There are forty-nine tales collected here of Canadian women convicted of murder and sentenced to death between colonial times and the mid-twentieth century. From the unfathomable murder of innocent children, to cold-blooded murder provoked by greed or lust, to the perhaps more understandable slaying of an abusive husband, and other unusual cases, these true stories tell of ordinary women who became infamous as a result of their involvement in tragic or heinous events. By turns sad, startling, gruesome, or strange, "A Dance with Death" reveals insights into the social mores of the times, the workings of Canada'scriminal justice system, and attitudes towards women and capital punishment in their times. It also allows us a glimpse into the lives, the methods, and motives of Canada's female killers.