On a cold January morning in 1832, a young New England mill girl, five months pregnant, is found hanged in a deserted woodyard.
Initially ruled a suicide, letters found among the victim's effects lead to the suspicion that the father of her child—and likely murderer—is the young Reverend Josiah Woodley, a married man. Josiah is arrested and charged.
Since the death of their infant daughter, when Rachel Woodley was disappointed to discover her husband wasn’t the masterful “head of the woman” her religion tells her she must have to subdue her own unwomanly drive and initiative, the Woodleys have been living parallel lives, drifting ever further apart. Now, finding the evidence against her husband strong enough to convict him, and shocked to discover no one in his church seems eager to see him exonerated, Rachel exerts herself to vindicate him, if she can. At first timid and ineffectual, she gradually gains confidence in herself—and in Josiah, who proves to be not as weak and vacillating as she once imagined. But can she uncover the truth in time to save him from the gallows?
Inspired by a true event, Marriage and Hanging is the captivating new historical novel by Genevieve Morrissey, author of the popular Antlands science fiction series.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Marriage and Hanging is about Rachel Woodley, a dissatisfied, grieving wife and mother whose husband, Josiah, is accused of murder. When the townsfolk and his colleagues seem entirely prepared to let him hang, she must investigate on her own and, in the process of helping clear his name, her love and regard for him are rekindled.
Prose: Morrissey's prose is vivid, detailed, and often lovely, even when describing a crime scene. ("He tried gently to lift her chin with one finger, to get a better look at the rope around her neck, but as all three of the men reported after, the girl’s whole body moved as he did so, being quite stiff.") At a stroke, she sets up sympathy for the victim as well as the men investigating her death, and brings the reader directly into the book/time period.
Originality: There are many murder mysteries about aggrieved wives and unjustly accused husbands, but none with a heroine like Rachel. And the plot takes several delightful, unexpected turns. The author's subversion of this trope was inspired.
Character/Execution: The characters are vivid and, for the most part, likable, especially Josiah, who is under tremendous pressure throughout but never loses his compassion for others, nor his deep love and appreciation for his wife. Rachel is clever and determined; without her help, Josiah likely would have hanged and to his credit, he knows it. Her dissatisfaction with her marriage and her place in society is understandable, though at times she comes off as bitter.
Date Submitted: April 01, 2024
Inspired by a notorious real 19th century case, Morrissey (author of the Antlands science-fiction series) delivers an engrossing murder mystery set in 1830s New England and thoughtfully tethered to the faith, expectations, and marital customs of the era. In Milltown, a mill girl named Mary Hale is found hanged and, mysteriously, pregnant. While her death initially is deemed “a clear case of self-murder,” the town gossips suggest there’s a darker truth, and soon enough the sheriff arrives at the home of Rachel Woodley, eager to question her husband, the Reverend Josiah Woodley, who fits a witness’s description of "a tall man, in a long coat, with a fur hat.” With Josiah behind bars, Rachel steels herself to discover the truth, including what he meant when he said, "It is on my conscience." That premise grabs attention, but what sets Morrissey's novel apart is its deep dive into 1830s life, from the miserable and dangerous conditions endured by mill workers to Rachel’s disappointment that her marriage, even before the accusation, is cold and distant. (Rachel knows that if she were to ask local notables for advice, she would be encouraged only to “prayer, patience, and womanly submission.”) With that richness of milieu, the pacing is deliberate but steady, as Rachel’s investigation offers Morrissey opportunity to examine matters of belief, morality, and the suppression of women’s individuality, especially among the mill girls, whose independence is treated by society as something improper.
Deeply grounded in early American Christianity, the narrative highlights the low regard that institutions held for women—Rachel is forbidden to testify on behalf or against Josiah. As she and her maid, Kitty, work the case, Rachel balances a laid-back amiability with a shrewd doggedness. The mystery itself proves gripping, with Morrissey deftly teasing revelations and then showing her cards at the perfect moment. Readers will be privy to gossip, occasional prison rendezvous, undercover investigations, and an ending that satisfies but finds Rachel facing an uncertain future.
Takeaway: This deft historical New England mystery digs deeply into women’s lives.
Comparable Titles: Robert Brighton's The Buffalo Butcher, R. J. Koreto's The Turnbull Murders.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
