At my book club this week we reviewed this True Crime novel by David James Smith. Hawley Harvey Crippen was a homeopathic remedies (snake oil) salesman who killed his wife while she was pregnant. She and the baby she was carrying died under “mysterious circumstances”. He then took his 7 year old son to his parents in California and never saw him again (thank goodness). He fell in love with 17 year old Belle Elmore (her “stage” name, married her and moved to England to sell his products. He ultimately killed Belle and buried some of her body parts in his coal cellar, so he could then marry his 18 year old assistant Ethel LeNeve. Belle’s associates demanded Scotland Yard investigate Belle’s disappearance, and Crippen and Ethel (she was dressed as a boy) fled on the ship SS Montrose to Canada. The photos on Scotland Yard’s APB caused the ship’s captain to recognize the two, he radioed Scotland Yard and when they arrived in Canada Scotland Yard officers were there to arrest them. Back to England they went where Crippen and Ethel were tried for Belle’s murder. Crippen was hanged in Pentonville Prison in London on November 23, 1910. Ethel was found not guilty. If you like murder mysteries you will like this book. Hawley Harvey Crippen was a monster.
***Yes, this is a true story!
Must look at this book........