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Martin Connolly
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Mary Ann Cotton: Dark Angel: Britain s First Female Serial Killer Kindle Edition

by Martin Connolly (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 514 ratings
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A true crime account of the life, trial, death, and aftermath of Britain’s first female serial killer.

A female thief, with four husbands, a lover and, reportedly, over twelve children, is arrested and tried for the murder of her stepson in 1872, turning the small village of West Auckland in County Durham upside down. Other bodies are exhumed and when they are found to contain arsenic, she is suspected of their murder as well. The perpetrator, Mary Ann Cotton, was tried and found guilty and later hanged on 24 March 1873 in Durham Gaol. It is claimed she murdered over twenty people and was the first female serial killer in England.

With location photographs and a blow-by-blow account of the trial, this book challenges the claim that Mary Ann Cotton was the “The West Auckland Borgia,” a title given to her at the time. It sets out her life, trial, death, and the aftermath and also questions the legal system used to convict her by looking at contemporary evidence from the time and offering another explanation for the deaths. The book also covers the lives of those left behind, including the daughter born to Mary Ann Cotton in Durham Gaol.

Mary Ann Cotton’s crimes were the subject of the 2016 ITV drama, Dark Angel, starring Joanne Froggatt. 

Praise for Mary Ann Cotton, Dark Angel

Recommended as one of the Evening Standard’s “Best biographies and memoirs to read in 2016”

“For true crime historians, fans of intriguing crime tales, and those interested in how criminal justice operated in the Victorian era, this is a well-presented book on a complex case. Furthermore, it is a book which explores all the evidence available and questions whether or not the conviction and execution of Mary Ann Cotton in 1873 was the correct outcome.” —Crime Traveller

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  1. Print length
    234 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Pen & Sword History
  5. Publication date
    October 14, 2016
  6. File size
    10659 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"For true crime historians, fans of intriguing crime tales and those interested in how criminal justice operated in the Victorian era, this is a well-presented book on a complex case. Furthermore, it is a book which explores all the evidence available and questions whether or not the conviction and execution of Mary Ann Cotton in 1873 was the correct outcome."
Crime Traveller

About the Author

Martin Connolly has a wide and varied background in Holocaust studies, Religion, Psychology and History, publishing books and articles in these fields. He has cooperated with the BBC in a short video documentary and taken part in many radio shows on his football book, 'The Miners’ Triumph'. His book 'Mary Ann Cotton - Dark Angel', received excellent reviews and was a No. 1 Amazon bestseller.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01M0LDR8G
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword History (October 14, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 14, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 10659 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 234 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 514 ratings

About the author

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Martin Connolly

Martin Connolly

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Martin Connolly, was born in Belfast in 1951. Married with seven grown up children, he has researched in Psychology, Theology, Judaism and the Holocaust. He has published in magazines, and produced teaching materials in the three disciplines. A retired Pastor, he is particularly delighted with his book on the founding of Israel, which drew this comment, "Very readable, incisive and well documented....Great telling of the Jewish story. Highly recommend".

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
514 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Emily
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
Intriguing book about the first well-known female serial killer. She just wanted the money but paid with her life.
One person found this helpful
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Donna N. Eusebio
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2019
Its a good story overall. I knew about it from another AWESOME book called Arsenic Century. But I agree with another reviewer that its a bit rambling. And I am REALLY annoyed that the book keeps saying Durham GOAL, instead of the English GAOL. How the heck did that error get through repeatedly?
One person found this helpful
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Annette
3.0 out of 5 stars Serial Killer or Victim?
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2017
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Fairly well written book; however, did not answer questions from TV Drama, and left one wondering as to the actual truth. I would recommend the book; however, as very thought provoking if not really entertaining. A really sad story overall.
2 people found this helpful
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Fran
5.0 out of 5 stars Early Forensic File
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2016
Mary Ann Cotton was born in South Hetton, England in 1832 to a mining family. Her father, a bound miner, was contracted for one year receiving a deplorable family dwelling and meager wages. Upon contract completion, a mining family was displaced unless the breadwinner renewed for the subsequent year. Miners were forced to work in dangerous, unhealthy mines that might flood or collapse.This miserable existence was further complicated by rampant diseases such as typhoid, cholera and gastric flu. It was no surprise that Mary Ann's father died in a mine shaft accident and the family lost their income and housing.

Leaving home at 16 years old, Mary secured a job as a nurse for mine owner Edward Potter. When the Potter children left for boarding school, Mary's taste of a rich lifestyle abruptly ended. Mary was determined, despite
her strict Methodist upbringing, to use her feminine wiles to find a rich husband. In this quest she married four times and had twelve or more children. Most suffered untimely deaths while Mary collected money from their life insurance policies. Were the deaths caused by disease, natural causes or the work of a murderer?

Thoroughly researched and meticulously presented one can view birth records, death certificates, and census records of Mary Cotton's various living arrangements. Author Martin Connolly makes the true crime story of "Mary Cotton-Dark Angel" come to life. The reader experiences the 1870's arrest, incarceration and murder trial of Mary Cotton. A fascinating, totally engrossing read.

Thank you Pen and Sword Publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Mary Ann Cotton-Dark Angel".
11 people found this helpful
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Kristine Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars murder most foul story you must read
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2016
Mary Ann Cotton - Dark Angel: Britain's First Female Serial Killer by Martin Connolly is a free ebook offered to me by its publisher, Pen and Sword Books, in exchange for an honest review.

Oof, extremely Gothic dour noir. If you're a fan of The Knick and want to swim across the Pond for some overcast storytelling and late Victorian physik, this is definitely the true, real-life, murder most foul story you must read, posthaste.
8 people found this helpful
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MissMolly
1.0 out of 5 stars Hard to read
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2018
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I really like reading true crime, and Eric Larson has totally spoiled me for reading it. That said, this book is terrible. Hard to read, hard to follow, feels like a stream of consciousness from the author. I didn't get past about 50 pages.
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Boring
Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
It was so dry and bland I could not finish it. Wish I had not wasted my time or money
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars A Case Worth Considering
Reviewed in Canada on January 20, 2017
Verified Purchase
This book makes a strong argument that Mary Ann Cotton, the "West Auckland Borgia", never poisoned anybody. Connolly isn't the best writer in the world, but his research is compelling. Well worth reading if you have an interest in the case.
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realmum
5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing
Reviewed in Australia on November 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed reading this historical real murder trial story. It takes you on a journey of a woman accused of murder by poisoning, possibly one of the most horrendous ways to die. Did she kill her husband, did she kill children hmmm read it and make up your own mind.
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Angelnet Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Dark Angel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2016
Verified Purchase
Timed to coincide with the launch of new ITV television drama “Dark Angel” this book chronicles the life and times of Mary Ann Cotton, the first convicted female serial killer in England. I have to confess to being interested in this story on several different levels. Female serial killers are a rare beast so it is always interesting to find out a bit more about what made her tick and to speculate on why she set out on the path that she did. I also find it fascinating from a social history point of view as well. The mining community that she grew up in also housed a few of my husband’s ancestors. It would be interesting to know what they had thought about the celebrity in their midst.

The writing style will be fairly familiar to anyone who has ever done any family history research. Connolly has opted for a factual trip through the official documentation that proves various events in Mary Ann’s life. Beautifully illustrated by photos and maps of the local area he includes copies of local census entries and birth marriage and death records from the local Methodist churches. I originally had a digital copy of the book as my review copy from the publisher but ended up buying the printed version because of these superb photos and illustrations.

Connolly does take a very fair approach to the story refusing to speculate on what might have happened – leaving much of that to the excerpts from local newspapers etc. The inclusion of some of these sensationalist reports is interesting and gives you an idea of what Mary Ann was up against in her attempt to defend herself.

This was a time with high infant mortality and outbreaks of typhoid and cholera were frequent as well as the childhood diseases like measles and chicken pox. Any family history research in this area and at this time will reveal high numbers of children not making it to adulthood although in Mary Ann’s case it is particularly damning. A female thief with four husbands, a lover and over twelve children she was only arrested after the death of her step son. After this accusation other bodies were exhumed and the case against her began to build.

It is a fascinating story of the English legal system in the nineteenth century and indeed the sensationalist newspaper coverage that was clamouring for her head long before any conviction. This is a riveting read and one that will leave you with as many questions as there are answers.

Supplied by Net Galley and Pen and Sword in exchange for an honest review.
33 people found this helpful
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CharMontana
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read Interesting how the legal system worked in that ...
Reviewed in Canada on January 6, 2017
Verified Purchase
Interesting read

Interesting how the legal system worked in that era. Kept you guessing as to whether she was innocent or guilty.
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Poss
2.0 out of 5 stars Well researched but gets somewhat dull
Reviewed in Australia on December 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
The author has certainly researched the subject matter very well and the first third or so of the book is really interesting, but then it declines in it's ability to hold my interest.
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