The Strange Case of Miss Annie Spragg

A revived work of twentieth-century fiction that spans years and continents to satirize and explore religious fanaticism and expat life.

First published in 1928, Louis Bromfield’s The Strange Case of Miss Annie Spragg is a haunting and genre-defying tale—a thoughtful reflection on religion and human nature with the propulsion of a mystery. Set in Italy and the American Midwest, this surprisingly modern novel now has a new introduction by Bromfield biographer Stephen Heyman.

The novel opens on a ragtag community of American expats in rural Italy. When Annie Spragg, a local eccentric, dies with stigmata on her body, the diocese tasks the skeptical Mr. Winnery with investigating whether actual miracles occurred at her deathbed. From there, the novel brings us back to Annie’s origins as the child of a cult-leader and prophet on the American frontier. As the story unfolds, Bromfield traverses time and continents as he weaves together satire, mysticism, and psychological insight to explore themes of religious fanaticism, repression, and redemption.

Heyman’s new introduction situates Annie Spragg within Bromfield’s literary evolution—from chronicler of liberated women to environmental visionary—and reintroduces readers to a writer whose influence shaped both American letters and sustainable agriculture. This edition invites fans of twentieth-century fiction to rediscover a novel that remains provocative and poignant today.