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A review by dreamwanderer
White Mischief by James Fox
3.0
The place is Kenya. The time period stretches from the early days of the twentieth century to World War II. British settlers have arrived to work the land and escape from the hardship and dangers that plague their fellow countrymen back home. Most are hard working decent people but a select few suffer from having too much money, too much time and too many vices. They are known as the 'Happy Valley set' named so after the geographical location. Their lives are full of nothing but drugs, drink and promiscuous behavior.
Joss Hay, the Earl of Erroll, catches the eye of the young, beautiful and married Lady Diane Broughton. She plans to leave her much older husband for him and her husband outwardly appears to have agreed to her requests to a divorce without much rancor but then The Early is found dead, shot to death in his car. Who killed Joss Hay? The lifestyle of Happy Valley is exposed and the suffering people in England are understandably angry. These socialites partied while they bore the brunt of shortages and bombing raids. It should come as no surprise that many of the participates ended up suffering from depression and some committed suicide. The murder of Joss Hay brought about the end of the party for the Happy Valley set.
The story had its beginnings in a magazine article which gradually turned into the book White Mischief. The writing can at times come across as notes of an investigation rather than a coherent story. If you are looking for an expose like 'In Cold Blood' you will be disappointed but the story itself was interesting enough to make me want to keep reading.
Joss Hay, the Earl of Erroll, catches the eye of the young, beautiful and married Lady Diane Broughton. She plans to leave her much older husband for him and her husband outwardly appears to have agreed to her requests to a divorce without much rancor but then The Early is found dead, shot to death in his car. Who killed Joss Hay? The lifestyle of Happy Valley is exposed and the suffering people in England are understandably angry. These socialites partied while they bore the brunt of shortages and bombing raids. It should come as no surprise that many of the participates ended up suffering from depression and some committed suicide. The murder of Joss Hay brought about the end of the party for the Happy Valley set.
The story had its beginnings in a magazine article which gradually turned into the book White Mischief. The writing can at times come across as notes of an investigation rather than a coherent story. If you are looking for an expose like 'In Cold Blood' you will be disappointed but the story itself was interesting enough to make me want to keep reading.