Chapter one, I like where this book starts, right at the beginning when Mary Ann’s parents were born, lived then married, Mary was then born. It does explain the hardship that Mary was born into.
Chapter two, with all the diseases of the day and the health system not as it is today, I can see how it was gossiped about when Mary Ann lost the majority of her family and subsequently received the insurance claims.
Chapter three, sadly, it seems back in the past even though the information was written down on official documents it cannot be trusted to be right/correct.
Chapter four, this book very much high-lights the need for the modern day ‘Background’ checks and ‘References’ that we have in place today in 2020.
Chapter five, the two letters are difficult to read in this short chapter. They are interesting in the content as well as in the spelling in them.
Chapter six, it is a fairly common trait that if multiple deaths have occurred in the presence of one person then any death would be blamed on that one person. What fact that we can rely on is that Mary Ann did commit bigamy.
Chapter seven, yet more deaths, the question I have is ‘if they are paying lodgers, then why kill them?’ I know it mentions the insurance money but surely the rent would add to more in the long term? It does depend on how much rent Mary Ann was receiving.
Chapter eight, I can see why the death of Charles Edward Cotton would be the turning factor/downfall towards her guilt. The fact that she openly tried to either get him into the workhouse or asked to get him to move in with family.
Chapter nine, it seems strangely unusual that Mary Ann Cotton should openly ask someone to buy arsenic and then to use it to murder someone, also to openly admit the child is in the way and will probably ‘Go like the rest’. It is nice to read that someone acquainted with Mary Ann did survive, refusing to have life insurance could have helped/been a factor in saving his life as deemed at the time. As is the nature of this book about death there is a lot in the way of descriptions of exhumed bodies and post mortems. If you haven’t got a strong stomach you may not be able to read it. They say that ‘Everyone deserves a fair trial’ this could be deemed easy, then again possibly not, but finding representation/a solicitor in this case is a lot harder to accomplish. This chapter is repetitive but every person told what they saw and they all see the same. There are a few exceptions where different people see different things elsewhere. It is annoying that the contents of the ‘Teapot’ were not examined, although with what Mary Ann used to clean the house or to get rid of ‘Bugs’ with was enough to prove enough guilt to proceed to trial.
Chapter ten, although there are differences in this chapter reporting on the trial this chapter still repeats some of the previous hearings. Sadly, there are some major flaws in the trial and the jury returns a verdict in this chapter.
Chapter eleven, it is good to see that some people were on Mary Ann’s side, what good it did her sadly.
Chapter twelve, this chapter was hard to read not only was it a challenge to read the content of the letters, as it portrayed a woman who protested her innocence and her loss. Also because of the spelling.
Chapter thirteen, to sensationalise Mary Ann in Madame Tussauds and a play is sad to read also what is macabre is what happened to the rope with many others. What I am fascinated in, because I am a fan of the paranormal, is that there was a report of a spirit/ghost of one of Mary Ann’s alleged victims.
Chapter fourteen, although it is interesting to read of what happened to the people involved in Mary Ann’s case after the event. What is the most interesting yet very sad, is what I was hoping to read about was of what happened to Mary Ann’s baby daughter Mary gave up. I would have liked to have read that she had had a better life, but sadly, it wasn’t to be.
Chapter fifteen, however, a bit late, I am glad the trial has been looked at in the light of modern times. I agree with the more modern verdict, it does show/high-lights how far, and the importance of, research techniques and the justice system has come, from when Mary Ann’s trial was conducted.
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