The Defiance Of Mary Ball

Based on the true story of the last woman to be publicly hanged in Warwickshire, England in 1849, the novel dramatises the struggle of Mary Ball, a working-class woman trapped in a loveless marriage, to determine her life. The upheaval and the realities of life in the mid-nineteenth century English Midlands provide an absorbing background for a vivid portrayal of one woman's defiance. A direct descendant of Mary Ball, the author weaves authentic historical detail with a compelling story and convincing characterisation to create an extraordinarily thoughtful and moving novel.