Items related to My Name is Martha Brown
Based on a true story, a captivating tale of passionate love and violent death in 1850s Dorset.
In 1856, Martha Brown was publicly hanged for the brutal murder of her husband. Among those who witnessed her death was a sixteen-year-old local lad, and the memory of her execution haunted him for the rest of his life. Corresponding to a friend many years later, he wrote thus: ‘I remember what a fine figure she showed against the sky as she hung in the misty rain, and how the tight black silk gown set off her shape as she wheeled half-round and back.’ The writer was Thomas Hardy.
Martha Brown was an ordinary woman of humble parentage, probably illiterate. Very little is known about her. Despite a small team of dedicated researchers delving into old records and original sources to try and piece together her life story, she remains tantalising and elusive, seemingly exercising a strange and powerful spell, even from the grave. We do know that John Brown was her second husband. His age on the marriage certificate is given as twenty-one; Martha’s as forty-one. Why did John and Martha marry? After all, she was twenty years his senior – hardly commonplace as we reach the millennium, never mind the 1850s. She was described as ‘a wonderful-looking woman with beautiful curls’. It is easy to see why she would have married a handsome, younger, virile man who could perhaps release her from a life of tedium and drudgery. Why did he marry Martha? Some people have suggested it was for money – she’d inherited a legacy of some fifty pounds from her deceased first husband. Did the age difference that eventually led him into the arms of a much younger and prettier girl lead to jealousy, a precipitating factor in the tragedy – if Martha did indeed kill John?
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Nicola Thorne was born in South Africa and educated at the LSE. A prolific writer of historical and contemporary fiction, she is one of the top PLR earners in the country.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherHarperCollins
- Publication date2000
- ISBN 10 0002259494
- ISBN 13 9780002259491
- BindingHardcover
- Edition number1
- Number of pages320
- Rating
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Stock Image
My Name is Martha Brown
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
(2000)
ISBN 10: 0002259494
ISBN 13: 9780002259491
Used
Hardcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Hardback. Condition: Fair. A readable copy of the book which may include some defects such as highlighting and notes. Cover and pages may be creased and show discolouration. Seller Inventory # GOR004218677
Buy Used
£ 2.12
Convert currency
Stock Image
My Name is Martha Brown
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
(2000)
ISBN 10: 0002259494
ISBN 13: 9780002259491
Used
Hardcover
Quantity: 3
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Hardback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR004052934
Buy Used
£ 2.12
Convert currency
Stock Image
My Name is Martha Brown
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. My Name is Martha Brown This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780002259491
Buy Used
£ 4.57
Convert currency
Stock Image
My Name is Martha Brown
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780002259491
Buy Used
£ 4.57
Convert currency
Stock Image
My Name Is Martha Brown
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers
(2000)
ISBN 10: 0002259494
ISBN 13: 9780002259491
Used
Hardcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 42618833-75
Buy Used
£ 4.46
Convert currency
Stock Image
My Name Is Martha Brown
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
(2000)
ISBN 10: 0002259494
ISBN 13: 9780002259491
Used
Hardcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Very Good. Book is in Used-VeryGood condition. Pages and cover are clean and intact. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as CDs or access codes. May show signs of minor shelf wear and contain very limited notes and highlighting. Seller Inventory # 0002259494-2-3
Buy Used
£ 24.92
Convert currency
Stock Image
My Name Is Martha Brown
Published by
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
(2000)
ISBN 10: 0002259494
ISBN 13: 9780002259491
Used
Hardcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. Shows only minor signs of wear, and very minimal markings inside (if any). Seller Inventory # 353-0002259494-vrg
Buy Used
£ 34.24
Convert currency