Unnatural Murder: Poison In The Court Of James I

Royal scandal, set against the background of the Jacobean court, involving love, bribery, poison, treachery and black magic - ''a hugely enjoyable book'' Daily Telegraph

''A gripping detective story ... Wonderfully dramatic ... Probably the juiciest court scandal of the past 500 years'' Daily Mail

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 young and beautiful Countess of Somerset had already achieved notoriety when she divorced her first husband in controversial circumstances. The Earl of Somerset was one of the richest and most powerful men in the kingdom, having risen to prominence as the male ''favourite'' of James I.

In a vivid, enthralling narrative, Anne Somerset unravels these extraordinary events. It is, at once, a story rich in passion, intrigue and corruption 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.

''This is a book about murder, witchcraft, adultery, lechery, intrigue and chicanery among the country''s most powerful nobility'' Time Out