In the early hours of October 4th 1922, a woman who was about to become Britain’s most notorious murder suspect walked home from the theatre with her husband.

Edith Thompson was 28, she was beautiful, had a career, a good social life… and a lover 8 years her junior.

Freddy Bywaters leapt from the shadows and stabbed her husband to death. Edith was terrified. She didn’t want her husband dead, she hadn’t held the knife.

But why did detectives charge her with murder?

In what ways did her love letters scandalise puritanical Post-War society? And as the hangman’s noose awaited a guilty verdict, how important was that opinion on the jury?

This podcast is based on an interview with Laura Thompson, whose book ‘Rex vs Edith Thompson, a Tale of Two Murders’ can be bought here in the UK and here in the USA.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertmurphy.substack.com/subscribe