Mary S. HartmanReseñas

The subject matter is quite interesting, but it's addressed in a much more scholarly, academic way than I was expecting. Each chapter contrasts two similar murderesses, switching back and forth between their stories, which makes it hard to keep the individual stories straight. The introduction and conclusion completely summarize the cases studied, much the way a collegiate thesis or dissertation would, and refer to the text as "this study". All in all, it's an intriguing book, but definitely not a quick or easy read.

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley.

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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

Normally I never really read a lot of true crime books as I find them mostly speculative or just looking for the scandals in the stories. I'd read some reviews about this book before requesting it and they told me that this book was a lot more than just a mere retelling of the presumed crimes of this women...

I'm quite interested in the Victorian era and this book really helps to understand the society in which these crimes took place and the shifting roles for women in this society. I was actually surprised to learn that women were sent to prison for shorter times and had far greater chances of being acquitted.

If you're looking for scandal, this book probably isn't for you. But if you want a well-researched account on the lives of thirteen women in Victorian England and France as well as the story of their crimes, I can recommend this book. I liked it more than I anticipated.

A really interesting examination of crime in the context of gender and class. Some of Hartman's conclusions seem a little stretched to me, but she presents them well with plenty of evidence.

Two of the women in this book I'd read about in detail in other books. These other writers drew different conclusions to Hartman and they are worthwhile companion books- [b:The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective|1747896|The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective|Kate Summerscale|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312021413s/1747896.jpg|3254095] and [b:Death at the Priory: Love, Sex, and Murder in Victorian England|89829|Death at the Priory Love, Sex, and Murder in Victorian England|James Ruddick|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349064277s/89829.jpg|979180].

Be aware, that the text is very small and means a lot of close reading.

(Book fans may wonder where I bought it, since it's out of print. AbeBooks is a great place to look for out of print works)

A really interesting examination of crime in the context of gender and class. Some of Hartman's conclusions seem a little stretched to me, but she presents them well with plenty of evidence.

Two of the women in this book I'd read about in detail in other books. These other writers drew different conclusions to Hartman and they are worthwhile companion books- [b:The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective|1747896|The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective|Kate Summerscale|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312021413s/1747896.jpg|3254095] and [b:Death at the Priory: Love, Sex, and Murder in Victorian England|89829|Death at the Priory Love, Sex, and Murder in Victorian England|James Ruddick|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349064277s/89829.jpg|979180].

Be aware, that the text is very small and means a lot of close reading.

(Book fans may wonder where I bought it, since it's out of print. AbeBooks is a great place to look for out of print works)

This is a well-researched book detailing the murders committed by several English and French women during the Victorian era. The author takes a look at some aspects of the crimes in relation to the era in which they were committed. While the dastardly deeds may be milder than those we often hear about in 21st century news, the crimes were "unspeakable", as the subtitle suggests during the time in which they were committed. It bogs down a bit in places, but it is still a fascinating look at the subject. I would have preferred footnotes to end notes, particularly since the author often elaborates a bit more in those. This review refers to Dover's 2014 edition which I received from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

I have been on a historical non-fiction kick for quite a while now so I was intrigued by the title of this book. That and put 'Victorian' in the title and I will read it. The sub-title, however, is a little misleading. The "true history" turned out to be more of a sociological and psychological look at women who kill and not an in depth look at the crimes. The author, for some reason, groups the women into English and French duos and compares their crimes with each other and the societal mores at the time to discuss their reasons for killing lovers, husbands, romantic rivals, and children. Their "unspeakable crimes" turn out to be nothing more than a gunshot or two, arsenic poisoning, and a couple of other methods of doing away with someone. I sound so jaded!
Seemingly interesting, but the writing veers from "good point" to "blah blah blah". One of my nitpicks is extensive notes in the back of the book. Sorry, but I just don't want to constantly flip back and forth just to read either something that could have been included in the first place or "Ibid. pg 22".
Having said all that, if you are interested in womens studies and/or a look at women's place in Victorian society, you'll probably enjoy this book. It is more of a textbook than a conventional non-fiction read.