Craig A. Monson Book order

Craig A. Monson delves into the rich histories of Renaissance and Baroque Europe, with a particular focus on England and Italy, alongside a lifelong fascination with Native American cultures of the Southwest and Northern Plains. His most noted works explore the intriguing world of Italian convents, weaving together narratives of music, magic, art, and dramatic events. Monson illuminates the lives and actions of women who defied societal expectations, uncovering hidden histories filled with unexpected turns. His distinctive approach brings the past to life, revealing the complexities and vibrancy of different eras and cultures.

The Black Widows of the Eternal City: The True Story of Rome's Most Infamous Poisoners

2020
The Black Widows of the Eternal City: The True Story of Rome's Most Infamous Poisoners
258 pages
10 hours of reading
4.5(6)Add rating
Exploring the lives of female poisoners in seventeenth-century Rome, this account delves into their motivations, methods, and the societal context that allowed such figures to thrive. It uncovers the intricate details of their stories, revealing the complexities of gender, power, and survival in a tumultuous era. Through thorough research, the narrative paints a vivid picture of these women, challenging traditional notions of crime and femininity in historical narratives.
2016
Habitual Offenders
344 pages
13 hours of reading
3.9(10)Add rating
In April 1644, two nuns fled Bologna's convent for reformed prostitutes. An investigation went nowhere, and the nuns were forgotten. By June of the next year, however, an overwhelming stench drew a woman to the wine cellar of her Bolognese townhouse, reopened after a two-year absence, where to her horror she discovered the eerily intact, garroted corpses of the two missing women. Drawing on primary sources, Monson reconstructs the history of crime and punishment in seventeenth-century Italy.

The Black Widows of the Eternal City: The True Story of Rome's Most Infamous Poisoners

Habitual Offenders