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Publisher:
William Morrow (Harper Collins) |
Release
Date: February 2003 |
ISBN:
0060559748 |
Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Hardback |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Nonfiction/Historical Crime [1779, London] |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Rachel A Hyde |
Reviewer
Notes: |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
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Love
& Madness
The Murder of Martha Ray, Mistress of the Fourth Earl of Sandwich
By Martin Levy
Martha
Ray, the beautiful mistress of the Earl of Sandwich was just coming
out of Covent Garden theatre one evening in 1779 when she was shot
and killed. Her assassin was a besotted would-be lover, the Reverend
James Hackman. This extraordinary case soon became a cause celebre
that attracted the attention of many notable figures of the day
and makes fascinating reading over two hundred years after it occurred.
Here are most of the perennial features that appeal to human nature
– violence, scandal, high society, sex, religion and murder
– and this illustrated book is sure to entertain.
It doesn’t matter that this
is not a novel for it reads like one, with the added dimension of
it all being true. Martin Levy, veteran writer of many a popular
history knows how to make his tale entertaining although this is
not exactly difficult considering the material. What really appeals
and fascinates about this book (and makes it stand above many novels)
is the window it gives into the times, with an in-depth look at
how people viewed passion, love, crime and their reflections in
the arts. There is even Sir John Fielding in here, so readers of
18th century historical whodunits ought to love this – it
is certainly destined for my own keeper shelves. Highly entertaining
and engrossing.
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