ARC copy of this e-book was a courtesy of NetGalley and Pen&Sword. Thank you!

The book is divided into 6 chapters: Courtesans and Mistresses, Madams, Prostitutes and Adulterers, Serial Killers, 'One Off' Killers, Gangsters, Thieves and Con-Artists, and lastly, The Rebel Collection - Pirates, Witches, Megalomaniacs, Exhibitionists. Each chapter features a collection of fascinating women and I was glad to find out that I am actually not familiar with most of them, which makes this such a rewarding read. There are, of course, the inevitable Boleyn sisters, Cleopatra, Mata Hari, Calamity Jane, and a couple of other more famous 'bad girls'. But overall, I think I learnt a lot, even though I flew through the (rather short) book - I will definitely come back to some of the articles that particularly grabbed my attention.

Bad Girls from History recounts a wide array of tales of mischievous women. The wickedness captured in these stories ranges from the standard mistresses and adulterers, to the naughty-by-trade pirates, gangsters and witches, all the way out to the most deplorable serial killers and one-off murderers. Each account is clearly well-researched, pieced together from what remains of records of the past, yet some of the tales still leave the reader wanting more - more historical context, more information about the society that these women found themselves in. Overall, it was interesting to learn of these women's lives and impacts on the world around them, but it felt as though it had spread itself a bit too thin. .

This was well written, entertaining popular history, although I would have loved it a little more had 'bad' girls been more defined. Some of the women were completely unknown to me, and I found their stories absolutely fascinating.