The Lust of Hate

by Guy Newell Boothby

Overview

In this the third of Boothby's Dr. Nikola novels, Nikola applies his almost hypnotic persuasion to convince an out-of-luck Australian, formerly from England, named Gilbert Pennethorne to assist Nikola unwittingly in an evil scheme. Nikola takes advantage of Pennethorne's intense desire for revenge against a former boss in Australia who stole information about the location of a gold field that would have made Pennethorne immensely wealthy. Using that information the boss made himself rich, living a high life in London, while Pennethorne remained penniless. Nikola contrives a plan and a device for Pennethorne to commit the perfect murder of the wealthy thief. Unknowingly, Pennethorne thus becomes a party to another one of Nikola's insidious schemes.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940148273905
Publisher:	Romeo Publications
Publication date:	07/07/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	770 KB

About the Author

Boothby was born in Adelaide, son of Thomas Wilde Boothby, who for a time was a member of the South Australian Legislative Assembly. Guy Boothby's grandfather was Benjamin Boothby (1803-1868), judge of the supreme court of South Australia from 1853 to 1867.When Boothby was six he travelled to England with his mother, and thus was educated at Salisbury, Lord Weymouth's Grammar (now Warminster School) and Christ's Hospital, London.

He returned to his native country at the age of 16, in 1883 .His grandfather had been a high court judge in his home state, and his father was a local politician; these connections doubtless led to his accepting a role as private secretary to the mayor of Adelaide, Lewis Cohen, but was "not contented" with the work.

In 1890, aged 23, Boothby wrote the libretto for a comic opera, Sylvia, which was published and produced at Adelaide in December 1890, and in 1891 appeared The Jonquil: an Opera. The music in each case was written by Cecil James Sharp. There was little opportunity for Boothby to progress in the Adelaide Corporation: thus, with the support of Cohen, Boothby moved to Brisbane where he believed that he would find "a wider opening for his talents". Perhaps wanting to get to know the country of his birth better, he went on a trek across the continent from North to South, later writing up his adventures in his first book, On the Wallaby (1894)

From Brisbane, Boothby, still in his early twenties, made his way to England, arriving in London (at the age of 27) in 1894. He now remained in England and in 1894 he published On the Wallaby or Through the East and Across Australia, an account of the travels of himself and his brother, including a description of their journey across Australia from Cooktown to Adelaide. In the same year his first novel, In Strange Company, was published in London and was quickly successful. He wrote over 50 books over the course of a decade.