THE SINNERS ALL BOW

A unique retelling of one of America’s first true-crime stories.

Dawson presents a fascinating approach to the story of Sarah Cornell, the woman whose death is said to have inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to create Hester Prynne in his 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter. Dawson draws on the work of Catharine Williams, a poet, journalist, and author who chronicled Cornell’s life close to two centuries years ago. Though you won’t see Williams’ name listed as a co-author, Dawson refers to her as such because of the critical role that her book, Fall River, plays in retelling this story. Dawson uses Williams’ work not only as a primary source but as one of the first true-crime books ever written, making this partnership a rich portrayal of Cornell’s scandalous story. For example, Dawson demonstrates how Williams used “victimology” long before the term was coined by modern psychologists and forensic investigators. The book also serves as a biography of Williams, and Dawson draws a compelling parallel between the two of them, separated by advancements in feminism, forensic science, and religiosity, but united in their dedication to telling the truth about a woman’s mysterious and untimely death. Dawson also highlights how the puritanical environment in which her victim and co-author lived fostered strong biases. The story occasionally drags, lacking the propulsive drive of other true-crime works, but this deliberate pacing lends admirable respect to a story that’s often sensationalized. Dawson also places Cornell’s death in the context of other gruesome New England crimes, notably that of Lizzie Borden, immersing readers in the chilling atmosphere of the time.

Required reading for true-crime aficionados and those fascinated by puritanical New England.