| Synopsis: |
Is the female of the species really more deadly than the male? In Women Who Shocked the Nation Diane Canwell chronicles the crimes of the most infamous and notorious British women of all time - from as early as 1551 up to the present day. The women in these pages have been accused and convicted of offences including witchcraft, murder, fraud, robbery, assault, bigamy and forgery. In each case full details are given about the crime, investigation, trial and the ultimate fate of the woman. Well-known cases appear alongside others that are less well-known but no less interesting. Many of the women's crimes would not be perceived as terrible by today's standards, but at the time caused them to be ostracised by a shocked society. Is there really any difference between the crimes committed by men and those committed by women? What made the women of years gone by cast off the delicate 'feminine' aspects of their characters and embark on a life of crime? These and other fascinating questions are addressed in these pages. |