1700s Edinburgh, bodies of excecuted criminals unclaimed by families, go to the anatomists, by order.
So it was for Maggie. Her body lay in the coffin. Is she being made ready for the doctors to begin their gruesome work, to remove her organs, to cut her into pieces, to study her veins and arteries. But the hangman's rope had not done its work, though there it was, the pitiless mark around her neck, her punishment for murdering her own child. The last thing she remembered was the drop, the scream that would not come, then blackness. She had survived.
What else could Maggie do but walk into the inn, to her own wake...to her family and tell us her story.
Maggie's brutal da earned his keep from the sea, the whole family did. Living out of one room, life was as hard as it could be. But it was life. Extra money could be found from smuggling, but not much. The additional coin came with danger.
Maggie dreamt of escape from this life, some day she would get away and live a different life. One day, her head was turned by a handsome stranger and her dream could begin, but so too would her nightmare..

Such an enjoyable book ! Exciting. Action packed. Energetic. It will tap into all your emotions, as Maggie life unravels. What makes this novel more poignant, is it's based on a true story.
As with all Kate's books, I recommend you read it, because you will love it.

Suse

The Mourning Necklace tells the story of Margaret Dickson, an 18th century Scottish woman sentenced to hang for concealing her pregnancy and murdering her baby. Based on the true story of "Half Hangit Maggie", Kate Foster deftly fills in the gaps left by the historical record with a believable, heart-wrenching and beautifully written story.

Foster's writing is superb - she effectively evokes the sights, smells and sounds of 18th century Edinburgh and Musselburgh. Each character is deftly drawn and evokes emotions from pity to terror. This was very much a "just one more chapter" book. Highly reccommended.

I absolutely loved this book, based on the real life story of Half-Hanged Maggie who survived the noose in 18th Century Edinburgh💓

Maggie grows up in a Scottish family who make their living gutting fish and taking in smuggled or contraband goods for safe keeping. Life is hard, they can barely make ends meet and Maggie has ambitions to move to London and become a seamstress. When a handsome man starts to take interest her head is turned but soon she will hang for the crime she commits, yet if she can survive that maybe Maggie can still make a better life for herself.

There are so many relevant themes in this story for today: the reproductive rights of women, coercive control, betrayal etc. This is so brilliantly told, I was gripped from start to finish.

What an interesting book! The Mourning Necklace is based on the true story of Maggie Dickson, who survived a hanging in Edinburgh near the Grassmarket Gallows during the eighteenth century. Maggie was accused of concealing her pregnancy and murdering her baby.
.Maggie was a fishwife and that was the only way of life she knew. So when a man calls, asking them to keep and hide a parcel for him, Maggie’s head is turned and she marries him. The rest of the story tells of Maggie’s life from this point until her death.
I learned a lot from this book. I found it very informative. I hadn’t known it was a crime to conceal a pregnancy and consequently if the baby died, the crime was punishable by hanging. We had insights into the prison system, gin palaces and such like. Also what life was like for working women.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Kate Foster and the publishers, Pan MacMillan for an arc of this fascinating book.

The Mourning necklace by Kate Foster is about Maggie, a young woman from a small fishing village in Scotland, who is hanged for murdering her baby. However the hanging was not successful as Maggie wakes up in her coffin to the surprise of everyone. The story then goes back to the time before the crime and we learn what has lead to it being committed.

This is my 3rd book by this author and I think my favourite. It is based on a true story, which I didn't know about before reading this book.

The story and characters are very well written and is easy to read. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction.

Kate Foster writes so well about Scotland, and especially the Edinburgh area, in the 18th century. You can smell and taste the lives of her characters!
This story starts with Maggie Dickson miraculously surviving her public hanging for killing her baby, and then we are taken back to her earlier life to discover the journey that led to the gallows. A well-researched and well-written story. Kate Foster never disappoints.

Honestly, I think if Kate Foster wrote the blurb on the back of a packet of cornflakes, I'd read it. I loved The Maiden and The Kings Witches was one of my favourites reads of 2024, so I was excited to be offered the opportunity to read The Mourning Necklace and she's done again! This story is based on a woman who survived the hangman's noose and Kate has offered up her own interpretation of how that might have happened.

This is a compelling book, a great story, a character to route for and a real page turner with twists and turns along the way that reminded me of Sarah Waters book Fingersmith.

Kate Foster has written yet another incredible novel bringing history to life, this time based on the Half-Hanged Woman, Maggie, who in September 1724 was hung and survived!

We learn of the dark side of Edinburgh,with its poverty and death & the surrounding area of Kelso. It is written in such a sympathetic & empathetic way, the reader is pulled into the story as though they are part of the narrative.

I couldn't put it down & when I had finished it I wanted to re-read it straight away!
This is a must-have read for any historical fiction fan.
Thankyou to Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Foster has a remarkable ability to write stories about women who are often overlooked in history. Her vivid storytelling captivated me and made this book a true joy to read. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, and I found myself completely enchanted by this particular narrative. The characters are skillfully crafted, drawing me into the story so deeply that once I started reading, I couldn't put it down until I finished. I will recommend this book to any historical fiction fan thank
You very much to netgalley for The access to this ARC

Compelling story about a real woman, Maggie Dickson, who was hanged for the crime of concealing her pregnancy but who survived. Maggie is an amazing character and I loved this book, it was tense and thought provoking throughout with an ensemble of wonderful characters like Mrs Jenever and Mrs Baxter. It was more than the story of Maggie's ordeal and how she moved on, it was about poverty, women's rights (and lack of) and how rich men exploit women. Some things don't change. A very feminist story which was enjoyable and page turning too.

Highly recommend

What an amazing story. Based on fact with a wonderful fictional story woven around it. The hardships and injustice born on women up to the 1800’s are almost unbelievable in this modern age. The book explores many of those moments, most of which I was unaware of. Life was brutal in so many ways, this book stays with you long after you’ve finished it for those very reasons. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

I didn’t expect this book to be as touching and affecting as it was. I vaguely knew the Edinburgh legend of Maggie Dickson who survived the hangman’s noose, but Kate Foster has taken the little that is known and created a rich, full life for her; of grief and loss and hardship and yearning, but also of hope.

We learn her life story and the tragic events that led her to the hangman’s noose as she awaits her fate following the failed hanging, but she isn’t a tragic heroine. She’s very real, hard working, flawed, full of love and also practical. The relationships with her Ma and sister Joan and female friends she meets along the way are well drawn, and I didn’t want her story to end.

“We are bold and brave and built for battle”.

The Mourning Necklace by Kate Foster is everything I’ve come expect from this talented author. Beautifully written, captivating and original, full of fascinating historical detail and characters that have real depth. I was completely engrossed, racing through the pages, unable to put it down. Although I found the ending a touch too neat and sentimental, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. This is historical fiction at its best and a true delight for any fan of the genre.

As with Kate’s previous books, this is also based on a true story of a young woman who was only “half hanged”.

I could really engage with the character as we learn the history of how she came to be sentenced to hang in the first place and the struggle women rich or poor had in such a male dominated time.

If you like good historical fiction with a touch of mystery this is for you!

The Mourning Necklace by Kate Foster

In The Mourning Necklace by Kate Foster delivers is the brilliant historical
story based on true fact.
Set in 1724, the book is about Maggie Dickson, a woman who,was sentenced to hanging for the murder of her newborn child , but comes around in a coffin and surprising her family by going back to them.
The author writes in a way that almost transports you back to that time and you feel as if you could have,actually been there with the description of the places she sets it in Scotland.

Based on the infamous true story of Half Hanged Maggie the story tells of this young woman trying to better herself from her circumstance.
Hung for a crime but she survives! Both heartbreaking and terrifying this story weaves flesh to the bones of the true story, giving Maggie a voice and a fictional story that intertwines with the true story perfectly!
An absolutely stunning read and a must for anyone who likes historical fiction

Kate Foster's latest novel is based on the true story of Maggie Dickson. In 1724 Maggie was sentenced to death for the murder of her newborn, she survives the hanging and wakes up in her coffin, while the judges debate whether her sentence has been carried out and she should be released, or if a second attempt at hanging Maggie should be made, we are taken back in time to learn about the events that have brought Maggie to this point. Foster does a great job of bringing 18th century Edinburgh and the surrounding area to life, and the female characters are exceptionally well written.

My first experience with Kate Foster, and it certainly won't be the last.

Set in the eighteenth century, The Mourning Necklace is inspired by the true story of Maggie Dickson, a young woman who was accused of concealing her pregnancy and murdering her baby and was hanged, but survived her execution. Sometimes life is indeed stranger than fiction.

I followed Maggie's story with great interest. From the start I found her a very sympathetic character. I admired her resilience and her ambition for something more in life, and I understood her actions even if I didn't always agree with them. 

Apart from the strong characterization of the main character, the story had a lof of thought-provoking themes as well as many interesting informations about the time period, such as the life of working women and the prison system. The fact that it was a crime to conceal a pregnancy was shocking to me. 

The book is divided into three parts which follows Maggie's life before, during and after her execution, and I loved all of them, but the last part was my favourite. I loved how everything wrapped up and I was happy with everything that happened. And the epilogue had me in tears. It was a perfect ending to the story.

"The Mourning Necklace" by Kate Foster is a riveting historical novel based on the true story of Maggie Dickson, a woman hanged for infanticide in 18th-century Scotland who miraculously survives.

The story begins with Maggie's family grieving her supposed death, only to be stunned when she returns. This pivotal event sets the stage for a story that explores themes of survival, societal judgment, and women's resilience in the face of adversity.

Maggie's journey is at the heart of the novel as she faces her family's shame and the legal system's relentless pursuit. Her character transforms from a tragic figure to one of determination, driven by the desire to prove her innocence and protect herself. The supporting characters, like her family members, add depth to the narrative by highlighting the complex relationships and societal pressures that shape Maggie's life.

The book skillfully tackles themes that resonate with today's societal issues, such as the stigmatization of women's bodies and the criminal justice system's treatment of marginalized people.

Foster's writing is evocative and immersive, with a tone that balances the darkness of the subject matter with a sense of hope and defiance. The narrative structure effectively combines historical detail with personal drama, creating an atmosphere of tension and suspense.

For me, the book was emotionally powerful, evoking feelings of empathy and outrage. The way Foster handles sensitive topics invites readers to reflect on their own experiences with societal judgment and resilience.

In the realm of historical fiction, "The Mourning Necklace" stands out for its blend of historical accuracy and feminist perspective. It follows Foster's previous work, "The Maiden," by exploring female empowerment and survival in a patriarchal society.

This book is special because it brings attention to a lesser-known historical figure, using her story to shed light on broader social issues that remain relevant today.

Overall, it is a gripping read that will leave readers moved and inspired by Maggie's unbreakable spirit.