• Reading age: 11 to 18

Grace Marks, the Victorian servant who inspired Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace ... Elizabeth Workman, a Sarnia housewife who turned on her abusive husband and paid the price for it ... Evelyn Dick, a glamourous 1940s party girl who Hamiltonians still talk about ... These are just some of the murderers featured in Lethal Ladies, a collection of accounts of sensational true crimes motivated by fear, anger, passion and greed.

Cheryl MacDonald wrote, co-authored, or edited nearly 40 books on Canadian history in her over 30-year career. Her articles appeared in Harrowsmith, Canadian Living, The Beaver, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, New York Daily News and numerous other publications. She contributed to the best-selling book Chronicle of Canada, and is the author of fourteen books in Lorimerâ??s Amazing Stories collection. In 2012 she received the Queenâ??s Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her work researching and promoting Canadian local history. Cheryl died in fall 2016 after a long battle with cancer.

Cheryl MacDonald's profile page

At first glance, it looks like an ideal beach read -- a collection of true crime stories featuring dangerous dames up to dastardly deeds -- and all for less than 10 bucks.

But Lethal Ladies: Crimes of Passion, Tales Of Deceit And Treachery! by Cheryl MacDonald is more likely to make you shake your head and want to stop bullying.

Chronicle Herald