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The Unravelling of Mary Reddish: a powerful historical novel about a woman unjustly committed to an asylum
Nottingham, 1827.
Mary Reddish, a young housemaid unjustly committed after defying her employer’s advances, must navigate the brutal treatments of the county asylum while trying to prove her sanity. Meanwhile, Ann and Thomas Morris, the asylum’s matron and director, struggle to uphold humane practices against outdated medical methods that haunt the institution.
As Mary forms an unlikely alliance with a fellow patient, she finds herself at the centre of a battle between compassion and cruelty that will determine the course of her life – and the future of the asylum itself.
Mary Reddish, a young housemaid unjustly committed after defying her employer’s advances, must navigate the brutal treatments of the county asylum while trying to prove her sanity. Meanwhile, Ann and Thomas Morris, the asylum’s matron and director, struggle to uphold humane practices against outdated medical methods that haunt the institution.
As Mary forms an unlikely alliance with a fellow patient, she finds herself at the centre of a battle between compassion and cruelty that will determine the course of her life – and the future of the asylum itself.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published May 21, 2025
11 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 15, 2025
4.5 stars.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I learnt a lot whilst reading this and found it really interesting when you think about women’s mental health now (like pmdd etc).
I’d recommend this highly to anyone who’s wanting an extremely well written and researched novel about the treatment in asylums.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I learnt a lot whilst reading this and found it really interesting when you think about women’s mental health now (like pmdd etc).
I’d recommend this highly to anyone who’s wanting an extremely well written and researched novel about the treatment in asylums.
January 7, 2026
A really enjoyable book to start off this year’s reading challenge.
The storytelling was engaging, as were the characters and the detail of the treatment - or rather mistreatment - of the patients within the asylum.
I found it incredibly interesting just how the ‘lunatics’ and ‘idiots’ of the time were diagnosed and thus treated and how many asylums were run as businesses and treatments were prescribed so that it looked to the subscribers that efforts were being made to cure their mental instability.
Thomas and Ann Morris were astounding in their care and duty to the patients, recognising the cruel treatments did nothing to help recovery but instead pushed the patient into further pain and distress. The rotatory chair was an abominable practice and for someone with vertigo I can’t even begin to imagine the sensations and recovery from such cruel treatment.
The book was engaging, well-researched and very interesting. I quickly became hooked onto the stories of Mary Reddish and the Morris family.
A fantastic start to what I hope will be David Whitfield’s continued foray into writing novels.
The storytelling was engaging, as were the characters and the detail of the treatment - or rather mistreatment - of the patients within the asylum.
I found it incredibly interesting just how the ‘lunatics’ and ‘idiots’ of the time were diagnosed and thus treated and how many asylums were run as businesses and treatments were prescribed so that it looked to the subscribers that efforts were being made to cure their mental instability.
Thomas and Ann Morris were astounding in their care and duty to the patients, recognising the cruel treatments did nothing to help recovery but instead pushed the patient into further pain and distress. The rotatory chair was an abominable practice and for someone with vertigo I can’t even begin to imagine the sensations and recovery from such cruel treatment.
The book was engaging, well-researched and very interesting. I quickly became hooked onto the stories of Mary Reddish and the Morris family.
A fantastic start to what I hope will be David Whitfield’s continued foray into writing novels.
December 18, 2025
Although this story covers a subject I'm passionate about, the medical mistreatment of women, I felt the storytelling of Mary Reddish's case fell somewhat flat.
Perhaps because David Whitfield's background is in journalism, the writing felt emotionless, impassive and a little restrained, almost as if Whitfield was unsure whether to write a fiction or an investigation into past malpractice at the real asylum.
The characters were well meated out but the story arc felt a little off kilter with some erratic pacing and an abrupt ending.
An enjoyable read but not particularly a memorable one or one that I'm going to return to.
Perhaps because David Whitfield's background is in journalism, the writing felt emotionless, impassive and a little restrained, almost as if Whitfield was unsure whether to write a fiction or an investigation into past malpractice at the real asylum.
The characters were well meated out but the story arc felt a little off kilter with some erratic pacing and an abrupt ending.
An enjoyable read but not particularly a memorable one or one that I'm going to return to.
August 17, 2025
Wonderfully researched and written to the extent whereby you genuinely cared for the characters and felt as though you were sharing their experiences.
Because the author is clearly someone with genuine knowledge of and a passion for their local history, it made the book all the more authentic and immersive.
Whilst we should never stop striving to move forward. when you read a book that is written as evocatively as this it stands as a reminder of just how far we have come.
Because the author is clearly someone with genuine knowledge of and a passion for their local history, it made the book all the more authentic and immersive.
Whilst we should never stop striving to move forward. when you read a book that is written as evocatively as this it stands as a reminder of just how far we have come.
June 25, 2025
I was drawn to this book for a few reasons. Number one is that fact that it is published by Legend Press. I've been reading their books for years now and they never disappoint. Beautifully presented with stunning covers and well edited, they are a joy to read. Number two is the Nottingham setting. I was raised in Nottinghamshire, ironically, my bedroom window looked out over a very famous asylum - not the one in the book - I've always been fascinated by mental health treatments, and finally number three is the historical setting and insight into the various treatments given to patients suffering with mental health issues.
I began reading this the night before I flew out to Rhodes and finished it on the plane the next day. It is a beautifully written, extensively researched novel based on true facts that is both enjoyable and enlightening. As we follow Mary Reddish on her often traumatic journey through the mental health system, becoming a patient at the groundbreaking Nottingham General Lunatic Asylum - the first publicly-funded asylum in England, we are privy to the sometimes brutal and violent methods used by the doctors in charge.
Some of the treatments are incredibly grim, including forced vomiting and diarrhoea, bleeding, blistering with hot irons and in my view, the worst ever treatment, the spinning chair.
This author has created some wonderful characters, it is not just about the asylum and the treatment. There are some superb accompanying stories, with effective and elegant creation of characters and their voices.
This is a brilliant debut novel. So well researched, with a story that grips and often shocks. Highly recommended.
I began reading this the night before I flew out to Rhodes and finished it on the plane the next day. It is a beautifully written, extensively researched novel based on true facts that is both enjoyable and enlightening. As we follow Mary Reddish on her often traumatic journey through the mental health system, becoming a patient at the groundbreaking Nottingham General Lunatic Asylum - the first publicly-funded asylum in England, we are privy to the sometimes brutal and violent methods used by the doctors in charge.
Some of the treatments are incredibly grim, including forced vomiting and diarrhoea, bleeding, blistering with hot irons and in my view, the worst ever treatment, the spinning chair.
This author has created some wonderful characters, it is not just about the asylum and the treatment. There are some superb accompanying stories, with effective and elegant creation of characters and their voices.
This is a brilliant debut novel. So well researched, with a story that grips and often shocks. Highly recommended.
March 25, 2025
I really enjoy books about mental health especially when taken from real life events. I was enrapt in Mary’s story, a fictitious account about a real person from historical records as source material. While I did enjoy ‘The Unravelling of Mary Reddish’, there were a couple of things that I felt were not properly explored and the reader was left guessing. I found the reference to the ‘treatment’ fascinating and it is that I think would provide good discussion material. Some of the loose threads that weren’t properly explored would also be a good conversation starter but, we never really learn the truth about Catherine, another patient so this felt lacking. Very well-written, emotive and I feel he captured female relationships well which surprised me that it was written by a man.
May 26, 2025
A wronged woman, an armoury of dubious treatments and a director out of his depth: a meticulously researched story of the first county asylum, packed with local detail.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews