The Blood Countess

Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster

By: Shelley Puhak

Narrated by: Vivienne Leheny

The Blood Countess is an ambitious, sweeping investigation into the singularly fascinating case of Elizabeth Báthory, a woman who, until now, has been known as "the Western World’s most prolific female murderer.” If The Dark Queens is about the systemic erasure of powerful women, then The Blood Countess is about the culturally sanctioned, coordinated smearing of one, how it happens and why, which leads to even bigger questions: how do we construct our personal and cultural realities? How do we parse the truth?

The Blood Countess will, of course, appeal to the same listeners who fell in love with The Dark Queens, but it will undoubtedly bring in fresh audiences: true crime aficionados, lovers of legal sagas, fans of the Elizabethan era, listeners already aware of the Báthory legend, etc. It is the sort of undeniably juicy, complex narrative that will have both academic circles and book clubs arguing for days, as it does what the best historical non-fiction does: holds up a mirror so we can see our own time more clearly, all while still being a wild, entertaining ride.

©2026 Shelley Puhak (P)2026 Recorded Books