Around the true story of one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of the 19th century, Margaret Atwood has created an extraordinarily potent tale of sexuality, cruelty, and mystery. In 1843, Grace Marks was convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer, Thomas Kinnear, and Nancy Montgomery, his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Now serving a life sentence, Grace claims to have no memory of the murders. Was Grace a femme fatale—or a weak and unwilling victim of circumstances? Taut and compelling, penetrating and wise, Alias Grace is a beautifully crafted work of the imagination that will continue to haunt the reader long after the final page.