The Unravelling of Mary Reddish by David Whitfield #TheUnravellingofMaryReddish @davidwhitfield1 @Legend_Press‪ @davidwhitfield.bsky.social‬ @legendpress.bsky.social‬

 

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 Meanwhile, Ann and Thomas Morris, the asylum’s matron and director, struggle to uphold humane practices against outdated medical methods that haunt the institution.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.

Inspired by real events that took place at England’s first publicly funded asylum in Nottingham, The Unravelling of Mary Reddish shines a light on the brutal reality of mental health care in Georgian Britain.

The Unravelling of Mary Reddish by David Whitfield was published by Legend Press on 21 May 2025. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review 

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. 

David has worked as a journalist for 25 years and is currently working for The Guardian. 

He used to live less than half a mile away from the site of the asylum featured in the novel, in the Nottingham suburb of Sneinton.


Twitter: @davidwhitfield1