Clara at the Door with a Revolver

The Scandalous Black Suspect, the Exemplary White Son, and the Murder That Shocked Toronto

Häftad, Engelska, 2023

319 kr

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In the autumnal darkness of October 6, 1894, an unseen figure rang the doorbell at the Parkdale home of a well-to-do Toronto family and then shot Frank Westwood in his doorway, murdering him in cold blood. Six weeks later, Clara Ford, a Black tailor and single mother, was arrested. Known for her impeccable work ethic and her resolute personality – and for her predilection for wearing men's attire – she confessed to the murder. But as the details of her arrest and her complex connection to the Westwood family emerged, Clara recanted, testifying that she was coerced by police into a false confession. Carolyn Whitzman tells the compelling story of a courageous Black woman living in nineteenth-century Toronto and paints a portrait of a city and a society that have not changed enough in 125 years.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2023-02-01
Mått140 x 216 x 36 mm
Vikt440 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor336
FörlagUniversity of British Columbia Press
ISBN9780774890618
UtmärkelserShort-listed for Toronto Book Award 2023 (Canada)

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Genusvetenskap inom Samhälle och politik
Etnicitet inom Samhälle och politik

Cast of CharactersOverture: CakewalkAct 1: The Parkdale Mystery1 The Murderee2 There's a Girl in It3 Amateur Detectives4 The Bad HatAct 2: Clara's Turn5 From Whence She Came6 Go West, Young Man7 Bad Fences8 Eight Hours9 MonsterAct 3: A Great Trial – and Its Aftermath10 The Forces of the Law11 Witness for the Prosecution12 The Performance of Her Life13 Twelve Hungry Men14 What Clara Did NextFinale: Clara, ArmedNotes and Further Reading; Index

Whitzman does a deep dive to put this three-act tragedy in historical context…the story has been told many times, but not in quite the same way. - Pat St. Germain (Post Media) Whitzman's book...brings to light a unique case in the annals of Canadian criminal history involving one Clara Ford. - Emily Donaldson (Globe and Mail) Whitzman … brings to life a spectacular 1894 Toronto true crime case. - Nathalie Atkinson (Zoomer Magazine) The city's seven newspapers in the 1890s were in competition for readership and often exaggerated or even fabricated facts to sell papers – but Whitzman tells the story in shades of grey. - Cassandra Drudi (Quill & Quire) A fascinating exploration of a part of Toronto's history that deserves a new telling. - Deborah Dundas (The Toronto Star)