Dangerous to Know: Women, Crime, and Notoriety in the Early Republic Book

Heavily detailed, structured in a scholarly manner, generally on the dry side. Similar in some respects to Erik Larson's works, but not nearly as interesting for me. I think Larson is particularly good at pulling events and details into an engaging storyline. This work from Branson didn't draw me in and felt more like plodding through a research paper than an entertaining read. For instance, she occasionally reminds readers of information she already covered, reiterating details to frame the next step in her book. While I understand why the author did this, I felt it added to the dullness and pedantic quality of her writing as a whole, particularly with her handling of details.

On sort of a side note, the author went to lengths to be scholarly, yet incorrectly used a phrase, saying "free reign" instead of "free rein." It stuck out, since she there was so much effort with her details and wording that it felt like an eyesore in the read.

I also found it annoying that in one part of the book she insisted on modernizing the last name of someone named "Smyth" to "Smith" and then uses those names inconsistently. The man went by Smyth, as did his wife, and there appeared to be no rhyme or reason to the author's decisions in that regard. The choices were never explained, occasionally part of quotes but not always, and the first time I stumbled onto it I thought I had missed the introduction of a character.

Not my favorite book by a long shot, and I will be disinclined to read more from this author.