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Crippen
From The Arnold Bennett Literary Prize shortlisted Author, Dan Weatherer.
On the 23rd November 1910, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen - the notorious London poisoner, was executed for the murder of his wife, Cora Crippen. His crime had shocked the country, as details of the dismemberment and concealment of Cora’s corpse featured on the front page of newspapers nationwide.
A century later, mystery and controversy surround the case, with many historians and true-crime fans asking How was it possible that a respected, intelligent man such as Hawley Crippen, was capable of committing such a vile act?
Recently unearthed evidence serves only to confuse further…
Having extensively explored the facts of the case, ‘Crippen’ offers a unique insight into the man behind the murder, presenting a fresh version of a story that you think you already know.
On the 23rd November 1910, Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen - the notorious London poisoner, was executed for the murder of his wife, Cora Crippen. His crime had shocked the country, as details of the dismemberment and concealment of Cora’s corpse featured on the front page of newspapers nationwide.
A century later, mystery and controversy surround the case, with many historians and true-crime fans asking How was it possible that a respected, intelligent man such as Hawley Crippen, was capable of committing such a vile act?
Recently unearthed evidence serves only to confuse further…
Having extensively explored the facts of the case, ‘Crippen’ offers a unique insight into the man behind the murder, presenting a fresh version of a story that you think you already know.
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2017
2 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Dan Weatherer
32 books31 followersDan Weatherer is represented by The Cherry Weiner Literary Agency.
Award-winning author, Dan Weatherer, was first published by Haunted Magazine in Spring, 2013.
Aside from the publication of numerous short stories with a multitude of presses, his next major project was a solo collection of short stories titled The Soul That Screamed (Winner of the Preditors & Editors™ Readers' Poll ‘Best Anthology 2013’).
A further two collections Only the Good Burn Bright (Spring 2015, James Ward Kirk Fiction) and Neverlight (Spring 2016, Spectral Press) quickly followed. His first non-fiction book titled ‘What Dwells Within’ was released in the Autumn of 2015 and details the life’s work of paranormal investigator Jayne Harris.
In 2015, Dan was shortlisted for the prestigious position of Staffordshire Poet Laureate 2016-2018.
In 2017, Neverlight was shortlisted for the first annual Arnold Bennett Literary Prize. His fourth collection Just Eventide, was released in August 2017.
2017 also saw the release of Dan’s historical novella, ‘Crippen’, courtesy again of Spectral Press.
An accomplished playwright, Dan was winner of the 2017 Soundwork UK play competition, a finalist in the Blackshaw Showcase Award 2016, and a two-time finalist of the Congleton Players One Act Festival, 2016. Dan has had several of his plays appear at festivals and fringe events. The Dead Stage, a book detailing Dan’s experiences as a novice playwright was published courtesy of Crystal Lake Publishing in October, 2018
In 2019, Dan was nominated for a local Heroes award (The Sentinel) for his continued promotion of literacy and mental health issues in the city of Stoke on Trent.
2019 also saw the release of his non-fiction title Sounds of a Madman, where Dan discusses the issues surrounding living with Depression and Anxiety. The Necessary Evils followed in late October (Demain Press), followed by The Tainted Isle, Dan's debut novel, courtesy of PS Publishing.
Dan lives in Staffordshire, where is married to his wife and two children.
Award-winning author, Dan Weatherer, was first published by Haunted Magazine in Spring, 2013.
Aside from the publication of numerous short stories with a multitude of presses, his next major project was a solo collection of short stories titled The Soul That Screamed (Winner of the Preditors & Editors™ Readers' Poll ‘Best Anthology 2013’).
A further two collections Only the Good Burn Bright (Spring 2015, James Ward Kirk Fiction) and Neverlight (Spring 2016, Spectral Press) quickly followed. His first non-fiction book titled ‘What Dwells Within’ was released in the Autumn of 2015 and details the life’s work of paranormal investigator Jayne Harris.
In 2015, Dan was shortlisted for the prestigious position of Staffordshire Poet Laureate 2016-2018.
In 2017, Neverlight was shortlisted for the first annual Arnold Bennett Literary Prize. His fourth collection Just Eventide, was released in August 2017.
2017 also saw the release of Dan’s historical novella, ‘Crippen’, courtesy again of Spectral Press.
An accomplished playwright, Dan was winner of the 2017 Soundwork UK play competition, a finalist in the Blackshaw Showcase Award 2016, and a two-time finalist of the Congleton Players One Act Festival, 2016. Dan has had several of his plays appear at festivals and fringe events. The Dead Stage, a book detailing Dan’s experiences as a novice playwright was published courtesy of Crystal Lake Publishing in October, 2018
In 2019, Dan was nominated for a local Heroes award (The Sentinel) for his continued promotion of literacy and mental health issues in the city of Stoke on Trent.
2019 also saw the release of his non-fiction title Sounds of a Madman, where Dan discusses the issues surrounding living with Depression and Anxiety. The Necessary Evils followed in late October (Demain Press), followed by The Tainted Isle, Dan's debut novel, courtesy of PS Publishing.
Dan lives in Staffordshire, where is married to his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 2, 2017
"Dan Weatherer has taken a well-known story and added his own little twist to it. There is still a lot that is unknown about what actually happened. Dan Weatherer has taken this opportunity to tell you a tale of what could have happened, and to be honest, after reading this, I believe him. I think he could have hit upon something that could be very true."
See here for the full review:
Crippen
See here for the full review:
Crippen
April 9, 2018
Nothing on the cover or the blurb said this was a historical novel. I was disappointed because I wanted a factual discussion of the Crippen case. The verdicts on "Was the piece of corpse in the cellar that of Cora Crippen or of a man?" and "If not Cora, then was Dr. Crippen guilty of murder?" have been challenged and I thought this book would tell me the new facts.
But it's a novelization. Mr. Weatherer is a playwright, and not a historian. The names of Cora's Music Hall Guild friends who reported her disappearance are not those in Mr. Weatherer's story. Cora and Dr. Crippen had supper at home with two friends, also in the music hall profession, the evening before Cora's "disappearance". Cora called her husband "Peter", not by his given names "Hawley" and "Harvey".
I don't criticize Mr. Weatherer's writing skill. The novel is slight, but a good read if you had not read about the Crippen case elsewhere, as in: Supper with the Crippens: A New Investigation into One of the Most Notorious Domestic Murders in History. A lot could have been done to make it exciting, because it was exciting in real life. The mouse-like, downtrodden doctor. The big, blowsy would-be diva/star wife. The quiet and rather homely secretary. The mutual love between them. Their panic when the police inspector arrived at the office. The flight on the Montrose (Ethel wearing boy's clothes.). Uncovering the headless body. The "chase by wireless" -- really good newspaper stuff. The capture at Quebec. The trial. The execution. Ethel leaving for Canada with her memories. Even the alternative evidence from a modern forensic scientist that Spillsbury was wrong about the body being Mrs. Crippen's. [What is that evidence?] But Mr. Weatherer is a playwright and this must have been a play at one time.
But it's a novelization. Mr. Weatherer is a playwright, and not a historian. The names of Cora's Music Hall Guild friends who reported her disappearance are not those in Mr. Weatherer's story. Cora and Dr. Crippen had supper at home with two friends, also in the music hall profession, the evening before Cora's "disappearance". Cora called her husband "Peter", not by his given names "Hawley" and "Harvey".
I don't criticize Mr. Weatherer's writing skill. The novel is slight, but a good read if you had not read about the Crippen case elsewhere, as in: Supper with the Crippens: A New Investigation into One of the Most Notorious Domestic Murders in History. A lot could have been done to make it exciting, because it was exciting in real life. The mouse-like, downtrodden doctor. The big, blowsy would-be diva/star wife. The quiet and rather homely secretary. The mutual love between them. Their panic when the police inspector arrived at the office. The flight on the Montrose (Ethel wearing boy's clothes.). Uncovering the headless body. The "chase by wireless" -- really good newspaper stuff. The capture at Quebec. The trial. The execution. Ethel leaving for Canada with her memories. Even the alternative evidence from a modern forensic scientist that Spillsbury was wrong about the body being Mrs. Crippen's. [What is that evidence?] But Mr. Weatherer is a playwright and this must have been a play at one time.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews