The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill: Abortion, Death, and Concealment in Victorian New England (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781641608565)

"The narrative unfolds like a high-stakes crime novel."--Kirkus Reviews

In 1898, a group of schoolboys in Bridgeport, Connecticut discovered gruesome packages under a bridge holding the dismembered remains of a young woman.

Finding that the dead woman had just undergone an abortion, prosecutors raced to establish her identity and fix blame for her death. Suspicion fell on Nancy Guilford, half of a married pair of "doctors" well known to police throughout New England.

A fascinated public followed the suspect's flight from justice, as many rooted for the fugitive. The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill takes a close look not only at the Guilfords, but also at the cultural shifts and social compacts that allowed their practice to flourish while abortion was both illegal and unregulated.

Focusing on the women at the heart of the story--both victim and perpetrator--Biederman reexamines this slice of history through a feminist lens and reminds us of the very real lives at stake when a woman's body and choices are controlled by others.

Author: Marcia Biederman
ISBN-10: 1641608560
ISBN-13: 9781641608565
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Language: English
Published: 01/23/2024
Pages: 256
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.14lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 10/15/2023 pg. 5
Library Journal 03/08/2024 pg. 1