During my formative years reading classic literature in grade school and high school, I was introduced to a number of titles that created the foundation for all of my future reads. Among them was THE SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which revolves around the illicit affair between Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and young seamstress Hester Prynne. This resulted in the birth of baby Pearl, and the Puritan village forced her to sew a scarlet letter “A” onto every garment she wore.

I had no idea until I heard about Kate Winkler Dawson’s THE SINNERS ALL BOW that Hawthorne was inspired by actual events involving the death by hanging of a young seamstress named Sarah Maria Cornell, who allegedly had an affair with a clergyman in 1832. The suicide, which some claimed was an act of murder, caused quite the scandal and was initially covered by Victorian writer Catharine Read Arnold Williams. Now, with almost 200 years separating their exposés, Dawson reopens the case with Williams’ original work as a guide to get to the bottom of this centuries-old crime.

"The combined efforts of Dawson and Williams are completely unique and unlike anything I have read in the true crime or historical fiction genres.... Dawson constructs the entire book with a clever, forensic hand that keeps it both suspenseful and eye-opening throughout."

Cornell was found hanging in a barn in Fall River, Massachusetts. If the town sounds familiar, it’s because it also was the setting for the Lizzie Borden ax murders that occurred many years later. The story of Cornell’s suicide, which turned into a startling murder case, inspired Hawthorne as he deftly modeled his tragic heroine after her. In both instances, a member of the clergy may have been behind the illicit affair and impregnation of a young female parishioner. Cornell was found with notes on her body that pointed directly to Reverend Ephraim Avery as being the one behind any harm that might have befallen her.

While many, including church officials and Avery himself, proceeded to smear Cornell’s reputation and paint a picture of her as a lusty and untrustworthy person, Williams was one of the skeptics. Her own journalistic endeavors and local interviews, along with extensive coverage of Avery’s trial, paved the way for Cornell’s defense. I will not reveal the outcome here but can attest that Dawson’s depiction through Williams’ writing is simply stellar and will have readers on the edge of their seats.

This work is more than just an attempt to shed light on a murder case that may not be well-known today or an opportunity to get justice for Cornell. It is a remarkable feat that may never be repeated via the combination of voices 200 years apart to tell this story. Both Hester Prynne and Sarah Cornell are avatars for independence and vulnerability, and I guarantee that anyone who reads or rereads THE SCARLET LETTER after taking in THE SINNERS ALL BOW will have a newfound appreciation for the true story that inspired it.

Readers can find out for themselves what the overall conclusion and findings are in this mesmerizing read. The combined efforts of Dawson and Williams are completely unique and unlike anything I have read in the true crime or historical fiction genres. THE SINNERS ALL BOW should appeal to all who love true crime podcasts or streaming series and documentaries. Dawson constructs the entire book with a clever, forensic hand that keeps it both suspenseful and eye-opening throughout.