Hosted by DoingDewey, this week’s participants in NonFiction November are asked to either share books on a single topic that you’ve read and can recommend (be the expert); you can put the call out for good nonfiction on a specific topic that you’ve been dying to read (ask the expert); or you can create your own list of books on a topic that you’d like to read (become the expert).
In my reading life I’ve read quite a bit of true crime, a genre traditionally dominated by American cases. I’ve always wanted to read more Australian true crime, but until the recent resurgence of interest in the genre, there has been little available.
Of particular interest to me is true crime that features a woman as the perpetrator, which of course tends to be infrequent, as women are far more often the victims of violent crimes. However, here are twelve nonfiction titles that feature murderous Australian women over a period of two centuries, some of which I have read, others which are on my wishlist.
I believe these books will appeal to those interested in not only in true crime but also history, law, and women’s studies.
I’m going to start with A Cargo of Women by Babette Smith. This non fiction book focuses on the experiences on one hundred women who were sentenced to transportation to Australia, often for petty crimes, in 1829. It’s a fascinating exploration of their experiences as convicts.
The Baby Farmers by Annie Cossins, and The Last Woman Hanged by Caroline Overington are both titles that feature women who committed crimes in the later 1800’s.
The Suitcase Baby by Tania Bretherton, My Mother, A Serial Killer by Hazel Baron, and Joe Cinque’s Consolation by Helen Garner are about crimes that occurred in the 1900’s
The crimes explored in Blood Stain by Peter Lalor, Nice Girl by Rachael Jane Chin and Kathleen Folbigg: Australia’s Worst Serial Killer by Matthew Benns were committed this century.
If however you are interested in a collection of cases, then Green Is the New Black by James Phelps, Deadly Australian Women by Kay Saunders, or Mothers Who Murder by Xanthe Mallett might be just what you are looking for.
I hope you find something to interest you.
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My Nonfiction November so far…
Nonfiction Books Read: 5/15
Posts:
#NonficNov – Your Year In NonFiction
Review: Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
Review: Bush Doctors by Annabelle Brayley
Review: Unmentionable by Therese Oneill
Review: They Walk Among Us by Benjamin and Rosanna Fitton
Interesting collection! 👍😍
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I hadn’t thought about the fact that books rarely feature a woman killer. Interesting list. I love listening to the Criminal podcast and the stories on their often feature women criminals.
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Not personally for me but I do love the variety I’ve been seeing in these themed posts – never two the same!
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Some serious reading here! A Cargo of Women interests me the most – times were very different then!
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Hi! I should probably read more true crime. They are much more interesting than fictional crime if you like getting the shivers. 😁 Good list!
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True crime is always interesting. I have not read any of the books you have, but have read about “The Borden Murders – Lizzie Borden & the Trial of the Century” by Sarah Miller (my review: https://thecontentreader.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-borden-murders-lizzie-borden-trial.html). Fascinating crime, never really solved.
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Wow, that’s amazing that you were able to find 12 titles when, like you said, there aren’t even that many female criminals out there (comparatively speaking)!
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Great list, so many new books for me explore.
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Oh wow, great idea of topic!
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You came up with an excellent idea for a list. True crime horrifies me, and true crime involving women perpetrators? Completely horrifying.
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This is a crazy good list! I am adding them all. Lol. I recently learned though that the author Anne Perry committed and served time for helping to murder the mother of her best friend, I think in Australia. She was a minor but when she got out she moved to England and changed her name. You may know that already but when I read it I was a little shocked!
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I did learn of that a while ago, I was shocked! The murder took place in New Zealand.
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Oh thanks!!! Sorry I didn’t mean to mess that up!
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This story was told in Peter Jackson’t film Heavenly creatures I believe, with Kate Winslet. It was well reviewed but I didn’t see it.
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Wow! What a bunch of fascinating books! That first one especially makes me want to go find it. GREAT JOB!
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What a fascinating topic! Violent crimes committed by women are always really interesting, maybe because they are so unexpected. Like Erin I’ve always been fascinated by Anne Perry’s story, which actually seems to add a lot of depth to her writing.
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What an interesting selection – so many that I haven’t heard of before. (Adding to the list…) Thanks a lot!
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What a great topic for “be the expert,” especially since, as you say, women are so infrequently the perpetrators.
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I like how specific your recommendations are. You don’t see many crime books that focus on women. I love true crime, so these are my kind of books.
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Oh, there’s just the right amount of creepiness in the books on this list… Well done! Great for this time of year, when things are getting a bit gloomy and moody.
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I didn’t even know this was an interest of mine until I saw your list!! Australia has some insane crime stories! Have you listened to the podcast Criminal Broads? It’s all women criminals and really well done!
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I haven’t adding it to my list now though, thanks!
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I find true crime to be even more scary over trillers because they have happened in RL. Great titles up there, looks interesting!
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I’m not interested so much in true crime, but I do enjoy history. A Cargo of Women sounds really interesting!
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Great post! Such an interesting mix of books, I’m definitely making a note of some of these titles. I’m particularly interested in A Cargo of Women and The Last Woman Hanged.
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How interesting! I haven’t really thought about crime stories being more about men as the perpetrators, but duh–yes, that’s typically the case. Thanks for sharing this perspective and making me think.
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Love your expertise Shlleyrae! I don’t read a lot of true crime, but I have read the Garner, and have heard about the Cossins and Overington. I wouldn’t mind reading those two.
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This is such a fascinating topic to explore! I think I might have come across a couple of these stories in podcasts but I’ve never read or even heard of most of the books. A Cargo of Women sounds excellent. Bookmarking this list, thanks for this!
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True crime is such a broad genre and really getting a lot of attention right now, so I love that you narrowed this list down to an even more specific topic. I’d not heard of any of these books, which makes these some great recommendations 🙂
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