Tudor True Crime: The First Female Serial Killer?

Was there really a 17th century Italian woman who helped hundreds of wives murder their husbands, or is her story a myth born of fear and gossip? Professor Suzannah Lipscomb investigates the legend of Giulia Tofana, the so-called criminal mastermind behind a secret poison network. With historical novelist Cathryn Kemp, she uncovers the blurred line between truth and terror, reveals how the Pope hunted down a group of women who were not only independent businesswomen but who were striking back at abusive husbands across Italy. More: Tudor True Crime: Murder in Renaissance Rome Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Murderous Women Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Presented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds. Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Tudor True Crime: The First Female Serial Killer? is an episode from Not Just the Tudors by History Hit.

This episode is 36:15 long.

This episode was published on Mar 19, 2026.

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