Last Woman Hanged

The Terrible True Story of Louisa Collins

By: Caroline Overington

Narrated by: Jennifer Vuletic

Two husbands, four trials and one bloody execution: Winner of the 2015 Davitt Award for Best Crime Book (nonfiction)—the terrible true story of Louisa Collins.

In January 1889, Louisa Collins, a 41-year-old mother of 10 children, became the first woman hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol and the last woman hanged in New South Wales. Both of Louisa's husbands had died suddenly and the Crown, convinced that Louisa poisoned them with arsenic, put her on trial an extraordinary four times in order to get a conviction, to the horror of many in the legal community. Louisa protested her innocence until the end.

Much of the evidence against Louisa was circumstantial. Some of the most important testimony was given by her only daughter, May, who was just 10-years-old when asked to take the stand. Louisa Collins was hanged at a time when women were in no sense equal under the law—except when it came to the gallows. They could not vote or stand for parliament—or sit on juries. Against this background, a small group of women rose up to try to save Louisa's life, arguing that a legal system comprised only of men—male judges, all-male jury, male prosecutor, governor, and premier—could not with any integrity hang a woman. The tenacity of these women would not save Louisa but it would ultimately carry women from their homes all the way to Parliament House.

Caroline Overington is the author of 11 books of fiction and non-fiction, including the top-selling The One Who Got Away, a psychological crime novel. She has said: "My hope is that Last Woman Hanged will be read not only as a true crime story but as a letter of profound thanks to that generation of women who fought so hard for the rights we still enjoy today."

©2016 HarperCollins Publishers Australia pty Ltd (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers Australia pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"The story she tells ... is a useful challenge to any tendency to simple moral indignation" (Beverley Kingston, Sydney Morning Herald)

"This is a fascinating book, a terrific read, and an excellent reminder of who tells the stories, and whose stories are forgotten" (Frances Rand, South Coast Register)

"... what's ... interesting is Caroline Overington's even-handed appraisal of Collins's alleged crime(s) that led her to become the last woman hanged in New South Wales in 1889" (Launceston Sunday Examiner)

History book with a story.

This book is a very well researched true story. The narrator does an excellent job! The part that drove me a little crazy was that several, many, often times, the same accounts of goings on were told time and time again. Sometimes with the same wordings as the many times before. But even still, if you can get through the over telling and the history ad nauseam, you'll enjoy the story. There is a second story of women's suffrage and the fight for freedoms in New South Wales. That story seemed well researched but was of little interest to me. I would recommend this book with all of the caveats noted here.

Enlightening, entertaining and exceptionally done

The performance is so well done. Adding the genealogy was great. This book was very thought provoking