Welcome to The Yellow Lantern Summer Blog Series!! I am excited to have author Angie Dicken here today to give us a closer look at grave robbing! I know, it’s not something I should be excited about – but it’s just in fiction books, so that makes it ok, right!?
First, let’s learn a little bit more about the story. And, make sure you follow Angie’s blog schedule because there is a different giveaway each month! Check out more about the tour at Angie’s website.
Forced
to Spy for Grave Robbers
True Colors – Fiction Based on
Strange-But-True History
In 1824, Josephine Clayton is considered dead by
everyone in her Massachusetts village—especially the doctor she has assisted
for several months. Yet, she is still very much alive.
After the doctor’s illegal dealing with his body
snatcher to obtain her body, Josephine awakens, positioned as the next corpse
for his research. To cover up his crime, the doctor tries to kill her, but
Josephine begs to be spared. They strike a deal–Josephine will leave her
village and work at a distant cotton mill. All the while, she’ll await her true
mission–posing as a mourner to help the body snatcher procure her replacement.
At the mill though, Josephine is praised for her
medical remedies among the other female workers, gaining attention from the
handsome factory manager, Braham Taylor. Yet, when Braham’s own loved one
becomes the prey for the next grave robbing, Josie must make a choice that
could put her dark past behind her or steal away the promise of any future at
all.
What price will Josie pay for love when her
secrets begin to unravel?
It’s release month and I am excited to share about grave-robbing…uh, well, excited is a strange word to use! HAHA!
When I started this project, grave-robbing was a very unknown topic to me—one that I considered with great caution as I am a pretty sensitive person when it comes to anything really graphic. I took care to consider how I might write this story for someone like me, but without glossing over the subject. My main goal was to root a redemption story into the true crime of graverobbing.
During my research, I came across some interesting facts about this true crime in Massachusetts. as well as in history at large. Graverobbing was not just a practice of the 19th century, but a practice that has been employed throughout history.
I’d like to share some made-up headlines that popped into my head as I researched, along with links to websites that elaborated on the subject during my studies.
“Dig in” to this topic of my newest release, and then let me know what you found most surprising about this true crime.
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HEADLINES (by Angie Dicken):
Spunker Club: Medical Society Desperate For Bodies!
What elite medical school could have possibly been thick in the practice of graverobbing long ago?
https://www.history.com/news/harvards-colonial-era-body-snatching-club
Families of the Dead Demand Protection!
The Act of the Sepluchres of the Dead, 1815
Finally, the governor listens to angry family members who discover their deceased have been stolen away.
http://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/files/original/046bb179c84512dbbde08bb18c1338f7.jpg
And, here are some possible headlines Josie Clay might have read after her own encounters with grave-robbers:
What in The World is Burking?
Burking was the term for killing someone to use their body for medical research. This was after William Burke was tried and convicted in 1829 for suffocating an individual for the purposes of medical research.
Finally, We Can Dissect in Peace.
1831 Massachusetts Anatomy Act
In 1831, anatomical dissection was legalized in Massachusetts after being lobbied for by Dr. John Collins Warren who donated his own body for dissection in efforts to expand medical knowledge.
http://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/files/original/e01e841983d87ca24616f78015e8eca8.pdf
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I can’t imagine robbing a grave and I live right by a cemetery. That is just so gruesome. I’m reading this now. ?
Ooh, I am so glad it’s not a norm now-a-days! So glad you are reading The Yellow Lantern!
Same here! I hope you are enjoying it 🙂
Thank you for being part of the book tour for “The Yellow Lantern”.
It is inconceivable to be of grave robbing at all. I can’t fathom someone defacing a final resting place by robbing the grave or destroying headstones, but I also can’t understand burying someone with anything valuable enough to be robbed of in the first place. How would they know which ones to rob for riches unless you go to the older graves before the metal vaults might have been used?
Can’t wait for the opportunity to read “The Yellow Lantern”!
Thanks for stopping by! That’s a great question! The Yellow Lantern deals with robbing graves for medical research. It is a sad historical reality. I am glad that it’s not a practice these days!
I can’t fathom it either. It was so interesting to read.
I really liked the description of the book. A story about grave robbing sounds like a page turner. Looking forward to reading.
Yay! Hope you get a chance to read it. 🙂
Page turner for sure. I hope you enjoy!
Would like to read
Great! Be sure to enter the rafflecopter for a chance at a B&N gift card! 🙂
Oh I hope you get to read it Una, it’s a fabulous book!
I have just got to the part about the first grave robbing. Was surprised at part of it , can’t wait to get back to it! I was at the drs. office and had to stop.
Betty I hope you’ve been able to read to the end by now :). Did you enjoy it?
Sounds incredibly intriguing and hard to fathom!
It’s so interesting! I hope you get a chance to read the book!
This certainly sounds interesting, but definitely something I would not read at night. I think I would have nightmares, LOL.
LOL – yes books like this I tend to read during the daylight hours 🙂