On July 13, 1910, on a quiet suburban street in Camden Town, London, a grisly discovery shattered the illusion of domestic peace. Beneath the floorboards of 39 Hilldrop Crescent, the dismembered remains of music hall performer Belle Elmore were unearthed. The Victorian house, prim, respectable, and unassuming, had become the scene of one of the most sensational murders in British history.


As the press descended, the story gripped the world. Belle’s husband, the mild-mannered doctor Hawley Harvey Crippen, and his lover, the demure and seemingly obedient Ethel Le Neve, had vanished, fleeing across the Atlantic in disguise. It was the first time in history that wireless telegraphy would be used to capture fugitives in real time. Their arrest aboard the Montrose, just before reaching Canada, turned the case into a media spectacle of unprecedented scale. London newspapers dubbed it “The Crime of the Century.”


But behind the headlines lies a much more complicated story, one shaped by gender, class, performance, and power.


In today’s episode of I’m joined by award-winning historian Hallie Rubenhold, author of the book Story of a Murder: The Wives, The Mistress, and Dr. Crippen. In our discussion we focus on the two women most deeply entangled in this tale: Belle Elmore, and Ethel Le Neve. This isn’t just a story about murder. It’s about who gets to be remembered, who gets vilified, and how history treats women who refuse to conform.


Disclaimer: This episode discusses topics that may not be suitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

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Story of a Murder

Today, we journey back to Tudor England to meet a woman whose story has been overshadowed by the fame—and fate—of her father, Sir Thomas More. But make no mistake: Margaret More Roper was no mere footnote in his legacy. She was a scholar, a writer, a translator, and one of the most educated women in all of Europe at a time when women were expected to remain silent and obedient.


Margaret was fluent in Latin and Greek, corresponded with Erasmus, and dared to question the boundaries placed on her intellect and her loyalty. While the men around her wielded power through politics and the church, Margaret wielded hers through the pen—and through her fierce devotion to truth, family, and justice. In a world that demanded quiet submission, Margaret More Roper spoke with a clarity and courage that still echoes centuries later.


In this episode, I discuss the fascinating but often overlooked legacy of Margaret More Roper with Aimee Fleming, a historian and author of the book The Female Tudor Scholar and Writer: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper.


Source: Journey in the New World by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

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Margaret More Roper

A she-demon who devours children.

A seductress who visits men in their sleep.

The first wife of Adam, cast out of Eden for defying him.

A feminist icon reclaimed by modern movements.


Lilith is all of these and more—a figure woven from strands of ancient mythology, religious texts, folklore, and contemporary reimaginings. Her name echoes across millennia, from Sumerian incantations and Jewish mysticism to Renaissance art and feminist literature. But with so many identities layered over her, who—or what—was Lilith to begin with?


In today’s episode, I’m joined by Nikki Marmery, author of the thought-provoking novel Lilith. Together, we delve into the rich and mysterious legend of Lilith—a figure who has been reimagined across generations as a demon, a seductress, a rebel, and a symbol of female empowerment. We explore how her story has evolved through ancient texts, folklore, and literature, and how these shifting interpretations continue to resonate today.


Disclaimer: This episode discusses topics that may not be suitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion advised.

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The Legend of Lilith

Original Sisters, a stunning collection of 154 portraits, reclaimed the lives and faces of groundbreaking women from history. In today’s episode I’m in discussion with the book’s author and artist, Anita Kunz. We discuss the project that was born in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns and Anita’s process of bringing these women vividly to life. Anita's work is currently on display at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Massachusetts until May 26, 2025.


Important Links: OriginalSisters.com [https://originalsisters.com/]

https://www.nrm.org/2024/09/anitakunz/

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Portraits of Groundbreaking Women

“I never planned to become an activist but things happen. You either take action or you don’t. Standing up and speaking out for what you believe in—well, it feels a lot better than doing nothing. And while you’re doing it, you find out you’re not as alone as you thought you were.” Judy Blume 


Judy Blume’s books such as Are you there God? It’s me Margaret, Forever, and Iggie’s House have become a standard for many young American readers since their publications in the 1970s. Breaking the bounds of what were acceptable topics for young readers, Judy Blume changed the face of what would become known as the Young Adult genre. 


In todays episode I’m joined by author Rachelle Bergstein as we discuss America’s most banned author of the 1980s and Rachelle’s latest book The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood For All of Us. 

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Judy Blume 

Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of England’s King Henry VIII, has rarely received a positive portrayal in fiction. Throughout the 20th century in books, tv series, and movies, she was depicted as frivolous, immature, hyper-sexual, forgettable, and at times cruel. In recent years, the popular musical Six has tried to reclaim Katherine’s story and has made her a cultural icon in the era of the #MeToo Movement. But are any of these depictions capturing the true Katherine Howard? 


In today’s episode, I will be joined by Leigh Wakefield, a historian whose recent masters dissertation focused on the cultural portrayals of Katherine Howard and how this has impacted Katherine’s legacy for future generations. 

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Katherine Howard in Fiction 

Throughout the history of the Christian Church, women have held myriad roles. They have been preachers, saints, temptations, wives, sinners, and mothers. In recent generations with the rise of mainstream Evangelical Christianity, the roles of women in the church have shifted away from positions of power and influence. 


In today’s episode I am joined by Dr. Beth Allison Barr, author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth and her latest book Becoming the Pastor's Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman's Path to Ministry. In our discussion, Dr. Barr traces the women’s leadership roles in the church from the Medieval era to the modern Evangelical church and how the role of a Pastor’s wife came to replace independent female leadership.


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Women's Paths to Power

Throughout history, roughly 50% of the human population has identified as female, while women only occupy around .05% of written history. In many cases from the past, even when women were referenced in history books it was written by men. 


In today’s episode, I will be discussing the lives of four Medieval women who not only wrote but put their names to their work; insuring they would be remembered for generations to come. Joining me to discuss Marie de France, Julian of Norwich, Christine de Pizan and Margery Kemp, is Hetta Howes, author of Poet, Mystic, Widow, Wife: The Extraordinary Lives of Medieval Women. 


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Writing Their Own Words

Rodgers and Hammerstein, George Gershwin, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein: these are just a few names of composers and lyricists who changed the landscape and at times defined an entire era of Broadway. But what of the women who were writing shows at the same time? Why have some stories been included in the history books and others left out?


In today’s episode I’ll be discussing these questions and more with Jennifer Ashley Tepper, a musical theater historian and producer and author of the book Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy that the History Books Left Out. 


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Women The History Books Left Out 

The bloody visage of Mary I has existed in the public imagination since her death. Depicted as an abused daughter, a murderous maniac, an inept queen, a cruel sister, and a pathetic wife, Mary I has rarely received a positive portrayal. In recent years, scholars have worked on rehabilitating the image of a woman so often called Bloody Mary. 


In today’s episode, we go into the realm of fiction, and how it can help in breaking down stereotypes and humanize individuals from history. Joining me is Amanda Schiavo, author of the new book In Her Own Right: A Novel of Lady Mary Tudor. 


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Mary I in Fiction

They were adulterers, murderers, mistresses, religious zealots, thieves, and traitors. They were queens, wives, mothers, young, and old. What binds the women together in this podcast is their legacies. These are women who were known during their lifetimes or reinvented after their deaths as wicked women. The lenses of history are often gendered, damning women for some of the same actions that men have been lauded for. The nuances surrounding the women in this podcast were removed in exchange for a one-sided portrayal. Within Wicked Women: The Podcast, I do not attempt to excuse or condone the wrongs committed by these women, instead, the podcast looks at their overarching story and examines the origin of their negative legacy. Alongside a brief biographical overview of the woman, I will be incorporating interviews I have held with experts on the subject to provide multiple and diverse perspectives.


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Grace Beattie

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