Marriage and Hanging

2024 IndieReader Discovery Award winner"Genevieve Morrissey's MARRIAGE AND HANGING is a splendid historical novel that will captivate fans of mystery as it explores questions of trust in marriage, religion, and oneself." -Alicia Rudnicki for IndieReader Quarter Finalist, 2024 BookLife Prize"Inspired by a notorious real 19th century case, Morrissey...delivers an engrossing murder mystery set in 1830s New England and thoughtfully tethered to the faith, expectations, and marital customs of the era. The mystery itself proves gripping, with Morrissey deftly teasing revelations and then showing her cards at the perfect moment... This deft historical New England mystery digs deeply into women's lives." -BookLife 'Editor's Pick' review 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.