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Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men
In the pantheon of serial killers, Belle Gunness stands alone. She was the rarest of female psychopaths, a woman who engaged in wholesale slaughter, partly out of greed but mostly for the sheer joy of it. Between 1902 and 1908, she lured a succession of unsuspecting victims to her Indiana “murder farm.” Some were hired hands. Others were well-to-do bachelors. All of them vanished without a trace. When their bodies were dug up, they hadn’t merely been poisoned, like victims of other female killers. They’d been butchered.
Hell’s Princess is a riveting account of one of the most sensational killing sprees in the annals of American crime: the shocking series of murders committed by the woman who came to be known as Lady Bluebeard. The only definitive book on this notorious case and the first to reveal previously unknown information about its subject, Harold Schechter’s gripping, suspenseful narrative has all the elements of a classic mystery—and all the gruesome twists of a nightmare.
Hell’s Princess is a riveting account of one of the most sensational killing sprees in the annals of American crime: the shocking series of murders committed by the woman who came to be known as Lady Bluebeard. The only definitive book on this notorious case and the first to reveal previously unknown information about its subject, Harold Schechter’s gripping, suspenseful narrative has all the elements of a classic mystery—and all the gruesome twists of a nightmare.
333 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2018
About the author
Harold Schechter
68 books1,302 followersAka Jon A. Harrald (joint pseudonym with Jonna Gormley Semeiks)
Harold Schechter is a true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he obtained a Ph.D. A resident of New York City, Schechter is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York.
Among his nonfiction works are the historical true-crime classics Fatal, Fiend, Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved. He also authors a critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Edgar Allan Poe, which includes The Hum Bug and Nevermore and The Mask of Red Death.
Schechter is married to poet Kimiko Hahn. He has two daughters from a previous marriage: the writer Lauren Oliver and professor of philosophy Elizabeth Schechter.
Harold Schechter is a true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he obtained a Ph.D. A resident of New York City, Schechter is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York.
Among his nonfiction works are the historical true-crime classics Fatal, Fiend, Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved. He also authors a critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Edgar Allan Poe, which includes The Hum Bug and Nevermore and The Mask of Red Death.
Schechter is married to poet Kimiko Hahn. He has two daughters from a previous marriage: the writer Lauren Oliver and professor of philosophy Elizabeth Schechter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,440 reviews
March 8, 2018
This book was a well-researched compilation of facts and rumors heretofore only available through a patchwork of different readings and articles. I appreciate the attention to details, court records, and even word of mouth from the time period- no aspect of the crime went unattended to.
Truth be told, the work itself was very much worth the read (and a boatload of stars), but... while I realize this author has written other relatively well-received works, I have a hard time believing that he could be an accomplished biographical true crime author with his obvious preconceptions and biases, especially against women, African Americans, and people with less than average IQs. The author takes multitudes of opportunities to describe women in the book in unflattering terminologies rather than using objective descriptors in terms of weight, facial features, skin colors, etc., i.e. instead of saying overweight, he said fat, in place of tall, he would employ mannish. He referred to victims and perpetrator alike as ugly, etc., not terms generally used by serious writers of nonfiction and biographical accounts.
In terms of race, he makes prolific use of the “n” word, citing the common vernacular of that era. However, despite addressing the fact of the crude commonality and acknowledging it once or even twice, the author continued to use the term gratuitously, ostensibly defending the term with frequent references to the normality in the time period and his obvious belief in having the artistic license to utilize it in kind.
Additionally, in terms of opinions of the intelligence of the victims and bystanders, he references stupidity, etc., also not generally considered objective descriptions in a serious work. It is demeaning and off-putting, and, in my personal opinion, a grave detractor from the quality of the writing and the overall consideration of the work as a serious foray into a true crime genre.
Had the author maintained greater objectivity, I think I would have awarded the book four stars. I learned more about the murderess (and the victims) from this account than any single article or depiction I had ever previously read. It is a shame, in my opinion, that the subjectivity of its author was stated in such terms as to ruin the overall review of the work as a whole.
Whereas I typically complete a true crime book with the intention of seeing what other culprits the author may have explored, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth from this one. If he has written other accounts, this reader will not be indulging in them.
Truth be told, the work itself was very much worth the read (and a boatload of stars), but... while I realize this author has written other relatively well-received works, I have a hard time believing that he could be an accomplished biographical true crime author with his obvious preconceptions and biases, especially against women, African Americans, and people with less than average IQs. The author takes multitudes of opportunities to describe women in the book in unflattering terminologies rather than using objective descriptors in terms of weight, facial features, skin colors, etc., i.e. instead of saying overweight, he said fat, in place of tall, he would employ mannish. He referred to victims and perpetrator alike as ugly, etc., not terms generally used by serious writers of nonfiction and biographical accounts.
In terms of race, he makes prolific use of the “n” word, citing the common vernacular of that era. However, despite addressing the fact of the crude commonality and acknowledging it once or even twice, the author continued to use the term gratuitously, ostensibly defending the term with frequent references to the normality in the time period and his obvious belief in having the artistic license to utilize it in kind.
Additionally, in terms of opinions of the intelligence of the victims and bystanders, he references stupidity, etc., also not generally considered objective descriptions in a serious work. It is demeaning and off-putting, and, in my personal opinion, a grave detractor from the quality of the writing and the overall consideration of the work as a serious foray into a true crime genre.
Had the author maintained greater objectivity, I think I would have awarded the book four stars. I learned more about the murderess (and the victims) from this account than any single article or depiction I had ever previously read. It is a shame, in my opinion, that the subjectivity of its author was stated in such terms as to ruin the overall review of the work as a whole.
Whereas I typically complete a true crime book with the intention of seeing what other culprits the author may have explored, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth from this one. If he has written other accounts, this reader will not be indulging in them.
February 2, 2021
This book was a case of "I wish someone took the book's research and had someone else write it" or "Wow, I wish there had been a very strong-handed editor," because there were some good elements and then some bad elements, and the bad elements far outweighed the good elements.
The good elements:
🏠 The details!: The author gives you so many details and so much historical context; it's awesome. When I first started reading it, I immediately thought, "Oh, I'm going to have an awesome Erik Larson or Bill Bryson RA!" (But I didn't.) I literally did a dreamy sigh with the description of the make-up of the immigration scene of Chicago at Mary's time, and how that contributed to her victim pool.
🏠 The book's narrative structure (for the first ~66%): I think the way the author laid out everything was fairly compelling, structure-wise, until that last third or so. And while he could be a little heavy handed with them sometimes, I do enjoy a good primary or secondary source, so those were fun.
The bad elements:
🏠 There is a strange focus on irrelevant details, and it kind of makes the whole thing weird and weird in a non-true crime uncomfortable way: Look, you can do the whole special snowflake, PC accusations or whatever on me, and I concede the point, but that being said, I read a decent amount of nonfiction, historical nonfiction, and historical fiction; I expect certain things to be mentioned and for them to affect what happens, and I'm okay with that because it should be noted as something that happened and affected the outcome of things: imagine if Belle had been conventionally pretty and thin, or Elizabeth Smith had been a white woman (don't get me wrong, Ray Lamphere was a dick, but the point remains) and how different the whole case might've been.
However, there's a strong, persistent fixation on women's looks, calling Elizabeth Smith by the slur she was known as, and different opinions or observations about people's so-called intelligence or other things, and it distracts from the book. It felt like these topics, and other interjections, were thrown in every page. I kept going, "We get it. Belle's ugly. Liz is not white. What else?"
🏠 The overall narrative voice is a little boring: I read a decent amount of non-fiction, especially historical non-fiction. I like historical documentaries. I don't know how much the above played into my feelings on this, but when I wasn't uncomfortable, I was bored. The speculations of what might've happened felt very monotonous and reptitive after a while; they eventually had a "Well, Bob at the corner market thinks this" feel to them.
It says so much that I read the first 25% in a day, and then I was lucky to get in a chapter here or there afterwards—that never happens. I started this in March and finally forced myself to finish in July. The only reason I didn't DNF was because I had told a coworker I'd read it for an RA thing, and I felt I had to follow through.
tl;dr: Sadly, this is the written equivalent of a long, uncomfortable, and offensive documentary you might've expected from yesteryear in the bad, bad way. It has some decent footage, but there are much better accounts out there.
Pre-read: Hold on to your pinafores, it's Belle freaking Gunness.
I need it.
The good elements:
🏠 The details!: The author gives you so many details and so much historical context; it's awesome. When I first started reading it, I immediately thought, "Oh, I'm going to have an awesome Erik Larson or Bill Bryson RA!" (But I didn't.) I literally did a dreamy sigh with the description of the make-up of the immigration scene of Chicago at Mary's time, and how that contributed to her victim pool.
🏠 The book's narrative structure (for the first ~66%): I think the way the author laid out everything was fairly compelling, structure-wise, until that last third or so. And while he could be a little heavy handed with them sometimes, I do enjoy a good primary or secondary source, so those were fun.
The bad elements:
🏠 There is a strange focus on irrelevant details, and it kind of makes the whole thing weird and weird in a non-true crime uncomfortable way: Look, you can do the whole special snowflake, PC accusations or whatever on me, and I concede the point, but that being said, I read a decent amount of nonfiction, historical nonfiction, and historical fiction; I expect certain things to be mentioned and for them to affect what happens, and I'm okay with that because it should be noted as something that happened and affected the outcome of things: imagine if Belle had been conventionally pretty and thin, or Elizabeth Smith had been a white woman (don't get me wrong, Ray Lamphere was a dick, but the point remains) and how different the whole case might've been.
However, there's a strong, persistent fixation on women's looks, calling Elizabeth Smith by the slur she was known as, and different opinions or observations about people's so-called intelligence or other things, and it distracts from the book. It felt like these topics, and other interjections, were thrown in every page. I kept going, "We get it. Belle's ugly. Liz is not white. What else?"
🏠 The overall narrative voice is a little boring: I read a decent amount of non-fiction, especially historical non-fiction. I like historical documentaries. I don't know how much the above played into my feelings on this, but when I wasn't uncomfortable, I was bored. The speculations of what might've happened felt very monotonous and reptitive after a while; they eventually had a "Well, Bob at the corner market thinks this" feel to them.
It says so much that I read the first 25% in a day, and then I was lucky to get in a chapter here or there afterwards—that never happens. I started this in March and finally forced myself to finish in July. The only reason I didn't DNF was because I had told a coworker I'd read it for an RA thing, and I felt I had to follow through.
tl;dr: Sadly, this is the written equivalent of a long, uncomfortable, and offensive documentary you might've expected from yesteryear in the bad, bad way. It has some decent footage, but there are much better accounts out there.
Pre-read: Hold on to your pinafores, it's Belle freaking Gunness.
I need it.
February 3, 2022
Belle Gunness, aka Lady Bluebeard, was a serial killer long before the term was ever known. Between 1902-1908, she lured unsuspecting men to her farm in Indiana. Some worked for her, some came under the guise of pending marriage. One by one, they disappeared, never to be heard from again. When her "murder farm" was discovered, to everyone's horror, they found the men in pieces. Not only had she poisoned her prey, she butchered them.
Belle is fascinating. There doesn't seem to be anything in her past that drove her to kill. Maybe she just got tired of being treated as a second class citizen, as a woman. She probably cut the bodies up because it was easier to transport them outside to bury. They would be too heavy for her to move as whole. Very good read!
Belle is fascinating. There doesn't seem to be anything in her past that drove her to kill. Maybe she just got tired of being treated as a second class citizen, as a woman. She probably cut the bodies up because it was easier to transport them outside to bury. They would be too heavy for her to move as whole. Very good read!
October 28, 2018
Hell's Belle for sure, this Norwegian born lady was a gruesome murderer, who like most female killers was a poisoner, but unlike the usual method of the gentler sex, also decapitated and dismembered her victims. Whether she did this solely so the bodies couldn't be identified or for her own enjoyment isn't known. She started out marrying and murdering, but then moved on to writing ads in Norwegian newspapers for men who could invest in her farm and perhaps become a couple. Her letters are macabre in the extreme, using feminine wiles to lure the lonely and somewhat trusting men to their deaths. She also ran a sort of baby adoption scheme, killing them off too,, when she could get money out of them through insurance or when they got in the way.
This reads like a mystery novel and is well researched and well written. The author includes photos of Belle, her children, her victims and scenes from the murder farm. When there is no photo to illustrate the scene the author includes illustrations which incorporate movement if you read them on a kindle. I liked these very much.
This reads like a mystery novel and is well researched and well written. The author includes photos of Belle, her children, her victims and scenes from the murder farm. When there is no photo to illustrate the scene the author includes illustrations which incorporate movement if you read them on a kindle. I liked these very much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2018
So 40% of this kindle book was references!
Overall this was a great telling of Mrs Gunness’ life and impact on society at the time. My one problem was the author’s overuse of ‘Nigger Liz’ throughout and explaining that that was what she was known as at the time each time he used the slur. Mrs Gunness was known as lots of different names after her deeds were found out but the author didn’t feel the need to go about them the way he did Ms Smith. It felt like he was justifying using the term and was distracting from the history, there was no need to keep using it throughout.
Overall this was a great telling of Mrs Gunness’ life and impact on society at the time. My one problem was the author’s overuse of ‘Nigger Liz’ throughout and explaining that that was what she was known as at the time each time he used the slur. Mrs Gunness was known as lots of different names after her deeds were found out but the author didn’t feel the need to go about them the way he did Ms Smith. It felt like he was justifying using the term and was distracting from the history, there was no need to keep using it throughout.
March 25, 2018
An interesting, and absorbing account of turn-of-the-century murderer Belle Gunness. The author creates a unique Kindle experience, with "aged" pages, photos, and animation. The book is well researched, with a comprehensive section of notes and references. The ending is a bit dissatisfying, as there are many unanswered questions. This is why I prefer fictional, rather than true crime.
October 9, 2018
3.5 stars
I've read a lot of true crime books over the years, and I have to say this is one of the more bizarre cases. In the early 1900s, Belle Gunness lured unsuspecting men to her Indiana "murder farm". And these men vanished without a trace, that is until their butchered remains were eventually found buried on the farm. If you are unfamiliar with the case, I highly recommend you don't look up any information ahead of time because part of what makes this book interesting is all of the twists and turns.
I didn't know ahead of time that the "murder farm" was actually in a part of Indiana I have visited many times. I have family ties to the area that date back generations so while the relatives who would have been alive during this time period are deceased, I have no doubt in my mind they would have been very familiar with the case as it wasn't just a local story, it made headlines around the globe. When the book discusses the carnival type atmosphere the farm drew when the bodies are discovered I found myself wondering, were they one of the estimated 16,000 people who showed up to be a part of the spectacle? The weird, unexpected personal connection to the story is definitely part of the reason I couldn't put the book down.
Unfortunately not all questions that remain about Belle Gunness will be answered so if you are the type of reader that needs everything wrapped up in the end, this book probably isn't for you. However, if you enjoy reading about unusual true crime cases and are fine with drawing your own conclusions, than I say give this book a chance.
This was my free Kindle First pick for March 2018. I was under no obligation to post a review.
I've read a lot of true crime books over the years, and I have to say this is one of the more bizarre cases. In the early 1900s, Belle Gunness lured unsuspecting men to her Indiana "murder farm". And these men vanished without a trace, that is until their butchered remains were eventually found buried on the farm. If you are unfamiliar with the case, I highly recommend you don't look up any information ahead of time because part of what makes this book interesting is all of the twists and turns.
I didn't know ahead of time that the "murder farm" was actually in a part of Indiana I have visited many times. I have family ties to the area that date back generations so while the relatives who would have been alive during this time period are deceased, I have no doubt in my mind they would have been very familiar with the case as it wasn't just a local story, it made headlines around the globe. When the book discusses the carnival type atmosphere the farm drew when the bodies are discovered I found myself wondering, were they one of the estimated 16,000 people who showed up to be a part of the spectacle? The weird, unexpected personal connection to the story is definitely part of the reason I couldn't put the book down.
Unfortunately not all questions that remain about Belle Gunness will be answered so if you are the type of reader that needs everything wrapped up in the end, this book probably isn't for you. However, if you enjoy reading about unusual true crime cases and are fine with drawing your own conclusions, than I say give this book a chance.
This was my free Kindle First pick for March 2018. I was under no obligation to post a review.
June 8, 2019
Well researched and written account of the brutal murders perpetrated by that rare enigma, the female serial killer.
April 2, 2018
If you've read my reviews before, you know I'm not the biggest fan of non-fiction or history.... except when it comes to true crime and the like. I was SO excited for this book. I have done countless research on serial killers when I was younger as I had a bit of an obsession (still do but less research has been made in the past decade of my life). I already knew the story of Belle Gunness but didn't realize how much I remembered until I started reading this. Unfortunately, I was a tad bit underwhelmed with this for a variety of reasons.
The first quarter of the book was about her and her victims. Then she's found decapitated in a fire and now it's a story about her murder...and if she in fact was or is still at large somewhere. Something apparently no one will ever know. Another true crime that will forever be unsolved. As someone who already knew this story, there was nothing new that I learned. Nothing exciting that came to pass that sparked my interest again.
I'm not sure if the author was making references in light of the time period, or if it was his own prejudices and biases that made his book riddled with misogynistic and racial slurs. There was consistent references to Belle not being an attractive woman and clearly her only form of attractiveness was her land and catering to a man's need to be mothered as just a small example of what was found as I read.
Take all that above aside and this is fantastic for readers who are not familiar with Belle's story and the aftermath of her killing farm and the poor victims that made their way into her deadly path. Clearly a lot of research has been done... there are several pages of notes and a bibliography to reference. I think this is definitely catered more for those who have never learned Belle's story. If you already know it, then I fear you're not going to get much more out of this read.
Thanks so much to Little A and Amazon Publishing for this copy!
The first quarter of the book was about her and her victims. Then she's found decapitated in a fire and now it's a story about her murder...and if she in fact was or is still at large somewhere. Something apparently no one will ever know. Another true crime that will forever be unsolved. As someone who already knew this story, there was nothing new that I learned. Nothing exciting that came to pass that sparked my interest again.
I'm not sure if the author was making references in light of the time period, or if it was his own prejudices and biases that made his book riddled with misogynistic and racial slurs. There was consistent references to Belle not being an attractive woman and clearly her only form of attractiveness was her land and catering to a man's need to be mothered as just a small example of what was found as I read.
Take all that above aside and this is fantastic for readers who are not familiar with Belle's story and the aftermath of her killing farm and the poor victims that made their way into her deadly path. Clearly a lot of research has been done... there are several pages of notes and a bibliography to reference. I think this is definitely catered more for those who have never learned Belle's story. If you already know it, then I fear you're not going to get much more out of this read.
Thanks so much to Little A and Amazon Publishing for this copy!
March 31, 2018
There once was a woman named Belle. She killed lots and LOTS of people, chopped them up and buried them on her farm. Nobody knows why. Nobody will ever know why. The End. You just saved yourself from having to read 300 pages. :-)
November 18, 2018
Hell’s Princess by Harold Schechter is the well-researched story of the mystery of Belle Gunness, a butcher of men. I note that she was “a” butcher of men, not “the” butcher of men or even the title without an article. Belle was a serial killer, one of many in history and to date. She was notable for several reasons. She was “she;” female serial killers were and are disproportionately few compared to males. Women nurtured; they did not “knock people off.” Second, Belle was unusually cruel in her kill methods and selection of targets. They were not strangers; her victims were husbands, lovers, and included her own children. Finally, she operated in a time and environment that we look back upon from the present day as a time of innocence, a closely interactive environment where people trusted the common good in each other, where such things just didn’t happen.
She arrived from Norway to visit and stay with her sister. Employed as a domestic, she saw little difference from the harsh life she had lived in Norway. She saw there was money to be made and by the time she married in 1884 to the father of her children, she found a way to get large infusions of cash quickly. Insurance payouts paid well. This did not bode well for husbands, partners, and lovers who had to die to trigger the payouts. Belle was versatile; she could see that frequent insurance payoffs would appear suspicious. After a few insurance scams, she purchased a farm remotely located from town and began to offer management partnerships to men. They had to make short-term investments of a few thousand dollars. The investment was short-term because the men would soon die. To the surrounding communities, the men would just disappear. For the inquisitive, the men changed their minds or had family emergencies. Their belongings and luggage remained with Belle to be forwarded later.
Many men who answered Belle’s ads had families. Some relatives began to question their inability to follow up the fate of their relatives once the brothers or fathers had relocated to LaPorte, Indiana to help Belle. Thus, started the unraveling of some of Belle’s schemes. As with so many cover-ups of criminal activities, attempts at concealment had to become ever more complex. Things rushed forward as if a large bubble grew ever faster. The bursting of the bubble was almost inevitable. This is the story of how Belle’s life of murder and deception fell apart. Almost.
This is crime non-fiction. There are no surprises or spoilers. Schechter goes to great lengths to assure readers this is not fake news. Twenty-five pages of footnotes are referenced to the forty-three chapters. There are eight pages of bibliography and twenty helpful index pages. Still, in the end, there are questions and Schechter does a very good job of revealing unanswered questions and describing the situations that surround uncertainty.
This book is not for everyone. Academics will like it both for its sourcing and the way the author tries to bring in all possibilities and perspectives even when some of them border on the absurd. It is slow reading due to this writing process. Descriptions of how some of the murders took place, based on forensic evidence, will provide readers with an idea of how horror and thriller writers get their inspiration. Non-fiction can be scarier than fiction.
I gave this work five Amazon stars just for the careful, balanced presentation. After I post this, I will look at other reviews. I expect them to be all over the range of ratings. There will be disagreements because of the careful research methodology Schechter used. Academics love to argue. That is how they justify their incomes. I just rate the book based on my enjoyment of it. I liked this one.
She arrived from Norway to visit and stay with her sister. Employed as a domestic, she saw little difference from the harsh life she had lived in Norway. She saw there was money to be made and by the time she married in 1884 to the father of her children, she found a way to get large infusions of cash quickly. Insurance payouts paid well. This did not bode well for husbands, partners, and lovers who had to die to trigger the payouts. Belle was versatile; she could see that frequent insurance payoffs would appear suspicious. After a few insurance scams, she purchased a farm remotely located from town and began to offer management partnerships to men. They had to make short-term investments of a few thousand dollars. The investment was short-term because the men would soon die. To the surrounding communities, the men would just disappear. For the inquisitive, the men changed their minds or had family emergencies. Their belongings and luggage remained with Belle to be forwarded later.
Many men who answered Belle’s ads had families. Some relatives began to question their inability to follow up the fate of their relatives once the brothers or fathers had relocated to LaPorte, Indiana to help Belle. Thus, started the unraveling of some of Belle’s schemes. As with so many cover-ups of criminal activities, attempts at concealment had to become ever more complex. Things rushed forward as if a large bubble grew ever faster. The bursting of the bubble was almost inevitable. This is the story of how Belle’s life of murder and deception fell apart. Almost.
This is crime non-fiction. There are no surprises or spoilers. Schechter goes to great lengths to assure readers this is not fake news. Twenty-five pages of footnotes are referenced to the forty-three chapters. There are eight pages of bibliography and twenty helpful index pages. Still, in the end, there are questions and Schechter does a very good job of revealing unanswered questions and describing the situations that surround uncertainty.
This book is not for everyone. Academics will like it both for its sourcing and the way the author tries to bring in all possibilities and perspectives even when some of them border on the absurd. It is slow reading due to this writing process. Descriptions of how some of the murders took place, based on forensic evidence, will provide readers with an idea of how horror and thriller writers get their inspiration. Non-fiction can be scarier than fiction.
I gave this work five Amazon stars just for the careful, balanced presentation. After I post this, I will look at other reviews. I expect them to be all over the range of ratings. There will be disagreements because of the careful research methodology Schechter used. Academics love to argue. That is how they justify their incomes. I just rate the book based on my enjoyment of it. I liked this one.
March 16, 2018
A true crime book should not feel like you could have been better off reading the wikipedia page. And yes, I understand that Schechter's research did not pay off with a juicy twist he had hoped for. But that doesn't explain to me why there was a need to insert all the boring back and forths of the trial and everyone and their mother's suspicions. It was interesting for the first third (even though I found the intro oddly structured) but then it was too long. I was actually wondering why the book was going on at one point. Also, I completely agree with accusations of Schechter's misogyny. Each time he referenced how fat and ugly Belle Gunness was, I looked at her photos, and was like: really? She might have been evil, but why strip a clearly normal-looking, and allegedly very sexually magnetic woman, of her agency? She was a brilliant scammer, yes, but she also did a pretty good job seducing men IRL when she needed to. I feel like this story would have been handled much better by someone younger, more woke, and perhaps less white and male? Also, because it's not satisfying as is, perhaps a novelization would work better?
April 19, 2018
I have always been fascinated by true crime stories and this one is done very well. Extremely well researched and very detail oriented, it is as thorough as anyone could want. Belle Gunness was one of the most prolific serial killers of the late 19 and early 20th centuries. All for money. A vicious woman with no compunction whatsoever about taking a life. This is the best I've read about her life. Recommended.
Read
February 26, 2019Review to follow
July 26, 2018
As a principle I prefer facts, biographies, history and not fiction, it's no secret, look at my book lists!
However this particular genre, albeit non fiction, is one that somehow I've avoided...95% of time that is.
Don't get me wrong, not squeamish or afraid of blood at all, just most of the time I don't get a book that simply tells the facts and doesn't try its hardest to persuade you to believe whatever theory the author defends.
Well as luck would have, or simply Kindle taking a peek at my research and suggesting reads, I believe this one may be the one I was looking for.
The author here is simply a narrator, he relates by means of a thorough and careful research the true story of Belle Gunness and her murder farm, where she planted all the men she lured to her with promises of love and happiness.
This is not an easy read, gory details of how she did it aside, simply because - and maybe I'm being partial - I find it always much harder to stomach when a woman is capable of such horrible actions....in my defense, I am a ghost from Victorian England, my sensibilities might be somewhat non pc in this day and age!
However, and that is where I believe my background served me well, this is a fascinating read, because once you can push aside a 21st century view of society and acceptable behavior, this turns into an engaging tale that catches one's attention and keeps you turning the pages to find out how it ends.
That Belle was a serial killer, long before such term was officially coined, it's a fact and quite soon shown, but the details surrounding not only the investigation but also society's reaction - on both a local and national level - make this both repulsive and yet appealing...human nature at its finest.
Some may disagree with me but personally I think the author did a great job here and succeeds 100% in taking a reader back in time.
If you're not easily impressed - in a bad way - by all means this is a read for you.
My only quibble?....well I can't tell you...spoilers!
Happy Readings!
However this particular genre, albeit non fiction, is one that somehow I've avoided...95% of time that is.
Don't get me wrong, not squeamish or afraid of blood at all, just most of the time I don't get a book that simply tells the facts and doesn't try its hardest to persuade you to believe whatever theory the author defends.
Well as luck would have, or simply Kindle taking a peek at my research and suggesting reads, I believe this one may be the one I was looking for.
The author here is simply a narrator, he relates by means of a thorough and careful research the true story of Belle Gunness and her murder farm, where she planted all the men she lured to her with promises of love and happiness.
This is not an easy read, gory details of how she did it aside, simply because - and maybe I'm being partial - I find it always much harder to stomach when a woman is capable of such horrible actions....in my defense, I am a ghost from Victorian England, my sensibilities might be somewhat non pc in this day and age!
However, and that is where I believe my background served me well, this is a fascinating read, because once you can push aside a 21st century view of society and acceptable behavior, this turns into an engaging tale that catches one's attention and keeps you turning the pages to find out how it ends.
That Belle was a serial killer, long before such term was officially coined, it's a fact and quite soon shown, but the details surrounding not only the investigation but also society's reaction - on both a local and national level - make this both repulsive and yet appealing...human nature at its finest.
Some may disagree with me but personally I think the author did a great job here and succeeds 100% in taking a reader back in time.
If you're not easily impressed - in a bad way - by all means this is a read for you.
My only quibble?....well I can't tell you...spoilers!
Happy Readings!
March 4, 2018
Could Schechter have been a little less obnoxious with the misogyny (he never misses a chance to tell us how fat and unattractive Gunness was)? Did he seem a little too comfortable using Elizabeth Smith's nickname ("N----- Liz") repeatedly when once was really enough?
There aren't answers to these rhetorical questions and there aren't definitive answers to the case of Belle Gunness, which Schechter muses briefly about at the end of the book.
For a book about Hell's Princess, a lot of time is spent on a man named Ray Lamphere, who loves being creepy and stalking Belle. Belle herself is more talked of than to, for reasons that become clear as you read the book.
Now.
Did she do it?
They found a LOT of bodies on her property. And she was a lady of means looking for companionship, so she placed a lot of personal ads. Did she kill all those people? I don't know, guys. We just know how her own story ends; but there are no details that aren't circumstantial that can be used against her. She's the Carrie Bradshaw of her generation as far as I'm concerned.
There aren't answers to these rhetorical questions and there aren't definitive answers to the case of Belle Gunness, which Schechter muses briefly about at the end of the book.
For a book about Hell's Princess, a lot of time is spent on a man named Ray Lamphere, who loves being creepy and stalking Belle. Belle herself is more talked of than to, for reasons that become clear as you read the book.
Now.
Did she do it?
They found a LOT of bodies on her property. And she was a lady of means looking for companionship, so she placed a lot of personal ads. Did she kill all those people? I don't know, guys. We just know how her own story ends; but there are no details that aren't circumstantial that can be used against her. She's the Carrie Bradshaw of her generation as far as I'm concerned.
March 25, 2018
2.5 stars
I enjoyed the first third of the book, but found the rest disappointing. I suppose I did not realize the mystery was not Belle herself but rather than two-thirds of the book is dedicated to speculation about the circumstances surrounding her death.
The author's excessive use of the "n" word seemed like using historical license to repeatedly use a slur for no reason at all. The author's insistent descriptions of how hideous and obese characters were, only to include their photos which reveal rather average looking people of their era, made me doubt his objectivity. It is one thing to emphasize historical fascinations with the association between ugliness and criminal behavior, it's another for the author to assert that someone is ugly.
I accept that historical true crime is not always clear cut, and the book is very well-researched. It definitely wasn't what I thought it would be when I started reading. I appreciated the media elements and thought they were a neat addition, but as the book got less interesting there were also fewer of the media pieces to keep it fun.
I enjoyed the first third of the book, but found the rest disappointing. I suppose I did not realize the mystery was not Belle herself but rather than two-thirds of the book is dedicated to speculation about the circumstances surrounding her death.
The author's excessive use of the "n" word seemed like using historical license to repeatedly use a slur for no reason at all. The author's insistent descriptions of how hideous and obese characters were, only to include their photos which reveal rather average looking people of their era, made me doubt his objectivity. It is one thing to emphasize historical fascinations with the association between ugliness and criminal behavior, it's another for the author to assert that someone is ugly.
I accept that historical true crime is not always clear cut, and the book is very well-researched. It definitely wasn't what I thought it would be when I started reading. I appreciated the media elements and thought they were a neat addition, but as the book got less interesting there were also fewer of the media pieces to keep it fun.
June 6, 2018
In the early 1900's, La Porte Indiana was a quiet farming community that was shaken to its core after a gruesome discovery was made on a local farm after a fire destroyed the home of Belle Gunness. Her supposed charred bones were uncovered in the debris along with her three foster children, but as the day progressed the workers, while filtering through the wreckage, unearthed what appeared to be a make shift grave site of human bones, clothing, and personal belongings. This is the story of Gunness and her life as an alleged black widow, luring countless unsuspecting men to her farm, only to take all their money, murder and dismember them and then bury the remains on her property.
June 23, 2018
Interestingly boring.
Okay, I wont even lie. I am so freaking happy that I was not born around the time that Belle was on her killing streak. I thank my lucky stars every day. Now before I dove into this book, I honestly had no clue who Belle Gunness was. Nope, I just went into because I've been on a murder mystery kick. Since this book is based off a true murderer, well shit - I had to dive into it!
At the beginning, this book was completely interesting. We get to meet Belle and learn about her victims. I originally thought that this book was going to be more about her murders.. but then it switched to being about her own actual murder. The change didn't really bother me since I knew jack shit about her. However, it got boring pretty quickly and I wished it was actually about her own murders.
This book had many flaws. I hated how Belle was constantly stated as not being an attractive women. I get it, you thought she was ugly but don't say people only wanted to be with her because of her land. Rude as fuck. Just say it once and move on. I don't need to be repeatedly told she was fat and ugly. Then there was the nickname .. I just didn't like it.
Overall, it was jam packed with information but it did get a little boring here and there.
Okay, I wont even lie. I am so freaking happy that I was not born around the time that Belle was on her killing streak. I thank my lucky stars every day. Now before I dove into this book, I honestly had no clue who Belle Gunness was. Nope, I just went into because I've been on a murder mystery kick. Since this book is based off a true murderer, well shit - I had to dive into it!
At the beginning, this book was completely interesting. We get to meet Belle and learn about her victims. I originally thought that this book was going to be more about her murders.. but then it switched to being about her own actual murder. The change didn't really bother me since I knew jack shit about her. However, it got boring pretty quickly and I wished it was actually about her own murders.
This book had many flaws. I hated how Belle was constantly stated as not being an attractive women. I get it, you thought she was ugly but don't say people only wanted to be with her because of her land. Rude as fuck. Just say it once and move on. I don't need to be repeatedly told she was fat and ugly. Then there was the nickname .. I just didn't like it.
Overall, it was jam packed with information but it did get a little boring here and there.
March 22, 2018
I love a bit of true crime, so interesting. Glad I chose this as my Kindle First book this month. It was my first Kindle in Motion book too and I liked the little videos and newspaper clippings etc. Very cool!
March 2, 2018
Excellent, entertaining true crime
I've read another book about Belle Gunness, which was ok, but left me wanting to know more. I'm just delighted Schechter wrote this book--the answer to my wish for a more thorough treatment of the killer and her many crimes.
For what it's worth, I think she killed her kids, plus another woman to make it look look like she died. Then she took off for parts unknown. It's too bad that the California lady was who she said she was. It would've made for an excellent ending.
I totally, unreservedly recommend this book. It's well researched and written, kept my attention throughout.
I've read another book about Belle Gunness, which was ok, but left me wanting to know more. I'm just delighted Schechter wrote this book--the answer to my wish for a more thorough treatment of the killer and her many crimes.
For what it's worth, I think she killed her kids, plus another woman to make it look look like she died. Then she took off for parts unknown. It's too bad that the California lady was who she said she was. It would've made for an excellent ending.
I totally, unreservedly recommend this book. It's well researched and written, kept my attention throughout.
October 25, 2021
I have been in a mood for true crime books lately (despite the PLETHORA of other books I should be reading). I don't know why I'm like this. It's like as soon as I decide that I'm going to read a book with friends, I want to read anything and everything BUT that. Sigh.
Anyway, this book was, I think, better than the other Schechter book I recently listened to - it didn't have a random couple chapters of stuff about completely unrelated events stuffed in for no reason, at least - but I also don't think that it was all that impressive either. It was interesting, but I felt like it was just all over the place. It would jump around in time, in location, in characters, and it just kinda ended up being this muddled, jumbled conglomeration of stuff, and less a narrative or story.
Also, I know that racial epithets were regularly used back in the day, but that doesn't mean that we need to include EVERY SINGLE INSTANCE OF IT when writing a book in 2018.
I don't really have much else to say about this. Belle Gunness was a terrible person who murdered and ruined lives as easily as breathing. End of story.
Anyway, this book was, I think, better than the other Schechter book I recently listened to - it didn't have a random couple chapters of stuff about completely unrelated events stuffed in for no reason, at least - but I also don't think that it was all that impressive either. It was interesting, but I felt like it was just all over the place. It would jump around in time, in location, in characters, and it just kinda ended up being this muddled, jumbled conglomeration of stuff, and less a narrative or story.
Also, I know that racial epithets were regularly used back in the day, but that doesn't mean that we need to include EVERY SINGLE INSTANCE OF IT when writing a book in 2018.
I don't really have much else to say about this. Belle Gunness was a terrible person who murdered and ruined lives as easily as breathing. End of story.
December 18, 2020
The strange and brutal murders of at least 9 people in La Porte, Indiana in the early 2oth century has perplexed the town residents for years. It is the case of Belle Gunness, a matrimonial murderess dubbed "Hell's Princess" among other erstwhile nicknames. Young Belle was a Norwegian immigrant to the US in the late 1800s. Once she arrived, she moved to Chicago to live near her sister. Unmarried with no kids, Belle takes on the foster care of a couple of children, as well as her niece. Soon after, she marries and her husband eventually passes away. She moves to the Norwegian settlement of La Porte, Indiana. It is there that her second husband suffers a fatal accident, leaving her twice widowed. Thereafter, many men come into her life, but they never seem to leave. This true tale echoes similar odd and mysterious circumstances such as the likes of H. H. Holmes and his Murder Capital, the notorious serial killer of the Chicago's 1893 World Exposition.
Harold Schechter details Gunness's life from her landing in the United States through her supposed death and beyond. It has been a confounding case that continues unsolved or has it? I was completely engrossed in this story. Schechter has an engaging writing style that keeps you drawn into Belle's life. It is a quick read but includes a great amount of information. I happened to read the Kindle In Motion version of this story which added to the experience. This new Kindle technology has animated pictures that keep the story interesting. I highly recommend any book that is being read on a Kindle app to utilize the Kindle In Motion technology.
I received this book gratis through Goodreads Giveaways.
Harold Schechter details Gunness's life from her landing in the United States through her supposed death and beyond. It has been a confounding case that continues unsolved or has it? I was completely engrossed in this story. Schechter has an engaging writing style that keeps you drawn into Belle's life. It is a quick read but includes a great amount of information. I happened to read the Kindle In Motion version of this story which added to the experience. This new Kindle technology has animated pictures that keep the story interesting. I highly recommend any book that is being read on a Kindle app to utilize the Kindle In Motion technology.
I received this book gratis through Goodreads Giveaways.
April 4, 2018
Thanks to Amazon Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
If you've followed my reviews for awhile, you'll know that true crime and historical fiction are my jam. I love these genres and will pick up any book that falls under true crime. HELL'S PRINCESS was one of those rare books where I didn't know any information about the subject. Belle Gunness, the Butcher of Men, sounded intriguing and I was ready to learn more about her.
This felt more like a regurgitation of some of the online searches you could do for her. Like my buddy reader, Same (of Clues and Reviews) said, it felt like the drawn out version of the Wikipedia page. I will say that it helped me get an introduction to who she was and the crimes she committed - and that this is a true crime that never had a real resolution (always fun and eerie when that happens)
I understand wanting to emulate the time period of the subject, but I felt like this one went a little too far in some cases. I think that Schechter could have limited some of his racial slurs and how he described Belle. If you're wanting to learn about Gunness and her crimes, then this is a good one to read, but keep in mind that you'll be getting a lot more than just a history lesson.
Overall, I give this one 2/5 stars
If you've followed my reviews for awhile, you'll know that true crime and historical fiction are my jam. I love these genres and will pick up any book that falls under true crime. HELL'S PRINCESS was one of those rare books where I didn't know any information about the subject. Belle Gunness, the Butcher of Men, sounded intriguing and I was ready to learn more about her.
This felt more like a regurgitation of some of the online searches you could do for her. Like my buddy reader, Same (of Clues and Reviews) said, it felt like the drawn out version of the Wikipedia page. I will say that it helped me get an introduction to who she was and the crimes she committed - and that this is a true crime that never had a real resolution (always fun and eerie when that happens)
I understand wanting to emulate the time period of the subject, but I felt like this one went a little too far in some cases. I think that Schechter could have limited some of his racial slurs and how he described Belle. If you're wanting to learn about Gunness and her crimes, then this is a good one to read, but keep in mind that you'll be getting a lot more than just a history lesson.
Overall, I give this one 2/5 stars
November 17, 2021
This has the same issue many non fiction books succumb to...
Including too much unnecessary information/research and over speculation.
There is a small amount of speculation that goes into a non fiction, especially with an unsolved crime.
This however had a LOT of conjecture, so much so, that it became more fiction than non fiction for a large portion of the book.
Not for me.
Including too much unnecessary information/research and over speculation.
There is a small amount of speculation that goes into a non fiction, especially with an unsolved crime.
This however had a LOT of conjecture, so much so, that it became more fiction than non fiction for a large portion of the book.
Not for me.
July 27, 2022
What was it about Illinois and serial killers? 🤔
It's the 4th state with the most serial killers (thanks Google!)
Belle Gunness
H.H. Holmes
William Wayne Gacy
Chicago Strangler
(Top serial killers that come to mind from Illinois)
It's the 4th state with the most serial killers (thanks Google!)
Belle Gunness
H.H. Holmes
William Wayne Gacy
Chicago Strangler
(Top serial killers that come to mind from Illinois)
July 15, 2021
Interesting book about Bele Gunness and her murder farm. This case was intriguing on how she lured men into her house to then murder them. They weren't sure if she was killed in the end or if she escaped. Did that fire take her out or did she get away? That is one of the mysteries of this murderer. It amazes me how she was able to get away with all these killings. It also leaves one with a sense of injustice that she was able to not only kill men and women but children as well. Why she wasn't found out sooner and justice served is beyond me. I give this book 4 of 5 stars.
February 8, 2019
Slightly fascinating true crime book, but the second half is just a case of an author seriously padding his not long enough book with time period appropriate fact loading not related to this crime. I just wanted to scream, “Where was the editor?”
While I don’t necessarily recommend this book, its gruesome first third was worth reading. So few female killers of this magnitude have been discovered that I was thoroughly fascinated by the nerve of this black widow spider!
While I don’t necessarily recommend this book, its gruesome first third was worth reading. So few female killers of this magnitude have been discovered that I was thoroughly fascinated by the nerve of this black widow spider!
April 2, 2018
2.5⭐
"She is entitled to be known to future generations as the arch fiend of the twentieth century."
Hell's Princess is a good introduction to Belle Gunness if you don't know anything about her. If you are familiar with her story, you're probably going to be pretty bored. There's just so little information on Belle Gunness, it's tough to write a full book on her.
It got pretty disjointed, and I feel like Schechter tried way too hard to create filler for this book. There were a lot of parts about people's speculations, and a large chunk of the book was about Ray Lamphere's trial (I skimmed this). After dragging on, the book ends pretty abruptly, and it was a strange way to organize it.
Harold Schechter also writes with an incredibly misogynistic tone, and it's very clear that he believes women are supposed to look a certain way (not like Belle Gunness, or not old, or not too underweight, etc. So ridiculous). He also uses a very racist term more than once because of a name the townspeople called someone, and I believe we would have gotten the idea from him just writing it once. All of it was unnecessary.
Overall, I wasn't impressed, and was disappointed after looking forward to this book for a while. I gave it 2.5⭐. This book is about 260 pages, and it took me about 4 days to get through it. It's very dry, and I didn't really learn anything new.
"She is entitled to be known to future generations as the arch fiend of the twentieth century."
Hell's Princess is a good introduction to Belle Gunness if you don't know anything about her. If you are familiar with her story, you're probably going to be pretty bored. There's just so little information on Belle Gunness, it's tough to write a full book on her.
It got pretty disjointed, and I feel like Schechter tried way too hard to create filler for this book. There were a lot of parts about people's speculations, and a large chunk of the book was about Ray Lamphere's trial (I skimmed this). After dragging on, the book ends pretty abruptly, and it was a strange way to organize it.
Harold Schechter also writes with an incredibly misogynistic tone, and it's very clear that he believes women are supposed to look a certain way (not like Belle Gunness, or not old, or not too underweight, etc. So ridiculous). He also uses a very racist term more than once because of a name the townspeople called someone, and I believe we would have gotten the idea from him just writing it once. All of it was unnecessary.
Overall, I wasn't impressed, and was disappointed after looking forward to this book for a while. I gave it 2.5⭐. This book is about 260 pages, and it took me about 4 days to get through it. It's very dry, and I didn't really learn anything new.
April 9, 2018
I’m interested in this, but had to DNF because the writing isn’t for me.
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