Awful disclosures of Maria Monk

Published in 1836, 'Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk' became a sensational bestseller in the anti-Catholic climate of early 19th-century America.

The book alleged that nuns at the Hôtel-Dieu convent in Montreal were forced into sexual relations with priests, and any resulting children were baptized, strangled, and buried.

However, the book's authenticity has been questioned, with some scholars labeling it a hoax.