Story of a Murder

The Wives, the Mistress, and Dr. Crippen

By: Hallie Rubenhold

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

*The International Bestseller*

*Winner of the Clue Award - True Crime Book of the Year*

This is the story of a murder, not a murderer . . .

In this epic examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century, bestselling author of The Five, Hallie Rubenhold, gives voice to those who were never properly heard--the women.

On February 1, 1910, the vivacious, diamond-adorned music hall performer Belle Elmore suddenly vanished from her home, causing alarm among her friends, the entertainers of the Music Hall Ladies’ Guild. Their demands for an investigation would lead to the unearthing of a gruesome secret and trigger a fevered international manhunt for Belle’s husband, medical fraudster Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen.

Ethel Le Neve, Crippen’s typist and lover, who fled with Crippen in disguise, has always hidden in the shadows of this tale--was she really just "an innocent young girl" in thrall to a powerful older man? And was there an equally sinister story behind the death of Crippen’s first wife, Charlotte?

Brimming with twists and featuring a carnival cast of eccentric entertainers, star lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, Story of a Murder offers an electrifying snapshot of Britain and America at the dawn of the modern era.

Research, research, research

Thorough with insight into late 1800 early 1900 civilization, women’s issues, myotonic injustices, and the worm holes that writers of history can create!

History deep cut

This seems more like a tale of typical VIctorian misbehaviors than groundbreaking events. There is a lot of historical research and background - which I found interesting. It generally sounds like people of that time were shady and abusive like any other time. Interesting to hear how ground breaking and helpful the new technology of the day helped catch them - parallels could be drawn to the modern day. But also crazy to realize how easy it used to be to get away with terrible actions. Almost makes me thankful for the surveillance state.

loved it!

wow was this an amazing book! I'd heard of Dr Crippen peripherally over the years but didn't really know the story. I'm so glad this book was my first real introduction to it! Smart, insightful and especially full of genuine interest and affection for her female subjects. We should all be so lucky as to have friends like Belle Elmore did. I may buy this book in a hard copy so I can read more on this by looking at the footnotes and annotations. Can't recommend this book highly enough!

well done

I was hesitant to listen to a narrative version of a true crime but the performance was superb and the story was so well done. I couldn't have been more captivated by both. I will research the author and narrator for more of their work.

Rex Manning?

I loved every moment of it. Until Rex Manning. I'm hung up there, so close to the important and well-earned end. Can't get past him.