Mary, Queen of Scots and the murder of Lord Darnley

A brilliant investigation of one of Britain’s notorious unsolved mysteries: the murder of Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots—from the New York Times bestselling author hailed as “the finest historian of English monarchical succession writing” (The Boston Globe)

“All the elements of a juicy murder mystery are within these pages.”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram “As dramatic as witnessing firsthand the most riveting court case.”—Booklist, starred review

Tall, handsome, accomplished, and charming, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, had it all, including a strong claim to the English throne, a fact that threatened the already insecure Elizabeth I. She therefore opposed any plan for Darnley to marry her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, who herself claimed to be Queen of England. But in 1565 Mary met and fell in love with Darnley—and defied Elizabeth by marrying him. It was not long before she discovered that her new husband was weak and vicious, and interested only in securing sovereign power for himself.

Then, on February 10, 1567, an explosion at his lodgings left Darnley dead; the intrigue thickened after it was discovered that he had apparently been suffocated before the blast. The murder of Darnley ultimately led to Mary’s ruin. After her deposition, there conveniently came to light a box of documents—the notorious Casket Letters—that her enemies claimed were proof of her guilt. But Mary was never allowed to see them, and they disappeared in 1584. The question of their authenticity has haunted historians ever since.

After exhaustive reexamination and reevaluation of the source material, Alison Weir has come up with a solution to this enduring mystery that shatters many of the misconceptions about Mary, Queen of Scots. Complete with bright writing and stunning characterizations, Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Murder of Lord Darnley is an engaging excursion into Britain’s bloodstained, power-obsessed past.