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Member Reviews

A very thoughtful and well-researched book that sheds light at the fascination with true crime in the 16th and 17th Century,

I enjoyed it very much, and was surprised to find we have not changed much in how morbid and awed we are by high-profile crimes.

If you are a fan of true crime, this will deifnitely be a great read for you!

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Thank you to NetGalley and William Collins for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Another interesting book to add to my list of non-fiction this year! I've been reading around the medieval period recently, so this was an exciting jump forward in time to the Early Modern period. What most appealed to me about the book was its organisation; each chapter took a slightly different angle on the topic, for instance one chapter covered a woman who really was a serial killer, one who perhaps had no choice but to kill, and some who were without a doubt innocent and died for their "crimes" anyway.
When it comes to stories of women throughout history, we already know that their stories have often been put down with a murky patriarchal filter. I thought Adams did a brilliant job of trying to peel that back and examine some of the aspects of these women's lives that the original rulings and punishments might have ignored.

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Well written content-wise, but quite repetitive - could maybe do with a bit more editing. Very happy to read something that didn't feel wildly sensationalist, however - this was very lowkey and sober.

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The topic and concept of the book were really interesting and I enjoyed reading it, however the conclusions/endings of some of the chapters were quite similar to each other and didn't add new perspectives or explanations.

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Fascinating to discover that even when it comes to murder and bodily harm, women are considered inferior in all ways. Only men could be real killers, women tended to be treated as "witches" as a man's way of rationalising the behaviour of the "much weaker sex".

Like many books which show historically that women were no more than goods and chattels and sources of dowries, this book does an excellent job of pointing out the violence that was allowed in a marriage. For example, a man could not be charged with rape of his wife!! Almost needless to say, some women were pushed over the edge into taking charge of their lives and to do so they did away with their husbands. If caught there was no excuse they could offer as their husbands had the law of the land voting entirely in their favour.

On the other side of the coin, there were some women who were genuinely "out of their mind" and when they were caught society had a hard time dealing with a "mere women" doing such heinous things.

Short version, a man that murdered was executed by hanging, if they were even charged, and a woman was likely to be burned as a "witch" because she did not have what it really took to murder someone and so the only explanation had to be "witchcraft".

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Not a writer I have come across before, however a fantastic book full of interesting historical facts.

Some of the women were completely heartless killers, were others were unfortunately accused of of witchcraft because they were didn't fit in socially or just plan different .

Recommended for those interested in women crime

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Having read Great and Horrible News earlier this year, Adams' new book caught my eye. I really enjoy her stories of crime in early modern Britain and this new title focuses on female killers, and accused killers, of the era and how society reacted to their crimes.I really enjoy the way she puts these crimes, criminals, and victims into societal context, allowing us to understand why early modern British society was obsessed with the crimes of women in a time when men were committing far more violent crimes. Adams is a strong writer and a compelling storyteller - I'd highly recommend this to anyone looking for historic true crime tales or a social history of the time.

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Thou Savage Woman by Blessin Adams delves into the chilling narratives of female killers in early modern Britain, a subject that has long intrigued me. Having studied women's history during my university years, I developed a keen interest in how women are remembered in historical contexts; this book offers a profound exploration of that very theme.

Adams, a former police officer turned historian, brings a unique perspective to the table. Her meticulous research draws from court archives, pamphlets, ballads, and other historical texts, reconstructing eight compelling stories of women whose acts of violence defied the gender norms of their time. Each chapter reads like a standalone narrative, making it accessible for readers to engage with at their own pace.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is its examination of societal perceptions. In an era where men were predominantly seen as perpetrators and women as victims, these women shattered conventions. Their crimes, often involving poison or witchcraft, were sensationalized, reflecting a deep-seated fear of women who deviated from prescribed societal roles. Adams adeptly highlights how these narratives were not just about the crimes themselves but also about the anxieties they stirred in a patriarchal society.

The book also resonates with contemporary discussions around justice and gender. Adams draws parallels between historical cases and modern instances, suggesting that while much has changed, certain biases and perceptions persist. This connection underscores the enduring relevance of the book's themes.

In conclusion, Thou Savage Woman is a masterfully researched and compellingly written exploration of female agency and societal fear. Adams not only brings to light forgotten histories but also prompts readers to reflect on the narratives we construct around gender and crime. For anyone interested in women's history, true crime, or the complexities of historical memory, this book is an invaluable read.

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This was my second Blessin Adams book, and I am a fan. But with so many women, crimes, and gruesome details packed in, I struggled to keep all the names and events straight. Still, the stories she unearthed are unforgettable. This is a great response to, "Why true crime NOW?" because these women were intriguing because of their crimes yes, but, Adams offers details about what those women tick.
Adams blends police procedural instincts with historical insight, examining how justice, gender, and faith collided—especially in heart-breaking cases of infanticide, criminalised motherhood, and the cruel religious laws that punished families almost as harshly as the dead. It’s brutal, occasionally wry, and always thoughtful.
I’d recommend it to anyone interested in the messier side of history. True Crime now and FOREVER!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Collins for the eArc.

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Thou Savage Woman is a powerful, unsettling, and utterly absorbing exploration of female violence in a time when women were expected to be silent, submissive, and saintly. In this brilliantly researched and compellingly written history, former police officer and historian Blessin Adams lifts the veil on a hidden archive of stories—of women who defied the roles society gave them, sometimes with deadly consequences.

Drawing from court records, pamphlets, ballads, and popular media of Early Modern Britain, Adams brings to life the women who shocked and scandalized their contemporaries. Their crimes—poisonings, infanticides, stabbings—are not just sensational episodes, but entry points into a deeper understanding of gender, power, and violence. Through her nuanced retelling of these cases, Adams reveals how these women were portrayed as monstrous, unnatural, and wicked—not simply because of their crimes, but because they dared to cross boundaries society held sacred.

What makes this book so exceptional is its balance: it neither romanticizes nor demonizes its subjects. Instead, it situates them in the broader social and cultural forces of their time—poverty, abuse, repression, and fear—and asks us to consider how desperation, trauma, and resistance played roles in acts of violence. Adams is especially careful and compassionate in her analysis of cases involving domestic violence and coercion, reminding readers that these were often women whose lives were marked by suffering long before they became perpetrators.

With the skill of a novelist and the rigour of a scholar, Adams recreates the texture of 17th-century streets, courtrooms, and kitchens, immersing the reader in the worlds these women inhabited. Yet her greatest triumph may be the way she gives voice to the voiceless—women who were vilified in their own time and largely forgotten in ours.

Thou Savage Woman is not just a book about crime. It’s a book about power, perception, and the historical silence around women’s rage. Bold, informative, and deeply moving, this is essential reading for anyone interested in women’s history, justice, and the ways we continue to wrestle with the idea of who has the right to violence—and why.

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A well-written and interesting rendition of what life was like during the time of the Tudors and the Stuarts. Mostly - especially if you were poor and female - absolutely godawful.

I will be brutally honest here, had I been there, I would no doubt have been burned alive and written about for years to come, because I would certainly have been rather free with the Belladonna. Rest assured, most of these men deserved everything they got, and then some. Being brutally beaten, raped, and having your meagre earnings taken from you, on a daily basis, sometimes all by the very same perpetrator, was a fairly common-place way of life back in the day.

Some accepted it as their lot in life, some did not. I would not have. As is so often the case with these tales, anyone who was a little different, knew the ways of nature or herbs (or liked cats), terrified the daylights out of stupid, base men. And suffered terribly for it. In varying degrees, still a problem to this day.... It must be said that while we have come a long way regarding justice and fairness, we still have quite a road to travel.

All in all, a fascinating and enjoyable romp into what life was like in early modern Britain (and believe me, if you harbour even a smidgeon of romantic fantasy regarding that period, this book will rip it from you and set it alight). Tea, anyone?

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This book was a little different to what I imagined. I've read similar books and thought it would be more date I say glamorous however it was deeply sad and very depressing. However it was a great book and I found myself discussing and talking through certain parts with friends.

It must have taken a lot of research.

Thanks for the aex

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As someone who is finding historical true crime more and more interesting I was so pleased to be given a chance to read this book.
It was a great read about some historical stories that I’ve never heard of all on women killers.
What made my skin crawl with anger is how some of these women were treated by the early moderns as the author called them, and even in cases of domestic violence the women were still seen as the bad guy.
I liked how the author recapped at the end the striking difference between their time and now but also scarily how similar it still is in this age of true crime.
A fascinating read but I did find there was some repetition throughout within the same chapters but not enough to disturb my reading.
I would have liked more stories on actual killers but it was interesting to read about circumstances that caused death to innocent women based on witchcraft and the devil.
If you’re interested in historical crime, definitely a read for you.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book.

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This book is utterly wonderful, an absolute delight in all its gory and eye opening detail. Extremely assessable and well researched for a non-fiction read. I particularly enjoyed the sections about "witchcraft."

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This was an interesting book that immerses you in the historical world and explains how and why female killers were around in these days, usually due to the situations they find themselves in and the struggles of being a woman in this time. There was a good variety of stories so you didn't feel like one went on too long. I did wish that it had a bit more structure, as I thought it would be split into specific sections to take you through the stories and the who, why, how, etc. However, this didn't have much of a structure I could see and just went from story to story without saying much. An interesting read but it felt quite long and slow at times.

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(More of a 2.5 - 2.75 star read)
Sadly, this book was only just fine. At first, I was pretty interested in learning about female killers in early modern Britain but after a while reading started to feel quite tedious because I just felt like everything was being repeated. Additionally, some chapters just didn’t talk about female killers at all but instead focused on „witches“, some of whom were suspected of murder, some of them not even that, so it felt like the author ran out of stories to tell. While I didn’t terribly mind the addition of witches, I wish it had been advertised because it was not why I picked up the book so it was more of a false advertising issue. Overall, it was a decent read and I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading this book, but my advice would be to adjust your expectations.

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This was an enjoyable, informative read although I did find parts repetitive. It was really interesting to see how views/opinions of women in general have (or havent!) changed since early modern Britain.

I found the book to be well written, the information was easy to digest. I had no idea before reading this that humans have long had a fascination with true crime!

I'd recommend this to anyone that has an interest in true crime.

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Thou Savage Woman is a bold and thought-provoking exploration of how society has historically treated women who step outside the lines—those deemed difficult, dangerous, or defiant. Blessin Adams brings her experience and empathy to the page, blending historical cases with modern reflections in a way that is both accessible and powerful.

The book challenges the reader to rethink long-held narratives, shining a light on forgotten stories and giving voice to those silenced by time and prejudice. It’s sharp, unapologetic, and full of insight. At times, the pace slows slightly due to the depth of the historical context, but the message remains impactful throughout.

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2.5

Very repetitive and a lot of speculation about cases that we have little to no information of. An interesting concept for a book but somewhat weakened by the overgeneralised conclusions made.

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A thoroughly enjoyable dive into womanhood and crime in the 1200s and beyond. I was so immersed in these stories. Some of these I already knew but others were new to me and it was interesting to find out more about how female killers were viewed, as well as the amount of information still available from that time period. I also listened to a podcast where Blessings Adams came out to talk about her book and one of the family poisoners in detail - it was so interesting! Plus I appreciated knowing her research and where she found out about some of these cases. I’m excited to pick up the book she wrote previously about crime in the early modern period and any book she writes in the future. A new favourite non fiction writer!

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