A novel based in truth- the story of Winnie Ruth Judd who in 1931 murdered her two best friends. What turned Ruth from a seemingly upright person to murderess? We may never know the truth of that but Notaro works through her past to create a portrait of a woman who made a baffling decision. Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc. A good read for fans of both true crime and historical fiction.

Laurie Notaro's novel The Murderess tells the story of Winnie Ruth Judd, who, in 1931, murdered her two best friends and then shoved their bodies into trunks. Ruth was attractive, but prone to bouts of mental illness. She married young to a
W W I veteran many years her senior ; they had one child. Her husband deposited her in Phoenix, Arizona where she worked as a medical secretary. She began an affair with Jack Halloran, a well-known playboy in Phoenix. She made friends with two young women, Anne Le Roi and Hedvig Samuelson and they also had an affair with Jack Halloran.
Was Ruth's motivation strictly jealousy, or was she in the throes of a mental health episode? Notaro's prose is brutally honest and does not hold back in the descriptions of the state of the bodies and the gruesome nature of Judd's crime. The Murderess offers a glimpse into the psyche of a damaged young woman and the reasons she would commit such a horrible crime.

A true crime story that reads like fiction, THE MURDERESS by Laurie Notaro is a fascinating look at the life of Winnie Ruth Judd, daughter of a reverend, wife of an unemployable doctor and murderess.

Winnie Ruth Judd marries early as was normal at the time. She moves everywhere with her husband who is unemployable due to addiction. She eventually ends up in Phoenix, AZ after her husband proceeds, once again, to lose one job and head out in search of another. There, she falls for Jack Halloran who initially treats her like a queen. But Jack is married, with children. Then she meets Anne LeRoi, a 27 year old X-ray tech who works at her clinic. Anne is living with Sammy Samuelson, who started out as her patient with tuberculosis and is now her roommate and also fulfills other needs. But it is 1931 and relationships are strictly between a woman and a man. When Jack comes between the women, Ruth commits unthinkable acts which lead her to go on the run. After stuffing the women into trunks, she boards a train from Phoenix to LA.

When an eagle eyed Porter raises suspicions about Ruth’s trunks and they are opened, she is already gone. She is finally arrested and is convicted in court although her story is that it was self-defense Shortly before her sentence is carried out, she is granted a reprieve when she is found incompetent. What follows is years of mental institutions and escapes, but she will forever be known as the Trunk Murderer’.

I felt very invested in this story, and did not realise that it was true crime. Following the book, I did some Internet searches on the case and found out that she had escaped seven or eight times. So if she was incompetent, she was crazy like a fox. The writing was clear and concise and led to an enjoyable read. I could feel my blood pressure rising as she faced her accusers and testified in a co-conspirator’s trial. I will certainly be following the author to see where she takes me next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

This true crime novel brought to life a fascinating story that I knew nothing about before. Notaro does a great job of weaving the story so that you can feel the story unfold from Ruth’s perspective. While this isn’t my usual read I was compelled to keep reading and found it very well done.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This novel is based on the true story of Winnie Ruth Judd and how she came to be convicted of murdering her two best friends. It starts with trunks being discovered that are leaking a foul smelling substance. When Ruth comes to claim her trunks and realises this she flees. The story then throws us back into the past where we find out how Ruth was lead to this moment.

The novel is told through an unreliable narrator so it's hard to know what to believe and what to take with a pinch of salt. I had a lot of questions while reading this that were answered succinctly in the last few chapters. It was such an interesting book and pulled together perfectly. I'll be thinking about this one for a while!

5 ☆
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If annotating an entire book were a person, it would be this book! This entire book could have been annotated! It was that good. It started with a bang and ended with an even bigger bang! I highly recommend this book. Ruth was literally delusional and crazy, but I enjoyed her the entire time! I wonder, does that make me delusional and crazy as well? Oh well, it’s October 1931. When Winnie Ruth Judd arrives at the Los Angeles train station from Phoenix, her shipping trunks catch the attention of a suspicious porter. By the time they’re pried open, revealing the dismembered bodies of two women inside, Ruth has disappeared into the crowd. Now, let the story begin.
The audiobook was good; the narrator did a good job telling the story. She was easy to listen to and understand.
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Thank you, Netgalley, Brilliance Publishing for the audiobook, and Little A for the Ebook in exchange for my honest review.

One October afternoon in 1931, as passengers disembarked from the Phoenix to LA train, two large trunks were unloaded. When they hit the ground, a brown liquid seeped out, and a foul odor filled the air. The owner, Ruth Judd, was asked to open the trunks, but she claimed to have lost the keys and quickly slipped away. In her absence, the police forced them open, suspecting illegal deer meat. Instead, they made a horrifying discovery—two dismembered, decomposing bodies. But by then, Ruth had vanished.

Inspired by the true story of Winnie Ruth Judd and the 'Trunk Murders,' this book delves into dark and unsettling territory. It unfolds in three distinct parts: the gruesome discovery and manhunt, the events leading up to the murders, and the aftermath of the chase. Like the real case, the mystery of how a young, petite woman managed to kill her two closest friends and transport their bodies across state lines remains unsolved. Notaro skillfully explores Judd's personality, shedding light on her mental health struggles and vulnerability leading up to the murders.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Little A publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Little A for a complimentary copy of this novel!
The Murderess is a true crime fiction novel about Winnie Ruth Judd. The story begins in October of 1931. Winnie Judd is traveling to Los Angeles. She arrives in LA via train from Phoenix. As she tries to pick up her two pieces of luggage from the porters, a terrible smell emanates from them. The porter asks her to open them, but she states they are medical books belonging to her husband and she doesn’t have the keys. So, she tells the porter she’ll return with them. Time passes, the smell worsens, a rust-colored puddle has formed under the luggage. Police are called in and when the luggage is pried open, a scene so terrible and horrifying is revealed!!! It is unfathomable!!! What unfolds in the novel is the story of Ruth and what led to the deaths of her two friends, Sammy and Anne. Their deaths are most gruesome!

Laurie Notaro does a great job portraying Winnie Judd, the Trunk Murderess! She unfolds each chapter bit by bit and takes the reader along the story of the true events that led Winnie Judd to cruelly murder her two friends. 4 Stars
AVAILABLE October 8, 2024

"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurie Notaro comes a haunting true-crime novel about Winnie Ruth Judd, one of the twentieth century's most notorious and enigmatic killers.

It's October 1931. When Winnie Ruth Judd arrives at the Los Angeles train station from Phoenix, her shipping trunks catch the attention of a suspicious porter. By the time they're pried open, revealing the dismembered bodies of two women inside, Ruth has disappeared into the crowd.

The search for, and eventual apprehension of, the Trunk Murderess quickly becomes a headline-making sensation. Even the Phoenix murder house is a sideshow attraction. The one question on everyone's lips: How could a twenty-six-year-old reverend's daughter and doctor's wife - petite, pretty, well educated, and poised - commit such a heinous act on two people she'd called "my dearest friends in the world"? Everyone has their theories and judgments, but no one knows the whole truth.

What unfolds in this gripping work of true-crime fiction is a collision of jealousy, drug addiction, insanity, rage, and inescapable choices. At its heart, a condemned and tragic mystery woman whose trial - and its shocking twists - will make history."

I don't know why this crime strikes a chord in me, I've heard about it somewhere. Which means I need to read this book to find out why...

It's October 1931 and a young woman by the name of Ruth Judd has arrived in Los Angeles with two trunks containing the bodies of two as-yet unidentified women. She claims she thought the trunks contained nothing but her husband's medical textbooks - the authorities think she knows exactly what was hidden inside them. Who would you believe?

Based on the true story of Winnie Ruth Judd, Notaro guides us through Judd's story and the events that led up to what became known as "The Trunk Murders". The reader walks in Judd's shoes, following the life of a woman who gave almost all of herself to others and was ultimately let down by each and every one of them in return.

Notaro presents us with a detailed fictional retelling of Judd's story which allows the reader to make up their own mind on how they perceive Judd, her actions and the consequences she suffered. I certainly got the impression that the writer's sympathies lay with Judd and, looking at the case through a 21st century lens, the story brings up important questions about justice, misogyny and mental capacity that are still relevant today.

Ruth Judd's story will undoubtedly stay with me and I am grateful to the writer for making me aware of such an interesting and important piece of history.

'This was more than death, more than a torn body, more than a corpse. This was horror'.

On an October afternoon in 1931, as passengers disembarked from the Phoenix to LA train, two large trunks were offloaded. As they were set down, brown liquid oozed and a stench pervaded. Ruth Judd, the owner of the luggage, was asked to open them, however, she claimed to not have the keys and scurried off. In her absence, the police force open the trunks, suspecting smuggled deer meat. To their horror, they find two dismembered, decomposing bodies. But Ruth is already on the run.

Based on the true story of Winnie Ruth Judd and the 'Trunk Murders', this book is a bit dark and disturbing. It effectively reads in three parts: the grisly discovery and manhunt, the past leading up to the murders, and then back to what happened after the manhunt. As with the real-life case, no one conclusively seems to know how a young, petite woman murdered her two closest friends and subsequently carted them across the country. Notaro does a great job digging into Judd's personality and trying to convey Judd's mental health and vulnerability in the lead up to the murders. The story will definitely leave you pondering on what was and what may have been.

'People are hateful, spiteful things, and can be so cruel without a single regret'.

Set in the 1930s, this story explores the remarkable and terrible story of Winnie Ruth Judd - a young woman with apparently impeccable social credentials - who became infamous as the Trunk Murderess after her luggage was found to contain the bodies of two women.

At times undeniably grim, the book considers the mysterious personality and inscrutable motives that might have driven Judd to her awful actions. Why would she hurt her friends? And what responsibility, if any, has her husband - a doctor who's also an addict - for all of this?

While the book does not give the reader all the answers, it does raise any number of questions - about human nature in general, as well as this specific case.

Better known for her comedy, Notaro delivers in spades with this true crime offering. It should be a big hit with readers of the genre.

I've been a fan of Laurie Notaro for several years, so I was surprised to see this story coming from one of the funniest writers today. That said, this was an EXCELLENT historical-fiction/true crime story about Winnie Ruth Judd. I'm fairly knowledgable about true crime but had never come across this story.

At the Los Angeles train station, a truck is leaking a rust-colored liquid. The liquid continues to leak, and flies start to gather. A horrid smell is starting to cut into the air. A young woman comes to claim the bags. However, the station agents are getting suspicious. She claims the need to pick up a key from her husband, and disappears. The police are called, the trucks are opened and bodies are discovered. Thus...the Velvet Tiger murderer is front page news.

Notaro is able to add a bit of humanity to Ruth, as well as Doctor, while keeping the truth of the story very clear. Ruth is not painted as a victim or some sort of rube.

I'm looking forward to more books from Laurie, historical fiction or otherwise.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is the story of story of Winnie Ruth Judd- the famous trunk murderess of Phoenix in the 1930s. Anyone who loves true crime will immediately be pulled into the story- Did she do it? Was she mentally ill? Or was it just a crime of jealousy and passion? How did one small woman butcher two other women so cold bloodily? The author interweaves newspaper articles and other actual documents into a fictional story to tell the other side if the story- what was going through Winnie’s mind.

In the 1930's, trunks are unloaded from a Phoenix to Los Angeles train. Something red and sticky is dripping from them and there's a horrible smell in the air. The train officials figure that someone wants to import a dead deer. When a lovely young woman comes to claim this baggage, they are surprised...she doesn't look like a hunter. When they ask her to open the trunks, she explains that she doesn't have the key but will go home to fetch it. They let her leave and she doesn't return. Eventually the police are called, they break the trunk locks, and find two carved up bodies of young women, the sight and smell so vile that the police had to run outside to vomit.
So begins the true crime life of Winnie Ruth Judd, the Trunk Murderess. The author fictionalizes Judd's story but it adheres very closely to the truth which reads like fiction. We follow the events in Judd's life that lead her to that train station and what comes after the trunks are discovered. Her marriage to her addict husband, Doctor, her friends and competitors,  Anne and Sammy, and Jack Halloran, the pillar of Phoenix society, are all well drawn. The Mexican Revolution, William Randolph Heart's newspaper, and the history of the small town in Arizona starting to emerge as the city of Phoenix are part of her story. Was this just a love triangle gone wrong, the actions of a severely mentally ill woman, or a case of vengeance in the  soul-sucking Phoenix heat?
Being a Phoenix native, I was always aware of the Trunk Murderess and the basic story of Winnie Ruth Judd. But Notaro brings out so many things that I wasn't aware of, notably that Judd became a beautician operating her salon in the asylum, and that she died in 1998, at the age of 93. This novel holds its own as historical fiction, but also as a piece of lurid Arizona history that most people don't know but should. And now they will.

I thought this book was intriguing from the start, even more so because it was based on a true story/person. It read like a fiction book, though I think the part one was much too long with too much filler. Part 3, where the story really matters was short and could have been better detailed if part 1 hadn’t been so long winded. Since it’s based on a true story, I won’t judge the ending as being unsatisfactory, but by the end it was reading more like an autobiography rather than a work of fiction. It was enjoyable altogether, but not spectacular.

3.5 stars
I have read Laurie Notaro’s nonfiction, but THE MURDERESS is her first fiction novel that I’ve read. Even then, it’s based on a true story, so her journalistic roots show through here.

In her 20s, Winnie Ruth Judd killed her two female friends Anne and Sammy. In this novel, Notaro starts when Ruth is caught at the train station with trunks that are leaking blood and smell noxious. Then the reader learns of her past, when she marries Doctor Judd, who is a narcotics addict, and he tragically gets rid of her newborn baby.

The narrative then pivots to Anne and Sammy, who met in Juneau, Alaska. When Sammy is diagnosed with tuberculosis, the doctor orders them to go to warmer weather, like Arizona, for her to get better. They move there, and soon Ruth is folded into their social circle. Ruth and her husband have been living separately, and Ruth takes up with Jack Halloran. On one pivotal night, Ruth shoots and kills Anne and Sammy. The last part of the novel is her trial with her lawyer being funded by William Randolph Hearst of all people (the trial will make good news!), narrowly averting execution by hanging, and her being put in a state psychiatric hospital, her “escapes,” and her later life.

The topic is interesting, and I hadn’t heard of Winnie Ruth Judd before. So I learned a lot, particularly the intersectionality of past trauma, alcohol/drugs, and mental health contributing to a psychotic break. There was the text of Ruth’s actual writing in the notes section of the book, and I could see how coming up with a coherent story from that, newspaper articles, and any court records that could be found from over 90 years ago would be a challenge for any author.

Each part of this book has a different perspective and writing tone. Some are more journalistic with very clear writing and short sentences. Some, particularly those from Ruth’s perspective, have a bit more prose to them. Surprisingly, I actually liked Anne and Sammy’s part, even though it took me a bit to figure out what was going on there because it was an abrupt shift.

While I liked each part individually, I question how cohesive the narrative is as a novel. Some parts I could tell that the author spent her time honing, but others felt a bit slapdash. I did enjoy this one even though it won’t rise to the top of the year status.

Publishes October 8, 2024

Thank you to @netgalley and @LittleA for this ARC. In this true-crime fiction book, Ruth Judd is found at a train station with two suitcases dripping some liquid. When she is asked to unlock them, she said she would go grab the key and return. She doesn't return that day so the porters had no choice but to open them as there was now a very strong smell. They find the bodies of two women cut up to fit into these two cases. Ruth Judd is now no where to be found and on the run. Her husband believes she is innocent since she is a calm natured, petite woman. Did Ruth actually murder these women or did someone take advantage of a naive woman. This story is something else....#TheMurderess #LaurieNotaro #LittleA #Oct2024

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC for this book. I was so intrigued by the story that I wanted to learn the real life connection. The plot kept me guessing with the unrealiable narrator.

Compelling..
A fictionalised true crime novel centred around notorious killer Winnie Ruth Judd, set 1931. When a suspicious porter at Los Angeles train station opens the trunks belonging to Judd, the disembodied remains of two women are discovered, Judd herself has disappeared into the crowds. The search begins and an epic tale starts. Well written and rich in historical detail, the author has penned a compelling and intriguing tale of what follows and what went before. Captivating reading.