The Count and the Confession: A True Murder Mystery - Softcover

Taylor, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0375725830 ISBN 13: 9780375725838

Publisher: Vintage, 2003

Synopsis

Roger de la Burde was an unusual and charming man—a wealthy scientist and art collector, he claimed to be a Polish Count, wore ascots, and always bowed to women. But after he was found dead in the library of his Virginia estate, police discovered that de la Burde was not the man he had pretended to be. In fact, he was such a womanizing swindler that they had no difficulty compiling a list of suspects, including the tobacco company he was suing, his disgruntled business associates, his longtime girlfriend, his pregnant mistress, and her husband.

The woman they ultimately charged with the crime seemed the least likely of them all to commit murder; Beverly Monroe was an educated and unfailingly genteel Southern mother of three who had never had so much as parking ticket. But she had been de la Burde’s lover for twelve years (despite his frequent affairs) and she made a bizarre confession under intense police questioning. Was she really guilty, or was she manipulated by the police? With unimpeachable research, Taylor reveals the multiple layers of this fascinating case and leaves readers with troubling doubts about de la Burde, about Monroe, and about the justice system in America.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"All the elements of a compelling murder mystery—money, social position, passion and intrigue." —The New York Times Book Review

“An astounding tale of multileveled duplicity. . . . A masterful study of human nature. . . . [Taylor’s] reporting is prodigious, detailed and scrupulous; the writing graceful, insightful and sharp.” –News & Observer

“It’ll keep you mulling over the mystery long after you’ve closed the book.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Engrossing . . . [with a] white-knuckle conclusion. . . . The police and justice systems come out looking thoroughly tarnished and inadequate—frightening, in fact.” —Los Angeles Times

“Narrative non-fiction at its best. . . You will be hooked on this tale of lust, love, greed, and murder." —The Roanoke Times

“Mr. Taylor . . . has a gift for vivid descriptions, telling details and polished prose.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Combine your favorite Gothic tale with the popular board game Clue and you’ll come close to realizing what a fascinating story John Taylor spins.” —Orlando Sentinel

“A classic whodunit, a tale of ‘did she or didn’t she?’. . . . This though, is nonfiction.” –Washington Post

“Taylor manages to navigate an extremely complicated case with humor and color to spare.” —New York Daily News

“A gripping story of a suspicious death and the mysteries that surround it even a trial, a conviction, and a decade later. . . . Taylor gives enough information to allow each reader to form his one-person jury.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch

“In Taylor’s richly detailed account, this strange but true case makes for one mesmerizing whodunit.” —Pages

About the Author:

John Taylor, a journalist for more than two decades, has been a contributing editor at New York magazine and a senior writer for Esquire. He is the author of Falling, which Entertainment Weekly ranked as one of the five best nonfiction books of 1999, Circus of Ambition, and Storming the Magic Kingdom, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. He lives in East Moriches, New York.

About this edition

• Publisher: Vintage
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0375725830
• ISBN 13: 9780375725838
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384