, Brian Harris re-evaluates the evidence and proposes a new solution to this intriguing Jacobean mystery.
The husband, who was widely rumoured to be the King's lover, was convicted of Overbury's murder despite his protestations of innocence; but was he actually guilty? His pretty young wife confessed to the murder; but did she actually commit the crime? And the Lord Chief Justice was convinced that the case had a far wider and more sinister significance than appeared on the surface, possibly involving the suspicious death of the Prince of Wales.
Despite an exhaustive inquiry conducted by England's most feared prosecutor, the whole truth never came to light; even the official report of the trials is suspect. In this entertaining account of one of the most sensational crimes in English history, Brian Harris re-evaluates the evidence and proposes a new solution to this intriguing Jacobean mystery.
Reviews / Votes
Brian Harris,a contemporary lawyer of distinction,has deployed his forensic skills in seeking to unravel a celebrated seventeenth century murder mystery;his may not be the last word on a topic which has engaged generations of scholars but his theatrical format and analytical insight carry the reader forward with him on an entertaining journey. -- Michael Beloff QC The death in 1613 of Sir Thomas Overbury in the Tower of London is a matter of such Byzantine complexity, you could write a book about it, which is exactly what Brian Harris QC has successfully and entertainingly done. He deals with the case, not specifically as an historian, but as a lawyer...the narration is positively gripping...combining as it does, history, mystery and the law, Passion, Poison and Power is a compelling read and deserves a wide and appreciative readership' -- Philip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth TaylorMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
General readers interested in history and historical mysteries.
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
500 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-85490-077-0 (9780854900770)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Brian Harris QC is a writer and legal consultant. Previous books include Intolerance: Divided Societies on Trial (Wildy, Simmonds and Hill, 2008), Injustice: State Trials from Socrates to Nuremberg (Sutton Publishing, 2006) and The Literature of the Law (Blackstone, 1998).
Content
Acknowledgements
Characters
Prologue
Act 1 The empty stage
Act 2 The husband, his wife and her lovers
Act 3 The annulment
Act 4 Overbury in the Tower
Act 5 The Gallant Masque of Lords
Act 6 A new star rises
Act 7 A net to catch the little fishes
Act 8 The fall of the house of Somerset
Act 9 The Somersets on Trial
Act 10 Was justice done?
Act 11 Was Carr a murderer?
Act 12 The conspiracy theories
Act 13 Who or what killed Overbury?
Act 14 And afterwards
Author's note
Principal sources
Index
Characters
Prologue
Act 1 The empty stage
Act 2 The husband, his wife and her lovers
Act 3 The annulment
Act 4 Overbury in the Tower
Act 5 The Gallant Masque of Lords
Act 6 A new star rises
Act 7 A net to catch the little fishes
Act 8 The fall of the house of Somerset
Act 9 The Somersets on Trial
Act 10 Was justice done?
Act 11 Was Carr a murderer?
Act 12 The conspiracy theories
Act 13 Who or what killed Overbury?
Act 14 And afterwards
Author's note
Principal sources
Index