Hallie Rubenhold
@hallierubenhold.bsky.social
Author of The Five, historian and a bit of TV. Story of A Murder: The Wives, The Mistress and Dr Crippen’s Crime of the Century on bookshelves March 2025. https://linktr.ee/hallierubenhold
Something for your Sunday (tomorrow, Nov 2nd). I’m on James Naughtie’s Book Club on BBC Radio 4 discussing #TheFive with a live (live in September when I recorded it) audience.
November 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Something for your Sunday (tomorrow, Nov 2nd). I’m on James Naughtie’s Book Club on BBC Radio 4 discussing #TheFive with a live (live in September when I recorded it) audience.
It’s almost as bad as going onto Amazon and finding this…
October 31, 2025 at 11:17 AM
It’s almost as bad as going onto Amazon and finding this…
That thing when you wake up to find that you’ve written a whole other book you never knew about.
October 31, 2025 at 10:27 AM
That thing when you wake up to find that you’ve written a whole other book you never knew about.
A bit more about the series…
October 25, 2025 at 11:24 AM
A bit more about the series…
I’m thrilled to be able to share with you a project I’ve been working on this year. Intimate Histories, a series of 5 essays I’ve written and recorded about the antidote to ‘Great Man History’ is dropping on BBC Radio 4 (and i player) from the 3rd of Nov at 11:45 each morning.
October 25, 2025 at 11:23 AM
I’m thrilled to be able to share with you a project I’ve been working on this year. Intimate Histories, a series of 5 essays I’ve written and recorded about the antidote to ‘Great Man History’ is dropping on BBC Radio 4 (and i player) from the 3rd of Nov at 11:45 each morning.
Every October without fail, the London Dungeon puts a Jack the Ripper poster like this in my local tube station. It’s like they know I live here…
October 23, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Every October without fail, the London Dungeon puts a Jack the Ripper poster like this in my local tube station. It’s like they know I live here…
1910: Music hall star Belle Elmore vanishes. Her friends in the Music Hall Ladies' Guild demand answers, igniting a manhunt for the prime suspect: her fraudster husband, Dr. Crippen.
Join me this Saturday in Sheffield at the #OffTheShelfFestival !
Join me this Saturday in Sheffield at the #OffTheShelfFestival !
October 20, 2025 at 2:02 PM
1910: Music hall star Belle Elmore vanishes. Her friends in the Music Hall Ladies' Guild demand answers, igniting a manhunt for the prime suspect: her fraudster husband, Dr. Crippen.
Join me this Saturday in Sheffield at the #OffTheShelfFestival !
Join me this Saturday in Sheffield at the #OffTheShelfFestival !
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be at #Clivedenlitfest2025 this weekend and in conversation with Ian Rankin and Anthony Horowitz. Please join us!
October 9, 2025 at 10:16 AM
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be at #Clivedenlitfest2025 this weekend and in conversation with Ian Rankin and Anthony Horowitz. Please join us!
Chances that the 4 eras being represented are Medieval, Tudor, Victorian and WWII? 100%. The likelihood there will be some spooky Jack the Ripper element in the Victorian village? Also 100%
September 8, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Chances that the 4 eras being represented are Medieval, Tudor, Victorian and WWII? 100%. The likelihood there will be some spooky Jack the Ripper element in the Victorian village? Also 100%
Well, I woke up this morning and was completely stunned to learn that #StoryofaMurder had won the True Crime Book of the Year Award at Crime Con in the US!
September 7, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Well, I woke up this morning and was completely stunned to learn that #StoryofaMurder had won the True Crime Book of the Year Award at Crime Con in the US!
The potential uses for this sign are endless.
September 6, 2025 at 6:37 PM
The potential uses for this sign are endless.
Says the man who demonstrates no understanding of what history actually is.
August 28, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Says the man who demonstrates no understanding of what history actually is.
Honoured to have appeared as a guest on @damianbarr.bsky.social ‘s #TheBigScottishBookClub - the episode goes out tonight and is available on iplayer.
August 28, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Honoured to have appeared as a guest on @damianbarr.bsky.social ‘s #TheBigScottishBookClub - the episode goes out tonight and is available on iplayer.
Occasionally, I’m reminded that as a woman and a historian I’m not to be taken seriously. Recently, someone mansplained to me that women were called a variety of rude things in the past.
Me: yes, I know, I’ve literally written books about this.
Man: anyway, did you know women were called harlots?
Me: yes, I know, I’ve literally written books about this.
Man: anyway, did you know women were called harlots?
August 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Occasionally, I’m reminded that as a woman and a historian I’m not to be taken seriously. Recently, someone mansplained to me that women were called a variety of rude things in the past.
Me: yes, I know, I’ve literally written books about this.
Man: anyway, did you know women were called harlots?
Me: yes, I know, I’ve literally written books about this.
Man: anyway, did you know women were called harlots?
What the hell has happened to The Independent?
August 13, 2025 at 9:07 PM
What the hell has happened to The Independent?
Well, Story of a Murder has been nominated for a Clue Award in the US! 🤞🙏
August 8, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Well, Story of a Murder has been nominated for a Clue Award in the US! 🤞🙏
Heading up to Harrogate tomorrow for the #Theakstonscrimefestival - can’t wait! Come and see me at the True Grit (aka True Crime) event on Saturday at 10:30.
July 17, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Heading up to Harrogate tomorrow for the #Theakstonscrimefestival - can’t wait! Come and see me at the True Grit (aka True Crime) event on Saturday at 10:30.
Scenes from the Hearing and people queuing in the rain to get seats to it. The beleaguered woman on the right is Louise Smythson, Belle’s friend and a witness who doggedly championed her. During the week of the hearing, her friends were also appearing at the inquest. It was emotionally exhausting.
July 11, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Scenes from the Hearing and people queuing in the rain to get seats to it. The beleaguered woman on the right is Louise Smythson, Belle’s friend and a witness who doggedly championed her. During the week of the hearing, her friends were also appearing at the inquest. It was emotionally exhausting.
Ethel’s sister, Nina, the keeper of secrets…
July 11, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Ethel’s sister, Nina, the keeper of secrets…
The entire legal team for Crippen and Ethel. F.E. Smith, later Lord Birkenhead Ethel’s barrister (centre) was said to make women swoon. (Would it surprise you to know he was also an alcoholic and a cad?)
July 11, 2025 at 10:09 AM
The entire legal team for Crippen and Ethel. F.E. Smith, later Lord Birkenhead Ethel’s barrister (centre) was said to make women swoon. (Would it surprise you to know he was also an alcoholic and a cad?)
Members of the Musical Hall Ladies Guild, Clara Martinetti (left) and Lillian Nash (right) and their husbands going to give evidence. The Nashes and the Martinettis were massive celebrities - imagine J-Lo and Ben, and Matt Damon and his wife turning up at a trial.
July 11, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Members of the Musical Hall Ladies Guild, Clara Martinetti (left) and Lillian Nash (right) and their husbands going to give evidence. The Nashes and the Martinettis were massive celebrities - imagine J-Lo and Ben, and Matt Damon and his wife turning up at a trial.
The incredible crush of people desperate to get into Bow Street Magistrates Court to watch Crippen and Ethel’s hearing. Free entertainment drew crowds!
July 11, 2025 at 9:59 AM
The incredible crush of people desperate to get into Bow Street Magistrates Court to watch Crippen and Ethel’s hearing. Free entertainment drew crowds!
Never seen this cartoon before depicting just how everyone on the Montrose figured out that Ethel was actually a woman in boy’s clothing.
July 11, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Never seen this cartoon before depicting just how everyone on the Montrose figured out that Ethel was actually a woman in boy’s clothing.
Belle’s sister (heavily veiled and in deep mourning) being escorted to give evidence at her trial at the Old Bailey. Behind her in the fedora is Bruce Miller, reluctantly come from Chicago to also give evidence.
July 11, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Belle’s sister (heavily veiled and in deep mourning) being escorted to give evidence at her trial at the Old Bailey. Behind her in the fedora is Bruce Miller, reluctantly come from Chicago to also give evidence.
People throw out treasure. I’m not going to say which library was throwing out this scrapbook of newspaper clippings from 1910-1911 DOCUMENTING THE ENTIRE CRIPPEN CASE, but it’s in the right hands now (mine). Literal archival material, including things I’d never seen before. #StoryofaMurder
July 11, 2025 at 9:51 AM
People throw out treasure. I’m not going to say which library was throwing out this scrapbook of newspaper clippings from 1910-1911 DOCUMENTING THE ENTIRE CRIPPEN CASE, but it’s in the right hands now (mine). Literal archival material, including things I’d never seen before. #StoryofaMurder