In August 1780 Sir Theodosius Boughton, a dissolute Old Etonian twenty-year-old and heir to a Warwickshire fortune, died in painful convulsions after taking his medicine. The following year after an inquest and trial which became a cause celebre, his brother-in-law, Captain John 'Diamond' Donellan, Irish soldier of fortune and man about town, was tried for his murder. The trial was a shambles. And was Donellan guilty? Based on extensive research and the engrossing trial transcripts Elizabeth Cooke's book shows the dark and violent underside of the society of Mansfield Park.
The Damnation of John Donellan
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'A fascinating account of a Georgian cause celebre... just as Kate Summerscale did brilliantly in 'The Suspicions of Mr Whicher'' --Mail on Sunday
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A shocking tale of greed and family betrayal
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the fascinating story of the delightfully named Theodosius Boughton, heir to a vast fortune and the seventh Boughton baronetcy, who died at the age of only twenty - less than a year before he due to inherit. Theodosius was a young man who loved life - he fought in taverns, was known for his carousing, loved women and contracted VD whilst still a student at Eton. When we meet him he has been taking medication for his "condition", although he was not good about taking his medicine. On the morning of 30th August 1780 his mother, Lady Anna Maria Boughton, gave him his prescribed physic and insisted he take it, despite his disgust at the taste. Shortly after swallowing the mixture, he was dead.
What follows is a battle between Lady Anna Maria and her daughter's (the equally delightfully named Theodosia) husband John Donellan. Did somebody tamper with Theodosius's physick? Was Anna Maria attempting to blackmail Donellan into doing what she wanted within hours of her sons death? Did Donellan's refusal to do what Anna Maria wanted lead to his arrest on purely circumstantial evidence, or was he a fortune hunter who resented his younger brother in law? This book is full of scandal, gossip and sheer horror - including a ghoulish public autopsy where the corpse was reported to be, "a spectacle of horror scarce to be endured" and the death of a servant who may have had vital evidence.
Both the death and the trial are wonderfully recreated and the whole book, including the conclusion, well documented and interesting, if often sad. Whether Donellan was guilty or not, it is certain that he never had a fair trial, but read this yourself and make your own mind up. It is guaranteed you will be unable to put this down until you have finished it.
What follows is a battle between Lady Anna Maria and her daughter's (the equally delightfully named Theodosia) husband John Donellan. Did somebody tamper with Theodosius's physick? Was Anna Maria attempting to blackmail Donellan into doing what she wanted within hours of her sons death? Did Donellan's refusal to do what Anna Maria wanted lead to his arrest on purely circumstantial evidence, or was he a fortune hunter who resented his younger brother in law? This book is full of scandal, gossip and sheer horror - including a ghoulish public autopsy where the corpse was reported to be, "a spectacle of horror scarce to be endured" and the death of a servant who may have had vital evidence.
Both the death and the trial are wonderfully recreated and the whole book, including the conclusion, well documented and interesting, if often sad. Whether Donellan was guilty or not, it is certain that he never had a fair trial, but read this yourself and make your own mind up. It is guaranteed you will be unable to put this down until you have finished it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By K. McGregor
Format:Paperback
Just finished this book and what a book it was. I bought it because of all the great reviews, particularly the most recent in The Times. It certainly lived up to expectation for me. It's a beautifully put together, non-fictional account of John Donellan's trial set against the backdrop of Georgian England. The plot unravels in a way that is both entertaining and ultimately devastating. I can really see this book made into a film - some extraordinary characters in such an outrageous setting - you cannot help but have an opinion on this world and the people in it. A real gem of a read and a fantastic, intelligent piece of storytelling.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By KAW
Format:Paperback
This was a fascinating retelling of how murder was investigated and tried before modern forensics. All the evidence was circumstantial but in an age when justice was influenced by social circumstances and who you knew, Donellan was damned as soon as the suspicion of poison was raised. The frustrating thing was the death may not have been caused by murder at all. It was easy to think that this was fiction and expect a neat conclusion, but this was history and in the end we will never know if an innocent man was condemned, if a guilty women got away with it, or if there was a murder at all.
The author gave just the right amount of background history of the people involved and it was interesting to read about what happened after.
The author gave just the right amount of background history of the people involved and it was interesting to read about what happened after.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but a bit long winded
The book is about a very interesting occurrence and gives a good reflection of the time and society at the upper end. Read more
Published 25 days ago by patrick james turley
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating read for anyone with an interest in history.
John Donellan was a former army officer, returned from serving in India, who married the heiress to a title, lands and hall in Warwickshire in the 18th century. Read more
Published 3 months ago by G. Robbins
4.0 out of 5 stars
Damnation of John Donellan
Well researched book, which kept me gripped all the way to the end, although was still left thinking ...'who did it'??
Published 3 months ago by Elaine Whittaker
4.0 out of 5 stars
was it done and who "done it" ?
We chose this book for our reading group because of a local connection with the author. It certainly provoked much discussion both about the book and the period. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jennifer A. Kretz
5.0 out of 5 stars
A dazzler of a book
Intrigued by the title, I picked up "The Damnation of John Donellan" in a bookshop and after thumbing through the pages, realised that as a sucker for a scandal I might enjoy it... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Book addict
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining treatment of the historical crime thriller
A fascinating insight into late 18th century England. Some of the characters are so poisonous, they make the Borgias look like the Waltons!
Published 21 months ago by Stephen M Lawes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fab read
What a great read, so much detail it takes you right back, a real history lesson and so enjoyable, a must read for 2011.
Published 21 months ago by AMJ
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Treacherous Trial
A really well laid-out book. The scene is set, the characters are introduced then the trial unfolds. What follows is a fascinating insight into a 230 year old legal drama. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Jan
5.0 out of 5 stars
18th century murder and mayhem
Heard an interview on radio about this; really intriguing story full of family scandal. A battle to the death really between mother and son-in-law! Read more
Published 21 months ago by book lover
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