The Unravelling of Mary Reddish - a powerful historical novel about a woman unjustly committed to an asylum

David Whitfield

Summary

'A fascinating and eye-opening work – intelligently written, vividly imagined, a compulsive read' Alison Moore'An impeccably researched and page-turning historical novel... A powerful debut' Jane Harris'A brilliant read... unputdownable!' G.J. Williams 
Nottingham, 1827. Mary Reddish, a young housemaid unjustly committed after defying her employer’s advances, must navigate the brutal treatments of the county asylum while trying to prove her sanity. Meanwhile, Ann and Thomas Morris, the asylum’s matron and director, struggle to uphold humane practices against outdated medical methods that haunt the institution. 
As Mary forms an unlikely alliance with a fellow patient, she finds herself at the centre of a battle between compassion and cruelty that will determine the course of her life – and the future of the asylum itself. 
Inspired by real events that took place at England’s first publicly funded asylum in Nottingham, The Unravelling of Mary Reddish shines a light on the brutal reality of mental health care in Georgian Britain. 
'A beautifully written, extensively researched novel based on true facts... a brilliant debut novel' Anne Cater, Random Things Through My Letterbox'It will appeal to anyone interested in the social history of the period or the treatment of mental health' Historical Novel Society

Available since: 05/21/2025.

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