An interesting deep dive into 'female murderes' of the early moder period, highlighting how social stigma (misogyny) influences law. However I expected this to be something that it's not. I enjoyed the nuance given to the case studies given, however the overall reading was dry and sometimes missed the mark.

How early modern society treated violent women
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In a mix of reportage, history and analysis, Adams presents individual cases of violent women, not all killers, and the response of the worlds around them. Ranging from the late Tudor period to the Victorian, Adams passionate eye reflects on the circumstances of each woman driven to violence. However, in a short book light on historical technique are also included women accused of witchcraft but not murder, as well as women involved in murders but not actually in the act itself.

Sadly, there seems to be little coherence across the book’s structure, little comparison or tracing of developments, in criminology or criminal intent, so the book ends up as a well-padded list of violent women and their times, leaping around in time and subject.

Two and a half stars.

Interesting read!

A thoroughly researched book, delving into the history of ‘criminal’ women. This ranged from the ones doing the murdering, whether that be with (what I would interpret) as just cause or not and those ones accused (usually witchcraft).

It’s not a nice read, the history of women usually isn’t. But fascinating nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher
4/5 ⭐️

This was an interesting delve into some real-life historical cases where women were accused of murder. Some were accused and found guilty of murders they didn’t commit, and others were murderers at a time when such acts were linked to witchcraft.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys the human stories of history. My thanks go to NetGalley, the publisher William Collins, and the author for an ARC in return for an honest review.

In this book, we are presented with women from the early modern British era, who commited crimes, some more horrific than others.

There is a story of Elizabeth Evans who left for London in 1630 to work in service, but ended up working as a prostitute. An encounter with a man nicknamed ‘Country Tom’, a petty thief, resulted with the two of them killing rich-looking men and pilfering their belongings.

Then, there is the story of Alice Arden who was having an affair, and with the help of her lover, she plotted the demise of her husband.

This book features a shocking story of Mary Hobry, a French midwife, who was brutally abused by her husband, Denis. After one of many beatings, she couldn’t stand it any longer and she killed him. However, she cut up his body and disposed of all the parts. Mary’s story has moved me the most. She was a woman who couldn’t see a way out of her husband’s abuse. At that time, a woman belonged to her husband, and he could treat her as he saw fit.

Then, there are stories of women who were persecuted and (unlawfully) accused of witchcraft. Back in the day, any sign of difference wasn’t seen as a good thing. Overly eager men were scared of women who were different, who had cats, who knew herbal medicine.

Overall, it is a great book, perfect for all history buffs.

Many thanks to William Collins for approving my NetGalley request to read this title.

Following on from her earlier book, Great and Horrible News, Adams continues her investigation of crime and justice in early modern Britain, but this time concentrating on female murderers. She goes into detail of eight cases, each chosen to highlight an aspect or aspects of the reasons women murdered, how they were perceived by the public and how they were treated by the courts. Her style is relaxed – not academic – and some of the stories read almost like mini-thrillers. While she doesn’t try to exonerate the women entirely (except in a couple of cases about witchcraft), she makes it clear that she feels misogyny and the patriarchal legal system played a large part in the crimes and punishments of these women. Adams omits discussion of infanticide in this book because she covered it fairly extensively in the earlier book.

It comes as no surprise that, in several of the cases, the ‘victim’ was the husband. Adams discusses how women had no legal recourse against a violent husband – both marital rape and wife-beating were legal, even if they might be frowned upon. In the case of Mary Hobry, for example, Mary earned her living as a skilled midwife. Her husband was a drunken wastrel, often leaving her and then returning to live off her meagre earnings. He regularly beat her violently. Mary tried to run away and hide and even saw a priest to ask for a formal separation, but all to no avail. One night, after her husband had raped and beaten her, she strangled him while he lay in a drunken stupor. Like all the convicted women in the book, she was executed.

Adams also looks at ‘professional’ murderers. She tell the story of a woman who had sex with a boyfriend who then deserted her. This ruined her reputation and she was thrown out of her job onto the streets, where she became a prostitute. But she then partnered with a man, and would use her womanly wiles to lure men to lonely places where her partner would kill them and rob them. Again, Adams doesn’t minimise the true murderous intent of these crimes, but by showing Bess’ background, she elicits sympathy for her descent into criminality. She also points out that the boyfriend who deserted her would have suffered little or no adverse social repercussions.

She uses a couple of cases to discuss witchcraft, and the reasons why women were so often accused of being witches. In one case, the accuser was mad and felt he was being persecuted by witches. Adams shows that, somewhat surprisingly, the authorities did not take his accusations seriously for a long time – the rage against witches was not so strong in England at that time, she suggests, as in Scotland and some parts of Europe. The other case was more calculated – an inheritance battle where some disinherited relatives felt that an accusation of witchcraft might get the will overturned. In both cases, while Adams is clear that none of the accused women were even pretending to be witches, their fate was ultimately sealed.

Another case involves a woman who murdered several people, often for very little reason. We would call her a serial killer, but Adams points out that this was not a concept recognised at that time. Serial killers were simply murderers who had murdered a lot of people.

Adams uses the news sheets of the day to show the public reaction to all these cases. Women were not expected to be violent, and therefore the public reaction to women murderers was disproportionate. No consideration was given to the fact that women had no legal power and very few rights, and that sometimes murder was a means of self-defence against a violent man. The system was stacked in favour of men, and in particular, of men of good social standing. Murder of the head of a household was considered ‘petty treason’, and women who committed this crime were burned alive. Men convicted of the same offence were hanged. Adams says that often the executioner would strangle the woman to unconsciousness with a noose before lighting the fire beneath her – kindness shows itself in strange ways!

Burning alive for murdering your violent spouse might sound pretty barbaric, but not as barbaric as the punishment for poisoning him, as laid down in one of dear Henry VIII’s laws – boiling alive. Happily, this punishment didn’t stay on the statute book for too long.

Adams concludes by comparing then to now. She suggests that the public horror at the idea of female murderers hasn’t changed much. Misogyny means that women who murder after rape or domestic violence are still reviled. I’m not sure that I agree with that – I think both public and courts treat a woman who murders an abusive partner with rather more sympathy these days, while still recognising that it is a crime. She shocked me, however, by pointing out that the percentage of successful rape convictions has not changed between then and now. And finally she makes the oddly feminist point that women are just as capable of violence as men, even if fewer of them resort to it.

Overall I found it an interesting read, although it began to feel a little repetitive towards the end. As now, the motive for women murdering was often a response to male violence, and the women always ended up on the scaffold or the pyre. Personally, I felt that Adams should have omitted one of the husband murders and instead have included an example of infanticide – not everyone will have read the earlier book, and even those of us who have won’t have remembered all the details. But this is a small criticism of a book that does a valuable job in showing how far we have come, and perhaps of reminding us of how far we still have to go, in achieving a fairer, more equal justice system.

This was a really well researched and informative look at life for women who didn’t toe the line in the 1500/1600s. As someone reigniting a keen interest in this particular period of history I found it fascinating to read about not just female killers but the general view on, and treatment of, women of that time.
Whilst there are several accounts of women committing heinous crimes there are also paragraphs on “witchcraft” and lots of detail about general hierarchical treatment which was really insightful and has definitely given me lots of knowledge to take away from it.
I would definitely recommend if you’re interested in general life in early modern history & have already recommended this one to friends and family!

Thou Savage Woman by Blessin Adams is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the dark side of female history, focusing on women whose violent crimes captured the attention of Early Modern Britain. In this bold and meticulously researched work, Adams delves into the stories of women whose actions defied the gender norms of their time, offering a fascinating look at how society both feared and was strangely drawn to these murderous women.

Throughout the book, Adams brings to life the gruesome tales of traitorous wives, jealous mistresses, cunning poisoners, child killers, and vengeful witches—all of whom sparked public imagination in a time when violence, especially that committed by women, was rare. These tales were not only sensationalised in pamphlets, ballads, and woodcuts but also fed into the public’s fascination with female rebellion and the unsettling idea of women breaking free from the confines of domesticity and submission.

What stands out most in Thou Savage Woman is Adams’ ability to paint a vivid picture of the social and political landscape in which these crimes took place. Her background as a former police officer and historian shines through, as she brings a nuanced understanding of the motivations behind each murder. While women of the era may have committed violent acts infrequently, Adams uncovers the underlying causes—often domestic abuse, extreme provocation, or the pressures of living in a patriarchal society that offered few opportunities for women to control their fates.

The book is not just an exploration of crime; it is an insightful reflection on the role of women in history and the complexities of gender, violence, and power. Each chapter reveals a unique case that both terrifies and fascinates, and Adams challenges the reader to understand the factors that led these women to commit such brutal acts. The emotional journey is one of conflicting feelings: sympathy for the plight of these women, horror at their actions, and, as the author admits, a sense of frustration and even rage at the societal forces that pushed them to such extremes.

Adams' conclusion, in which she states that she found herself “caught between sympathy and horror,” perfectly encapsulates the complex emotions that arise while reading Thou Savage Woman. This book forces the reader to confront uncomfortable truths about gender, power, and violence. It is a must-read for those interested in the darker, often overlooked corners of history, and for anyone curious about the stories of women whose actions have been buried by time but still resonate today.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

A brilliantly collection of murderous women from the Middle ages!

Adams has put together an amazing amount of murderous women from a time period which (to knowledge) there was very little evidence or documents left to draw conclusions from. But Adams has collected an amazing amount of resources and research to put this book together which I love!

Highly recommend!

This book focuses on women who were accused of murder in Britain during the early modern period. Each chapter is about a different case, which makes the book easy to dip in and out of if you're looking for a quick shot of history. Some of the cases are moderately famous, such as Alice Arden, while others are more obscure. There is a fair variety of accused women, from teenage servants to elderly beggars. Each chapter gives a little context of their life and circumstances, and that of their alleged victim.

Some of the murders are blatant and gruesome, while for others it's less clear whether the accused women are guilty, and some are clear miscarriages of justice. Adams relates the events to the broader treatment of women and society's view of their place.

At times I did find this book quite repetitive. Often Adams seems to make a point, and then rephrase the exact same point a few sentences later. I also would have preferred it if Adams was clearer with her sources. There is a detailed bibliography at the back of the book, but the chapters themselves are full of unattributed quotes.

At times, of course, a book like this is bound to be a little bleak. However, Adams has a conversational style that makes it very readable. Many of the cases were genuinely interesting and they give an insight into the lives of ordinary - and extraordinary - people. I would cautiously recommend this book to readers who have an interest in women's history, the Early modern period or general criminal history.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thou Savage Women is an electrifying, unflinching look at the real women history tried to silence - outlaws, rebels, and survivors who refused to play by the rules.

With razor-sharp prose and research, Blessin Adams brings these women’s stories to life, stripping away myth and moral judgment to reveal the raw, complex truths beneath.

This book is as gripping as any thriller, but what makes it truly unforgettable is its deep sense of justice. Blessin doesn’t just recount history, she reclaims it, challenging the narratives that have long reduced these women to footnotes or villains. The result is a powerful, immersive read that feels both urgent and necessary.

Thou Savage Women is a fierce, beautifully written testament to defiance and resilience. If you love history that reads like a revolution, this is a must-read.

I really enjoyed this! As far as non fiction books go, I thought it was entertaining and easy to understand. The chapters were divided well and I found the stories and the women interesting. Adams added just enough personality into the writing without it becoming overbearing or distracting from the facts. Certain parts were very gory and detailed but that was to be expected from a book on this topic. A really interesting and engaging non-fiction.

Oh, this book is everything! I really liked learning more about how the world saw female killers in the early modern era. This book explores some of the most famous cases and it was well-written, thought-provoking and amazingly well-researched. I read it in a heartbeat and I've already added Adams' other book to my TBR pile!

Another brilliant offering from Blessin Adams! As a lifelong history nerd with a morbid curiousity in true crime - a socially acceptable trait these days - this is the perfect combination of historical weirdness and captivating crime and punishment. I was a huge fan of Blessin's first book, GREAT AND HORRIBLE NEWS, this author has a gift at taking facts and details and turning them into a compelling, page-turning read. What I love about this author's work is it's not necessarily about the scandalous crime and gorey detail, Blessin offers thoughtful commentary about the way women were perceived and how this reflected in treatment and judgement in the face of crime. I tore through this in the space of a weekend and I would highly recommend to lovers of both fiction and non-fiction.

Thou savage woman

I liked the idea of this book but it was a little too detailed for me i found myself skimming some of the details to get to the route of the story .
Maybe i just wasnt in the right mindset for a true crime book . I may come back to this in the future and give it another go

Thanks as always to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc.

After reading Blessin Adams’ first book we were absolutely hooked on her work. Whilst it’s no secret historical crime and crime fiction fascinates us, it’s a topic that needs a sensitive but engaging approach. In steps Thou Savage Woman…

In Adams’ latest work we meet female killers (and some who were simply accused) throughout the early modern period. With no attempt to sensationalise, we meet women who found themselves in circumstances that for us are unimaginable. Peppered with rich primary source detail, the reader learns about broadsides, pamphlets and ballads which highlighted the female killer as the most depraved kind of criminal; turning the social and domestic order on its head.

Without giving too much away, this book is unputdownable. Adams approaches her topic with the skill of a crime writer, but the experience of an ex police officer (which she is).

Buy Thou Savage Woman now and step into the crime ridden streets of Early Modern Britain 🔪

‘Thou Savage Woman’ by Blessin Adams is a true crime history book of female killers in early modern Britain. It includes dark tales from Tudor times of women who felt compelled to kill for a variety of reasons, and given the period there is significant intersectionality with institutionalised misogyny and accusations of witchery. Many of the tales were gripping, gruesome, sad and horrifying.

While the introduction and conclusion were strong and thematic, I did find some of the chapters repetitive - we were told multiple times about the same execution methods, strange occurrences considered as evidence and why poisoning was considered a uniquely female crime. It almost felt like a reference book to read specific instances separately rather than a compelling narrative.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher 4th Estate via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thou Savage Woman by Blessin Adams was a book I finished reading wanting more. It is fairly short for the range of content that could have been covered, but this does mean Adams' writing is rich, well-researched and contextualised within the Early Modern period. The chapters focus both on women who killed for gain, others who killed for freedom, and many who were convicted for crimes they didn't commit at all, thanks to the increase in witchcraft trials under King James I.

This is what I enjoyed so much about Adams' writing - each woman is humanised within the context, demonstrating how crimes committed by women were, and continue to be, sensationalised by the public and the media because of how at odds a woman with agency is with patriarchal norms. Adams provides superb historical and social commentary that continues in its relevance today.

This was an interesting book about female killers during the time of the Tudors and the Stuarts, what made it interesting is that in this book I found the stories of women I had never heard about, women who shocked the society that they lived in. Society hasn't actually changed all that much when it comes to how female criminals of any description are viewed.

In a world where media is obsessed with true crime it is interesting to know that this was also the case in Early Modern Britain where the notoriety of criminals was the subject of much gossip. However the treatment of females was different to males - a female killer was an abomination and sent the locality into a frenzy. In this book Adams focuses on a select number of tales, each illustrating the different facets of female killers. For some the accusation was justified, serial killers and husband killers, for others they appeared in the wrong place at the wrong time and were falsely convicted. Whilst this is a short book, it is perfectly formed and immensely readable.