The incredible true story, meticulously documented by bestselling author Vanessa Montfort, of three generations of women who created the poison Acqua Toffana to help abused wives free themselves from their husbands. A gripping legal thriller set in 17th-century Rome, the novel follows the trial led by the Inquisition and portrays the bravery of women who sought justice in a world that denied it to them. A powerful and moving story, told with the mastery of one of Spain’s most acclaimed contemporary authors.
Based on an incredible true story, this novel tells the tale of the first documented female serial killer: Giulia Toffana, responsible for the deaths of more than 600 abusive men through the creation of a lethal poison — the infamous “Acqua Toffana.”
Rome, February 1658. Giulia, an apothecary, is arrested alongside her daughter, Giromina, and her best friend, Giovanna de Grandis. They are accused of supplying poison to women seeking to free themselves from their husbands.
During the trial, led by the young and idealistic inquisitor Bracchi, the three women must defend their cause before a justice system that refuses to recognize the oppression they denounce.
The novel is structured around the trial, interwoven with powerful flashbacks that reveal the protagonists’ past and the origins of Acqua Toffana.
Twenty years earlier. Giulia Toffana learned everything from her mother, one of the first female alchemists of her time. But her childhood is cut short when she becomes an orphan: her mother is executed for the murder of her abusive husband. Giulia is taken in by a convent, where she meets Giovanna de Grandis, another orphan who soon becomes her soul sister. Years pass.
Giulia becomes a mother, and her desire to help other women escape gender-based violence drives her to continue her mother’s legacy. With Giovanna’s help, she recreates the feared Acqua Toffana. Giovanna is her loyal assistant, and Giromina, Giulia’s daughter, manages its distribution among the upper echelons of society, which she has access to after marrying a baron. They are also aided by Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, the sister-in-law of the former pope, a woman of great political and religious influence.
Rome, 1658: The trial against Giulia, Giromina, and Giovanna has begun. Inquisitor Bracchi is relentless, following the orders of the new pope, who seeks to eliminate all traces of heresy and connections to the previous papacy. Bracchi is not driven by resentment, but by a genuine desire to do what is right. However, he slowly begins to question his superiors as he uncovers a relentless stream of corruption within the Church… Throughout the novel, Bracchi will be forced to confront and reassess everything he believes in.
Just when all seems lost for the women, a new revelation promises to change the course of the trial. Father Coloma, a highly respected member of the Church, had been using the privacy of confessionals to sell Acqua Toffana to desperate women under the guise of “holy water.” His testimony, along with the support of the Roman elite, appears to shift the tide. The involvement of a man in the story could make all the difference.
Before the court, Giulia does not recant. She takes responsibility not as a criminal, but as a woman who acted in defense of others. In her final statement, she denounces the hypocrisy of a system that punishes women for protecting themselves when the law refuses to protect them.
But all hope of acquittal vanishes when Vittoria Romanini, the wife of the head of the Inquisition’s guard, takes the stand. Vittoria testifies that she infiltrated the circle of the accused and claims that Acqua Toffana is not used in self-defense, but as part of a systematic network of murders driven by hatred.
Giulia and her companions are found guilty and sentenced to death for mariticide and heresy — but not for witchcraft. This distinction, for which they fought fiercely, was crucial: a witchcraft charge would have meant death by fire, a punishment both cruel and humiliating. Instead, Giulia Toffana, Giovanna de Grandis, and Giromina are sentenced to hang.
To their surprise, Inquisitor Bracchi — who has gradually glimpsed through the cracks of the system what it means to be a woman in such an unjust world — begins to question the fairness of the verdict. But it’s too late…
Perhaps their fight was not in vain: on the novel’s final page, a hooded man — implied to be Bracchi — delivers a newborn baby and a book containing Toffana’s knowledge to the convent. The baby is Giromina’s daughter, Giulia’s granddaughter.
KEY DETAILS: Vanessa Montfort conducted meticulous research to remain faithful to the real story of Giulia Toffana, documented in 17th-century judicial, ecclesiastical, and political archives to which she had privileged access. Many characters in the novel are based on real historical figures: Giulia herself, her mother, daughter, and best friend — as well as prominent figures from the upper echelons of society, such as Donna Olimpia Maidalchini and Inquisitor Bracchi.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this story is its progression through various social classes, offering a realistic and multifaceted portrait of the era’s society.
It’s also worth noting that many of the locations described in the novel still exist today and remain largely intact. And although this is a historical novel, much of the action takes place indoors, making it especially adaptable for a screen adaptation.
Vanessa Montfort is one of the most widely read and translated Spanish authors of the past decade. Her novels have sold over 750,000 copies worldwide, establishing her as a key figure in contemporary literature. La Toffana received the 2025 Primavera de Novela Prize. Additionally, in 2022, Montfort wrote a stage play based on this story, which later inspired the novel.
Praise from readers and critics:
“A beautiful story of strong, intelligent women who fought against the injustices of their time.” – Goodreads
“Montfort writes with elegant, measured prose, combining the tension of a thriller with the richness of historical fiction.” – Escaparate Literario
“One of those books that, when you finish it, you wonder: what could possibly match this?” – Amazon
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Feature Film, TV Movie.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish, Italian (sample available).
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