Based on the true story of the last woman to be publicly hanged in Warwickshire, England in 1849, the novel dramatises the struggle of Mary Ball, a working-class woman trapped in a loveless marriage, to determine her life. The upheaval and the realities of life in the mid-nineteenth century English Midlands provide an absorbing background for a vivid portrayal of one woman's defiance. A direct descendant of Mary Ball, the author weaves authentic historical detail with a compelling story and convincing characterisation to create an extraordinarily thoughtful and moving novel.