Why read The Trial of Madame Caillaux?

Book cover of The Trial of Madame Caillaux

Book description

Early in the evening of 16 March 1914, Henriette Caillaux, the wife of a powerful French cabinet minister, paid an unexpected call on her husband's most implacable enemy, "Le Figaro" editor Gaston Calmette. Concealed inside the muff that protected her hands from the wintry cold was a Browning automatic. After…

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European history

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Trial of Madame Caillaux as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Sarah Horowitz

Author

Henriette Caillaux was the wife of a prominent politician who marched into the office of a newspaper editor in 1914 and shot him dead. There’s no question she pulled the trigger, but was she actually guilty of murder?

That’s the central question of this book and Berenson dives deep into the culture and society of the day to answer it. I love this book because it’s such a rich exploration of Henriette Caillaux’s life and of everyone involved in the case, from her husband to the judge.

From Sarah's list on The best books about scandalous women you’ve never heard of.