[ About A Fatal Love ]
It is Easter Sunday in 1955 and a young man lies face-down on the ground covered in blood. A woman, blonde and petite, stands over him with a gun in her hand. This is the story of Ruth Ellis as never told before…
As Ruth awaits her trial in Holloway Prison, she recollects growing up in England during the Second World War and the events that led to the death of her lover, David Blakely.
Meanwhile, Kitty Carrington – the assistant to Ruth’s trial lawyer – tries to forge her own path through the male-dominated legal world of the 1950s and ensure that Ruth receives a fair trial.
Navigating secrets, betrayal and a broken justice system, Ruth and Kitty try to take control of their own lives and narratives. But do we ever really know the full story?
[ My Review ]
A Fatal Love by Louisa Treger publishes August 27th with Bloomsbury and is described as ‘a gripping and compassionate novel.’
Louisa Treger is a writer ‘inspired by the untold stories of remarkable women: pioneers, rebels, artists and survivors, who dared to live on their own terms.‘ In A Fatal Love she explores the life, and death, of Ruth Ellis. Ellis was hanged July 13th 1955 in Holloway prison in London for the murder of her partner David Blakely. Ellis was in a coercive and physically abusive relationship with Blakely when, finally, she could take no more. On April 10th, 1955, Ellis shot Blakely multiple times outside the Magdala pub in Hampstead. Ellis admitted her guilt from the outset so when it went to trial the verdict of execution was swift. In 1955, the courts didn’t recognise the hardships that Ellis suffered while in a relationship with Blakely. This was a time when domestic abuse was swept under the carpet and not even considered in her defence but it is something that her family sought justice for over the years.
Ruth Ellis had numerous relationships and was a mother to two children, Andy and Georgina. Working as a hostess and manager in clubs in London meant her lifestyle was often quite erratic. She crossed paths with many men of varied temperaments but it was her attraction to David Blakely that was to be her ultimate downfall. Ellis had survived a very tough childhood and her choice of men would not have been great. All her life she wanted to be someone, to make something of her life, but she struggled with being a mother and a lover, drinking too much and living in an unpredictable manner. Blakely was a racing car driver, with success on the tracks, but behind the scenes he was a violent man.
Following his death, Ellis awaited her trial, with grace and poise, but never denied her culpability. In A Fatal Love Treger imagines a female legal assistant, Kitty Carrington, who fights for a better and fairer argument in defence of Ellis but, as a female in the 1950s, her views are cast aside. Kitty is frustrated with the patriarchal society that she lives in and pushes as far as she can in an attempt to save Ellis from the rope. Kitty is ambitious, trying to carve out a space for herself in a male-dominated environment. She speaks to individuals who have been dismissed or passed over and she builds another picture of Ellis, but as history documents, this is a battle she will not win. I would have liked Kitty’s character to be explored a little more but it is important to recognise what she represents and how her courage (and that of women like her) eventually paved the way for future generations of women.
Treger brings this period of history to life. At no point does she excuse Ellis’ shooting of Blakely but what she does do is give the reader insights into why Ellis was led to taking such a dramatic and final action. Throughout the novel there are many references to another man that she was involved with, Desmond Cussen. He wanted to marry Ellis but she was unable to offer him this due to her attraction to Blakely. This love triangle was fraught with passion and frustration, with speculation rife that Cussen provided Ellis with the weapon that was used on that fateful night in 1955.
A Fatal Love is a fascinating tale. It is not heavy on historical references, providing an accessible take on the life and times of this extraordinary individual. Ruth Ellis did kill David Blakely but was her hanging justified?
In July 2026, King Charles granted Ruth Ellis a posthumous conditional pardon, converting her death sentence to a term of life imprisonment. There is no denying her conviction but today, in all likelihood, she would have been sentenced to life, with possible parole, and her actions considered manslaughter, as opposed to murder, due to the level of domestic violence inflicted on her. Her family are very grateful with this acknowledgement.
In this fictional and reimagined piece of work, Louisa Treger provides a modern and humane element to a story that has intrigued so many people. Educational and emotive, A Fatal Love is an empathetic tale, a thought-provoking and relevant read.
[Thank you to Louisa Treger and Bloomsbury for a copy of A Fatal Love in exchange for my honest review]
[ Bio ]
Louisa Treger is the critically acclaimed author of four novels – The Lodger (2014), The Dragon Lady (2019), Madwoman (2022) and The Paris Muse (2024) – translated into several languages. Her work has twice been selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month, most recently for Madwoman, which was also a Book of the Month in the Independent. She has written for numerous publications, including Financial Times, The Times, the Telegraph, Tatler, BBC History Magazine, and English Heritage. Radio appearances include BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking programme and BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour. She appears regularly at literary festivals and cultural institutions, and is deputy chair of the board of the Oxford Literary Festival.
This sounds really good Mairead. I remember the film about Ruth Ellis called Dance With a Stranger which was excellent. Miranda Richardson was brilliant in it.
I must see if I can get it online anywhere. What an incredible story. So very tragic.