I found this disappointing after Begg's detailed histories of late Victorian London and the Ripper case. On the plus side, Mary Celeste contains the various key accounts of the ship's discovery / recovery / loss. On the down side, when combined with recaps and commentary this makes it repetitive and consequently feels padded. Ultimately a rather dull and plodding read. ( )

A fascinating tale of a mystery ship - found abandoned and drifting in the North Atlantic with no sign of what happened to her. The truth is probably more prosaic - the crew abandoned a ship they believed was about to sink, and then were lost themselves when their skiff capsized. But that would hardly make a book, now would it? ( )