Synopses & Reviews
"There is no doubt this is a gem of a read."
Torquay Herald Express
"This is the first factual account of the Mary Celeste to be published in the last 30 years and it makes for a fascinating read - one that goes well beyond mere detective story to make a subtle examination of the reasons why this case has lived on in the public consciousness."
NUMAST Telegraph
"Paul Begg...has delivered a readable, intelligent, account of the history of the ship, the cast of characters and what is believed to be the recent discovery of the wreckage identified as being part of Marie Celeste."
World Ship Review
In 1872 the Mary Celeste was found sailing aimlessly in the Atlantic Ocean, her crew strangely and inexplicably missing. What happened to them has remained an enduring mystery of the sea.
Mary Celeste quickly became the subject of stories that told of half-eaten meals, mugs of still-warm tea on the galley table, and the aroma of fresh tobacco smoke lingering in the captains cabin. Theories to account for the missing crew ranged from mutiny and murder to a giant octopus snatching the crew one by one from the deck, abduction by UFOs and the strange forces said to exist in the so-called Bermuda Triangle.
In this gripping narrative, Paul Begg tells the story of the discovery of Mary Celeste, the people who vanished and the recent discovery of the wreckage. He investigates over a centurys worth of speculation and survivors tales, searching for the facts behind one of the worlds great mysteries. The book also features the full text of Arthur Conan Doyles short story and the transcript of the Gibraltar proceedings. New to this edition is a fascinating account of the filming of 'The Ghost Ship', a Hammer Films production of the mystery starring Bela Lugosi. Paul Begg has written about numerous historical mysteries and is one of the worlds leading authorities on Jack the Ripper. He is author of Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History (2002, also Longman) and Into Thin Air: People Who Disappear (1979) about mysterious disappearances, which included a chapter about the Mary Celeste. He has also appeared on a TV documentary about the discovery of the mystery ship's wreckage.
Review
A fascinating read - one that goes well beyond mere detective story to make a subtle examination of the reasons why this case has lived on in the public consciousness.
NUMAST Telegraph
A readable, intelligent, account of the history of the ship, the cast of characters and what is believed to be the recent discovery of wreckage identified as being part of Marie Celeste.
World Ship Review
Synopsis
Mary Celeste is an iconic mystery - a perfectly seaworthy ship found wandering aimlessly at sea, her crew strangely and inexplicably missing.
Paul Begg tells the story of the discovery of Mary Celeste and the people who vanished, and investigates over a century's worth of speculation and survivors' tales, searching for the facts behind one of the world's great mysteries.
Synopsis
The definitive account of the world's most famous maritime mystery.
- No new book written on the subject for many years
Synopsis
The definitive account of the world's most famous maritime mystery.
- No new book written on the subject for many years
About the Author
Paul Begg is the author of Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History (Longman 2004) and two other highly respected books about Jack the Ripper. He is also the author of Into Thin Air (1981), which included a chapter about the Mary Celeste and wrote extensively for The Unexplained, a part-work to which he contributed an article about Mary Celeste. He has appeared on a Channel 5 documentary about the discovery of the mystery ship's wreckage.
Table of Contents
CONTENTS: List of maps and illustrations
Acknowledgements
1 The ocean wanderer
2 Spencer's Island
3 Benjamin Spooner Briggs
4 The crew
5 The voyage
6 Meet Mr Frederick Solly Flood
7 Meanwhile
8 Wild and fanciful tales
9 From Hammer to Goon to postage stamp
10 Other maritime mysteries
11 Theories of abandonement
12 Afterwards
13 Mary Celeste - found?
Appendix I J. Habakuk Jephson's statement
Appendix II Transcript of the Gibralter Proceedings
Appendix III Edge of the Sepia: The Life of George Mozart, by John Murray Gillings
Bibliography
Index