Jenny Ashford is a horror, true crime, and paranormal writer, graphic designer, and podcaster. Her most recent books are a three-volume true crime compilation collectively known as The Faceless Villain: A Collection of the Eeriest Unsolved Murders of the Twentieth Century. Volume One was published in 2017, Volume Two in 2018, and Volume Three in 2019. Her other books include four paranormal nonfiction books: The Unseen Hand: A New Exploration of Poltergeist Phenomena, The Mammoth Mountain Poltergeist (with Tom Ross), House of Fire and Whispers: Investigating the Seattle Demon House, and The Rochdale Poltergeist (both with Steve Mera); as well as three horror novels, Red Menace, Bellwether, and The Five Poisons; two short story collections, Hopeful Monsters and The Associated Villainies; and a graphic novel, The Tenebrist. A second edition of The Associated Villainies was published in 2019, featuring four new stories, an enhanced print layout, and an audio book version. A second edition of The Five Poisons was published in 2020. Her short stories have appeared in several anthologies, including The Nightmare Collective, History Is Dead, 2012AD, ChimeraWorld #3, and ChimeraWorld #4. Her horror blog, Goddess of Hellfire, contains writing news, short stories and articles, and her reviews and opinions on horror films and books. She also co-hosts a podcast with Tom Ross called 13 O'Clock, on which they discuss true crime, unexplained mysteries, paranormal weirdness, horror movies and books, food, and other fun, creepy topics. They recently collaborated on a 13 O'Clock cookbook. Jenny's graphic design work can be seen on everything from books and business cards to posters and packaging. She runs an online store called Gravecake selling products with her designs, and also has a board-and-card game concern called Giallo Games, which produces games based around the beloved Italian horror/crime genre, among many other themes.
In the summer of 2000, a young Polish woman named Iwona Kaminska arrived in London, England, full of excitement for her first trip abroad. She planned to visit friends, improve her English, and explore the city. Just four days later, on July 13th, 2000, she vanished without a trace after leaving her temporary job in … More Iwona Kaminska
On the evening of June 11th, 2000, twenty-eight-year-old Kellie Pratt was last seen standing outside The Rose Inn pub at the junction of Queen’s Road and City Road in Norwich, England. She was talking on her Nokia 6100 mobile phone, a device that has never been recovered. Around eleven thirty p.m., she received a call … More Kellie Pratt
Twenty-four-year-old David Dann, a weightlifter with a stocky build who was described by his family as a gentle giant, lived in Napier Street, Deptford, in a quiet residential area of Blackheath, south-east London. On the night of April 4th, 2000, he had visited a block of flats in Prendergast Road to meet someone. As he … More David Dann
In the early hours of January 4th, 2000, Martin Lavelle, a forty-eight-year-old Irish steel fitter living in north-west London, left a local pub after an evening of drinking. What followed was a brutal assault that ultimately claimed his life, sparking outrage not only over the crime itself but also over shortcomings in the UK’s National … More Martin Lavelle
In the affluent streets of Knightsbridge, west London, England, a shocking act of violence on March 27th, 1999, turned a family’s dream holiday into an enduring nightmare. Maria Wodianitzky, a forty-nine-year-old Swedish tourist from Stockholm, had arrived in London just hours earlier with her ex-husband and their fourteen-year-old son for a week-long vacation. What should … More Maria Wodianitzky
Forty-year-old Bruce Gapper was described by family, friends, and police as a hardworking, reliable man who kept himself to himself. Twice divorced and living alone with his cat on Groves Hall Road in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire, England, he worked as a driver for Dukes Transport in Huddersfield, delivering goods primarily in the Greater Manchester … More Bruce Gapper
Thirty-seven-year-old Kevin Palmer was a charismatic timeshare salesman born in the UK, but by 1999, he had made a life for himself in Málaga, Spain, where he lived with his wife and young daughter. Described by those who knew him as outgoing and adventurous, Kevin often traveled for work and leisure. On one particular trip, … More Kevin Palmer
In the quiet rural area of Sutton Heath, St. Helens, Merseyside, England, a brutal home invasion on a summer morning in 1998 shattered the lives of a farming family and left a community in shock. On Friday, July 24th, 1998, seventy-two-year-old Alfred Sandford suffered a fatal heart attack during an armed robbery at his family … More Alfred Sandford
In the early hours of January 24th, 1999, Jimmy “Jay” Abatan, a forty-two-year-old accountant and father of two, was enjoying a night out in Brighton, England, celebrating his recent promotion to senior tax advisor at PricewaterhouseCoopers. What began as a joyous occasion with his brother Michael and a friend ended in tragedy outside the Ocean … More Jay Abatan
On May 30th, 1998, eighty-three-year-old Annie Davies was discovered dead in her flat in Erskine, Renfrewshire, Scotland. She was found at the foot of the stairs, behind the door, with severe injuries to her face and jaw. What initially appeared to police as a tragic accident—a fall down the stairs—quickly became a point of contention, … More Annie Davies
Crime Immemorial 