The Trial of Jeanne Catherine: Infanticide in Early Modern Geneva

Beam, Sara, The Trial of Jeanne Catherine: Infanticide in Early Modern Geneva, University of Toronto Press, 2021

Presentation

In 1686 in Geneva, a single mother named Jeanne Catherine Thomasset is charged with poisoning two young children: her own illegitimate daughter and the son of a rural wet nurse. So begins a harrowing criminal trial during which authorities interrogate Jeanne Catherine several times, sometimes with torture, to determine the truth.

The Trial of Jeanne Catherine is a suspenseful historical mystery that offers students the opportunity to learn about motherhood, child rearing, gender, religion, local politics, and the practice of criminal justice in early modern Europe. 

More information (editor's website)