Even the oldest, wildest legends are usually born from som kernel of truth. King Arthur didn’t have a wizard friend, but there is some evidence for an early Briton king who managed to bring together his countrymen. The story of Johnny Appleseed has its basis in fact. John Chapman was a pioneer who encouraged the growing of cider apples to help sustain westward expansion.
Elizabeth Bathory’s claim to fame was as a 16th century Hungarian noblewoman who preserved her youth by bathing in the blood of hundreds virgins. Some say she, alongside Vlad the Impaler, helped spur the story of Dracula and vampires. But even if the truth is less salacious, surely there must be something to it. Perhaps she bathed in some kind of special oil to stay young, and at the same time there were a number of young women who died unexpectedly — and the two things were conflated?
Shelley Puhak makes the case that Elizabeth Bathory deserves no such derision. She maintains that Bathory was a victim of a successful smear campaign during a volatile time in Eastern Europe. Puhak finds primary documents — deeds, letters, court transcripts — to prove that Bathory was not only innocent of sanguine witchery, but that she was targeted by political enemies.
Elizabeth had, at this point, accomplished the end goal of any aristocrat: She had defended and preserved her estates and ensured the continuation of the family line. She had done so alone, despite two wars, the pillage of her lands, and living under constant suspicion of treason. And so that year she allowed herself a little brag:
I, as a widow, with many sacrifices, and with the gracious help of my God, have honestly cared for my three dear children–my two unmarried daughters and my little son. I took care of our goods, provided for the care and education of my children with motherly love… ~Pg. 106
Bathory was a savvy, powerful, wealthy widow. She controlled multiple castles and dozens of towns. She owned things that rivals wanted and had failed to capture by force. They turned to more nefarious means — false accusations, outrageous assertions, and outright libel.
The book is exceedingly well-researched and she makes an excellent argument for her theory. While it’s impossible to prove a negative, but Puhak also shows that there is nothing in the public record to sustain the claims of serial murder on Bathory’s part. No missing girls, no disappearing townsfolk, no suspicious parents seeking help finding their kidnapped children. And she follows with plenty of evidence to string together a case of deceit. It’s compelling, and all too overdue.
My thanks to Rosie at Bloomsbury for the review copy.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date: February 17, 2026
Print length: 304 pages (English)
ISBN-10: 1639732152