On May 6, 1882 two men, Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Burke, were brutally stabbed to death by a violent group intent on obtaining Home Rule for Ireland. It was understandable why Burke would be the group’s target, but Cavendish was a fair man who sympathized with the plight of the Irish. The Irish Assassins describes the Irish-English conflict that led up to the Phoenix Park murders and what occurred as a result of the two killings.

Julie Kavabagh’s book is filled with a cast of interesting historical figures as well known as Queen Victoria and Charles Parnell to less famous but just as compelling characters, such as James Carey and John Mallon. If you are interested in the history of Ireland, you will want to read The Irish Assassins.