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White Mischief
Just before 3am on January 24th, 1941, when Britain was preoccupied with surviving the Blitz, the body of Josslyn Hay, Earl of Erroll, was discovered lying on the floor of his Buick, at a road intersection some miles outside Nairobi, with a bullet in his head. A leading figure in Kenya's colonial community, he had recently been appointed Military Secretary, but he was primarily a seducer of other men's wives. Sir Henry Delves Broughton, whose wife was Erroll's current conquest, had an obvious motive for the murder, but no one was ever convicted and the question of who killed him became a classic mystery, a scandel and cause celebre. Among those who became fascinated with the Erroll case was Cyril Connolly. He joined up with James Fox for a major investigation of the case in 1969 for the SUNDAY TIMES magazine. After Connolly's death James Fox inherited the obsession and a commitment to continue in pursuit of the story both in England and Kenya in the late 1970s. One day, on a veranda overlooking the Indian Ocean, Fox came across a piece of evidence that seemed to bring all the fragments and pieces together and convinced him that he saw a complete picture.
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 1982
About the author
James Fox
11 books34 followersJames Fox was a journalist for the Sunday Times in the early 1970s.
He lives in London with his wife and sons.
He lives in London with his wife and sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
October 21, 2017
All English country house mysteries are really set in Kenya between WWI & WWII. It is exactly that bonkers hot-house atmosphere where no affectation is too extreme, no level of snobbery too great. Everybody knows everybody else; life revolves around the club; servants are silent and self-effacing and know better to have opinions about anything. There's a sort of uncanny valley in reading about the murder of Josslyn Hay, Earl of Erroll and High Constable of Scotland, where I kept getting yanked up short by, No, the author COULDN'T have done a better job with this character, because he was a real person and his unsatisfactoriness is historical. It all seems so artificial and implausible--but the artifice is created, not by an author, but by the characters themselves. (It doesn't help that I kept thinking of Sheri S. Tepper's brilliant Grass, either.)
The book has one of my favorite structures: an investigator many years later trying to hunt down the truth about a murder, teasing bits of it out of surviving witnesses, tracking down leads in documents, experiencing horripilating moments of serendipity. Fox's narrative is even a matryoshka doll of investigations, because in 1982 he's re-investigating the work he did with Cyril Connolly in investigating, in 1969, a murder that took place in 1941. I don't think he's quite good enough as a writer to pull the thing off as the tour de force it ought to be, so the characters stay rather jumbled and it's hard to pick out where the moments of epiphany should hit like blows. Even the one at the end, when Fox discovers that the witness who knows who murdered Erroll was someone Connolly talked to in 1969 and just didn't push quite hard enough, he mutes a little, mumbles a little. Form mirrors content; Fox seems determined to maintain an atmosphere of well-bred reticence even when he's dragging ugly festering truth out into the light of day--and even when it's brutally apparent that there was nothing "well-bred" about the behavior of the victim, the murderer, or any of the suspects.
Fascinating, even if not 100% successful.
The book has one of my favorite structures: an investigator many years later trying to hunt down the truth about a murder, teasing bits of it out of surviving witnesses, tracking down leads in documents, experiencing horripilating moments of serendipity. Fox's narrative is even a matryoshka doll of investigations, because in 1982 he's re-investigating the work he did with Cyril Connolly in investigating, in 1969, a murder that took place in 1941. I don't think he's quite good enough as a writer to pull the thing off as the tour de force it ought to be, so the characters stay rather jumbled and it's hard to pick out where the moments of epiphany should hit like blows. Even the one at the end, when Fox discovers that the witness who knows who murdered Erroll was someone Connolly talked to in 1969 and just didn't push quite hard enough, he mutes a little, mumbles a little. Form mirrors content; Fox seems determined to maintain an atmosphere of well-bred reticence even when he's dragging ugly festering truth out into the light of day--and even when it's brutally apparent that there was nothing "well-bred" about the behavior of the victim, the murderer, or any of the suspects.
Fascinating, even if not 100% successful.
May 10, 2012
Having just finished The Bolter: Edwardian Heartbreak and High Society Scandal in Kenya, I was eager to stay in Happy Valley and read more about the disreputable lives of the denizens living there. Rich, titled little silver-spoon twits with money to burn (and boy did they burn it), unlimited leisure time to spend on devising new and novel ways to commit adultery (or other sexual escapades) within their tight knit group and drink/drug themselves into oblivion (or suicide), and generally live the kind of wasted life that served no purpose except to give readers like myself unlimited reasons to be disgusted (yet also strangely fascinated) by their life and times in the roaring 20's and depressed 30's.
White Mischief didn't quite live up to the can't-look-away-from-that-car-wreck that was so evident within the pages of The Bolter, but it wasn't without it's moments. What generally didn't engage me was the writing style, which was flat and didn't flow smoothly from start to finish. A true, unsolved murder mystery featuring an earl, his mistress, her husband, a world war, and a tight-knit little group of priviledged colonials should have made for riveting reading, but it was mostly sluggish going, and sometimes hard to follow.
Giving it a 3 because I didn't stop reading it, but would love to find a better book on the subject.
White Mischief didn't quite live up to the can't-look-away-from-that-car-wreck that was so evident within the pages of The Bolter, but it wasn't without it's moments. What generally didn't engage me was the writing style, which was flat and didn't flow smoothly from start to finish. A true, unsolved murder mystery featuring an earl, his mistress, her husband, a world war, and a tight-knit little group of priviledged colonials should have made for riveting reading, but it was mostly sluggish going, and sometimes hard to follow.
Giving it a 3 because I didn't stop reading it, but would love to find a better book on the subject.
May 29, 2022
3.5, rounded up.
True confession - I have probably watched the 1987 film adaptation of this non-fiction tome more than any other film (see trailer at link attached below); there is just something I find fascinating in it - so it's high time I finally got around to the book. It's a quick and intriguing read, filling in some gaps in the movie, and elaborating on others. Also, whereas the film hints at, but never definitely answers the question of 'who done it', the book comes to a more satisfying conclusion, with a confession by the murderer.
Oddly, the circumstances and methods of the suicides of two major characters were switched for the film for dramatic purposes, so it's good to find out the truth. Also, my favorite character, Alice de Janzé (memorably performed by Sarah Miles), did NOT shoot her lover in the balls, as is stated in the film, but rather in the heart - the fact they got married soon thereafter is just one of many shocking revelations (it IS true, however, that she smeared her vaginal secretions over the murder victim's lips in the morgue! And it's also true she requested her friends hold a cocktail party at her gravesite, with which the film ends. :-O).
The book is perhaps a bit dry in places, it's sometimes difficult keeping the myriad characters straight, and the prose is nothing special; still the story itself is so unbelievably bonkers, that it's worth the effort. Or else, just rewatch the film for the umpteenth time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYWzL...
True confession - I have probably watched the 1987 film adaptation of this non-fiction tome more than any other film (see trailer at link attached below); there is just something I find fascinating in it - so it's high time I finally got around to the book. It's a quick and intriguing read, filling in some gaps in the movie, and elaborating on others. Also, whereas the film hints at, but never definitely answers the question of 'who done it', the book comes to a more satisfying conclusion, with a confession by the murderer.
Oddly, the circumstances and methods of the suicides of two major characters were switched for the film for dramatic purposes, so it's good to find out the truth. Also, my favorite character, Alice de Janzé (memorably performed by Sarah Miles), did NOT shoot her lover in the balls, as is stated in the film, but rather in the heart - the fact they got married soon thereafter is just one of many shocking revelations (it IS true, however, that she smeared her vaginal secretions over the murder victim's lips in the morgue! And it's also true she requested her friends hold a cocktail party at her gravesite, with which the film ends. :-O).
The book is perhaps a bit dry in places, it's sometimes difficult keeping the myriad characters straight, and the prose is nothing special; still the story itself is so unbelievably bonkers, that it's worth the effort. Or else, just rewatch the film for the umpteenth time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYWzL...
May 18, 2014
Disclaimer: ARC provided by the publisher Open Road Media via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Thank you!
One of my all time favorite television shows is Heat of the Sun which was shown in the United States as part of Mystery (now Masterpiece Mystery). It starred Trevor Eve as a London policeman who was re-assigned to Kenya in between wars. He clashed not only with his superior but also with the upper crust. Luckily for him, he had a good Sergeant who was a dead shot, and a pilot who was also his romantic interest. In short, the three stars were great.
It’s why I requested this book when it popped on Netgalley. The first episode of Heat of the Sun seems to draw on this murder.
White Mischief is a two part story. The first concerns that of Jossyln Hay, Lord Erroll and his murder. This part covers the trial of the man accused of the murder as well as Kenya at the time. The second part is Fox chronicling his investigation into the case, an investigation done with Cyril Connolly, for newspaper/magazine investigative journalism piece.
The first half of the book is the strongest. Hay was a womanizer, and Kenya’s Happy Valley set was decedent. Think soap opera. Think Downton Abbey with more panting, drugs, and liquor.
And lions.
This part is told as straight forward narrative. Part of the charm is the drop in guest stars – Karen Blixen appears more than once, Beryl Markham and others make appearances. Fox does his best to make Erroll if not likable at least acceptable as a human being. The reporting tone allows for distant and the story is compelling, most because the people are truly characters. There is the woman with the pet lion, the feather game, and the social clubs.
Did you know that mayor of Nairobi was a woman at this time? Neither did I. And wait until you hear about the woman who tried a murder/suicide.
It isn’t all gossip mongering. It isn’t gossip mongering at all. What Fox is doing is setting the stage, allowing the reader to see the people, the characters, for who they really were, or at least seemed to be.
This is necessary because the second part of the book depends on these character studies and gossip stories. The second part is weaker; in part because of the discussion of the investigation doesn’t necessary take place in a strict narrative order. There is a bit of jumping around and at times there are digressions. Some of these digressions are interesting, some not so much. One of the most interesting is the appearance of Antonia Fraser and her comments about the case. The writing style also changes slightly. It is less engrossing, more laid back. There also is a bit too much hero worship of Connolly, though considering Connolly’s reputation perhaps this is understandable. What Fox does very well in this section (almost better than proving his thesis of whom the murder was) is make Connolly sound like a man I wish I could meet.
Fox‘s proving of his thesis is well done and logical.
Recommended for those interest in murder mysteries, true crime, literature, and In the Heat of the Sun.
Crossposted at Booklikes.
One of my all time favorite television shows is Heat of the Sun which was shown in the United States as part of Mystery (now Masterpiece Mystery). It starred Trevor Eve as a London policeman who was re-assigned to Kenya in between wars. He clashed not only with his superior but also with the upper crust. Luckily for him, he had a good Sergeant who was a dead shot, and a pilot who was also his romantic interest. In short, the three stars were great.
It’s why I requested this book when it popped on Netgalley. The first episode of Heat of the Sun seems to draw on this murder.
White Mischief is a two part story. The first concerns that of Jossyln Hay, Lord Erroll and his murder. This part covers the trial of the man accused of the murder as well as Kenya at the time. The second part is Fox chronicling his investigation into the case, an investigation done with Cyril Connolly, for newspaper/magazine investigative journalism piece.
The first half of the book is the strongest. Hay was a womanizer, and Kenya’s Happy Valley set was decedent. Think soap opera. Think Downton Abbey with more panting, drugs, and liquor.
And lions.
This part is told as straight forward narrative. Part of the charm is the drop in guest stars – Karen Blixen appears more than once, Beryl Markham and others make appearances. Fox does his best to make Erroll if not likable at least acceptable as a human being. The reporting tone allows for distant and the story is compelling, most because the people are truly characters. There is the woman with the pet lion, the feather game, and the social clubs.
Did you know that mayor of Nairobi was a woman at this time? Neither did I. And wait until you hear about the woman who tried a murder/suicide.
It isn’t all gossip mongering. It isn’t gossip mongering at all. What Fox is doing is setting the stage, allowing the reader to see the people, the characters, for who they really were, or at least seemed to be.
This is necessary because the second part of the book depends on these character studies and gossip stories. The second part is weaker; in part because of the discussion of the investigation doesn’t necessary take place in a strict narrative order. There is a bit of jumping around and at times there are digressions. Some of these digressions are interesting, some not so much. One of the most interesting is the appearance of Antonia Fraser and her comments about the case. The writing style also changes slightly. It is less engrossing, more laid back. There also is a bit too much hero worship of Connolly, though considering Connolly’s reputation perhaps this is understandable. What Fox does very well in this section (almost better than proving his thesis of whom the murder was) is make Connolly sound like a man I wish I could meet.
Fox‘s proving of his thesis is well done and logical.
Recommended for those interest in murder mysteries, true crime, literature, and In the Heat of the Sun.
Crossposted at Booklikes.
June 8, 2019
I was going to give it 3 stars for all that this book dragged and dragged giving details about people so awful it was impossible to care much about them. So many of them were sadistic, superior, classist, racist, sexist, selfish and not particularly intelligent. Perhaps virtue is not very interesting but it's absence is even less so, especially without any critique. The almost objective voice of the author telling us dry "facts" almost put me to sleep (and I like detective novels).
But it was thorough and I appreciated a glimpse that I thought showed me similar masculinities to ones I am finding in modern boys' schools websites (albeit packaged differently). I felt I was getting an idea of what I was grappling with... the end though. After one completely selfish sadist murders another because both wish to objectify the same (drearily beautiful) woman we are finally (after 288 pages examining characters and motives and to me showing that privilege and selfishness of both murderer and murderee were to blame)... finally told that "in the end Africa was to blame"
er....what? How was the continent to blame? For being there to be colonised? For being forced to receive into itself the dregs of British privilege (people seemed to be semi-exiled there if they were too rich to be punished but embarrassingly awful). I found such a conclusion unforgivable, had the author not been watching his own discoveries about characters? Had he in some unaccountable way fallen in love with them? They were Gadsbyish if you take all the writing out of Gadsby and get a journalist to long-windedly present everything anyone ever said (I mean if Gadsby wasn't fiction) but everyone was sort of like Tom and Daisy except even more tedious and Gadsby was less tragic and more cruel.
I tried to like it I did...At least the women were portrayed as characters I suppose.
Anyway...won't be looking for more like this one. It was such a slow read for me because after the beginning it really wasn't very gripping. Surprisingly after the murder the pace slowed down to almost nothing and a lot of repetitions.
Whodunnit? Well...to me noone was completely innocent though I felt empathy for the child.
But it was thorough and I appreciated a glimpse that I thought showed me similar masculinities to ones I am finding in modern boys' schools websites (albeit packaged differently). I felt I was getting an idea of what I was grappling with... the end though. After one completely selfish sadist murders another because both wish to objectify the same (drearily beautiful) woman we are finally (after 288 pages examining characters and motives and to me showing that privilege and selfishness of both murderer and murderee were to blame)... finally told that "in the end Africa was to blame"
er....what? How was the continent to blame? For being there to be colonised? For being forced to receive into itself the dregs of British privilege (people seemed to be semi-exiled there if they were too rich to be punished but embarrassingly awful). I found such a conclusion unforgivable, had the author not been watching his own discoveries about characters? Had he in some unaccountable way fallen in love with them? They were Gadsbyish if you take all the writing out of Gadsby and get a journalist to long-windedly present everything anyone ever said (I mean if Gadsby wasn't fiction) but everyone was sort of like Tom and Daisy except even more tedious and Gadsby was less tragic and more cruel.
I tried to like it I did...At least the women were portrayed as characters I suppose.
Anyway...won't be looking for more like this one. It was such a slow read for me because after the beginning it really wasn't very gripping. Surprisingly after the murder the pace slowed down to almost nothing and a lot of repetitions.
Whodunnit? Well...to me noone was completely innocent though I felt empathy for the child.
June 22, 2017
Of course, if it hadn't been for James Fox I might not have known anything about the Lord Erroll murder of January 1940 in Happy Valley, Kenya. First I read the article some years ago in Vanity Fair. Then there was the movie. And then, again, some years ago I picked up this book. Of course, it did take around 8 years for me to get around to reading it. Even at that, I had to be nudged by a GR reading group. But I think it was worth the effort.
This book was more social than anything else. Cyril Connolly was the one the real bug about Lord Erroll and Fox appears to have gone along for the ride.
I had recently finished Frances Osborne's book about her great-grandmother, Idina Sackville, The Bolter: Edwardian Heartbreak and High Society Scandal in Kenya. Guess I also wasn't quite ready to leave Happy Valley.
The eternal triangle - Diana Caldwell (involved in more than one triangle), Sir Jock Delves Broughton and Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll. Jock and Diana had been married a couple of months when she fell over Joss (everyone fell for Joss) and decided she would hold him to a "marriage pact" and demand an out. Jock not too pleased about that and not long after Joss is murdered in his car after dropping Diana off. Everything seems to point to Jock, who allegedly took a sleeping pill that night, is alibied by June Carberry.
But questions remain. Everybody, even 40 years later, is scared to talk.
This book was more social than anything else. Cyril Connolly was the one the real bug about Lord Erroll and Fox appears to have gone along for the ride.
I had recently finished Frances Osborne's book about her great-grandmother, Idina Sackville, The Bolter: Edwardian Heartbreak and High Society Scandal in Kenya. Guess I also wasn't quite ready to leave Happy Valley.
The eternal triangle - Diana Caldwell (involved in more than one triangle), Sir Jock Delves Broughton and Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll. Jock and Diana had been married a couple of months when she fell over Joss (everyone fell for Joss) and decided she would hold him to a "marriage pact" and demand an out. Jock not too pleased about that and not long after Joss is murdered in his car after dropping Diana off. Everything seems to point to Jock, who allegedly took a sleeping pill that night, is alibied by June Carberry.
But questions remain. Everybody, even 40 years later, is scared to talk.
May 23, 2017
Rich people seem to fall in love a lot in the twentieth century. Can you imagine having sex with quite so many of your friends? Weird.
But "White Mischief" is far too long. Essentially, there's no mystery at all. The whole thing is a waste of everyone's time.
I liked the term "public schooliganism", however.
Oh ... I forgot to say... they think they're so posh but they're just so Jeremy Kyle. Gwladys, second-wife of Lord Delamere, speaks against Sir Jock Delves Broughton at his trial for the murder of his second wife's boyfriend ... and Gwladys's step-son goes on to become this wife's fourth husband. "My current mother-in-law tried to get my second husband imprisoned for the murder of my boyfriend."
But "White Mischief" is far too long. Essentially, there's no mystery at all. The whole thing is a waste of everyone's time.
I liked the term "public schooliganism", however.
Oh ... I forgot to say... they think they're so posh but they're just so Jeremy Kyle. Gwladys, second-wife of Lord Delamere, speaks against Sir Jock Delves Broughton at his trial for the murder of his second wife's boyfriend ... and Gwladys's step-son goes on to become this wife's fourth husband. "My current mother-in-law tried to get my second husband imprisoned for the murder of my boyfriend."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2020
Another schadenfreude-filled book of the trashy English colonialists that polluted Kenya's "Happy Valley" a hundred years ago. My daughter gave me "The Bolter" which i loved - and this contemporaneous story does a fine job illustrating how they lived, thought, and carelessly destroyed everything & everybody they came in contact with. A 'true life' murder mystery with almost unbelievable characters. Huzzah Mau Mau!
September 26, 2017
History at its sexiest, the extremely well-written dip into the sordid life of English colonists in Africa circa pre-World War II.
April 19, 2019
I can't recall media covering this prolonged mystery of who killed Lord Erroll but thought it could be interesting read. The book is a collection of tidbits, recollections, interviews, suppositions following up gossip.
February 24, 2020
Being blessed with in-laws who are lovely AND live in Kenya and having been there myself scores of times, it was finally (and long overdue) time to pick up this tragic hymn to the days when the sun never set on the British Empire and when its outcast sons and daughters could enjoy the spoils delivered by the Maxim gun: An extravagant life in the white highlands of Kenya with waiters, alcohol and adultery in amounts seconded only by feudal kings!
Many came to Kenya in the early 1900’s for adventure and opportunity, including “good people” like Karen Blixen and the head of the white settlers in Kenya Lord Hugh Delamere, and worked damned hard (in the field and in the bar!) to make their inherited fortunes grow or at least not dwindle; many of them in vain... Others came to Kenya as society outcasts or second, third etc in line for inheritance and they landed in/created a society that was beyond reach of the Victorian morale of home, but all ears to the libertine morale of the roaring 1920’s. Here landed also Josslyn Hay, the Lord Erroll to-be and thus bound to become one of the most prestigious persons in Scotland, but having spent his youth being thrown out of Eton and banging the wrong ladies in the wrong locations he had few other places to go than the Rift Valley and the Aberderes Range. Here the white settlers of Kenya were secure from the Maasai, the Kikuyu and the Indian immigrants thanks to colonial legislation put in place after severe pressure being applied on the distant British administration by the swashbuckling Delamere and other settlers. The Happy Valley was conceived and the crowd enjoyed the three ‘A’s - Altitude, Alcohol and Adultery to the motto of “yet another fucking beautiful day in Africa”! Wife swaps, weekend-long orgies with champagne by the gallon, cocaine, intimidated and exploited staff, ignored and unattended children and rows of cunning stunts and wrecked marriages were the joys and pleasures and the crowd would gather frequently at notable places such as Djinn Palace at Lake Naivasha and the beautiful Muthaiga Country Club where lords and countesses were acting like wild monkeys...
A day in January 1941 the beginning of the end of these “happy” days started, as Lord Erroll was found with a bullet in the head at the wheel of his Buick. This started a scandal that at least contributed to the British losing their license to operate as a colonial power and leading to the Mau-Mau revolt in the late 1950’s. James Fox set out in the late 1970’s, while many from the Happy Valley crowd and it’s eyewitnesses we’re still alive, to explore the circumstances around this mystery murder that has never been resolved!
James Fox’ book comes in two parts: First part, which ends with murder of Lord Erroll, is EXCELLENT!! It tells the story of the Happy Valley and their background in a way that adds to the already immense pleasure of enjoying a sundowner in Muthaiga Country Club knowing that this was perhaps the continent’s most (in)famous social place less than 100 years ago. Reading Fox’ tale of this crowd adds a most credible and needed wickedness to the neater tales of, e.g. Karen Blixen - this was the Wild South for the wealthy what the Wild West was for the poor!
The second part of the book is the story about Fox’ and his mentor Cyril Connolly’s search for the truth behind the murder, which never led to anyone being convicted. I can see what he is aiming at: He presents the story with the cozy suspense and logical tidiness of a crime novel, as they during the late ‘60’es and early ‘70’es track down the events and the survivors of the days of the murder. It just doesn’t do it for me... The details on ballistics and the missing hour and all that other stuff is just not really exciting to me and it becomes tedious instead. Why? Maybe because the murder is too far away for me both in time and space. Maybe my interest is simply not strong enough for a person who may have been something big when he lived and died, but who today is just a tiny rock in history’s maelstrom. Maybe this just goes to show how the things that are important and big events in one generation slowly but surely fade out in the coming generations and become boring specifics of a time passed...
Or maybe I am just not that hooked on crime novels!
Many came to Kenya in the early 1900’s for adventure and opportunity, including “good people” like Karen Blixen and the head of the white settlers in Kenya Lord Hugh Delamere, and worked damned hard (in the field and in the bar!) to make their inherited fortunes grow or at least not dwindle; many of them in vain... Others came to Kenya as society outcasts or second, third etc in line for inheritance and they landed in/created a society that was beyond reach of the Victorian morale of home, but all ears to the libertine morale of the roaring 1920’s. Here landed also Josslyn Hay, the Lord Erroll to-be and thus bound to become one of the most prestigious persons in Scotland, but having spent his youth being thrown out of Eton and banging the wrong ladies in the wrong locations he had few other places to go than the Rift Valley and the Aberderes Range. Here the white settlers of Kenya were secure from the Maasai, the Kikuyu and the Indian immigrants thanks to colonial legislation put in place after severe pressure being applied on the distant British administration by the swashbuckling Delamere and other settlers. The Happy Valley was conceived and the crowd enjoyed the three ‘A’s - Altitude, Alcohol and Adultery to the motto of “yet another fucking beautiful day in Africa”! Wife swaps, weekend-long orgies with champagne by the gallon, cocaine, intimidated and exploited staff, ignored and unattended children and rows of cunning stunts and wrecked marriages were the joys and pleasures and the crowd would gather frequently at notable places such as Djinn Palace at Lake Naivasha and the beautiful Muthaiga Country Club where lords and countesses were acting like wild monkeys...
A day in January 1941 the beginning of the end of these “happy” days started, as Lord Erroll was found with a bullet in the head at the wheel of his Buick. This started a scandal that at least contributed to the British losing their license to operate as a colonial power and leading to the Mau-Mau revolt in the late 1950’s. James Fox set out in the late 1970’s, while many from the Happy Valley crowd and it’s eyewitnesses we’re still alive, to explore the circumstances around this mystery murder that has never been resolved!
James Fox’ book comes in two parts: First part, which ends with murder of Lord Erroll, is EXCELLENT!! It tells the story of the Happy Valley and their background in a way that adds to the already immense pleasure of enjoying a sundowner in Muthaiga Country Club knowing that this was perhaps the continent’s most (in)famous social place less than 100 years ago. Reading Fox’ tale of this crowd adds a most credible and needed wickedness to the neater tales of, e.g. Karen Blixen - this was the Wild South for the wealthy what the Wild West was for the poor!
The second part of the book is the story about Fox’ and his mentor Cyril Connolly’s search for the truth behind the murder, which never led to anyone being convicted. I can see what he is aiming at: He presents the story with the cozy suspense and logical tidiness of a crime novel, as they during the late ‘60’es and early ‘70’es track down the events and the survivors of the days of the murder. It just doesn’t do it for me... The details on ballistics and the missing hour and all that other stuff is just not really exciting to me and it becomes tedious instead. Why? Maybe because the murder is too far away for me both in time and space. Maybe my interest is simply not strong enough for a person who may have been something big when he lived and died, but who today is just a tiny rock in history’s maelstrom. Maybe this just goes to show how the things that are important and big events in one generation slowly but surely fade out in the coming generations and become boring specifics of a time passed...
Or maybe I am just not that hooked on crime novels!
June 9, 2014
White Mischief: The Murder of Lord Erroll by James Fox is a 2014 Open Road Media Publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book examines the infamous case of Lord Erroll and the wild and kinky goings on of the upper class English while vacationing in Kenya. Many of us true crime buffs are familiar at least to some extent with this story. It's been fictionalized in other books and of course there was the movie entitled “White Mischief”- released in 1987 and stars Sarah Miles. The movie script was also written by James Fox, the author of this book.
The time is 1941, the place is Kenya. The wealthy and the titled are part of the “Happy Valley” group and indulge in drugs, entirely too much alcohol and are into partner swapping, adultery, affairs, sex games and of course sooner or later someone takes things personally and a man loses his life.
While the world is at war or preparing for war this group happily trounces about without a care in the world, with too much money, and too much time on their hands. The murder of Josslyn Hay throws cold water, well ice cold water on the festivities as the lifestyle of the rich and famous is scrutinized publicly.
Josslyn and Diana fall in love mere months after her marriage to an older man. Diana and Josslyn do not really hide the affair and are seen out together often and apparently Diana is truthful about the affair with her husband.
When Hays was found in his car with a bullet to the head naturally, Jock Delves, Diana's husband was a prime suspect. He was arrested and went to trial.
This where the book shifts gears and begins to focus on Jock Delves, the trial and subsequent articles written about the case back in the states. Cyril Connelly was James Fox's co-researcher and I do understand the author's wish to give the man credit for his work, but I did ask myself a few times if perhaps the second half of the book was about the murder case or Cyril Connelly.
Otherwise, the trial, the evidence, the testimony and the curious behavior of Jock was very interesting. I would have to agree that Jock made the best suspect for the murder, but there were others, former lovers of Josslyn's as an example, that very could have come unhinged by his publicly flaunting his affair with Diana and how obviously in love they were. While most researchers and authors believe they know who killed Lord Erroll, there is still just enough doubt that we are left with a feeling of uncertainty. As is so often the case, once a trial has taken place and the accused is acquitted the murder, the case remained unsolved and is to this very day no one has ever paid for the murder of Lord Erroll.
Even if you are familiar with this case, even if you have seen the 1987 movie, I do recommend you read this book because there is new evidence that came to light after the movie was made and those new facts are included in this book.
The journalistic style of writing could at times become a little dull. But, the antics of the Happy Valley members and the excerpts from the trial were enough to make up for that. So, if you enjoy true crime, especially historical true crime, which is personal favorite of mine, then you will really enjoy this one. Overall this one gets 4 stars.
This book examines the infamous case of Lord Erroll and the wild and kinky goings on of the upper class English while vacationing in Kenya. Many of us true crime buffs are familiar at least to some extent with this story. It's been fictionalized in other books and of course there was the movie entitled “White Mischief”- released in 1987 and stars Sarah Miles. The movie script was also written by James Fox, the author of this book.
The time is 1941, the place is Kenya. The wealthy and the titled are part of the “Happy Valley” group and indulge in drugs, entirely too much alcohol and are into partner swapping, adultery, affairs, sex games and of course sooner or later someone takes things personally and a man loses his life.
While the world is at war or preparing for war this group happily trounces about without a care in the world, with too much money, and too much time on their hands. The murder of Josslyn Hay throws cold water, well ice cold water on the festivities as the lifestyle of the rich and famous is scrutinized publicly.
Josslyn and Diana fall in love mere months after her marriage to an older man. Diana and Josslyn do not really hide the affair and are seen out together often and apparently Diana is truthful about the affair with her husband.
When Hays was found in his car with a bullet to the head naturally, Jock Delves, Diana's husband was a prime suspect. He was arrested and went to trial.
This where the book shifts gears and begins to focus on Jock Delves, the trial and subsequent articles written about the case back in the states. Cyril Connelly was James Fox's co-researcher and I do understand the author's wish to give the man credit for his work, but I did ask myself a few times if perhaps the second half of the book was about the murder case or Cyril Connelly.
Otherwise, the trial, the evidence, the testimony and the curious behavior of Jock was very interesting. I would have to agree that Jock made the best suspect for the murder, but there were others, former lovers of Josslyn's as an example, that very could have come unhinged by his publicly flaunting his affair with Diana and how obviously in love they were. While most researchers and authors believe they know who killed Lord Erroll, there is still just enough doubt that we are left with a feeling of uncertainty. As is so often the case, once a trial has taken place and the accused is acquitted the murder, the case remained unsolved and is to this very day no one has ever paid for the murder of Lord Erroll.
Even if you are familiar with this case, even if you have seen the 1987 movie, I do recommend you read this book because there is new evidence that came to light after the movie was made and those new facts are included in this book.
The journalistic style of writing could at times become a little dull. But, the antics of the Happy Valley members and the excerpts from the trial were enough to make up for that. So, if you enjoy true crime, especially historical true crime, which is personal favorite of mine, then you will really enjoy this one. Overall this one gets 4 stars.
April 5, 2019
Truth is stranger than fiction. The “who done it” element of the book is, as ever, interesting, but the glimpse into the lives of ex-pat English aristocrats behaving badly in pre-WWII Kenya is truly extraordinary. If it was made up, you wouldn’t believe it. These folks make us ordinary eccentrics look like pikers.
February 20, 2021
A very intriguing book about a real-life "unsolved" murder from the 1940's. The author lays out the facts, making it clear exactly who had the opportunity, motive, and means of committing the murder, and how many people knew, but helped protect them from the law.
February 12, 2022
Someone would make a killing re-telling this story without the unfortunate 1980s sexism, colonialism, etc.!
February 5, 2023
People behaved this way!? In real life? Good grief.
September 21, 2012
I first hear of this real-life murder mystery with a passing reference in Alexandra Fuller's "Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness." It's a fascinating story of the world of the British colonists in Kenya during the beginning of WWII.
Given all the sex and drugs and partner swapping, I was surprised that it gets off to a rather dull start. The first part is the more standard third person non-fiction sketch of who what where and when. The second part, which in general I found more interesting, describes how our two intrepid journalists tracked down additional information about the case that, despite numerous other "what if" scenarios, generally points to the likeliest suspect. Unfortunately, the two sections don't meld as well as I'd like and I find there is some faulty assumption that reader will be familiar with the 1969 article that served as an appetizer to this 1982 main course.
Still, if you want to know about the infamous Happy Valley set or the sensational murder or the lives of the British in Africa, this is a must-read.
As of 2007 there is an additional whodunnit postscript reported in the British press which only confirms that the likeliest suspect is still the likeliest suspect.
Given all the sex and drugs and partner swapping, I was surprised that it gets off to a rather dull start. The first part is the more standard third person non-fiction sketch of who what where and when. The second part, which in general I found more interesting, describes how our two intrepid journalists tracked down additional information about the case that, despite numerous other "what if" scenarios, generally points to the likeliest suspect. Unfortunately, the two sections don't meld as well as I'd like and I find there is some faulty assumption that reader will be familiar with the 1969 article that served as an appetizer to this 1982 main course.
Still, if you want to know about the infamous Happy Valley set or the sensational murder or the lives of the British in Africa, this is a must-read.
As of 2007 there is an additional whodunnit postscript reported in the British press which only confirms that the likeliest suspect is still the likeliest suspect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2016
Almost like two books. Section one sets the stage describing the Happy Valley scene - basically the "leisure class" behaving (very) badly, in pretty much every way imaginable, during the inter-War period and into the early 1940s in Kenya - up to and including the murder of the Earl of Erroll. This section is based on the public record. The second section covers the author's investigation into the murder, which is still considered one of the infamous cold cases in British/colonial history, decades after the event. This was perhaps not quite as effective as the first half, in part because it frequently jumps and digressions, not always in a logical manner, while also introducing some new characters. Nonetheless, many of the interviews were quite interesting.
All told, an interesting "true crime" novel, with a certain amount of guilty pleasure thrown in, thanks to the soap opera antics of pretty much the entire cast of characters.
3.5 stars for the book. An additional, personal, 1/2 star for the location. I have visited most of the locations in the book - albeit with a rather different cast of characters. Reading the (location) names again and looking at the map brought back a lot of memories - and makes me want to rush out and book a return flight to Kenya.
All told, an interesting "true crime" novel, with a certain amount of guilty pleasure thrown in, thanks to the soap opera antics of pretty much the entire cast of characters.
3.5 stars for the book. An additional, personal, 1/2 star for the location. I have visited most of the locations in the book - albeit with a rather different cast of characters. Reading the (location) names again and looking at the map brought back a lot of memories - and makes me want to rush out and book a return flight to Kenya.
August 28, 2023
Terrible book. Shameless cash grab. Couldn’t bring myself to finishing it. This book about a murder cum scandal in colonial Kenya in the 1940s is divided into two parts, the first an introduction of the major figures and a quasi reconstruction of the moving pieces mostly based on the actual murder trial; and the second the findings of a further “research” done 20-30 years after.
The first part is fairly ok and reads as a digest of juicy rumours regarding the white titled scum that hung around “happy valley” and provides some extracts from the court case. The second part is just a mish-mash of barely correlated interviews, scraps from letters, unfinished lines of inquiry, and authorial opinion and self-indulgence. This part is utterly unreadable, because unlike the saucy first bit (what with all the swinger parties and the rampant drug abuse), the second part is a dry as a bone and it becomes clear quickly that the reader will not be rewarded with a carefully considered and possibly valid conclusion beyond anything already discussed in the first part.
I threw this rag down about halfway the second part.
The first part is fairly ok and reads as a digest of juicy rumours regarding the white titled scum that hung around “happy valley” and provides some extracts from the court case. The second part is just a mish-mash of barely correlated interviews, scraps from letters, unfinished lines of inquiry, and authorial opinion and self-indulgence. This part is utterly unreadable, because unlike the saucy first bit (what with all the swinger parties and the rampant drug abuse), the second part is a dry as a bone and it becomes clear quickly that the reader will not be rewarded with a carefully considered and possibly valid conclusion beyond anything already discussed in the first part.
I threw this rag down about halfway the second part.
August 17, 2009
James Fox is a wonderful writer and is able to tell a fascinating tale of sex, drugs, and murder in colonial Africa during the 1940's. He can pique your interest in the story of a bunch of titled , boorish, Brits who traveled to Kenya to party. They truly had no redeeming value. However, there is some voyeuristic pleasure in studying the lives of these wealthy and highly educated, hedonists who were pampering and pleasuring themselves with sex and drugs while a Wold War was raging in Europe and 6 million human beings were being exterminated for social cleansing. I would suggest that upon reading this book that you pick up Wildflower about another woman and her husband who go to Kenya about a generation later. The dichotomy of the two mind sets is stunning.
October 25, 2014
A fantastic read! Well-researched, very insightful, this book makes the Happy Valley community come alive.
February 12, 2017
Fairly interesting case of murder among the wealthy white mandarinate in Africa. Very satisfying blockbuster ending, too.
November 3, 2020
I first read this book many years ago, after I had first visited Kenya in 1979 as a research student. I have also seen the film adaptation at least a couple of times. I later returned to work in Kenya, living there from 200-2003. The circumstances surrounding the murder of Lord Erroll were still the stuff of gossip among white Kenyans, expatriates and some of the expanding Kenyan middle class. I have been taken to the spot (more or less) where his car was found on the night of the murder. I have been to many of the locations mentioned in the book, not just public ones like the Norfolk Hotel or Muthaiga Club, but privately owned ones such as Oserian (the "Djinn Palace" on Lake Naivasha), as well as private ranches or game reserves around Naivasha, Elmenteita, Nakuru and in the Aberdares. And had the privilege (a rather dubious pleasure) of riding a special train from Nairobi to Kisumu to mark the latter's centenary.
I think most people who have spent any time in Kenya become fascinated by the country. I certainly did, from the very fist visit in 1979. That first climb to the top of the Ngong Hills with its panoramic view over the Masaai plains. That first visit to Nairobi Game Park, or to the Kenya National Museum. That first drive up-country, the sheer emotional breath-taking impact of cresting the edge of the Rift Valley for the first time. Spending a night in a tent most of the way up Mt Kenya. The beauty of the semi-arid bush and deserts of northern Kenya. The exhilaration of seeing Lake Rudolph (now Turkana) for the first time after a seemingly never-ending drive on rutted, corrugated and at times barely passable roads [the following year they had been graded, and it just didn't feel like the same accomplishment]. Coming down to breakfast to find a troop of monkeys foraging through the kitchen cupboards. It is a country that inspires lasting memories.
So I knew what to expect when I came to re-read this book. Since my first reading of it, I have developed a love of the crime fiction genre. I also read some true crime. This book has a feeling of authenticity, based on thorough research. Ostensibly it is a work of true crime, a genre that has boomed in recent years. But it is more than that, offering us a penetrating look back into an extravagant and extraordinary lifestyle that pervaded a section of the white settler community in the Kenya of the inter-war period. It is peopled by a range of characters, many of them arrogant, dissolute, self-centred and unpleasant; some of them seemingly infected by a kind of mass hysteria that drove them to hedonism and excess. It is also a story about investigative journalism. And a tribute to Cyril Connolly from an acolyte.
I think most people who have spent any time in Kenya become fascinated by the country. I certainly did, from the very fist visit in 1979. That first climb to the top of the Ngong Hills with its panoramic view over the Masaai plains. That first visit to Nairobi Game Park, or to the Kenya National Museum. That first drive up-country, the sheer emotional breath-taking impact of cresting the edge of the Rift Valley for the first time. Spending a night in a tent most of the way up Mt Kenya. The beauty of the semi-arid bush and deserts of northern Kenya. The exhilaration of seeing Lake Rudolph (now Turkana) for the first time after a seemingly never-ending drive on rutted, corrugated and at times barely passable roads [the following year they had been graded, and it just didn't feel like the same accomplishment]. Coming down to breakfast to find a troop of monkeys foraging through the kitchen cupboards. It is a country that inspires lasting memories.
So I knew what to expect when I came to re-read this book. Since my first reading of it, I have developed a love of the crime fiction genre. I also read some true crime. This book has a feeling of authenticity, based on thorough research. Ostensibly it is a work of true crime, a genre that has boomed in recent years. But it is more than that, offering us a penetrating look back into an extravagant and extraordinary lifestyle that pervaded a section of the white settler community in the Kenya of the inter-war period. It is peopled by a range of characters, many of them arrogant, dissolute, self-centred and unpleasant; some of them seemingly infected by a kind of mass hysteria that drove them to hedonism and excess. It is also a story about investigative journalism. And a tribute to Cyril Connolly from an acolyte.
May 24, 2014
“I hope I have never looked like a murderer. I think all my friends know it is not exactly my line of country. However, in a strange country, god knows what will happen.” (Sir Jock Delves Broughton)
There are some crimes that could only have occurred in a unique set of circumstances, and this is certainly true for the murder of Lord Erroll. Erroll, Josslyn Hay, the 22nd Earl of Erroll was shot in his car in the early morning hours of January 24th, 1941. Although a trial was conducted, no one was ever convicted for the crime, and the murder remains, officially, unsolved. Forty years after the murder (the book was originally published in the 80s), in White Mischief, author James Fox painstakingly pieced together transcripts from the trial and testimony of witnesses in an attempt to both explain and solve the crime.
Erroll was murdered in Kenya, and a large portion of the beginning of the book concentrates on establishing the atmosphere in Kenya in the late 30s. It was a wild place–well at least it was a wild place for the British expatriates who were whooping it up in the area known as Happy Valley, “notorious since the 1920s as a playground for aristocratic fugitives of all kinds.” According to the author, “Happy Valley originated with Erroll himself and with Lady Idina Gordon” when they “set up house there in 1924.” She was a married woman and left her second husband and moved to Kenya with Erroll as it “seemed the obvious, indeed the only place to go.” Once established there Erroll and Idina became the centre of local society as she organized riotous parties and partner-swapping evenings, but not everyone became entangled in these activities; the wife of the Governor put Idina “on the blacklist.”
Over time, the reputation of Happy Valley grew and became a Mecca for a certain type, including a number of British fascists. European nobility gathered in this area of Kenya–this “permanent feast of dissipation and sensuous pleasure,” building splendid palaces, throwing endless parties, and engaging in appallingly bad behaviour. Most of the British expatriates were there for a reason–often scandal, bankruptcy and divorce drove them from the shores of England and to the less inhibited social whorl of Kenya. Sometimes British upper-class families despaired of a son’s relentless gambling habit, and so he was banished off to Kenya. Whatever the reasons, and there were many, a certain ‘type’ gravitated towards Happy Valley. And there, various degenerates led unleashed, uninhibited lives and recruiting newcomers into their ranks.
These uninhibited lifestyles resulted in morphine addictions and an endless array of extra-marital affairs for the upper-crust loungers who bestirred themselves once in a while to go off and shoot a lion or two. For those who couldn’t conform to British society, Happy Valley was a sort of paradise–and one was limited only by one’s personal resources.
Beneath the surface lay another rich seam: the extraordinary story of the British aristocracy in Kenya, subjected to a tropical climate and high altitude, suspended between English traditions and African customs, answerable, more or less, only to themselves.
Many people thrived in this Happy Valley bohemia, but many did not. The Earl of Erroll was one of those who thrived–women adored him, and men enjoyed his company, yet someone hated him enough to kill him. The contrasting views of Erroll show versions of a complicated man who usually got what he wanted. He was a known philanderer who delighted in deceiving husbands and had a string of married lovers long before he met and began an ill-fated affair with newlywed (and new arrival) Diana Broughton. In late 1940, 57 year-old Sir Jock Delves Broughton, fresh from a divorce, took his 22 year-old bride straight to Kenya where he owned a coffee plantation. It was hardly a love match–at least not for Diana who had an unusual pre-nup agreement with Broughton. One meeting with Erroll, and Diana’s affair began…
In these pages, we see the bizarre culture of these wealthy exiles who built magnificent palaces surrounded by exquisitely manicured lawns and flower beds in their attempts to “preserve the way of life of the English county families.” These are the twilight years of the British colonies with multiple servants (sometimes unpaid and abused), with the spoiled rich amusing themselves with safaris, extravagant stunts and multiple love affairs.
Author James Fox follows the genesis of the book which began as an investigation for a story in the Sunday Times Magazine in the late 60s, the murder case and the subsequent trial, as well as his meeting with Lady Diana Delamere–known as Diana Broughton in White Mischief. Recreated here are the circumstances that drove a particular murder, but we also get an absolute sense of the society in the Happy Valley with the Muthaiga Club at its centre–a club in which jews were not allowed. Often the parties, which ended at 6 in the morning, turned into hooliganism. Morphine and cocaine were frequent hors d’oeuvres to the all-night entertainment.
The story behind the crime is excellently and meticulously researched. The background story of Happy Valley’s society is fascinating, riveting stuff, and the build up to the murder is rather tense with every piece of background information slotted into place. Most of the characters are a dissolute, bored, destructive lot–certainly no one ‘deserved’ to be murdered (although one may feel a certain astonishment that there was only one victim). The degree of wonder remains in the fact that a nobleman was bumped off. Would this have happened in England? I doubt it. Kenya, for the decadent British expatriates who took up residence, was a peculiar paradise, and this was a unique time. While the author does a simply marvelous job of recreating the atmosphere of the times, there is no great revelation here as the criminal trial unfolds. Everything is an inevitable foregone conclusion, and the book’s strength is found in its successful re-creation of a peculiar time and place.
This was a re-read for me. I first watched the film years ago, and reading the book for the second time rekindled all my original feelings about the society in Happy Valley. For the second reading, already knowing about the decadent lifestyle of many of the Happy Valley residents, this time I was struck by how while bad behaviour was accepted amongst one’s own set, bad behaviour in front of the natives was “inexcusable.” How peculiar that the British ex-pats went to such lengths to recreate the trappings of a pseudo British society complete with its snobbery, magnificent gardens and polo fields, but then led the sort of wild lives that would find them ostracized back in England. The sheer rapidity of the fatal events that led to Erroll’s murder were just as surprising for this second read, although this time I marveled at the way society members stood up for Erroll’s murderer during the trial and yet he was a pariah following the verdict.
A few years ago, author Christine Nicholls revealed additional information that she had about the case, and while the information all slots into place, the murder of Lord Erroll is still, officially, unsolved.
There are some crimes that could only have occurred in a unique set of circumstances, and this is certainly true for the murder of Lord Erroll. Erroll, Josslyn Hay, the 22nd Earl of Erroll was shot in his car in the early morning hours of January 24th, 1941. Although a trial was conducted, no one was ever convicted for the crime, and the murder remains, officially, unsolved. Forty years after the murder (the book was originally published in the 80s), in White Mischief, author James Fox painstakingly pieced together transcripts from the trial and testimony of witnesses in an attempt to both explain and solve the crime.
Erroll was murdered in Kenya, and a large portion of the beginning of the book concentrates on establishing the atmosphere in Kenya in the late 30s. It was a wild place–well at least it was a wild place for the British expatriates who were whooping it up in the area known as Happy Valley, “notorious since the 1920s as a playground for aristocratic fugitives of all kinds.” According to the author, “Happy Valley originated with Erroll himself and with Lady Idina Gordon” when they “set up house there in 1924.” She was a married woman and left her second husband and moved to Kenya with Erroll as it “seemed the obvious, indeed the only place to go.” Once established there Erroll and Idina became the centre of local society as she organized riotous parties and partner-swapping evenings, but not everyone became entangled in these activities; the wife of the Governor put Idina “on the blacklist.”
Over time, the reputation of Happy Valley grew and became a Mecca for a certain type, including a number of British fascists. European nobility gathered in this area of Kenya–this “permanent feast of dissipation and sensuous pleasure,” building splendid palaces, throwing endless parties, and engaging in appallingly bad behaviour. Most of the British expatriates were there for a reason–often scandal, bankruptcy and divorce drove them from the shores of England and to the less inhibited social whorl of Kenya. Sometimes British upper-class families despaired of a son’s relentless gambling habit, and so he was banished off to Kenya. Whatever the reasons, and there were many, a certain ‘type’ gravitated towards Happy Valley. And there, various degenerates led unleashed, uninhibited lives and recruiting newcomers into their ranks.
These uninhibited lifestyles resulted in morphine addictions and an endless array of extra-marital affairs for the upper-crust loungers who bestirred themselves once in a while to go off and shoot a lion or two. For those who couldn’t conform to British society, Happy Valley was a sort of paradise–and one was limited only by one’s personal resources.
Beneath the surface lay another rich seam: the extraordinary story of the British aristocracy in Kenya, subjected to a tropical climate and high altitude, suspended between English traditions and African customs, answerable, more or less, only to themselves.
Many people thrived in this Happy Valley bohemia, but many did not. The Earl of Erroll was one of those who thrived–women adored him, and men enjoyed his company, yet someone hated him enough to kill him. The contrasting views of Erroll show versions of a complicated man who usually got what he wanted. He was a known philanderer who delighted in deceiving husbands and had a string of married lovers long before he met and began an ill-fated affair with newlywed (and new arrival) Diana Broughton. In late 1940, 57 year-old Sir Jock Delves Broughton, fresh from a divorce, took his 22 year-old bride straight to Kenya where he owned a coffee plantation. It was hardly a love match–at least not for Diana who had an unusual pre-nup agreement with Broughton. One meeting with Erroll, and Diana’s affair began…
In these pages, we see the bizarre culture of these wealthy exiles who built magnificent palaces surrounded by exquisitely manicured lawns and flower beds in their attempts to “preserve the way of life of the English county families.” These are the twilight years of the British colonies with multiple servants (sometimes unpaid and abused), with the spoiled rich amusing themselves with safaris, extravagant stunts and multiple love affairs.
Author James Fox follows the genesis of the book which began as an investigation for a story in the Sunday Times Magazine in the late 60s, the murder case and the subsequent trial, as well as his meeting with Lady Diana Delamere–known as Diana Broughton in White Mischief. Recreated here are the circumstances that drove a particular murder, but we also get an absolute sense of the society in the Happy Valley with the Muthaiga Club at its centre–a club in which jews were not allowed. Often the parties, which ended at 6 in the morning, turned into hooliganism. Morphine and cocaine were frequent hors d’oeuvres to the all-night entertainment.
The story behind the crime is excellently and meticulously researched. The background story of Happy Valley’s society is fascinating, riveting stuff, and the build up to the murder is rather tense with every piece of background information slotted into place. Most of the characters are a dissolute, bored, destructive lot–certainly no one ‘deserved’ to be murdered (although one may feel a certain astonishment that there was only one victim). The degree of wonder remains in the fact that a nobleman was bumped off. Would this have happened in England? I doubt it. Kenya, for the decadent British expatriates who took up residence, was a peculiar paradise, and this was a unique time. While the author does a simply marvelous job of recreating the atmosphere of the times, there is no great revelation here as the criminal trial unfolds. Everything is an inevitable foregone conclusion, and the book’s strength is found in its successful re-creation of a peculiar time and place.
This was a re-read for me. I first watched the film years ago, and reading the book for the second time rekindled all my original feelings about the society in Happy Valley. For the second reading, already knowing about the decadent lifestyle of many of the Happy Valley residents, this time I was struck by how while bad behaviour was accepted amongst one’s own set, bad behaviour in front of the natives was “inexcusable.” How peculiar that the British ex-pats went to such lengths to recreate the trappings of a pseudo British society complete with its snobbery, magnificent gardens and polo fields, but then led the sort of wild lives that would find them ostracized back in England. The sheer rapidity of the fatal events that led to Erroll’s murder were just as surprising for this second read, although this time I marveled at the way society members stood up for Erroll’s murderer during the trial and yet he was a pariah following the verdict.
A few years ago, author Christine Nicholls revealed additional information that she had about the case, and while the information all slots into place, the murder of Lord Erroll is still, officially, unsolved.
July 21, 2020
This book is a bit hard to characterize, but I think I've settled on "expanded account of a newspaper article." The author, a journalist, collaborated in the early 1970s with another journalist, Cyril Connelly, on a Sunday supplement article about the titular murder case. Connelly was a bit obsessed with the case, and after his death Mr Fox continued researching and tracking down witnesses and other people with information.
Lord Errol was living in colonial Kenya in the middle of the 20th century, in an area called "Happy Valley." It was a social center for ex-pat British upper classes, who seemed to spend most of their time drinking to excess, hunting big game animals, and hopping from bed to bed. He was apparently quite the charmer and formed a relationship (one of many) with a married woman. The woman's husband rather encouraged their affair, at least publicly. Husband was charged with the murder and acquitted.
In order to expand the article into book length, however, there is a lot of extra material included, very little of which has any bearing on the actual murder and the trial that followed. (For example, on the cover of my copy is a picture of a beautiful lady with a young lion on her lap. She lived in Happy Valley in the 1920s, abandoned her children to carry on affairs with multiple men, and committed suicide at a young age--long before the murder. But, hey, it's a great picture.)
Cleverly, the author teases the ending of the book early on; he and Connelly discovered who really killed Lord Errol. So I kept slogging on through irrelevant details to find out whodunnit. No spoiler--if you want to know, you'll have to find out for yourself.
Side note: Rhys Bowen has a long running light mystery series that begins with "Her Royal Spyness." The 14th offering in the series takes place in Happy Valley in the 1930s, and there is a murder with amazing similarities to Lord Erroll's murder. Some of the same true-life characters who were irrelevant to the real murder appear in the fictional tale. IMO, the fictional mystery is much more interesting than this non-fiction book.
Lord Errol was living in colonial Kenya in the middle of the 20th century, in an area called "Happy Valley." It was a social center for ex-pat British upper classes, who seemed to spend most of their time drinking to excess, hunting big game animals, and hopping from bed to bed. He was apparently quite the charmer and formed a relationship (one of many) with a married woman. The woman's husband rather encouraged their affair, at least publicly. Husband was charged with the murder and acquitted.
In order to expand the article into book length, however, there is a lot of extra material included, very little of which has any bearing on the actual murder and the trial that followed. (For example, on the cover of my copy is a picture of a beautiful lady with a young lion on her lap. She lived in Happy Valley in the 1920s, abandoned her children to carry on affairs with multiple men, and committed suicide at a young age--long before the murder. But, hey, it's a great picture.)
Cleverly, the author teases the ending of the book early on; he and Connelly discovered who really killed Lord Errol. So I kept slogging on through irrelevant details to find out whodunnit. No spoiler--if you want to know, you'll have to find out for yourself.
Side note: Rhys Bowen has a long running light mystery series that begins with "Her Royal Spyness." The 14th offering in the series takes place in Happy Valley in the 1930s, and there is a murder with amazing similarities to Lord Erroll's murder. Some of the same true-life characters who were irrelevant to the real murder appear in the fictional tale. IMO, the fictional mystery is much more interesting than this non-fiction book.
December 19, 2020
In the midst of World War II, Lord Erroll was murdered in Kenya. His circle of wealthy aristocratic friends closed ranks - and as a notorious womanizer (among other character flaws) - there was no shortage of suspects who might have wanted Erroll dead. Still, police closed in pretty quickly on Sir Jock Delves Broughton, whose young wife was Erroll's latest conquest. In fact, she planned to run off with him. He was arrested, tried, and ultimately found not guilty - yet the question lingered, did he do it and, if not, then who did?
In somewhat the same way as Donnie Eichar became interested and then obsessed in the mystery of who or what killed a party of Russian hikers in the 1950s, so James Fox became obsessed by who killed Lord Erroll in 1941. He worked on the case from 1969 to 1984, when he published White Mischief, and there is no reason to believe he has got it wrong.
More interesting than the death of Lord Erroll is the colonial life in Kenya. The overwhelming majority of the expats succumbed to the "Three A's": alcohol, altitude, and adultery. It is a life not unlike the one described by Lady Pamela Hicks in, My Life As a Mountbatten, in which she recounts her parents' lovers who lived with the family at various times, or the very unhappy Porchey and Catherine Carnarvon. (In fact, Porchey makes an appearance or two in White Mischief, and years later Fox visits Highclere Castle to learn what the Carnarvons make of it all. It's a bit surreal to read descriptions of the rooms I've come to know so well from the set of Downton Abbey!)
Ultimately, my verdict is that White Mischief is interesting for its examination of the colonial ruling class in Kenya, particularly in the midst of a world war. Fox does the field of journalism proud in his dogged pursuit of the aged and far-flung protagonists as he pieces this back together decades after the fact.
In somewhat the same way as Donnie Eichar became interested and then obsessed in the mystery of who or what killed a party of Russian hikers in the 1950s, so James Fox became obsessed by who killed Lord Erroll in 1941. He worked on the case from 1969 to 1984, when he published White Mischief, and there is no reason to believe he has got it wrong.
More interesting than the death of Lord Erroll is the colonial life in Kenya. The overwhelming majority of the expats succumbed to the "Three A's": alcohol, altitude, and adultery. It is a life not unlike the one described by Lady Pamela Hicks in, My Life As a Mountbatten, in which she recounts her parents' lovers who lived with the family at various times, or the very unhappy Porchey and Catherine Carnarvon. (In fact, Porchey makes an appearance or two in White Mischief, and years later Fox visits Highclere Castle to learn what the Carnarvons make of it all. It's a bit surreal to read descriptions of the rooms I've come to know so well from the set of Downton Abbey!)
Ultimately, my verdict is that White Mischief is interesting for its examination of the colonial ruling class in Kenya, particularly in the midst of a world war. Fox does the field of journalism proud in his dogged pursuit of the aged and far-flung protagonists as he pieces this back together decades after the fact.
November 16, 2021
I'm not much of a true crime fan, but I love a good unsolved mystery, and the history angle - colonial Kenya in the 20s, 30s, and 40s - intrigued me. Fox did not disappoint. The first half of the book recounted the heady days of Happy Valley and its denizens' hard drinking, rabble-rousing, and wife-swapping, focusing primarily on Josslyn Hay, the Earl of Erroll, who was arguably the wildest of the bunch. Fox guides readers through the last days of Erroll's life, the discovery of his body, and the arrest and subsequent acquittal of the only suspect, Sir Henry Delves Broughton, whose wife had been planning to leave him for the earl.
The second half of the book tells the story of the investigation conducted by Fox and his colleague Cyril Connolly nearly thirty years later. Although many of the original witnesses had died, and much of the primary source documentation, including the official trial transcripts, had been lost, they persevered and came as close to solving the crime as anyone ever will.
I found the first section fascinating and not nearly as lurid as my description probably makes it sound. The second section didn't impress me as much at first because it started off rather slowly, and the author inserts himself into the narrative a great deal. However, he piqued my interest as he got closer and closer to the truth, and the last few chapters flew by. Fox's writing is clear and self-assured, and his descriptions of early 20th-century Kenya are striking. My one complaint is that the cast of characters is extensive and somewhat confusing. I eventually found a list of the main players at the end of the book, but it was too late to help me, unfortunately. I still enjoyed the book, however, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.
The second half of the book tells the story of the investigation conducted by Fox and his colleague Cyril Connolly nearly thirty years later. Although many of the original witnesses had died, and much of the primary source documentation, including the official trial transcripts, had been lost, they persevered and came as close to solving the crime as anyone ever will.
I found the first section fascinating and not nearly as lurid as my description probably makes it sound. The second section didn't impress me as much at first because it started off rather slowly, and the author inserts himself into the narrative a great deal. However, he piqued my interest as he got closer and closer to the truth, and the last few chapters flew by. Fox's writing is clear and self-assured, and his descriptions of early 20th-century Kenya are striking. My one complaint is that the cast of characters is extensive and somewhat confusing. I eventually found a list of the main players at the end of the book, but it was too late to help me, unfortunately. I still enjoyed the book, however, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.
July 15, 2021
I had a difficult time trying to pinpoint exactly why this book didn't digest well for me.
Especially the last paragraph of the book when Fox writes, "Perhaps in the end, Africa was to blame." gave me a nauseous feeling in my tummy. With enough introspection, I realized why.
As a Kenyan, reading about the lives of colonialists living debaucherous and devil-may-care existences on land which did not belong to them, the blatant racism of the times and the erasure of African humanity as anything other than servants, the thought of Kenyans forced into servitude because of colonial taxes imposed on them from seemingly out of nowhere - all of this triggered the generational trauma inside of me and filled me with a rage that did not belong to me but which yet, I still felt.
There's a restaurant in Nairobi called The Lord Erroll and this reverence of the openly fascist, philandering, narcissistic Josslyn Hay as some kind of James Dean-esque colonial matyr is....disgusting.
Some people speak of The Happy Valley times with nostalgia for a long-gone past forgetting that behind that hedonism and opulence lay the subjugation and oppression of millions of indigenous people.
Africa is not to blame for the demise of these careless colonialists, they are to blame for their own demise - as well as the demise of Africa and its Africans.
This is a well-written investigative piece and if the topic wasn't (literally) so close to home, I would have objectively loved this book.
Unfortunately, my ancestors won't let me.
Especially the last paragraph of the book when Fox writes, "Perhaps in the end, Africa was to blame." gave me a nauseous feeling in my tummy. With enough introspection, I realized why.
As a Kenyan, reading about the lives of colonialists living debaucherous and devil-may-care existences on land which did not belong to them, the blatant racism of the times and the erasure of African humanity as anything other than servants, the thought of Kenyans forced into servitude because of colonial taxes imposed on them from seemingly out of nowhere - all of this triggered the generational trauma inside of me and filled me with a rage that did not belong to me but which yet, I still felt.
There's a restaurant in Nairobi called The Lord Erroll and this reverence of the openly fascist, philandering, narcissistic Josslyn Hay as some kind of James Dean-esque colonial matyr is....disgusting.
Some people speak of The Happy Valley times with nostalgia for a long-gone past forgetting that behind that hedonism and opulence lay the subjugation and oppression of millions of indigenous people.
Africa is not to blame for the demise of these careless colonialists, they are to blame for their own demise - as well as the demise of Africa and its Africans.
This is a well-written investigative piece and if the topic wasn't (literally) so close to home, I would have objectively loved this book.
Unfortunately, my ancestors won't let me.
January 8, 2024
An acquaintance gave me this book when they learned I was headed to Kenya. That was 1.5 years ago, but I only recently picked up the book. In many ways, my familiarity with Kenya built up in the interval made it a more enjoyable read. And I did enjoy learning of this lurid period of Kenya's colonial history. For my generation, Kenya is more associated with wildlife and natural beauty. But for prior generations, the hedonistic behavior of the white settlers resulted in an entirely different reputation. I will definitely keep locations and individuals in this book in mind as I travel around Kenya. That said, I was somewhat distracted by the lack of actual Kenyans (vs colonialists and their descendents). In the beginning, there is some very basic information on the power structure in colonial Kenya and the tension between white settlers and colonial overseers in the UK on how much political influence Kenyans should exercise over their own country. But this is rarely touched on again, despite the 20-odd-year scope of the events. There are -- at most -- a handful of direct quotes from Kenyans that didn't work as a servant to the settlers. The lives of rich white settlers squandering their families' fortunes and, in many cases, their lives, while seeking to transform an imperial backwater into an agricultural paradise are interesting. But I imagine a Kenyan reading this book would scoff at the lack of information about the larger context in which these events took place and the hopes and desires of the Kenyan people.
August 23, 2020
Kurzer Auszug a.d. viel längeren Rezension m. Links u. Hintergründen i. m. Blog:
Fazit:
Journalist James Fox schreibt ungewöhnlich flüssig und gut lesbar, dabei sehr klar und nachvollziehbar (jedenfalls im engl. Original, ich hatte die 1998er Vintage-TB-Ausgabe; die Eindeutschung von rororo kenne ich nicht). Allerdings ist die Erzählung seltsam zersplittert und die Geschichte beginnt nach 120 Seiten noch einmal von vorn, dann unchronologisch.
Ein Personenlexikon, Landkarte und einige SW-Fotos machen die Handlung leichter nachvollziehbar, gleichwohl konnte ich nicht alle Figuren immer auseinanderhalten, die Anordnung der Ereignisse verwirrt. Fox will scheint's einen Tatsachenkrimi schreiben, hat aber sein Material nicht im Griff.
Mord in der Kolonial-Schickeria:
Fox konzentriert sich auf die 1920er und 1930er Jahre im kenianischen Happy Valley mit seinen Ausschweifungungen. Im Mittelpunkt steht nicht das gesellschaftliche Leben allgemein, sondern der spektakuläre Mord an Josslyn Hay (22. Earl of Erroll) 1941 samt Prozess gegen Delves Broughton in Nairobi – dem Edelmann droht die Todesstrafe.
Fazit:
Journalist James Fox schreibt ungewöhnlich flüssig und gut lesbar, dabei sehr klar und nachvollziehbar (jedenfalls im engl. Original, ich hatte die 1998er Vintage-TB-Ausgabe; die Eindeutschung von rororo kenne ich nicht). Allerdings ist die Erzählung seltsam zersplittert und die Geschichte beginnt nach 120 Seiten noch einmal von vorn, dann unchronologisch.
Ein Personenlexikon, Landkarte und einige SW-Fotos machen die Handlung leichter nachvollziehbar, gleichwohl konnte ich nicht alle Figuren immer auseinanderhalten, die Anordnung der Ereignisse verwirrt. Fox will scheint's einen Tatsachenkrimi schreiben, hat aber sein Material nicht im Griff.
Mord in der Kolonial-Schickeria:
Fox konzentriert sich auf die 1920er und 1930er Jahre im kenianischen Happy Valley mit seinen Ausschweifungungen. Im Mittelpunkt steht nicht das gesellschaftliche Leben allgemein, sondern der spektakuläre Mord an Josslyn Hay (22. Earl of Erroll) 1941 samt Prozess gegen Delves Broughton in Nairobi – dem Edelmann droht die Todesstrafe.
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