Winnie Ruth Judd lived a challenged life. It's hard to know whether she actually committed the murders or whether she was simply mentally ill and an easy scapegoat.

The opening gave thriller vibes. The discovery of the bodies of two women in Ruth Judd's luggage sends her on the run. Her panic and desperate attempts to evade capture hooked me. 

Unfortunately, most of the book slows to a crawl for backstory. The sympathy for Judd far outweighs any consideration for the victims, a couple who were devoted to each other.

The main strength: The settings are vivid, and Notaro brings to life the societal restrictions and economic pressures on working women in the 1930s. Judd's strained long-distance marriage, drug abuse, instability, and poor health are explored at length. She's depicted creating an independent life in Phoenix, befriended by Anne and Anne's beloved Sammy. Power disparities with men who become patrons of the women, and secrets and resentments that erode relationships come into play. The key plot points were revealed in the opening, so the prolonged imagined scenes became tedious.

The ending: Instead of pulling the book together, it fizzles. We get a choppy collage still foregrounding Judd's hardships. It isn't until the Notes section that the worst problems with the narrative become apparent.

The author wastes no time grabbing the reader’s attention with the discovery of leaky, putrid suitcases abandoned at a train station.

One of the unique aspects of "The Murderess" is the palpable heat of pain, desire, illness, and rage throughout the storyline.

“The Murderess” is a must read for fans of true crime and suspense novels. Many thanks to Little A and NetGalley for the eARC.

The Murderess follows Winnie Ruth Judd and her struggles as a schizophrenic woman who murders her two friends in a fit of madness. The true-crime novel starts with Mrs. Judd picking up trunks in Los Angeles full of decomposing bodies at the train station. She had shipped the bodies of Anne LeRoi and Hedvig (Sammy) Samuelson after murdering them in Phoenix.

Notaro explores everyone’s point of view, from landlord to mistress. I felt for Ruth, when Doctor was struggling with his addiction. I know how much that can out on a person who is not mentally stable themselves. I also felt for Ruth, because during the Depression, mental illness was not as advocated for and understood as it is today. She didn’t get the help she needed until it was too late. The story had me back and forth on who to believe until her illness was brought up. She believed so hard that she had a baby that I thought she was telling the truth until later in the story. This was my first tru crime novel and it is safe to say I’ve found a new favorite genre. The part format of this book helped to fit in everyone’s backstory. Overall this novel was extremely well written and sure to be a hit.




A couple of typos I noticed,
-Part 2, end of chapter two. at La Vina, “When the fever subsided after several days and I was strong enough to get up, I “
-Part 2, chapter 3 - Ruths quotations missing while she is talking to Mr. Reyer, not sure if this is intentional.
-Part 4 Chapter 5 - “ I couldn’t type, I was making mistakes all over the place. I my heart was beating ...”
-Part 4 Chapter 6 - in all caps “NEED TO FIND THIS QUOTE EXACTLY” not sure if that is supposed to be there

This book is the perfect mix of pulpy true crime and historical fiction. I could read a hundred more just like it.

This book is both well researched and capable of eliciting strong emotions. You find yourself empathizing with…you know…The Murderess. I didn’t expect for her longing and desperation to draw me in after reading about these truly disgusting crimes. There are many layers to this story and some questions that seemingly can never be answered.

(This book needs a strong trigger warning for frank discussion of mutilated and decomposing corpses.)

Thanks Netgalley for the arc!
I enjoyed this book, I really think the author did an amazing job with the characters and the world building. However, there were pacing issues that happened in the middle up until the last two chapters of the book. I wish it had been better structured because it could've easily been a 5 star read.

This is a true crime story by new to me author L. Notaro, published by Little A.
Winnie Ruth Judd's story,set in 1931, a slow burn with creepy elements takes the reader on a wild ride.
I loved the push and pull, the pace, and the goosebump factor in this novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book.
Overall I felt it was a good true crime type book but the characters were despicable but depicted truthfully. It is an intense book

While I'm seldom drawn to true-crime or true-crime novelizations, "The Murderess" grabbed me from page one. How did this woman come to travel by train with trunks containing two dismembered bodies? The story starts in 1931 and is fueled by mental illness, drug addiction, and many bad decisions. I've enjoyed the author's essays over the years and had no idea this page-turner was in her future.

The Murderess by Laurie Notaro is undoubtedly 5 star worthy & I anticipate it will be one of my top reads of the year. Notaro writes in a way that pulls you in & captivates you. Sometimes I find the true crime genre to be a little flat - but not with Notaro. She takes you back to the 1930s & keeps you there, hanging on throughout this story. I would love to see a movie adaptation of this book. Get your hands on this one as soon as you can!

Thank you NetGalley & Little A for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My first 5 star read of 2024! The writing captivated me from the very start and took me on a wild, interesting ride back to the 1930s from the perspective of a crazed murderess and those around her.

While the pace did slow down in the middle part, overall I thought it painted a very realistic picture of the background and how the little things in Judd’s life slowly built up to something dark and sinister. And just when I thought things were coming to an end, the last 10% blew me away.

Thank you to the author for sharing such an interesting piece of true crime history, and to NetGalley for an eARC copy.

A perfect story for readers who enjoy true crime! The descriptions are intense but for this piece of history, that was perfect. Absolutely loved it!

The writing is engrossing. The mystery of the two murdered women kept me on the edge. I liked the odd and creepy beginning. The characters were definitely mysterious. I loved how the mystery slowly unfolded. I deeply felt for Winnie Ruth Judd. She has such a poignant back story. This is based on true crime. The vibe of the book is mysterious and suspenseful. The more you will read, the more it will engulf you.

The Author takes us back to 1931 in Los Angeles where the odd smell was coming from Winnie’s shipping trunks and that makes the police suspicious of her and then they find out about the dead women. And then Winnie becomes the suspect in heinous crime. The book has it all mystery, history, court procedures and trials.

Thanks to the Author and Publisher

I found this pretty interesting. I watch a lot of true crime documentaries so thought this would be something I would want to read. I found this book and all the information into the life of Winnie Ruth Judd fascinating and was glad to get the backstory. I recommend if you if you like true crime.

Thank you to Callie and little A for an arc of this book!

This is the true crime novel of Winnie Ruth Judd, the wife of a Doctor Who we meet in 1931. She is coming through security with suitcases filled with body parts of two women. in the Bible, in the book of judges chapter 19 there’s a story of a Levi priest, whose concubine was repeatedly raped. He chops her body up into 12 parts and ships them to those who assaulted her. It’s a truly awful story, one of the worst in the Bible. I kept thinking of it during the first third of the book. We aren’t sure why Ruth Ended up with these bodies, we don’t know that much about Sammy and Ann, who are the women in the suitcases. This book definitely has a slow burn, my very favorite was the first third which read like a mystery and we got to know Ruth. She has a bizarre relationship with her husband, the doctor. Dr. Judd is an addict, maybe an alcoholic? He is wrestling with demons of his own, and 25 years her senior. As the book goes on, we see the scenario in different layers. Which of these scenes are accurate, and which of them are we seeing through Ruth’s eyes? The ending gets a bit clinical, and it is almost as if the camera pans back to see the case from afar.

Ruth's travelling bags are opened by a porter at a train station to reveal the dismembered bodies of two women. Ruth disappears into the crowd and the hunt for her begins.

I found the discovery of the bodies, Ruth's sentencing and her admittance to hospital thrilling and captivating. The back stories of how she met Jack, Anne and Sammy, whilst critical to setting the scene, were drawn out and took away from the pace and excitement of the rest of the book.

This true crime novel is a surprising new genre for Laurie Notaro, who has previously penned hilarious personal memoirs.
This book begins in the 1920''s with the apprehension of Ruth Judd at a California train station. She is in possession of luggage leaking the blood and body fluids from two women she has allegedly murdered. Notaro then recounts the events which preceded this grisly scene- and succeeds in making Ruth a surprisingly sympathetic character. Fascinating!

DNF at 28%
I was invested for the first 25% or so, but my interest level went down quickly after that. However, I will probably look up the true case that this book is based on, out of curiosity.

From the pen of Laurie Notaro, renowned for her gripping narratives, comes a chilling dive into one of the most captivating and perplexing crime stories of the 20th century. "The Trunk Murderess" unravels the haunting tale of Winnie Ruth Judd, whose name would become synonymous with infamy and intrigue.

Set against the backdrop of October 1931, the story begins with Judd's arrival at the Los Angeles train station, her innocence veiling a sinister secret. As her shipping trunks are opened to reveal the gruesome remains of two women, Judd vanishes into the bustling crowd, sparking a frenzied pursuit that captivates the nation.

The search for the elusive Trunk Murderess grips the public imagination, transforming her Phoenix abode into a morbid tourist attraction. But amidst the sensationalism lies a perplexing enigma: how could a seemingly genteel woman, a daughter of a reverend and wife of a doctor, perpetrate such a heinous act against her closest confidantes?

Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Notaro peels back the layers of Judd's psyche, exposing a tapestry woven with jealousy, addiction, and madness. As the narrative unfolds, readers are confronted with a harrowing collision of human frailty and the unfathomable depths of depravity.

At its core, "The Trunk Murderess" is a testament to the enduring allure of true crime, offering readers an immersive journey into a world of secrets, scandals, and shocking revelations. With its riveting twists and haunting prose, this book cements Laurie Notaro's reputation as a master storyteller in the realm of true crime fiction.

I am absolutely a sucker for a Winnie Ruth Judd story. I really enjoyed this book, and I felt as though the details were on point.