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.
The infamous area of Whitechapel in London, England is today almost synonymous with the gruesome and unsolved crimes of Jack the Ripper. In the late 1880s, Whitechapel was a district plagued by poverty, overcrowding, and crime. The Ripper murders of 1888, which claimed the lives of at least five women, had left an indelible mark … More Alice McKenzie
Martha Tabram, born Martha White on May 10th, 1849, in Southwark, London, was the youngest of five children. Her life was fraught with difficulties from an early age. At sixteen, her parents separated, and her father died shortly after. By 1869, she married Henry Samuel Tabram, a furniture packer, and they had two sons, Frederick … More Martha Tabram
Seventy-three-year-old Sarah Squire was a twice-widowed woman who had taken over her late husband’s wholesale picture and print business in the quiet neighborhood of Hoxton, in London’s East End. Described as eccentric and penurious by neighbors, she lived frugally despite reportedly having independent means and owning the leasehold property where the murders occurred. Thirty-six-year-old Christiana, … More Sarah and Christiana Squire: The Hoxton Horror
Charles Delauney Bravo, born in 1845, was a promising London lawyer with a respectable income and social standing. In November 1875, he married Florence Ricardo, a wealthy widow whose first husband, Captain Alexander Ricardo, had died under murky circumstances in 1871. Florence brought significant wealth to the marriage, including The Priory, a grand residence in … More Charles Bravo
Jane Maria Clouson was born in April 1854 in Deptford, London, England. Her family was working-class, and tragedy struck early: her older sister Sarah died of consumption in 1863, and her mother passed away in 1867, leaving Jane motherless at thirteen. Jane had a younger sister, Maria, and a younger brother, Charles, who also died … More Jane Clouson
Mary Cecilia Rogers was born around 1820 in New York City. By her late teens, she had gained a degree of fame as the “Beautiful Cigar Girl,” a nickname earned while working at John Anderson’s tobacco shop on Broadway. Her striking appearance and engaging demeanor drew crowds of admirers, including prominent figures of the day, … More Mary Rogers
The Murphy family, Irish immigrants who settled in Queensland, Australia around the 1860s, ran a dairy farm at Blackfellow’s Creek, about eight miles from Gatton, a small but growing town sixty-one miles west of Brisbane. Gatton, with a population of around 449 in 1901, was a key stopover point between Brisbane and the Darling Downs, … More The Gatton Murders
Eighteen-year-old Louisa Edith Jenny Price was a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), a women’s branch of the British Army that played a vital role during the Second World War. She was stationed in Shropshire, contributing to the war effort in a region known for its rolling hills and historical significance. On the evening … More Louisa Price
On the evening of March 28th, 1981, a tragic and mysterious event unfolded in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, that would leave two people dead and fourteen seriously injured. Around sunset, Robin Mervyn Ulapuntu discovered an almost full bottle of Yalumba Barossa Cream Sweet Sherry behind the John Flynn Memorial Church on Todd Street in … More Nabbutta Abbott Nabarula and David Charlie Jagamara
Thirty-eight-year-old Maria James lived with her two sons, thirteen-year-old Mark and eleven-year-old Adam, in a residence attached to her second-hand bookshop in the quiet suburb of Thornbury in Melbourne, Australia. By all accounts, Maria was a well-liked and respected member of the Thornbury community, known for her devotion to her sons and her close-knit circle … More Maria James
Crime Immemorial 