Text copyright © 2018 by Harold Schechter
Illustrations copyright © 2018 by Finn Campbell-Notman, represented by Folio
Illustrations copyright © 2018 by Kelly McNutt
All rights reserved.
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ISBN-13: 9781477808955 (hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1477808957 (hardcover)
ISBN-13: 9781477808948 (paperback)
ISBN-10: 1477808949 (paperback)
Cover design by Faceout Studio
First edition
CREDITS
PROLOGUE
Doorway illustration by Finn Campbell-Notman
Lincoln Way: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 1
Early photo of Belle Gunness: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Landscape illustration by Finn Campbell-Notman
Snurkvist gatherer illustration by Finn Campbell-Notman
CHAPTER 2
Mads Ditlev: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Deathbed illustration by Kelly McNutt
CHAPTER 3
Belle with Jennie Olson and Lucy: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Peter Gunness: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Kitchen illustration by Kelly McNutt
CHAPTER 4
Belle with Lucy, Myrtle, and Phillip: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 5
Trunks illustration by Kelly McNutt
Jennie Olson: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 6
Ray Lamphere: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 7
Andrew Helgelien: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 10
General store illustration by Finn Campbell-Notman
CHAPTER 11
House on fire illustration by Finn Campbell-Notman
Ruins of Gunness home: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 12
Three photos of the home ruins: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 15
Joe Maxson in the ruins: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Three photos of holes dug on the property: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 17
Skull: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society
Pittsburg Press clipping: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (formerly the Pittsburg Press). Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 1908. Digitally sourced from Newspapers.com.
CHAPTER 18
Skull and bones illustration by Kelly McNutt
CHAPTER 19
Daily Free Press clipping: Daily Free Press. Carbondale, Illinois. 1908. Digitally sourced from Newspapers.com.
CHAPTER 20
Map showing letters and telegrams by Kelly McNutt
Body measurements infographic by Amazon Publishing
CHAPTER 23
The Inter Ocean clipping: The Inter Ocean. Chicago, Illinois. 1908. Digitally sourced from Newspapers.com.
Map showing reported sightings by Kelly McNutt
CHAPTER 24
Three photos of spectators: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Newspaper advertising Mrs. Gunness, Female Bluebeard: Concordia Blade-Empire (formerly the Concordia Daily Blade). Concordia, Kansas. 1908. Digitally sourced from Newspapers.com.
CHAPTER 25
Newspaper with “The Night of Fire” headline: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (formerly St. Louis Dispatch). St. Louis, Missouri. 1908. Digitally sourced from Newspapers.com.
The Mrs Gunness Mystery cover: © Granger, NYC
CHAPTER 26
Using a sluice to sift through ashes: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Photo of teeth: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 27
Border collie and pony: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 28
La Porte courthouse: Courtesy of The La Porte County Historical Society Museum
CHAPTER 30
Jars illustration by Kelly McNutt
CHAPTER 36
Orchard illustration by Finn Campbell-Notman
CHAPTER 37
Adolph Luetgert: Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Archives: Department of Corrections, “Alton State Penitentiary and Joliet/Stateville Correctional Center - Penitentiary Mittimus Files,” Record Series 243.202.
Thomas Neill Cream: © McCord Museum, Montreal, QC. I-99946.1. 1874.
Dr. Bennett Clark Hyde: Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri
CHAPTER 40
Newspaper with “Confession of Ray Lamphere” headline: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (formerly St. Louis Dispatch). St. Louis, Missouri. 1909. Digitally sourced from Newspapers.com.
Candle illustration by Finn Campbell-Notman
CHAPTER 41
Map showing where Belle Gunness was reported living by Kelly McNutt
Skull illustration by Kelly McNutt
CHAPTER 42
Timeline of Mrs. Carlson and Mrs. Gunness: Kelly McNutt
Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men Page 34