After finally watching The Wicked Lady I decided I really needed to read it, too. Finding that it was cheaper to get the annotated copy was just a bonus because there were all kinds of notes and a good introduction. Magdalen King-Hall is not as well known as other historically-inspired novelists of her era like Daphne Du Maurier, Kathleen Winsor, and Margaret Irwin. More’s the pity: this was a great fun read and has a different — and in some ways, more shocking — ending than the film. I was put off at first because of my expectations of diving immediately into adventure but King-Hall actually works backward from the (then) present to follow the hauntings of Maryiot Cells by the ghost of the wicked lady. Very skilful! I almost regretted finally getting to the eighteenth century because the penultimate story — told in letters — was so fascinating.

While the over all story is much the same as the film(s), the novel has a lot of interesting back story and really delves into both the life in a huge house like that, the lack of privacy women had and of course more unusual historical events like the frost fairs. And a frank approach to the spectacle of public executions. I was fascinated all the way through and almost gasped at the changed ending (duhn duhn DUHN!). I must read more by King-Hall. And maybe get around to seeing the Faye Dunaway version, which ought to at least be fun. Even if it’s Michael Winner…

I sort of wish I had this version: