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I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even found it hard to put down, and yet I didn't want it to end.
It tells the story of a rather pretentious scion of a Distinguished military family.
It has all the right ingredients for a good mystery.
The beautiful and not too moral victorian lady who is pursued by two gentlemen, and only one would survive this courtship.
The protagonist is a man of education and studied refinement who lacks nothing except for a sense of morality. A real Sociopath before the term came into use.
He is jealous of his love's other suitor and even the manager of his athletic club.
By means of an elaborate and well thought out plan his wife's suiter is poisoned and his nemesis at the that club is also the recipient of a poisined package. It is a box of fine chocolate candy which he shares with his lady friend's mother much to her misfortune. She doesn't survive, but the manager does and becomes the prosecution's star witness .
The book unfolds with the story of an intense investigation. there is a trial at which the protagonist is convicted of the murder of the unfortunate lady who loved chocolates
The evidence is mostly circumstantial, but captures the imagination of the whole country having been fed by the greatest scandal sheets of the time.
The central character is imprissioned and sentenced to death, but is given a chance with the court of appeals.
This time his team does a great job of discrediting the witneses and our protagonist is set free.
The murder is never solved, but one has the distinct feeling that we know the answer to that question.
The book then tells the fate of the central characters, none of which escaped this crime unscathed.
It was a real true life mystery which compelled me to find other books by Mr. Schecter. He has found his niche as the chronicler fs some of the most famous, and some fairly unknown murder cases.
I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery spiced with seedy characters and unrequited love.
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(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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Robert Bethea has commented on (1) product.
The Devil's Gentleman: Privilege, Poison, and the Trial That Ushered in the Twentieth Century by Harold Schechter
Robert Bethea, October 26, 2007
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even found it hard to put down, and yet I didn't want it to end.It tells the story of a rather pretentious scion of a Distinguished military family.
It has all the right ingredients for a good mystery.
The beautiful and not too moral victorian lady who is pursued by two gentlemen, and only one would survive this courtship.
The protagonist is a man of education and studied refinement who lacks nothing except for a sense of morality. A real Sociopath before the term came into use.
He is jealous of his love's other suitor and even the manager of his athletic club.
By means of an elaborate and well thought out plan his wife's suiter is poisoned and his nemesis at the that club is also the recipient of a poisined package. It is a box of fine chocolate candy which he shares with his lady friend's mother much to her misfortune. She doesn't survive, but the manager does and becomes the prosecution's star witness .
The book unfolds with the story of an intense investigation. there is a trial at which the protagonist is convicted of the murder of the unfortunate lady who loved chocolates
The evidence is mostly circumstantial, but captures the imagination of the whole country having been fed by the greatest scandal sheets of the time.
The central character is imprissioned and sentenced to death, but is given a chance with the court of appeals.
This time his team does a great job of discrediting the witneses and our protagonist is set free.
The murder is never solved, but one has the distinct feeling that we know the answer to that question.
The book then tells the fate of the central characters, none of which escaped this crime unscathed.
It was a real true life mystery which compelled me to find other books by Mr. Schecter. He has found his niche as the chronicler fs some of the most famous, and some fairly unknown murder cases.
I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery spiced with seedy characters and unrequited love.
(3 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)