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.
Twenty-two-year-old Amala Ruth De Vere Whelan had only moved into her new place in Maida Vale, West London, three weeks before. Prior to that, she had lived and worked in Camden, at the Bar Lotus on Regents Park Road. She was a popular, socially outgoing young woman, involved in the local art scene and an … More Amala Whelan
In the late winter of 1966, in Edinburgh, Scotland, fifty-five-year-old businessman David McMenigall was dining alone at the trendy L’Aperitif restaurant, a place to see and be seen among the city’s creative elite. David, who came from somewhat humble beginnings, had worked his way up as an appliance salesman before eventually starting his own successful … More David McMenigall
On the day before Thanksgiving in the town of South Strabane, Pennsylvania, twenty-one-year-old Susan Rush left her job at the Murphy’s department store located at the Washington Mall and headed out toward her car. It was a little past six p.m., and presumably, Susan was looking forward to spending the holiday with her family. She … More Susan Rush
Late November of 1976 would see the first in a possibly related series of murders taking place in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Over the course of the ensuing seven months, at least six young women would turn up dead in the area, and police are still baffled as to whether the crimes are connected, though recent … More Barbara Jean Lewis
At a little past ten p.m. on the evening of May 18th, 1977, eighteen-year-old Brenda Lee Ritter left the residence of her boyfriend Larry Bonazza and began the short drive back to her own home in North Strabane. She never made it there, and the following morning, her vehicle was found abandoned in South Strabane. … More Brenda Lee Ritter
Twenty-six-year-old Roberta Elam was a native of Minnesota, but in early June 1977 had moved to a convent in Wheeling, West Virginia, and was preparing to become a nun. Known as Sister Robin to the other women at the Sisters of St. Joseph Mother House, Roberta was last seen alive on the morning of June … More Roberta Elam
On July 15th, 1975, twenty-year-old Diane Merckx went missing from Columbia Park in Kennewick, Washington. Though her body would not be found for nearly two years, another young woman in Kennewick would also go missing only weeks later. In this latter case, though, the victim would be found soon afterward, leading authorities to speculate that … More Diane Merckx and Shannon Varley
In the autumn of 1975, in sunny south Florida, a father and son would be gunned down in their own home in what appeared to be a revenge-motivated attack. Early on the morning of October 10th, police entered the house located at 10720 SW 43rd Lane in Miami and found the bodies of the two … More Clarence and Brian Gehrke
In spring of 1975, twenty-two-year-old Eve Stratford was living a somewhat glamorous life in east London, working as a “bunny girl” at the upscale Playboy Club on Park Lane, and living with her musician boyfriend Tony Priest and a couple of his bandmates. On the afternoon of March 18th, at around four p.m., Eve was … More Eve Stratford and Lynne Weedon
In the winter of 1974, in California, a woman who allegedly knew too much would go missing, only to turn up dead early the next year. For the previous six months, forty-five-year-old Betty Van Patter had been working for an organization called the Educational Opportunities Corporation, which had been formed in order to provide educational … More Betty Van Patter
Crime Immemorial 