Book description
At a time when Edwardian Britain seemed a golden place, basking in its
imperial glory, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen and his wife Belle lived among
the suburban villas of North London, renting a house at 39 Hilldrop
Crescent. After supper on 31 January 1910, their friends went home and
Crippen killed Belle with poison, dismembered her body and buried some
of her remains beneath the brick floor of the coal cellar. Crippen never
admitted killing his wife and took the secrets of the crime with him
when he was hanged, following his conviction for murder. It is assumed
that Crippen killed for the love of his mistress, Ethel le Neve. They
began living together as man and wife, but under intense suspicion they
fled disguised as father and son. The chase - indeed everything about
the murder - was reported in fine detail, in Britain, in America and the
rest of the western world. Crippen was finally arrested and with Ethel
was brought back to England for trial. David James Smith has
investigated afresh this celebrated murder case, and his researches have
uncovered unexpected and startling information about 'Chamber of
Horrors' stalwart Dr Crippen, Belle and Ethel.
