EPISODE 87: F. TENNYSON JESSE

We kick off Season Nine of the podcast by meeting a woman who could be called the godmother of true crime.    Producer/host Susan Stone tells the story of F. Tennyson Jesse, an English journalist, criminologist, and writer. The daughter of a vicar who dragged the family around the British empire, she trained as a painter before moving to London in 1911. Journalism beckoned, but she was not put off by losing the use of her right hand in a plane accident, learning to type left-handed. Known as Fryn to her friends, she reported from the ground during World War I and published fiction, before moving into criminology and true crime writing. Her 1924 book Murder and its Motives set out six basic motivations for killing, a very influential theory, and she wrote about several of the most notorious crimes in the first half of the 20th century.  Fryn also had a rather dramatic private life thanks to her doctor-turned-playwright husband Totty, who kept their marriage secret for several years.    DLS co-founder Katy Derbyshire joins Susan to introduce our new season.    To find out more about Fryn, visit our episode notes at https://deadladiesshow.com/podcast/   If you are in New York, you can see a live Dead Ladies Show on March 26th at the KGB Bar's Private Curtain — get more info on instagram via @deadladiesnyc or from their newsletter here: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/   For our friends in Berlin, write this date on your calendar — June 7th! We will have our classic bilingual show on a Sunday night, so save the date. Follow us on social media @deadladiesshow, or sign up to our newsletter at this link: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com/   You can get even more Dead Lady content, and help support us, by becoming a Patreon member at  patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast ! Our members get access to our premium audio and written content where we talk about Dead Lady books, music, and more, and sometimes we offer a sneak preview of Dead Ladies we're going to feature in the future — Fryn Jesse and her book A Pin to See the Peepshow were featured there back in 2020. Memberships starting at 2 euros or 2 dollars and it really gives us moral as well as a little financial support. You can also follow our content there for free!  Thanks to all our existing supporters and free members!    The Dead Ladies Show was founded by Florian Duijsens and Katy Derbyshire. The podcast is created, produced and edited by Susan Stone.   Our theme tune is Little Lily Swing by Tri-Tachyon. We will be back again next month with another fabulous Dead Lady.

Episode 86 - Eileen Agar  It's our last episode of 2025, and the final episode of Season 8! Susan, Katy and Florian meet up to toast the end of another season, and of course to clink glasses in honor of our featured Dead Lady, Eileen Agar.  Eileen Agar was the sort of artist who looked at a hat and thought, What if it grew feathers, sprouted seashells, and started whispering secrets to strangers? Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Britain, Agar was a painter, collagist and sculptor with a delicious taste for the absurd. She danced on the edges of Surrealism—sometimes elbowing her way in, sometimes pirouetting just out of reach—and exhibited alongside the likes of Dalí and Ernst, though she never let their mustaches overshadow her own wildly imaginative vision. DLS co-founder Florian Duijsens brings us her story.  You'll probably want to have a look at Eileen and her paintings and hat sculptures. Find them over at deadladiesshow.com/podcast Find us on social media @deadladiesshow and stay informed about all our events via our newsletter: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com/ Or drop us a line [email protected] Want to give the gift of Dead Ladies? Why not choose a gift subscription to our Patreon? Or maybe you yourself need even more Dead Ladies in your life? Patreon members get exclusive episodes of our Dead Lady Book Club, where we chat about books, ideas, music and more —  by and about Dead Ladies. And, of course, check out our year-end holiday edition, where we toast the ladies we lost in 2025. For just a couple of dollars, pounds or euros a month, you can support our work and join in the fun. Check it out at patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast   Our theme music is  "Little Lily Swing" by Tri-Tachyon.  Thanks for listening! We will be back again in March 2026 with another fabulous Dead Lady.  **** The Dead Ladies Show is a series of entertaining and inspiring talks about women who achieved amazing things against all odds, presented live in Berlin and beyond. This podcast is based on that series. Because women's history is everyone's history. The Dead Ladies Show was founded by Florian Duijsens and Katy Derbyshire. The podcast is created, produced, edited, and presented by Susan Stone.  

This time around we head back to New York to hear about Italian antifascist Carla Capponi. Professor Suzanne Cope, author of WOMEN OF WAR: The Italian Assassins, Spies and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis brings us Carla's lively tale, which is full of bombs, intrigue, and bravery. DLS co-founder Florian Duijsens joins host/producer Susan Stone to introduce the talk. Find out more about Suzanne Cope here: https://www.suzannecope.com/ And see our episode notes here: https://deadladiesshow.com/podcast/ You can purchase Suzanne's book and support our show on US Bookshop here: https://bookshop.org/a/19410/9780593476000 and at Bookshop UK here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5687/9780593476000 Thanks to the team at Dead Ladies NYC for sharing this presentation with us: Molly O'Laughlin Kemper, Sheila Enright, Christopher Neil and the KGB Bar's Lori Schwarz. Find out about their ongoing shows via their newsletter: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/ Our next live show in Berlin will be in ACUD on December 12th. It's going to be an all-English show, and the featured ladies are Victoria Woodhull, Alice Guy, and F. Tennyson Jesse. Get tickets now here: https://tinyurl.com/DLSTix1212 Find us on social media @deadladiesshow and stay informed about all our events via our newsletter: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com/ Need even more Dead Ladies in your life? Become a member of our Patreon and get exclusive episodes of our Dead Lady Book Club, where we chat about books, ideas, music and more —  by and about Dead Ladies. And, of course, our year-end holiday edition, where we toast the ladies we lost in 2025. For just a couple of dollars, pounds, or euros a month, you can support our work and join in the fun. Check it out at patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast   Thanks for listening! We will be back again next month with another fabulous Dead Lady.               

We're back with a delightful episode about Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, the first female chief of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Host Susan Stone dives deep into the history of the Seminole Indians and Betty Mae's unusual life and times, via a talk recorded in front of a live audience in Berlin. As a mixed-race child, Betty was 'born a crime' according to Seminole medicine men, but she endured to lead her community as a nurse, journalist, leader, and a storyteller.  DLS co-founder Katy Derbyshire joins host/producer Susan Stone to introduce the talk. Visit our episode page to see photos of Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, alligator wrestlers, Chickee huts and more! https://deadladiesshow.com/2025/10/24/podcast-84-betty-mae-tiger-jumper/ If you like, follow us on social media @deadladiesshow where we share pictures and info about all of the wonderful Dead Ladies we've covered so far. You can also drop us a line via [email protected]  As mentioned, DLS NYC will co-host a special autumn walking tour in Brooklyn's Green-Wood cemetery on October 25th. Info here: https://tinyurl.com/GreenWoodDLSNYC The family and friends discount mentioned is: code 2025DEADLADIES10 for $10 off your ticket.  And here is a link to sign up for the DLS NYC newsletter: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/ Here in Berlin, our next show will be on December 12th, so please save the date, and sign up for our newsletter to get early access to tickets: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com Need even more Dead Ladies in your life? Become a member of our Patreon and get exclusive episodes of our Dead Lady Book Club, where we chat about books, ideas, music and more —  by and about Dead Ladies. For just a couple of dollars, pounds or euros a month, you can support our work and join in the fun. Check it out at patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast   Our theme music is  "Little Lily Swing" by Tri-Tachyon. Thanks for listening! We'll be back with a new episode next month.

In this episode, DLS co-founder Florian Duijsens introduces us to Flora Tristan.  A French-Peruvian writer, socialist activist and feminist theorist, Flora was amongst the first to tie women's equality to social equality. Her personal life was touched by hardship, scandal, and the nefarious acts of various men. Seeking her own emancipation, she was moved to fight for universal freedom. And though she may not be well-known, Flora's inspiring ideas live on today, when people stand united against oppression. To find out more about Flora and her work, visit our episode page over at https://deadladiesshow.com/2025/07/18/podcast-83-flora-tristan/ If you'd like to get even more Dead Lady info, why not join us over on Patreon, where we have special previews, interviews, and book chats. Get all the goodies by supporting us with just a couple of dollars, pounds or euros a month. Check it out at https://www.patreon.com/c/deadladiesshowpodcast You can also help us out by rating and reviewing our podcast wherever you like to listen, and by sharing our content on social media.  The Dead Ladies Show was founded by Florian Duijsens and Katy Derbyshire. The podcast is created, produced, and edited by me, Susan Stone.  Our theme tune is Little Lily Swing by Tri-Tachyon.  We'll be back again next month with another fabulous Dead Lady. Good bye!  

In this episode, we hear a bit of our lovely 10th anniversary show in Berlin, and DLS co-founder Katy Derbyshire gives us the rundown on  Caroline of Brunswick, who was officially Queen of the United Kingdom and Hanover for three whole weeks before she died in 1821, long-estranged from her horrible husband, her cousin King George IV. They had separated shortly after the birth of their only child, and Caroline's access to her daughter was restricted. She later moved to Italy, celebrated the right to bare arms, and lived with a handsome secretary, prompting huge amounts of gossip and countless caricatures. When George ascended to the throne, Caroline tried to cash in on her popularity and become queen, but she was literally locked out of the coronation.    For more on the unruly queen Caroline, and to see some of those wicked caricatures and portraits of handsome gentlemen and ladies in wigs, do visit our episode notes at https://deadladiesshow.com/2025/06/23/podcast-82-caroline-of-brunswick/   You'll be able to hear more of our 10th anniversary show on Patreon — that's at patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast in our next Dead Lady Book Club segment which will be live the first week in July. It's an exclusive segment (unless you were in the audience in Berlin May 13th!)  as writer Saskia Vogel grills DLS cofounders Katy and Florian in front of a live audience to get the inside scoop on all things Dead Ladies behind the scenes.    Our next live show in Berlin will be on September 14th at 7pm in ACUD so please save the date! Subscribe to our newsletter to keep informed here: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com   If you're in the New York area you won't want to miss Dead Ladies NYC and their cavalcade of bad girls on July 5th. Find out more here: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com and here: @deadladiesnyc    If you like, follow us on social media @deadladiesshow where we share pictures and info about all of the wonderful Dead Ladies we've covered so far. You can also drop us a line via [email protected]  and we're on BlueSky, too: https://bsky.app/profile/deadladiesshow.bsky.social   Our theme music is  "Little Lily Swing" by Tri-Tachyon. Thanks for listening! We'll be back with a new episode next month.  

In this episode, we hop over to New York to encounter our Dead Lady of the hour, May Ziadeh, a Lebanese-Palestinian poet, writer, translator, and feminist, whose work explored themes of love, identity, and the liberation of women. Books were her beloved companions throughout her life, and proved more steadfast than people. May began writing at an early age, started an important literary salon, and had moments of fame, but is perhaps better known for the years of isolation and tragedy that marked her life. She deserves more. May wrote in her diary: "After my death, I hope that someone will do me justice and find the sincerity and honesty contained in my small writings."   Our presenter is Rosana Elkhatib, a designer, researcher, and curator. She is a co-founding principal of feminist architecture collaborative f-architecture and has taught at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation.   DLS co-founder Katy Derbyshire joins host/producer Susan Stone to introduce the talk. Thanks to the team at Dead Ladies NYC for sharing this presentation with us: Molly O'Laughlin Kemper, Sheila Enright, Christopher Neil and the KGB Bar's Lori Schwarz.  Visit our episode page to see photos of May Ziadeh and get more information about her:  https://deadladiesshow.com/2025/05/31/podcast-81-may-ziadeh/ Read three of her poems in English translation here: https://losangelesreview.org/3-poems-translated-rose-demaris/ Find our more about Rosana Elkhatib and her work here: https://rosanakhatib.work/ If you're in New York and want to see the show live, stay up-to-date with Dead Ladies NYC via their newsletter here: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/ If you're in Berlin and want to stay in touch, our newsletter is here: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com And find us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/deadladiesshow Need even more Dead Ladies in your life? Become a member of our Patreon and get exclusive episodes of our Dead Lady Book Club, where we chat about books, ideas, music and more —  by and about Dead Ladies. For just a couple of dollars, pounds or euros a month, you can support our work and join in the fun. Check it out at patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast  

In this episode of our podcast, DLS co-host Florian Duijsens tells us about journalist, writer, and witness to history Dorothy Thompson.  As a foreign correspondent in Germany, she was among the first to caution against the growing tides of fascism, warning urgently against the Nazis and Hitler. Unfortunately, the world didn't listen. Dorothy continued to speak out throughout her life, and during her career peak, was read and heard on the radio by millions.       Her personal life at times also made the news — she was married to Pulitzer Prize-winning author and alcoholic Sinclair 'Hal' Lewis but was also less openly involved with German-Hungarian novelist, playwright and sculptor Christa Winsloe, the author of the notorious girl's boarding school lesbian story which became Mädchen in Uniform, an even more notorious film starring Dead Lady Romy Schneider.   Katy Derbyshire, our other DLS co-founder joins host/producer Susan Stone to introduce the story.    Visit our episode page to get more info on Dorothy Thompson: https://deadladiesshow.com/2025/04/24/podcast-80-dorothy-thompson/   You can find NPR's recent feature on Dorothy Thompson here:  https://www.npr.org/2025/03/14/nx-s1-5324672/dorothy-thompson-hitler   Join our newsletter to stay updated on our events, including our May 13th Anniversary Show in Berlin: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com/   Tickets can be found here: https://literatur-berlin.tickettoaster.de/produkte/3707-tickets-dead-ladies-show-39-the-10th-anniversary-edition-lettretage-berlin-am-13-05-2025   Join the newsletter for Dead Ladies NYC here. Their next show is May 8: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/ Thanks for listening! We will be back next month with another fabulous Dead Lady.   

We're back with Season Eight of the Dead Ladies Show Podcast!  In this episode, DLS co-founder Katy Derbyshire brings us the story of Boudica, an ancient British queen who fought the Romans. Though she led her Iceni tribe in a rebellion, the Romans prevailed, but wrote a fair bit about her in the history books.  In her afterlife, Boudica became a mascot for the suffragettes but also co-opted as a symbol for all things British; also, Enya wrote a song about her.  DLS co-founder Florian Duijsens joins producer/host Susan Stone to set the stage.   Get more info on Boudica in our episode notes: https://deadladiesshow.com/2025/3/xx/podcast-79-boudica/ For more on the Boudica-inspired perfume Susan mentioned, look here:   https://www.boudiccawode.com/ Dead Ladies NYC has a show March 6 — find out more here on their newsletter: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/ As it happens, Caroline Knapp of DLS NYC actually presented Boudica back in 2020 during lockdown, so the show was on Zoom! And in Berlin we are celebrating 10 years of DLS! Come see us May 13th, and find out more via our website: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com/ Please consider joining our Patreon! We have lots of fun interviews and book chat and more over at patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast If you like, follow us on social media @deadladiesshow where we share pictures and info about all of the wonderful Dead Ladies we've covered so far. You can also drop us a line via [email protected]  and we're on BlueSky, too: https://bsky.app/profile/deadladiesshow.bsky.social Our theme music is  "Little Lily Swing" by Tri-Tachyon. Thanks for listening! We'll be back with a new episode next month.

It's our last episode of Season Seven, and our last episode of 2024, which means it's Rotkäppchen time! Join us as we toast to Dead Ladies with German fizzy wine, and hear the story of another fabulous woman.  DLS cofounders Katy Derbyshire and Florian Duijsens join the party as we get ready to hear the story of writer Paula Fox. As Florian explains, this talented author's personal plot twists and turns include a stint as foreign correspondent, receiving a baby alligator in the mail, writing award-winning children's books and a novel adapted for a film starring Shirley MacLaine, oh—also being Courtney Love's grandmother (but not knowing that for decades).  Follow along with some pictures in our episode notes over at https://deadladiesshow.com/2024/12/14/podcast-78-paula-fox/  Want to hear our end of year review and our Dead Lady gift list chat? This time it's exclusive on Patreon, but you can join up starting at only $2 or 2€ and get access to all our special content past, present, and future. You can also gift (or request) a subscription to the Dead Ladies Show by following this link: https://www.patreon.com/deadladiesshowpodcast/gift  You can also subscribe to our newsletter to find out when our next live show will be by clicking this link: https://deadladiesshowberlin.beehiiv.com/ We can tell you this already: we will be live in Berlin on February 16th and May 13th, when we celebrate our 10th anniversary of the Dead Ladies Show in Berlin! Save the date, dears! If you're in NYC, go see our pals Dead Ladies Show NYC on January 16 at the KGB Bar Red Room. Find out more from them on Instagram @deadladiesnyc or join up for their newsletter if you like here: https://deadladiesshow.substack.com/ We'd also be pleased as punch if you follow us on social media @deadladiesshow where we share pictures and info about all of the wonderful Dead Ladies we've covered so far. You can also drop us a line via [email protected]  and we're on BlueSky, too: https://bsky.app/profile/deadladiesshow.bsky.social Our theme music is "Little Lily Swing" by Tri-Tachyon. Thanks for listening! We'll be back with a new episode next month. **** The Dead Ladies Show is a series of entertaining and inspiring talks about women who achieved amazing things against all odds, presented live in Berlin and beyond. This podcast is based on that series. Because women's history is everyone's history. The Dead Ladies Show was founded by Florian Duijsens and Katy Derbyshire. The podcast is created, produced, edited, and presented by Susan Stone.