BOOK REVIEW: Women Who Kill by Erin Fetterly

As much as there’s a lot of discourse and ethical implications to it, it’s impossible to deny there is a strange curiosity in most of us about killers - what drives them, how does someone reach that point, and are they evil, or just a person pushed too far?

This book explores Britain’s history of women accused of murder, whether they’re guilty or not, and tries to find that tipping point from a woman scorned to a cold-blooded killer. Not only does this book take us back in time to learn about different crimes, punishments and women from our past, but also offers a chance to reflect on how the attitudes and treatments of women may have shaped brutal crimes.

Starting back in the 1300’s and exploring the broken legal systems, uninformed medical practices, religious zealotry, inhumane punishments and lack of human rights all the way until recent history, the removal of the death penalty, women being allowed bank accounts - a very different kind of world depending where you look.

This was fairly quick and easy to read, with an informative tone but without the stuffiness and over-formality that makes it feel like a textbook instead of a non-fiction. Each time period starts with a background of the laws, culture and themes of the time offering a window into attitudes and beliefs, then moving into introducing a few of the accused. Especially for the older entries, I know there may be a lack of information about the women themselves but I did wish we spent more time learning about their stories as the women themselves featured a bit less than I expected with how this book is presented.

At times I found the constant use of conjunctions in places a little jarring, and the subject would meander and loop back round at times in ways that didn’t quite flow, feeling like some kind of sectioning or separation was needed - but content was still very interesting, clearly well-researched and well worth the read.

⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted an advanced reviewers copy of this title in return for a review.
Women Who Kill will be available from August 30th with Pen & Sword History

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