Author Hallie Rubenhold on Story of A Murder
In partnership with Waterstones Epsom
Saturday 19th September 2026, 12:30pm
No murderer should ever be the keeper of their victim’s story …
Join Sunday Times Best Selling author and prizewinning social historian Hallie Rubenhold for a fascinating historical examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century.
Rubenhold’s latest book Story of a Murder is a 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. Her work gives voice to those who have never properly been heard.
In conversation with historian Kirstie Arnould, Rubenhold will re-balance the narratives, and exploring what the stories tell us about gender and social justice in 19th and 20th century London, and what that means for today.
Audience Q & A will follow; the author will be signing copies of Story of a Murder and some of her other books.
Story Of A Murder:
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?
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.
Quotes for the book:
“A unique combination of sleuthing, storytelling and compassion.” Lucy Worsley, bestselling author and historian
“Breathtaking. Rubenhold has not only produced a thrilling reassessment of a notorious crime, but an impressive portrait of an age.” Spectator
“Under her pen, history comes alive.” Professor Dame Sue Black
About The Author
She hosts the Bad Women podcast and the BBC Radio 4 series Intimate Histories.
Tickets: £10 inc booking
Running Time: 60 mins
Age Rating: 18+
A £2 booking fee is included in ticket prices. This applies when booking online and in person. The booking fee covers costs charged to the charity for the booking system and payment processing.
