Author Description

"Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction, and in the life of William Larnach, 19th-century businessman and politician, this is certainly true. He was born into a Scottish settler family in Australia, and lived his early life against a backdrop of cruelty and violence towards convicts, in which his family played a significant part. In New Zealand William Larnach is perhaps best remembered for the home he built on the Otago Peninsula, known as Larnach Castle. He also has the tragic distinction of being the only politician to commit suicide in Parliament building. Many have speculated on the reason. Was it the financial loss occasioned by the collapse of the Colonial Bank? Or was it his deteriorating family relationships in which a scandal was about to unfold?"--Publisher description.