Dimensions
153 x 234 x 41mm
The extraordinary Martha Needle was not only the most treacherous poisoner in
Australian history she clearly stands out as one of the nation's worst murderesses
of all time. And from an international perspective, she still ranks among the world's
most prolific female killers.
In her day, Martha was as big as Ned Kelly and she even shared the same
pugnacious lawyer. Throughout late 1894, her epic tale kept the Australian
community transfixed and was dramatically reported around the globe as 'the story
of the century'. Even in more modern times, the story of Martha Needle continues
to be widely chronicled as one of the most mind boggling poisoning cases in the
annals of crime and she remains a polarising figure in Australian history.
Luridly dubbed the 'Black Widow' by the world's press, this manipulating young
woman deviously used arsenic to exterminate all those around her who stood in the way of her personal
ambitions which ultimately even included her own children.
