Katrina HB Keefer dives into a neglected topic with an ability and depth that defies belief. The way she brings back from oblivion the life stories of her subjects is commendable and should serve as a template for future studies of this kind.

Manuel Barcia, University of Leeds

Keefer’s account of some intriguing ‘cannibal’ court cases makes an exciting contribution to several fields of history.

Emma Christopher, University of South Wales

Keefer’s study uniquely explores the Special Commission Court of 1913 through the lens of slavery and other forms of unfree labour. In a detective-like manner, she carefully reconstructs the 1913 Special Commission Court cases, the lives of its primary actors, and the world in which they lived.

Trina Leah Hogg, Oregon State Unversity

[Katerina] Keefer's work complements a wider historiography on secret societies and their run-ins with colonial anxieties about occult practices across West Africa. What is refreshing and useful about Keefer's contribution is the concision with which she elaborates the range of issues associated with these societies in colonial contexts, making this work particularly useful for nonexperts and students ... Recommended. [for] lower-division undergraduates through faculty.

CHOICE