Bookseller Reviews
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Enjoyable, mysterious and with a great cast
London 1841. The Rajah sets sail for Australia. Aboard 180 women convicted of petty crimes. They only have each other, until the murder…
Dangerous Women h... READ MORE
A must read for fans of historical fiction
In 1841 The Rajah sailing ship was tasked with transporting 180 female convicts from London to Hobart in Tasmania. The Master of the Rajah was Charles Fer... READ MORE
Who should not be on board?
London, 1841.
The Rajah sails for Australia.
Aboard: 180 convicted women.
Daughters, sisters, mothers... they will never see home or family again.
Despised... READ MORE
Synopsis
The compelling, gorgeously atmospheric tale of female friendship, redemption and betrayal, inspired by the incredible true story of female convicts at sea.
London, 1841.
The Rajah sails for Australia.
On board are 180 women convicted of petty crimes, sentenced to start a new life half way across the world.
Daughters, sisters, mothers - they'll never see home or family again. Despised and damned, all they have now is each other.
Until the murder.
As the fearful hunt for a killer begins, everyone on board is a suspect.
The investigation risks tearing their friendships apart . . .
But if the killer isn't found, could it cost them their last chance of freedom?
Based on a real-life voyage, Dangerous Women is a sweeping tale of confinement, hope and the terrible things we do to survive.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
- ISBN: 9781405943161
- Number of pages: 352
- Dimensions: 198 x 130 x 21 mm
- Weight: 246g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allA perfect blend of facts and fiction.
In 1841, the ship called The Rajah sails for Australia, aboard 180 women convicted for a series of petty crimes. These women start the voyage knowing that ... READ MORE
Intrigue on the high seas
In recent years I’ve gravitated to reading more books by women authors which brings with it more female protagonists. Sometimes it feels as though the effo... READ MORE
Fascinating read
This was a brilliant story, based on an historical source, of the journey of 200 women prisoners, deported to Van Diemens Land ( Tasmania), for minor infri... READ MORE
Great historical fiction with a 'whodunnit' thrown in!
This is a well written historical fiction book, based around the true events of nearly two hundred convicted women who were sentenced to travel to Austral... READ MORE
Strong historical drama
The Rajah sets sail for Van Diemen's land in 1841. Its cargo a group of women convicts sentenced to transportation. On board is a young woman, Kezia Hayter... READ MORE
Wow, astounding, brilliant and murderous
Omg!!! I have fallen in love with this story. It’s left me breathless, laughing at the saucy women who don’t give two ahems for anyone’s opinion.I also lov... READ MORE
A gently-paced historical fiction novel with strong factual themes
Set in 1841, this book draws upon the real passenger list of one particular crossing of the Rajah as it sets sail from London to Tasmania. 180 women were ... READ MORE
As well as the mystery I loved the factual aspect of the Rajah
Dangerous Women is a fascinating story that blends a wonderful fictional story based on real historical events. In 1841 the Rajah convict ship set sail fro... READ MORE
Quietly moving and gripping
‘
" .... as a light work of historical study, it isn’t all bad."
Dangerous Women - Hope Adams - aka Adèle Geras
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Michael Joseph for this review copy. This is my unbiased review of th... READ MORE
Historical Fiction
London, 1841: One hundred and eighty women file aboardd the Rajah. embarking on a three month voyage to the other side of the world. They're daughters, sis... READ MORE
A fabulous example of historical fiction meeting a locked-room whodunit
This is a fabulous example of historical fiction meeting a locked-room whodunit! This intriguing tale is based in 1841, aboard the real-life transportation... READ MORE
Decent Historical Fiction Murder Mystery
This was an enjoyable historical fiction murder mystery set in 1841 and what tempted me to read it was the 'locked room' element of the story taking place ... READ MORE
A well constructed tale, considering the size of the canvas.
Set on a ship bound for Van Diemen's Land, the story is a little like the ship. It goes up and down and side to side but never loses its course on the way ... READ MORE
Historical fiction meets locked room murder mystery
"That's what we, too, are like, us women... We're many small pieces, each of us different but now stitched together. A patchwork of souls."
Dangerous Wome... READ MORE
Dangerous Women
Based on a true story this historical fiction was truly emotional. The women and a few children were sent to Australia for petty crimes. They were doing wh... READ MORE
A great story based on an actual voyage
I love good historical fiction based on an actual event or happening. This story of the Rajah and it's journey to what is now Tasmania with a 'cargo' of 20... READ MORE
Fascinating historical novel
This is a fascinating historical novel, loosely based on a real voyage. Two hundred years ago a ship set sail to Australia carrying women convicted of most... READ MORE
A great historical fiction, murder mystery!
This book is set in the mid 1800s and follows 20 women aboard the Rajah, a ship transporting them to the other side of the world. The women have all been c... READ MORE
Interesting story
An interesting retelling of the voyage of a convict ship from Britain to van diemens land in the 19th century. The convicts are all women and it's based o... READ MORE
Excellent and well written
This is an excellent and very well-written book which I found to be a really absorbing read. The basis of the story is the journey of female convicts being... READ MORE
Great characters
Great characters and while the story is good and I did feel immersed in the women's world it didn't keep me captivated enough to make me want to read it al... READ MORE
An emotional and captivating Insight into a story about friendship, bravery and what it means to be a woman
'That's what we too are like us women. We're a patchwork...Here are friends and enemies. We've turned ourselves into something. We're many small pieces, ea... READ MORE
Historical fiction with a difference
I really enjoyed reading this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction with a difference .It’s based on the true story of ... READ MORE
An interesting read.
Until recently, I hadn't read too many books set on a boat. "Dangerous Women" by Hope Adams is based on a true story, sending female convicts to Tasmania ... READ MORE
Historical reality within fiction
A good story which takes a part of history and creates a fictional story within those historical realities. We are taken back to 1841, on the ship Rajah, a... READ MORE
Fascinating historical fiction
Dangerous Women is a fascinating and thoroughly researched story based on the voyage of the Rajah in 1841 from England to Van Diemen’s Land as she transpor... READ MORE
Lacklustre intrigue on female convict ship
In 1841, the barque Rajah sets sail for what is now Tasmania with 200 female convicts on board. Unbeknownst to passengers and crew, a killer is among them.... READ MORE
Full of history and mystery
Really enjoyed the back and forth with each chapter, in terms of narrator and timescale. I also loved the history behind the story.
A fabulous readc
What a fabulous title Dangerous Women is, and in this case it refers to the female convicts being transported to Van Diemen’s Island, Australia, on the shi... READ MORE
An example of how to do historical fiction well
'Dangerous Women' by Hope Adam's is an example of how to do historical fiction well.
Adam's has used the bones of a real voyage of convict women from the... READ MORE
Historical fiction and quilting beautifully sewn together
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Hope Adams, mention historical women’s fiction and I’m there but add in patchwork and quilting? I am ALL in for that!
I... READ MORE
Lovecd it!
First off, I loved that cover! I was aware of the history of the prison ships that delivered convicts to Australia and Van Diemen's Land. (Tasmania) I thin... READ MORE
Fascinating historical drama
On board the Rajah are a group of women convicts, sentenced to transportation to Van Diemen’s Land. Employed to look after their welfare, Matron Kezia Hayt... READ MORE
Female convicts bound for Australia - then there's a murder
In the days when you could be transported for petty crime, women on board a convict ship start to bond through making a quilt. Kezia is the woman sent to l... READ MORE
Bringing History Alive
I really enjoyed Dangerous Women - an evocative read that brought history alive for me. It had a bit of everything - mystery, drama and romance, with a hea... READ MORE
A good mystery book based on a real life voyage of women transported to Tasmania in 1841
I’m in two minds about this book. I chose to read it as I thought it was going to be historical fiction but it is actually more mystery fiction. The book i... READ MORE
Intrigue a-plenty
Dangerous Women is based on true events, and I think this always makes for a fascinating read. In 1841, the transportation ship, Rajah, left England for Va... READ MORE
An enthralling and evocative debut about women, crime and the high seas that had me gripped from start to finish.
In 1841 the Rajah ship sets sail from London, England to Hobart, Australia. It's carrying 180 women convicts who are being transported as punishment for th... READ MORE
Transported
This managed to combine two of my favourite genres – mystery and needlework. Okay, needlework is not really a fiction genre, but it is one of my interests.... READ MORE
Compelling...
4.5*
Based on the very real 1841 voyage of the convict ship Rajah and including several historical characters, Dangerous Women is the story of a group of w... READ MORE
Embroidery and murder on the high seas!
Based on a real journey and real historical characters, Dangerous Women is set on the 1841 voyage of the Rajah, a ship transporting female convicts to Van ... READ MORE
Fantastic murder mystery
What a fascinating read on so many levels! I absolutely loved it and couldn't put it down.
I hadn't ever really thought about the women often forced into a... READ MORE
Gritty historical suspense
Headlines:
Suspense on the seas
Desperation
Emotive
Gritty themes
The cover of this book swept me away initally, followed by the synopsis. Reading the boo... READ MORE
A mix of history, mystery and a love story
What an interesting mix of three genres this was. I was fascinated to learn that convict women in the 1840s were given patchwork pieces to learn sewing whi... READ MORE
A historical murder mystery on board a ship
A historical murder mystery on board a ship that lacked strong individual character personalities.
In 1841, the Rajah sets off from London with 200 female... READ MORE
A gripping and wonderful book!
This book had me in its grip form start to finish - there was so much going on right from the beginning: the woman who tricked her way on board, the murder... READ MORE
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