White Mischief - by James Fox (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The riveting true story of decadence, deception, and murder among British aristocrats in colonial Kenya

In 1941, with London burning in the Blitz, a group of hedonistic English nobles partied shamelessly in Kenya. Far removed from falling bombs, the wealthy elites of "Happy Valley" indulged in morphine, alcohol, and unrestricted sex, often with their friends' spouses. But the party turned sinister in the early hours of a January morning for Josslyn Hay, Lord Erroll, who had been enjoying the favors of the beautiful young wife of a middle-aged neighbor. Hay was found dead, a bullet in his brain. The murder shocked the close-knit community of wealthy expatriates in Nairobi and shined a harsh light on their louche lifestyle.

Three decades later, author James Fox researched the slaying of Lord Erroll, an unsolved crime still sheathed in a thick cloud of rumor and innuendo. What he discovered was both unsettling and luridly compelling. White Mischief is a spellbinding true-crime classic, a tale of privileged excess and the wages of sin, and an account of one writer's determined effort to crack a cold and craven killing.

Review Quotes

"A fascinating piece of investigative reporting that possesses all the resonance of a social
history and the drama of a good mystery . . . Allows the reader the excitement of watching a tenacious reporter piece together the truth." --The New York Times

"It is a measure of James Fox's remarkable achievement that in White Mischief he not only produces an impeccably researched and lucidly written 'last word' on this notorious case but also brings these astonishing people and their perplexed lives so vividly and compellingly to life." --William Boyd

"Marvelously entertaining." --The Daily Telegraph

"A gripping story of decay among the aristos." --Los Angeles Times

"Leave P.D. James on the shelf, tuck Dick Francis away in the saddlebag, James Fox's investigation has everything you look for in a thriller." --The Economist

"Two books in one, both good: an absorbing investigation of an 'unsolved' 1941 murder in Kenya . . . and an intriguing portrait of pre-WW II colonial society in the White Highlands." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

James Fox is Director of Studies in History of Art at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, and a BAFTA-nominated broadcaster. His many acclaimed BBC television documentaries include programs about British art, Japanese culture, and an enduringly popular history of color in art. The World According to Color is his first book for a trade audience.