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.
Seventeen-year-old Cindy Halliday was the youngest of four daughters born to Jackie Hinds, living in the tight-knit community of Waverley, just outside Elmvale in southern Ontario, Canada. Described by those who knew her as spirited and adventurous, Cindy often hitchhiked between nearby towns like Waverley, Elmvale, Midland, and Barrie—a common practice at the time in … More Cindy Halliday
Twenty-two-year-old Beverly Lynn Smith was a free-spirited woman with a love for antiques, sewing, and playful pranks alongside her identical twin sister, Barbra. Beverly married Doug Smith in 1971 after meeting through mutual friends, and the couple eventually settled in a modest brick farmhouse on Simcoe Street in Raglan, Ontario, a small community north of … More Beverly Lynn Smith
On Monday, October 21st, 2019, the body of forty-six-year-old Zoe Orton was discovered in her flat in McMillan Street, Deptford, south-east London. A welfare check had been requested by concerned neighbors, and after police found her dead, the Metropolitan Police launched a murder investigation. A post-mortem examination determined that the cause of death was neck … More Zoe Orton
Elisabeth Mandala was born in 1992 in Texas to an Italian-American father and a mother who had immigrated from Mexico. Raised on a ranch in a Houston suburb near Sugar Land, she grew up in a middle-class environment after her parents’ divorce, living with her mother, older siblings, and a younger sister. Elisabeth attended Kempner … More Elisabeth Mandala
On February 8th, 2009, twenty-six-year-old Shawn Callum, known to friends and family as “Pinky,” was celebrating a friend’s birthday at a party held inside Stonebridge Primary School on Shakespeare Avenue in Harlesden, northwest London. As the gathering wound down and attendees began to leave around two a.m., gunfire erupted outside the school grounds. Eyewitnesses reported … More Shawn Callum
Forty-five-year-old John Devine, known to his friends as Jake, lived on Gadshill Street in Royston, Glasgow, Scotland. He was last seen alive on July 10th, 2007, between ten thirty and ten forty-five p.m., entering Cowlairs Park with his loyal Staffordshire bull terrier cross, Chico. It was Chico’s behavior that ultimately led to the discovery of … More John “Jake” Devine
Philip Poru was born in Khartoum, Sudan, and moved to England at the age of three. Raised by his single mother alongside four siblings, he grew up in Peckham and was known for his humor, maturity, and determination. He had recently enrolled at Kingston University in South West Londonto pursue a joint honors degree in … More Philip Poru
Eighty-seven-year-old Margaret Hawkins lived alone in a modest bungalow in the quiet community of Orpington, a suburban town in southeast London, England. Described by neighbors as a kind and resilient woman, she was well-known in the tight-knit community, often exchanging waves and pleasantries. However, her sense of security had already been shaken by two prior … More Margaret Hawkins
Fourteen-year-old Ryan Quinn, a student at St Joseph’s College in Coleraine, spent the evening of January 30th, 2009, at McLaughlin’s Bar in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland attending a family birthday party. According to reports, Ryan had taken a bus from Coleraine to Portrush earlier that day to meet relatives before heading to the bar, … More Ryan Quinn
Eighteen-year-old Matthew Kitandwe was born to Ugandan parents, and his mother, Rose Kakooza, had moved to London, England after losing another son in a car accident in Uganda. The family lived in a house on Wayford Street in Battersea. Matthew was a talented footballer, and had already made a name for himself as a right-back … More Matthew Kitandwe
