-SUBLIME- A NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 -STUNNINGLY GOOD- THE TIMES BEST HISTORY BOOKS 2024 -COMPULSIVE- A PROSPECT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 -BRILLIANT- A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 From the winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize, an extraordinary story of the meteoric rise and fall of George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham. -A delicious, grippingly paced tale of rogues, riotous sex, regicide and realpolitik-INDEPENDENT BEST BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS -This is the page-turner that Buckingham-s short, racy life deserves-DAILY TELEGRAPH -Vivid, erudite and sympathetic - The Scapegoat shows that [Hughes-Hallett-s] eye for the seamy realities of an extraordinary life is as sharp as ever- THE TIMES -Lord Buckingham rockets off the page of this gloriously epic, seductively detailed biography- OLIVIA LAING As King James I-s favourite, Buckingham was also his confidant, gatekeeper, right-hand man and lover. When Charles I succeeded his father, he was similarly enthralled and made Buckin
