An Unofficial 'The MeatEater Podcast' Reading List
588. Mary, Queen of Scots: The Mystery of the Exploding Mansion (Part 5)
August 03, 2025
Description
Books Referenced
Author: Antonia Fraser
Context:
Referenced as 'her wonderful book about Mary, Queen of Scots' when discussing how Fraser described the murder of Lord Darnley as 'the most debatable, as well as surely the most worked over murder in history.' Later mentioned again regarding Fraser's view of Mary's 'tender heart' and belief that Mary would never have committed murder.
Author: Jenny Wormald
Context:
Referenced as one of 'the great books about Mary Queen of Scots' by a 'great historian of early modern Scotland.' Wormald's work is contrasted with Antonia Fraser's, noting that Wormald 'absolutely despises Mary Queen of Scots' and argues that if Mary didn't murder Darnley, she was 'almost the only member of Edinburgh's political society who knew nothing about it.'
Author: John Guy
Context:
Explicitly identified as a biography of Mary published in 2004 that 'was the inspiration for the Saoirse Ronan film.' Described as providing 'a solution to the crime' of Darnley's murder through careful examination of original documents, particularly English reports to Cecil that had been miscatalogued in Victorian times. The hosts note they 'will be drawing very heavily on Guy's work' for their account.