Newes from the Dead by Mary Hooper
by Joan Marshall - Thursday Jun 19 2008 2:47 pm
Posted in: Reviews

This gripping novel is based on the true story of Anne Green who, although hung until dead for the crime of infanticide in 1650, came back to life -- just as famous scholars and physicians were about to dissect her corpse. We hear her story in her own voice as she lies in the darkness, imagining herself in purgatory.

Green, a housemaid, has been trapped in the age-old situation of a master taking advantage of a housemaid. When her baby is stillborn and she identifies the father as her master's grandson, her master arranges for a guilty resolution and a quick hanging.

Alternating with Anne's story is the fascinating scene at the dissection, as the full ignorance of mid-17th century medicine combines with the desperation for knowledge and fame.

Newes from the Dead is historical fiction at its best: full of rich characters, a compelling story, and enough colourful background details to bring the past to life.

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