What do you think?
Rate this book
The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster
A Barnes & Noble Most Anticipated Nonfiction Book of 2026
A Barnes & Noble Reads Best Book of February 2026
From the author of the national bestseller The Dark Queens, an incandescent work of true crime and feminist history about Elizabeth Bathory, the woman alleged to be the world's most prolific female serial killer.
There have long been whispers, coming from the castle; from the village square; from the dark woods. The great lady-a countess, from one of Europe's oldest families-is a vicious killer. Some even say she bathes in the blood of her victims. When the king's men force their way into her manor house, she has blood on her hands, caught in the act of murdering yet another of her maids. She is walled up in a tower and never seen again, except in the uppermost barred window, where she broods over the countryside, cursing all those who dared speak up against her.
Told and retold in many languages, the legend of the Blood Countess has consumed cultural imaginations around the world. But despite claims that Elizabeth Bathory tortured and killed as many as 650 girls, some have wondered if the Countess was herself a victim- of one of the most successful disinformation campaigns known to history. So, was Elizabeth Bathory a monster, a victim, or a bit of both? With the breathlessness of a whodunit, drawing upon new archival evidence and questioning old assumptions, Shelley Puhak traces the Countess's downfall, bringing to life an assertive woman leader in a world sliding into anti-scientific, reactionary darkness-a world where nothing is ever as it seems. In this exhilarating narrative, Puhak renders a vivid portrait of history's most dangerous woman and her tumultuous time, revealing just how far we will go to destroy a woman in power.
A Barnes & Noble Reads Best Book of February 2026
From the author of the national bestseller The Dark Queens, an incandescent work of true crime and feminist history about Elizabeth Bathory, the woman alleged to be the world's most prolific female serial killer.
There have long been whispers, coming from the castle; from the village square; from the dark woods. The great lady-a countess, from one of Europe's oldest families-is a vicious killer. Some even say she bathes in the blood of her victims. When the king's men force their way into her manor house, she has blood on her hands, caught in the act of murdering yet another of her maids. She is walled up in a tower and never seen again, except in the uppermost barred window, where she broods over the countryside, cursing all those who dared speak up against her.
Told and retold in many languages, the legend of the Blood Countess has consumed cultural imaginations around the world. But despite claims that Elizabeth Bathory tortured and killed as many as 650 girls, some have wondered if the Countess was herself a victim- of one of the most successful disinformation campaigns known to history. So, was Elizabeth Bathory a monster, a victim, or a bit of both? With the breathlessness of a whodunit, drawing upon new archival evidence and questioning old assumptions, Shelley Puhak traces the Countess's downfall, bringing to life an assertive woman leader in a world sliding into anti-scientific, reactionary darkness-a world where nothing is ever as it seems. In this exhilarating narrative, Puhak renders a vivid portrait of history's most dangerous woman and her tumultuous time, revealing just how far we will go to destroy a woman in power.
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 17, 2026
102 people are currently reading
6436 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 29, 2025
I came for the most prolific female serial killer of all time, but I stayed for the lessons in Hungarian politics. The main takeaway being that if you were a woman with land, someone was probably going to take it from you one way or another.
If you hop over to Wikipedia and search on female serial killers, the queen (to be factually correct, she was a countess) of them all is Elizabeth Báthory. She holds the (turns out rather dubious) "honor" of being the murderer of somewhere around 600 young girls. She reportedly enjoyed torturing them and bathing in their blood to stay young. I am being a bit flippant with the subject here because, well, none of it was real. Author Shelley Puhak tells us right off the bat in her fantastic The Blood Countess.
I thoroughly enjoyed Puhak's previous non-fiction work, The Dark Queens, (as well as her award winning poetry but that's beside the point) and The Blood Countess proves this was no fluke. This is the type of book where you can feel the sheer amount of work that went into gathering the information, getting it right, and then presenting it in a way that a reader won't get lost like they are in the forests of Transylvania. There are many vital characters, constant backstabbing, and of course religious strife that seems to never end. Through it all, Puhak shows us just how the legend of Báthory spun out of control and what the real truth probably is. I highly recommend it.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing.)
If you hop over to Wikipedia and search on female serial killers, the queen (to be factually correct, she was a countess) of them all is Elizabeth Báthory. She holds the (turns out rather dubious) "honor" of being the murderer of somewhere around 600 young girls. She reportedly enjoyed torturing them and bathing in their blood to stay young. I am being a bit flippant with the subject here because, well, none of it was real. Author Shelley Puhak tells us right off the bat in her fantastic The Blood Countess.
I thoroughly enjoyed Puhak's previous non-fiction work, The Dark Queens, (as well as her award winning poetry but that's beside the point) and The Blood Countess proves this was no fluke. This is the type of book where you can feel the sheer amount of work that went into gathering the information, getting it right, and then presenting it in a way that a reader won't get lost like they are in the forests of Transylvania. There are many vital characters, constant backstabbing, and of course religious strife that seems to never end. Through it all, Puhak shows us just how the legend of Báthory spun out of control and what the real truth probably is. I highly recommend it.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing.)
February 26, 2026
Puhak is great. A book that uses the Bathory legend to jump into the history of Hungary. It's a complicated subject matter, without any familiar names or faces to help guide us along, but Puhak does a fantastic job of untangling the murky history and providing context. Will have more to say on this soon.
More here.
Thanks to Bloomsbury for the ARC.
More here.
Thanks to Bloomsbury for the ARC.
November 6, 2025
The history of a Hungarian murderer I never knew I needed 4 stars
This is the story of Elizabeth Bathory who many consider a serial killer with one of the highest victim counts ever.
A lot of history.
In order to properly tell the tale you have to have a grasp of Hungarian history. It was good that the author was fully up to the task as the book doesn't drag as a lot of history laden books do.
Be prepared to think!
The thing I love about a good true crime book is when facts are told without leading you by the hand to a conclusion. This was a textbook example of that kind of book
Recommendation
I would recommend this to true crime fans willing to dig in and learn a little history.
This is the story of Elizabeth Bathory who many consider a serial killer with one of the highest victim counts ever.
A lot of history.
In order to properly tell the tale you have to have a grasp of Hungarian history. It was good that the author was fully up to the task as the book doesn't drag as a lot of history laden books do.
Be prepared to think!
The thing I love about a good true crime book is when facts are told without leading you by the hand to a conclusion. This was a textbook example of that kind of book
Recommendation
I would recommend this to true crime fans willing to dig in and learn a little history.
October 9, 2025
The embellishment’s of Bathory’s story are now a horror story in the back of your mind. Inspiration for vampira and the extent to which one is willing to go to keep power. This narrative presents a case that poses she may be innocent of some or all her crimes. Shelley Puhak dives into the archives and history to understand the context of Bathory. A straightforward read that analyzes the archives of Bathory and her time period.
History is monumental to understanding Bathory. She presents the case documents, the history, and excerpts of Bathory’s life to present a different case that the public has not too often seen. This is a great way to think about and how women were portrayed and who was writing about them. I do not believe she (Bathory) was innocent, but this writing presents a compelling case to really question history through the research of the archives. This is a solid three due to the limiting information available despite the extensive research. And at times the writing feels a bit dry.
Read more recommendations, arc impressions, and more at
https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com
History is monumental to understanding Bathory. She presents the case documents, the history, and excerpts of Bathory’s life to present a different case that the public has not too often seen. This is a great way to think about and how women were portrayed and who was writing about them. I do not believe she (Bathory) was innocent, but this writing presents a compelling case to really question history through the research of the archives. This is a solid three due to the limiting information available despite the extensive research. And at times the writing feels a bit dry.
Read more recommendations, arc impressions, and more at
https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com
February 18, 2026
4.75 stars. The fact it took until the last few decades for Elizabeth Báthory's 'Blood Countess' legend to come into question is so incredibly sad.
Read
February 17, 2026Obviously Bathory didn't kill 650 girls, but those she did torture wouldn't appreciate this book. I guess in 200 years some writers trying to make a buck of a fad will paint Ghislaine Maxwell as poor vicim, wrongfully incarcerated because she angered the ruling patriarchy. Fuck the actual victims, right?
February 21, 2026
If you search up Myra Hindley, one of the perpetrators of the 1960s Moors murders, the first page of Google will show you an article whose abstract makes the surprising statement that she was a victim. She was a victim of, among others things, her sex; because she was a woman who participated in the kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder of children, she received more vitriol in the press than her male co-murderer. While there is some truth in this, I was the one clutching my pearls that time, because this is Myra fucking Hindley we’re talking about. Surely feminists have better things to do than rehabilitate her.
Reading this book reminded me of that article, but Puhak goes further in suggesting that Bathory, though not entirely a peach, was not a murderer. This proposition is not new, and it’s even made it into pop culture representations of her. It should be noted that the twentieth-century works that aimed to portray Bathory as the victim of a conspiracy, whether based on politics, religion, or gender, were generally not written by historians, who mostly ignored Bathory until recently. A number of these works are cited in the bibliography, but citations are relatively infrequent in the text.
The theory that Puhak subscribes to is that Bathory was a healer who, alongside other medical women in her household, was simply trying to help girls using accepted yet stigmatized methods. The idea of persecuted women folk healers is one that certain feminist writers are rather obsessed with, as popular ideas about the early modern witch hunts show. A skeptical reader is left thinking that Bathory and her herbalists must have been highly incompetent, since so many people kept dying on their watch. The evidence Puhak marshals in support of this thesis did not, to me, suggest any greater interest in medicine on Bathory’s part than would be considered typical for a person of her era. Even less convincing was Puhak’s attempts to attribute some of the injuries of Bathory’s alleged victims to other causes, as not only are the records related to this not meant to be used as patient records, but it seems to be based on a modern understanding of forensics and medical examinations as central to court cases, which was irrelevant to early modern trials based on personal testimony. Puhak also fails to cite any medical texts that prescribe shoving needles into women’s vaginas, severe beatings, or covering a girl in honey and allowing insects to bite her to death, all things that Bathory was alleged to have done by her four accomplices.
Although the poor citation methods make it difficult to know what Puhak refers to when she talks about the testimonies, she mostly seems to cite the most absurd claims possible that legitimately were just hearsay (such as the testimony of Susannah, who is responsible for the claim that Bathory killed 650 people), and not the nearly 100 people who either witnessed the alleged crimes or saw the injuries inflicted. Of course, even justice of the time was not wholly served in Bathory’s case, but her lack of a trial was probably an attempt to prevent a conviction, which would not only forfeit all her valuable property but also damage the family’s reputation. It is notable that Bathory’s own son, writing after his mother, Thurzo, and the king were all dead, claimed that she was guilty. While Puhak identifies motivations for malicious prosecution, none of them actually prove that there was any harmful conspiracy; and while it’s not Puhak’s fault, the complaints about conspiracy theories hit a sour note at a time when a prominent conspiracy theory is being proven. Although the practices of the early modern justice system left much to be desired by modern standards, acknowledgment of this actually loses Bathory her special case, because then all trials of that era can be considered suspicious.
Puhak’s analysis might have been stronger if she had written an essay, since as it stands, most of this book focuses on Hungarian politics in which Bathory was not always directly involved. While obviously some of this is necessary background, the details about Lutheran and Calvinist views on the Lord’s Supper were not. Some of the details she mentions I felt undermined her point, such as an early section where she points out how powerful, wealthy widows were not an uncommon sight. The novelistic, often somewhat purple, writing style was occasionally interrupted by ill-fitting modernisms, such as describing Bathory’s husband as looking like a “contemporary cartoon villain”. I was put on edge at the very beginning, because Puhak’s dramatic reconstruction of Bathory’s arrest, while positioning itself as recounting legend and not fact, made reference to seemingly contemporary rumors of Bathory bathing in blood, when this legend first came about in the eighteenth-century.
There is little doubt that Bathory’s crimes were sensationalized in her lifetime, as Susannah shows, but this does not mean that there was no basis for any of the accusations, and I remain convinced that Bathory was probably a murderer. At one point, Puhak comments on the two-faced nature of one of Bathory’s contemporaries, in that he was capable of generosity one moment but cruelty the next, but does not apply this to the Countess herself. Readers unfamiliar with Bathory will come away knowing a bit more about her, but they could get that information from Wikipedia just as easily. I can’t wait to see Puhak’s take on La Quintrala.
Reading this book reminded me of that article, but Puhak goes further in suggesting that Bathory, though not entirely a peach, was not a murderer. This proposition is not new, and it’s even made it into pop culture representations of her. It should be noted that the twentieth-century works that aimed to portray Bathory as the victim of a conspiracy, whether based on politics, religion, or gender, were generally not written by historians, who mostly ignored Bathory until recently. A number of these works are cited in the bibliography, but citations are relatively infrequent in the text.
The theory that Puhak subscribes to is that Bathory was a healer who, alongside other medical women in her household, was simply trying to help girls using accepted yet stigmatized methods. The idea of persecuted women folk healers is one that certain feminist writers are rather obsessed with, as popular ideas about the early modern witch hunts show. A skeptical reader is left thinking that Bathory and her herbalists must have been highly incompetent, since so many people kept dying on their watch. The evidence Puhak marshals in support of this thesis did not, to me, suggest any greater interest in medicine on Bathory’s part than would be considered typical for a person of her era. Even less convincing was Puhak’s attempts to attribute some of the injuries of Bathory’s alleged victims to other causes, as not only are the records related to this not meant to be used as patient records, but it seems to be based on a modern understanding of forensics and medical examinations as central to court cases, which was irrelevant to early modern trials based on personal testimony. Puhak also fails to cite any medical texts that prescribe shoving needles into women’s vaginas, severe beatings, or covering a girl in honey and allowing insects to bite her to death, all things that Bathory was alleged to have done by her four accomplices.
Although the poor citation methods make it difficult to know what Puhak refers to when she talks about the testimonies, she mostly seems to cite the most absurd claims possible that legitimately were just hearsay (such as the testimony of Susannah, who is responsible for the claim that Bathory killed 650 people), and not the nearly 100 people who either witnessed the alleged crimes or saw the injuries inflicted. Of course, even justice of the time was not wholly served in Bathory’s case, but her lack of a trial was probably an attempt to prevent a conviction, which would not only forfeit all her valuable property but also damage the family’s reputation. It is notable that Bathory’s own son, writing after his mother, Thurzo, and the king were all dead, claimed that she was guilty. While Puhak identifies motivations for malicious prosecution, none of them actually prove that there was any harmful conspiracy; and while it’s not Puhak’s fault, the complaints about conspiracy theories hit a sour note at a time when a prominent conspiracy theory is being proven. Although the practices of the early modern justice system left much to be desired by modern standards, acknowledgment of this actually loses Bathory her special case, because then all trials of that era can be considered suspicious.
Puhak’s analysis might have been stronger if she had written an essay, since as it stands, most of this book focuses on Hungarian politics in which Bathory was not always directly involved. While obviously some of this is necessary background, the details about Lutheran and Calvinist views on the Lord’s Supper were not. Some of the details she mentions I felt undermined her point, such as an early section where she points out how powerful, wealthy widows were not an uncommon sight. The novelistic, often somewhat purple, writing style was occasionally interrupted by ill-fitting modernisms, such as describing Bathory’s husband as looking like a “contemporary cartoon villain”. I was put on edge at the very beginning, because Puhak’s dramatic reconstruction of Bathory’s arrest, while positioning itself as recounting legend and not fact, made reference to seemingly contemporary rumors of Bathory bathing in blood, when this legend first came about in the eighteenth-century.
There is little doubt that Bathory’s crimes were sensationalized in her lifetime, as Susannah shows, but this does not mean that there was no basis for any of the accusations, and I remain convinced that Bathory was probably a murderer. At one point, Puhak comments on the two-faced nature of one of Bathory’s contemporaries, in that he was capable of generosity one moment but cruelty the next, but does not apply this to the Countess herself. Readers unfamiliar with Bathory will come away knowing a bit more about her, but they could get that information from Wikipedia just as easily. I can’t wait to see Puhak’s take on La Quintrala.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Blood Countess.
I was in high school when I learned about Elizabeth Bathory and her psychotic desire for virginal blood in order to stay youthful and beautiful.
I also watched the terrible movie featuring Julie Delpy and Daniel Bruhl several years ago.
What a stinker!
The Blood Countess is the result of the author's deep dive into research to unravel the myths surrounding this historical figure, who has long been painted as a notorious serial killer.
The biography seeks to provide a nuanced view, challenging the baseless accusations that have tainted her legacy over the years.
I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't disappointed by the blurb.
There aren't many prolific female serial killers and I sort of grew up with the distorted stories of the Blood Countess.
I was in awe of her in a way.
Then, the author effectively dismantles numerous fabrications that have contributed to the countess's dark reputation, making compelling arguments based on historical evidence.
Not surprisingly, due to the intense ever-changing political climate, the machinations of men in power and those who were jealous of the countess' popularity and her influence in her community and her status for positive social change, Elizabeth Bathory's reputation was forever smeared for centuries.
She was cancelled before the term was even coined.
What I was hoping to read, but didn't get, was the absence of the countess' upbringing and family background.
Understanding her early life is crucial to grasping the complexities of her character and motivations.
While the author highlights Elizabeth's strength and power, there is little exploration of the experiences that shaped her into the formidable woman she became.
This lack of depth distracts from the overall narrative and fails to make her real.
The Blood Countess is important in putting to rest the myths surrounding this powerful woman.
I just wish there was more context regarding her background.
A deeper exploration of her formative years would have provided readers with a more comprehensive understanding of her character and legacy.
Sadly, I doubt this book would sway the opinions of people who choose to believe the lies and untruths of a strong, intelligent woman whose reputation will continue to carry the taint of a smear campaign perpetuated by a patriarchal society.
I was in high school when I learned about Elizabeth Bathory and her psychotic desire for virginal blood in order to stay youthful and beautiful.
I also watched the terrible movie featuring Julie Delpy and Daniel Bruhl several years ago.
What a stinker!
The Blood Countess is the result of the author's deep dive into research to unravel the myths surrounding this historical figure, who has long been painted as a notorious serial killer.
The biography seeks to provide a nuanced view, challenging the baseless accusations that have tainted her legacy over the years.
I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't disappointed by the blurb.
There aren't many prolific female serial killers and I sort of grew up with the distorted stories of the Blood Countess.
I was in awe of her in a way.
Then, the author effectively dismantles numerous fabrications that have contributed to the countess's dark reputation, making compelling arguments based on historical evidence.
Not surprisingly, due to the intense ever-changing political climate, the machinations of men in power and those who were jealous of the countess' popularity and her influence in her community and her status for positive social change, Elizabeth Bathory's reputation was forever smeared for centuries.
She was cancelled before the term was even coined.
What I was hoping to read, but didn't get, was the absence of the countess' upbringing and family background.
Understanding her early life is crucial to grasping the complexities of her character and motivations.
While the author highlights Elizabeth's strength and power, there is little exploration of the experiences that shaped her into the formidable woman she became.
This lack of depth distracts from the overall narrative and fails to make her real.
The Blood Countess is important in putting to rest the myths surrounding this powerful woman.
I just wish there was more context regarding her background.
A deeper exploration of her formative years would have provided readers with a more comprehensive understanding of her character and legacy.
Sadly, I doubt this book would sway the opinions of people who choose to believe the lies and untruths of a strong, intelligent woman whose reputation will continue to carry the taint of a smear campaign perpetuated by a patriarchal society.
February 17, 2026
If you go into Shelley Puhak's The Blood Countess expecting to read confirmation of the same horror stories you've heard before, imaging Elizabeth Bathory as a serial killer of innocent young women and bathing in their blood, you'll be disappointed. If, however, you want to read it for a fascinating exploration of a woman in power and how she was brought down by politics, religion, and the patriarchy—this is the book for you.
I knew nothing about Hungarian politics or how the Lutheran/Calvinist religious division manifested itself there or affected everyday people before reading this book. Puhak does a good job of breaking things down into understandable accounts, sticking to what we need to know because it's going to be important to Elizabeth's story. Puhak talks about working with translators and what previous translations of documents got wrong, which first led to accounts of cannibalism (for example) when that's not what was happening.
The Bathorys were a powerful family in Hungary and Transylvania at a time when this was dangerous. Elizabeth was a strong woman who held a lot of land (both on her own and for her young son), she supported women healers during a time they were being pushed out by men. She made enemies by standing up for herself and other women, for insisting on justice during a time of corruption. She believed in the courts and the law, even when she saw it being made a mockery of by the Holy Roman Emperor, her supposed ruler and protector. When her neighbors came for her, she thought the laws would protect her.
Instead, she became perhaps the greatest reminder of how much men fear women's minds, their leadership, their knowledge, and their strength, and how far men will go to erase women's power.
The Blood Countess is well researched, well written, full of fascinating information, and a great read for anyone interested in learning how politics, jealousy, and greed can create such an enduring and false legacy.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I knew nothing about Hungarian politics or how the Lutheran/Calvinist religious division manifested itself there or affected everyday people before reading this book. Puhak does a good job of breaking things down into understandable accounts, sticking to what we need to know because it's going to be important to Elizabeth's story. Puhak talks about working with translators and what previous translations of documents got wrong, which first led to accounts of cannibalism (for example) when that's not what was happening.
The Bathorys were a powerful family in Hungary and Transylvania at a time when this was dangerous. Elizabeth was a strong woman who held a lot of land (both on her own and for her young son), she supported women healers during a time they were being pushed out by men. She made enemies by standing up for herself and other women, for insisting on justice during a time of corruption. She believed in the courts and the law, even when she saw it being made a mockery of by the Holy Roman Emperor, her supposed ruler and protector. When her neighbors came for her, she thought the laws would protect her.
Instead, she became perhaps the greatest reminder of how much men fear women's minds, their leadership, their knowledge, and their strength, and how far men will go to erase women's power.
The Blood Countess is well researched, well written, full of fascinating information, and a great read for anyone interested in learning how politics, jealousy, and greed can create such an enduring and false legacy.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
February 20, 2026
Everyone has heard about Elizabeth Bathory's dark legend and its gory, salacious details. Except that, as Shelley Puhak explains in this book, the truth is much more horrifying and reveals a powerful woman, framed by a system that fed on the more vulnerable.
Sweeping and engaging, it reads like a novel. Even if I wasn't familiar with the historical context, I was never lost. Puhak's research is based on primary sources and the actual testimonies. Her demonstration was really convincing: the allegations levelled against Elizabeth Bathory aren't credible at all. One would wonder how people could have even believed that at all.
The Elizabeth that emerges from the narrative is a remarkable woman who protected her family and lands during difficult times. More than that, she protected her own, be they her servants and other women. But she was also an assertive woman, someone who demanded exactitude and precision. She wasn't the sort to shut up and lay down. Of course, that made her inconvenient to her enemies.
Brought in context, her trial emerges from what it is: a raid against a powerful family and men trying to silence a powerful women by accusing her of immorality and witchcraft. A time old as time.
Thanks to this book, I also discovered Elizabeth's forceful aunt Klara and her defiant daughter Kate. I learned fascinating thing about 'women scientists' and herbalists at courts. The conclusion was perfect, revealing the frightening implications of that case, not as a horror story, but about what it says about the society of the time.
The only thing I regret is that there weren't many information on Elizabeth's year before her marriage and widowhood. But perhaps very little is available? After all, it can be the case with historical figures, especially women. I also really enjoyed the "fact vs fiction" chapter at the end.
Sweeping and engaging, it reads like a novel. Even if I wasn't familiar with the historical context, I was never lost. Puhak's research is based on primary sources and the actual testimonies. Her demonstration was really convincing: the allegations levelled against Elizabeth Bathory aren't credible at all. One would wonder how people could have even believed that at all.
The Elizabeth that emerges from the narrative is a remarkable woman who protected her family and lands during difficult times. More than that, she protected her own, be they her servants and other women. But she was also an assertive woman, someone who demanded exactitude and precision. She wasn't the sort to shut up and lay down. Of course, that made her inconvenient to her enemies.
Brought in context, her trial emerges from what it is: a raid against a powerful family and men trying to silence a powerful women by accusing her of immorality and witchcraft. A time old as time.
Thanks to this book, I also discovered Elizabeth's forceful aunt Klara and her defiant daughter Kate. I learned fascinating thing about 'women scientists' and herbalists at courts. The conclusion was perfect, revealing the frightening implications of that case, not as a horror story, but about what it says about the society of the time.
The only thing I regret is that there weren't many information on Elizabeth's year before her marriage and widowhood. But perhaps very little is available? After all, it can be the case with historical figures, especially women. I also really enjoyed the "fact vs fiction" chapter at the end.
February 17, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars
I first heard Elizabeth Bathory’s name from a podcast called Noble Blood, about gruesome things happening to (or horrible things done by) people of noble blood throughout recorded history. Like this book, the podcast told the story of the countess’s alleged actions from the point of view that it was extremely unlikely to have actually happened this way. If the podcast was a quick and easy introduction, this was a wonderfully in-depth exploration of the history, not just of Elizabeth Bathory, but of the surrounding region.
As someone with only a basic understanding of the history here, I was very glad that the author went into detail about the politics of the region as well as the interpersonal dealings between the families. Without that background, I would have been lost in a sea of Elizabeths and Katherines and Gabriels. As it is, I’m sure I missed some details simply because of how complex the history is, but I never felt like I was drowning and had no idea what was happening. The author did a very good job making the subject approachable, but not making it feel like it was dumbed down.
4/5 stars
I first heard Elizabeth Bathory’s name from a podcast called Noble Blood, about gruesome things happening to (or horrible things done by) people of noble blood throughout recorded history. Like this book, the podcast told the story of the countess’s alleged actions from the point of view that it was extremely unlikely to have actually happened this way. If the podcast was a quick and easy introduction, this was a wonderfully in-depth exploration of the history, not just of Elizabeth Bathory, but of the surrounding region.
As someone with only a basic understanding of the history here, I was very glad that the author went into detail about the politics of the region as well as the interpersonal dealings between the families. Without that background, I would have been lost in a sea of Elizabeths and Katherines and Gabriels. As it is, I’m sure I missed some details simply because of how complex the history is, but I never felt like I was drowning and had no idea what was happening. The author did a very good job making the subject approachable, but not making it feel like it was dumbed down.
February 27, 2026
I didn’t mean to spiral, but my bookshelf had other plans. 🩸📚
Apparently, my recent reading theme was: blood, belief systems, and international chaos. I accidentally built the most intense stack, and honestly? I couldn’t look away.
The Lineup:
End of Days by Chris Jennings: A sobering, sharp look at apocalyptic obsessions and American extremism. ⛈️
The Blood Countess by Shelley Puhak: Part true crime, part feminist reckoning. Was Elizabeth Báthory a monster or a political scapegoat? 🏰
Blood Relay by Devon Mihesuah: A tense, emotional mystery rooted in the Choctaw community. Perry Antelope is a top-tier lead. 🔍
The Devil's Bible by Steve Berry: Conspiracy-fueled adrenaline involving the actual Codex Gigas. Pure chaos. 📜
Altogether, these reads made me double-check every official version of history I’ve ever been told.
✨️Thank you, Little, Brown and Company, Bloomsbury Publishing, Bantam, Grand Central Publishing, Chris Jennings, Shelley Puhak, Devon Mihesuah and Steve Berry for sharing these books with us!
Apparently, my recent reading theme was: blood, belief systems, and international chaos. I accidentally built the most intense stack, and honestly? I couldn’t look away.
The Lineup:
End of Days by Chris Jennings: A sobering, sharp look at apocalyptic obsessions and American extremism. ⛈️
The Blood Countess by Shelley Puhak: Part true crime, part feminist reckoning. Was Elizabeth Báthory a monster or a political scapegoat? 🏰
Blood Relay by Devon Mihesuah: A tense, emotional mystery rooted in the Choctaw community. Perry Antelope is a top-tier lead. 🔍
The Devil's Bible by Steve Berry: Conspiracy-fueled adrenaline involving the actual Codex Gigas. Pure chaos. 📜
Altogether, these reads made me double-check every official version of history I’ve ever been told.
✨️Thank you, Little, Brown and Company, Bloomsbury Publishing, Bantam, Grand Central Publishing, Chris Jennings, Shelley Puhak, Devon Mihesuah and Steve Berry for sharing these books with us!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Are you KIDDING ME!! After Shelley Puhak’s previous book, THE DARK QUEENS, made me feral about Fredegund and Brunhild, I’m now ready to go to WAR to fight against the bad reputation Elizabeth Bathory STILL HAS when she DIDN’T DO WHAT SHE WAS ACCUSED OF DOING!!
In fact!! Elizabeth had women healers on staff to provide MEDICAL HELP to young girls on site, and these interventions were misunderstood by some as TORTURE, which made the terribly men who hated her for being a WOMAN of INFLUENCE, decide to FRAME HER as a SERIAL KILLER.
10/10 an amazing book that will make you FURIOUS about how this woman is remembered
In fact!! Elizabeth had women healers on staff to provide MEDICAL HELP to young girls on site, and these interventions were misunderstood by some as TORTURE, which made the terribly men who hated her for being a WOMAN of INFLUENCE, decide to FRAME HER as a SERIAL KILLER.
10/10 an amazing book that will make you FURIOUS about how this woman is remembered
Review of advance copy
This book was so disorganized. I understand the point the author wanted to make but I think she can lose a reader with the voluminous information of Hungarian history, Nadasdy family history, Thurzo family history, and the Bathory family history. It is understandable that all of it is linked but the disorganization of the information can bore the reader before getting to the interesting bits that involve Elizabeth Bathory. It was a hard read to get through I wish it was more succinct and got to the point the author was trying make.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Was Elizabeth Bathory the world's most prolific serial killer, or was she framed? The best way I can describe this book is Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five meets Eric Larson’s In the Garden of Beasts meets a good Tudor history. I ended up completely immersed in early 17th century Hungary and Transylvania. If you want gothic/slasher true crime, this book is not it. If you like historical mysteries, slow-burn solid detective work, and dissecting events like moral panics or the Salem witch trials, you will probably enjoy this book too.
Thank you for the ARC.
Thank you for the ARC.
December 2, 2025
Detailed and engaging.
ffbc
February 10, 2026Cannot wait to read this bc Shelley Puhak is the GOAT writing mentor and my all time favorite writer. Notre Dame women !!!!!!
February 20, 2026
I came for the alleged serial killer and stayed for the woman who became too powerful for the men around her to leave her in peace.
February 20, 2026
Fascinating!
February 28, 2026
Shelley Puhak has done it again! This is a great book. Highly recommend!
February 9, 2026
A captivating biography of a woman whose reputation has been misunderstood since the beginning. Puhak’s strong writing and dedication to accuracy make this a satisfying read.
This was an ARC.
This was an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
I read an ARC of this book, and as a woman of Hungarian (specifically, Székely) ancestry, I was so excited to do so. I believe it was the research for this book I had heard murmurings of years prior, when I once came across an article debating the validity of the claims laid against Báthory for centuries during a late-night scroll of Hungarian legends. I cannot say at this moment how much more I really learned about Elizabeth Báthory herself, but this book certainly taught me more about the people, politics, and religious tumult surrounding the accusations that this woman with a voice and power was a heartless, cold-blooded killer. She has always interested me so much, and I loved learning about her religious tolerance, belief in justice, protection of other women, healthcare practices during her era, and the events leading up to and concurrent with her being forcibly held in one of her castles until her death. I would honestly like more, please.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews