Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen

(Paperback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The long-awaited new book by the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of THE FIVE, the feminist retelling of the historical true-crime story of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen in Edwardian England, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of musichall women. BY THE AUTHOR OF MULTI-AWARD-WINNING #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER- THE FIVE, THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER An epic examination of the historical true-crime story of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen in Edwardian England, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of strong women 'A unique combination of sleuthing, storytelling and compassion' Lucy Worsley 'Fascinating. It's about time Belle became the hero of her own story' Val McDermid 'I couldn't put it down' Bonnie Garmus 'I had my hand over my wide-open mouth' Rachel Joyce 'Takes us beyond the world of Dr Crippen into the lives impacted by him and the society in which he moved. Terrific' Ian Rankin 'Compelling to the very last page' Denise Mina ___________ No murderer should ever be the keeper of their victim's story ... On 1 February, 1910, vivacious musichall performer, Belle Elmore, suddenly vanished from her north London home, causing alarm among her circle of female friends, the entertainers of the Music Hall Ladies' Guild who demanded an immediate investigation. They could not have known what they would provoke- the unearthing of a gruesome secret, followed by a fevered manhunt for the prime suspect- Belle's husband, medical fraudster, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen. Hiding in the shadows of this evergreen tale is Crippen's typist and lover, Ethel Le Neve - was she really just 'an innocent young girl' in thrall to a powerful older man as so many people have since reported In this epic examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century, prizewinning social historian Hallie Rubenhold gives voice to those who have never properly been heard - the women. Featuring a carnival cast of eccentric entertainers, glamorous lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, STORY OF A MURDER is meticulously researched and multi-layered, offering the reader an electrifying snapshot of Britain and America at the dawn of the modern era. ________ 'Does for the Crippen Murder case what THE FIVE did for the victims of Jack the Ripper. Forensic research and insistent sympathetic writing. I loved it' PROFESSOR DAVID WILSON, BBC 1, The Crime Squad

Reviews

Unbelievably addictive - I defy you to put it down! Written with Rubenhold's completely unique combination of sleuthing, storytelling and compassion. * Lucy Worsley *
I lapped it up! Whip-smart, brilliantly atmospheric, completely addictive. I loved the music hall artistes and had my hand over my wide-open mouth at the audacity of the press. And it is not solely about a murder - though I was filled with admiration for the forensic level of research. Its also about all the bit part players - the dustbin man who notices an unusual amount of rubbish, the boarding house owner who notices something not quite right about the father and son at the table in the corner, and the world they came from. I cant recommend it more: I will be thinking about it for a very long time. * RACHEL JOYCE *
A fascinating debunking of the myth-making that surrounds Crippen and Le Neve. Putting Belle and her cohort of strong independent women front and centre is long overdue! It's about time Belle became the hero of her own story * VAL MCDERMID *
'Painstaking research, married to a novelist's instinct for storytelling, make each new book by Hallie Rubenhold a gripping and educational adventure for the reader. STORY OF A MURDER takes us beyond the infamous Dr Crippen to the lives impacted by him, the society within which he moved, and the public's appetite to be shocked and scandalised. It's terrific' * IAN RANKIN *
Nothing but praise for Rubenholds exhaustive research and arresting story line. I couldnt put it down * BONNIE GARMUS *
A fantastic read: the story of the women killed by Dr Crippen and how a raggle-taggle band of variety theatre ladies fought for their friend. Crammed with fascinating social history and detail, STORY OF A MURDER is compelling to the very last page * DENISE MINA *
Story of a Murder does for The Crippen Murder case what The Five did for the crimes committed by Jack the Ripper. With forensic research and insistent, sympathetic writing, it re-tells the story of the murder of Belle Elmore in January 1910 and places her at the centre of the narrative, rather than the story, explanation or motivation of her killer. As Rubenhold states, no murderer should ever be the keeper of their victims story and yet for too long Crippen has been allowed to explain what happened to Belle and for just as long we have been too willing to accept his version of events. True crime comes in all shapes and sizes from the pile it high and sell it cheap, the sensational and tabloid, to true crime that holds a mirror up to our values, sensibilities, and culture and thankfully Story of a Murder is an exemplary addition to this latter category. To put it bluntly, I loved this book and I know that you will too. * Emeritus Professor David Wilson, Birmingham City University *
Rubenhold deftly maintains fidelity not only to facts, distinguishing between what can and cannot be certain and proved, but also to narrative intrigue, somehow creating suspense despite decades of extensive journalistic coverage and study of her subject. But Rubenholds true mark as a narrator of historical true crime is reinforced in this work by her continued loyalty to the women whose characters and stories have been flattened and overshadowed by journalists assumptions, their killers fame, or the simple fact of their victimhood. * Kirkus US *
When Hallie Rubenhold picks up her pen, history comes to life. As in so many forensic cases, the perpetrator is placed in the limelight and the victim in the shadows. Hallie Rubenhold shines a light into those corners and gives the victims the stage they so rightly deserve. * Professor Sue Black *
With astonishing depth of research and a finely attuned instinct for entrancing detail, Rubenhold reconstructs the wider truth surrounding a true crime, while composing an indelible portrait of a society on the brink of modernity. An awe-inspiring and truly gripping read * Abott Kahler *

Author Bio

Hallie Rubenhold is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling and Baillie Gifford prize-winning author of The Five, the Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper. A renowned social historian whose expertise lies in revealing stories of previously unknown women and episodes in history, she is the author of The Covent Garden Ladies which was the inspiration behind BBC TV's 'Harlots'. Her biographical work, Lady Worsley's Whim, was dramatized by the BBC as 'The Scandalous Lady W'. Her most recent work of non-fiction, Story of a Murder, the wives, the mistress and Dr Crippen, will be published in March 2025. She has also written two acclaimed novels Mistress of My Fate and The French Lesson which give voice to the women written out by eighteenth-century literature. She lives in London with her husband. Meet her @HallieRubenhold