Bad Companions: Six London Murderesses Who Shocked the World

By Kate Clarke

This book features the cases of six London women, each very different in temperament, age and status, who resorted to murder. Their reasons were varied: in the case of the surly maid Kate Webster, sheer temper seems the likely cause; avarice seemed to spur Catherine Wilson to murder an estimated seven times; desperation to pay for the upkeep of her two-year-old son lay behind Sarah Drake’s crime; seductive young cook Eliza Fenning was accused of serving poison with her dumplings; evil mistress Elizabeth Brownrigg whipped her servant to death in a home-built dungeon; and finally, the vicious Catherine Hayes persuaded two lovers – one of whom was her own son – to decapitate her husband in an orgy of violence. This fascinating study explores these cases in depth, and reveals whether these women were tragic, misunderstood or just plain wicked.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Jun 17, 2013
• ISBN: 9780752497235

Reviews for Bad Companions

[mcdyson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was an ok read. Nothing earth shaking just a overview of each case and the trial and, if applicable, execution. The women are not the old standbys such as Bartlett, Smith and Kent, but less well known cases. The exception to that may be Kate Webster as I think everyone has heard of old Kate. I rather like Kate Webster, myself, she was a woman who knew what she wanted. But, unfortunately for her, she went about getting it in the wrong way.