James Ruddick
Author of Death at the Priory: Sex, Love, and Murder in Victorian England
About the Author
James Ruddick is a journalist and television researcher
Works by James Ruddick
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- England (birth)
UK - Places of residence
- England, UK
- Education
- Stratford-upon-Avon College
University of York - Occupations
- author
broadcaster
journalist - Awards and honors
- Ursula Waddey Memorial Award
Edgar Award Nominee (non-fiction writing, 2003)
Members
Reviews
Lists
True Crime (1)
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 2
- Members
- 465
- Popularity
- #52,883
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 18
- ISBNs
- 11
In 1875, the wealthy widow Florence Ricardo marries ambitious barrister Charles Bravo. Less than six months later he was dead, as a result of poisoning by antimony.
Florence's first marriage was to a heavy drinker who was such a vile character that she left him and returned to her family, only to be put under terrible pressure to return to the marriage for the sake of appearences. He drinks himself to death and she retires to Malvern to recover under the direction of Dr James Gully. Older than her, they however have an intense affair which scandalises society. He aborts the baby that she ends up carrying.
She marries Charles Bravo as a way of restoring her social position. It was not a good marriage - she was headstrong, wishing to control her own substantial finances, and be in control of her own body (and knowing that the abortion had already weakened her system). He was a bully and typical Victorian male - seeing his wife, and her money and body as simple possessions that he could do with what he wanted. He drank heavily, sexually abused her (both raping and sodomising her), and demanding "conjical relations" whether or not she was phyiscally or emotionally ready for it after the failure of two subsequent miscarriages.
The inquest determined that Antimoney (a remedy still used today to make people sick when they've drunk alcohol) was used to kill Bravo, essentially in such a large quantity that it burned his insides. It was never determined who killed him, mainly because there were too many suspects. Ruddick attempts to pull things together, including the original inquest transcripts, letters to/from some of the suspects and their families, and testimony from their descendants. He presents what he believes is those responsible for the murder (and their motives) and it's up to you to decide whether he's correct.… (more)