There have always been temptresses in the margins of men’s minds. They may be beautiful or menacing, dangerous or delightful, passive or predatory. The men they encounter are like putty in their hands. At least that is the myth.

In this lusciously illustrated exploration of the temptress, Jane Billinghurst looks at reported sightings of temptresses in myth, history, and film, beginning with the original bad girls, Lilith and Eve, and ending with women on top Mae West and Madonna.