426: Elizabeth Báthory: The World's Worst Female Serial Killer? w/ Shelley Puhak

Told and retold in many languages, the legend of the Blood Countess has consumed cultural imaginations around the world. But despite claims that Elizabeth Báthory 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 Báthory a monster, a victim, or a bit of both? My guest is Shelley Puhak, author of the new book "The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster". She helps us separate fact from fiction as she reexamines the life of Elizabeth Báthory, long labeled one of history’s most notorious killers, and unpacks a complex story of power, politics, and how it all led to the making of a "monster". The author's website: The author's publisher page: Become a Most Notorious patron here: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can listen to 426: Elizabeth Báthory: The World's Worst Female Serial Killer? w/ Shelley Puhak online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

426: Elizabeth Báthory: The World's Worst Female Serial Killer? w/ Shelley Puhak is an episode from Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast by Erik Rivenes.

This episode is 67:31 long.

This episode was published on Feb 18, 2026.

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