Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Harold SchechterMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The strange and brutal murders of at least 9 people in La Porte, Indiana in the early 21st century has perplexed the town residents for years. It is the case of Belle Gunness, a matrimonial murderess dubbed "Hell's Princess" among other erstwhile nicknames. Young Belle was a Norwegian immigrant to the US in the late 1800s. Once she arrived, she moved to Chicago to live near her sister. Unmarried with no kids, Belle takes on the foster care of a couple of children, as well as her niece. Soon after, she marries and her husband eventually passes away. She moves to the Norwegian settlement of La Porte, Indiana. It is there that her second husband suffers a fatal accident, leaving her twice widowed. Thereafter, many men come into her life, but they never seem to leave. This true tale echoes similar odd and mysterious circumstances such as the likes of H. H. Holmes and his Murder Capital, the notorious serial killer of the Chicago's 1893 World Exposition.
Harold Schechter details Gunness's life from her landing in the United States through her supposed death and beyond. It has been a confounding case that continues unsolved or has it? I was completely engrossed in this story. Schechter has an engaging writing style that keeps you drawn into Belle's life. It is a quick read but includes a great amount of information. I happened to read the Kindle In Motion version of this story which added to the experience. This new Kindle technology has animated pictures that keep the story interesting. I highly recommend any book that is being read on a Kindle app to utilize the Kindle In Motion technology.
I received this book gratis through Goodreads Giveaways.
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