Hallie Rubenhold

BY THE AUTHOR OF THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE-WINNER, THE FIVE, THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER 'Under her pen, history comes alive' Professor Dame Sue Black 'A fabulous 18th-century tale. Hallie Rubenhold tells it beautifully' Telegraph 'As a historian and storyteller, Rubenhold is in a league of her own' Literary Review _____________ It was the divorce that scandalised Georgian England... She was a spirited young heiress. He was a handsome baronet with a promising career in government. Their marriage had the makings of a fairy tale but ended as one of the most salacious and highly publicised divorces in history. For over two hundred years the story of Lady Worsley, her vengeful husband, and her lover, George Maurice Bisset, lay forgotten. Now Hallie Rubenhold, in her impeccably researched book, throws open a window to a rarely seen view of Georgian England, one coloured by passion, adventure and the defiance of social convention. The Worsley's story, their struggles and outrageous lifestyle, promises to shock even the modern reader. The book behind the major BBC drama starring Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games, Mockingjay)

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe page-turning retelling of the historical true-crime story of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of women'Popular history you devour in one sitting' Sunday Times'Gripping' TLS'Unbelievably addictive' LUCY WORSLEY'I couldn't put it down' BONNIE GARMUS'Finely layered' Financial Times'Breath-taking' SpectatorFROM THE AWARD-WINNING, SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING HISTORIAN THE FIVE: THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER, WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION.___________On 1 February, 1910, vivacious music-hall 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.___________PRAISE FOR STORY OF A MURDER:'Gripping and eye-opening' I-news, Book to Watch Out For'Reads like a great thriller. I inhaled it' Bella Mackie, bestselling author of How to Kill Your Family'A unique combination of sleuthing, storytelling and compassion' Lucy Worsley, bestselling author and historian'Fascinating. It's about time Belle became the hero of her own story' Val McDermid, bestselling author of the Karen Pirie series'As compelling as any crime drama' S J Parris, bestselling author of the Giordano Bruno series'I had my hand over my wide-open mouth…I can’t recommend it more: I will be thinking about it for a very long time. Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of The Homemade God'Takes us beyond the world of Dr Crippen into the lives impacted by him and the society in which he moved. Terrific' Ian Rankin, bestselling author of the Rebus series'Compelling to the very last page' Denise Mina, award-winning author of Reese’s Book Club pick, Conviction'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 CrimeSquad'Breathtaking. Rubenhold has not only produced a thrilling reassessment of a notorious crime, but an impressive portrait of an age' Spectator

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERThe new page-turning, feminist retelling of the historical true-crime story of infamous wife-murderer Dr Crippen, brought to justice by an extraordinary group of women. FROM THE AWARD-WINNING, SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR OF TRUE CRIME SENSATION THE FIVE: THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER, WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION.___________'Thoughtful, humane, gripping. The kind of popular history you devour in one sitting' Sunday Times, Dominic Sandbrook'A finely layered portrait of a hypocritical Edwardian society’ Financial Times'An exceptional achievement. I was gripped from the very first page' The Secret Barrister, Sunday Times bestselling author‘I couldn't put it down' Bonnie Garmus, bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry'Under her pen, history comes alive' Professor Dame Sue Black___________No murderer should ever be the keeper of their victim's story …On 1 February, 1910, vivacious music-hall 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.___________PRAISE FOR STORY OF A MURDER:'Gripping and eye-opening' I-news, Book to Watch Out For'Reads like a great thriller. I inhaled it' Bella Mackie, bestselling author of How to Kill Your Family'A unique combination of sleuthing, storytelling and compassion' Lucy Worsley, bestselling author and historian'Fascinating. It's about time Belle became the hero of her own story' Val McDermid, bestselling author of the Karen Pirie series'As compelling as any crime drama' S J Parris, bestselling author of the Giordano Bruno series'I had my hand over my wide-open mouth…I can’t recommend it more: I will be thinking about it for a very long time. Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of The Homemade God and Harold Fry'Takes us beyond the world of Dr Crippen into the lives impacted by him and the society in which he moved. Terrific' Ian Rankin, bestselling author of the Rebus series'Compelling to the very last page' Denise Mina, award-winning author of Reese’s Book Club pick, Conviction'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 CrimeSquad'Breathtaking. Rubenhold has not only produced a thrilling reassessment of a notorious crime, but an impressive portrait of an age' Spectator

*The International Bestseller* 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.

By the Baillie Gifford prize-winning and No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of THE FIVE'A fascinating expose of the seamy side of eighteenth century life' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Rubenhold's pages practically reek with smelly, pox-ridden Georgian Soho' GUARDIAN-------------------------------------------------------In 1757, a down-and-out Irish poet, the head waiter at the Shakespear's Head Tavern in Covent Garden, and a celebrated London courtesan became bound together by the publication of a little book: Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies. This salacious work - detailing the names and 'specialities' of the capital's sex-workers- became one of the eighteenth century's most scandalous bestsellers. Yet beyond its titillating passages lies a glimpse into the lives of those who lived and died by its profits - a tragicomic opera of the Georgian era, motivated by poverty, passionate love, aspiration and shame. In this modern and visceral narrative, historian Hallie Rubenhold reveals the story behind Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies, and the legion of ordinary women whose lives in the sex trade history has chosen to ignore. 'Scrupulously researched' DAILY TELEGRAPH'Crackles with drama and tension' GUARDIAN'Compelling and ingenious' INDEPENDENTWHAT READERS ARE SAYING:'This book is an absolute 'must'-read for any person interested in English social history' 5 ****'Fascinating' 5 ****'Brilliant. Full of intelligent insight which brings this period to vibrant life' 5 ****________**PRE-ORDER THE AUTHOR'S BRAND NEW WORK, STORY OF A MURDER**'Terrific' Ian Rankin'I dare you to put it down' Lucy Worsley'Fascinating' Val McDermid

JACK THE RIPPERS OFFER VAR ALDRIG ”BARA PROSTITUERADE”; DE VAR DÖTTRAR, FRUAR, MÖDRAR, SYSTRAR OCH ÄLSKANDE. DE VAR KVINNOR. DE VAR MÄNNISKOR. VINNARE AV THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2019 VINNARE AV THE GOODREADS HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019 NOMINERAD TILL THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZE 2020, CWA GOLD DAGGER 2019 OCH THE CROWN FOR NON-FICTION 2019 »En ursinnig och viktig bok ... Det är inte bara en bok om de kvinnor som mördades i Whitechapel under hösten 1888, det är en bok för dem.» /THE GUARDIAN »Rubenhold har utfört ett otroligt detektivarbete.» /THE SPECTATOR, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2019 »Rubenhold har skrivit en betydelsfull bok om hur fattiga kvinnor ur arbetarklassen levde under en oförlåtande tid.» /NEW YORK TIMES ”Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Kate och Mary Jane hade oddsen emot sig redan från dagen de föddes. De inledde livet med en börda av skuld. De föddes inte bara i arbetarklassmiljöer, de föddes som kvinnor.” Det påpekar Hallie Rubenhold i denna bok om de fem kvinnor som gått till historien som Jack the Rippers ”kanoniska” mordoffer i East End i London 1888 – det finns några tänkbara mordoffer till. Men Rubenhold har inte skrivit en bok om själva morden eller om vem Jack the Ripper möjligen kan ha varit. Sådana finns det redan gott om. Hon låter istället dessa fem kvinnor träda fram ur den mytiska Londondimma och de trötta schabloner till vilka de som regel har förvisats. En av dem, Mary Jane Kelly, var prostituerad, svenskfödda Elizabeth Stride kan ha varit det periodvis, men det finns inget som tyder på att de övriga tre sålde sin kroppar. En av de mest seglivade föreställningarna om Jack the Ripper är just att han riktade in sig på prostituerade. Vad de fem kvinnorna däremot hade gemensamt var fattigdomen, alkoholproblemen och bostadslösheten. Med hjälp av de dokument som har bevarats, samtida slumskildringar och modern socialhistorisk forskning tar oss Rubenhold med till en värld där fattiga kvinnor betraktades som en förbrukningsvara och där det sociala skyddsnätet var minimalt. Och vi får, så långt de är möjligt, lära känna de fem mordoffren som de sammansatta och olikartade individer de var. Men deras baneman har för en gångs skull – för att inte säga äntligen – förvisats till marginalen. Hallie Rubenhold är författare och historiker. Hon är född och uppvuxen i USA men är numera bosatt i England. "Fem kvinnor" ("The Five") tilldelades The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction 2019 och blev 2020 nominerad till The Wolfson History Prize.

Winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction and of the Goodreads Choice Award for History & BiographyThe award-winning, best-selling book that changes the narrative of the "Ripper" murders foreverPolly, Annie, Elisabeth, Catherine, and Mary Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. They came from some of London's wealthiest and poorest neighborhoods, from the factory towns of middle England, and from Wales and Sweden. They wrote ballads, ran coffeehouses, lived on country estates; they breathed ink dust from printing presses and escaped human traffickers. What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888. The person responsible was never identified, but the character created by the press to fill that gap has become far more famous than any of these five women. Now, in this gripping narrative of five lives, Hallie Rubenhold finally sets the record straight and gives these women back their stories.

WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NONFICTION 2019 THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'An angry and important work of historical detection, calling time on the misogyny that has fed the Ripper myth. Powerful and shaming' GUARDIAN Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary-Jane are famous for the same thing, though they never met. They came from Fleet Street, Knightsbridge, Wolverhampton, Sweden and Wales. They wrote ballads, ran coffee houses, lived on country estates, they breathed ink-dust from printing presses and escaped people-traffickers. What they had in common was the year of their murders: 1888. Their murderer was never identified, but the name created for him by the press has become far more famous than any of these five women. Now, in this devastating narrative of five lives, historian Hallie Rubenhold finally sets the record straight, and gives these women back their stories. WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS FOR HISTORY 2019

Henrietta Lightfoot trips on her silk gown as she runs for her life along the bloodstained streets of revolutionary Paris. She finds refuge in the lavish home of Grace Dalyrmple Elliott, one of the old regime's most powerful courtesans. But heads are beginning to roll.

It was the divorce that scandalised Georgian England... Their marriage had the makings of a fairy tale but ended as one of the most salacious and highly publicised divorces in history. For over two hundred years the story of Lady Worsley, her vengeful husband, and her lover, George Maurice Bisset, lay forgotten.

Set during a period of revolution and turmoil, Mistress of My Fate is the first book in a trilogy about Henrietta Lightfoot, a young woman who was abandoned as a baby and raised alongside her cousins, noble children of a lord and lady. At just sixteen years old, circumstance and a passionate love affair tear Henrietta away from everything she knows, leading to a new life fending for herself on the streets of 18th century London as a courtesan, gambler, and spirited intellect of the city.

Perfect fiction for fans of BBC TV's hit series BRIDGERTON and HARLOTS'A remarkable picture of a fascinating age' Daily Express'A full-blooded historical' Independent_____________________My tale is not for the faint of heart. Born illegitimate in eighteenth-century England, the scandalous Henrietta Lightfoot gives us her version of the truth about her criminal life in this delicious coming-of-age. Fleeing her childhood home for the big city, Henrietta is now swimming in the London underworld of rakes, rogues, sharks, pimps and courtesans - she quickly sees that true liberty is a man's privilege. What must Henrietta do to survive in a world designed for men? Gripping, twisty, shocking, MISTRESS OF MY FATE illuminates the dark lives of the women written out by the masters of eighteenth-century literature. Vibrant and full-blooded, it is an irresistible picaresque story for our times'Two parts Lizzie Bennett and Tom Jones's Sophia Western to one part Moll Flanders' INDEPENDENT'Combines extraordinary bawdiness with silky sophistication' DAILY EXPRESS

She was a spirited young heiress. He was a handsome baronet with a promising career in government. The marriage of Lady Seymour Dorothy Fleming and Sir Richard Worsley had the makings of a fairy tale--but ended as one of the most scandalous and highly publicized divorces in history. In February 1782, England opened its newspapers to read the details of a criminal conversation trial in which the handsome baronet Sir Richard Worsley attempted to sue his wife's lover for an astronomical sum in damages. In the course of the proceedings, the Worsleys' scandalous sexual arrangements, voyeuristic tendencies, and bed-hopping antics were laid bare. The trial and its verdict stunned society, but not as much as the unrepentant behavior of Lady Worsley. Sir Joshua Reynolds captured the brazen character of his subject when he created his celebrated portrait of Lady Worsley in a fashionable red riding habit, but it was her shocking affairs that made her divorce so infamous that even George Washington followed it in the press. Impeccably researched and written with great flair, Hallie Rubenhold's The Lady in Red is a lively and moving true history that presents a rarely seen picture of aristocratic life in the Georgian era.