The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster
Shelley Puhak
(Bloomsbury, 2026)

For generations, the 17th century Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory was known as the world’s most prolific female serial killer, legendarily torturing and killing 650 girls. New archival evidence and recent translations unravel this centuries-old mystery and myth, adding depth and dimension to the countess and to the turbulent era in which she lived. The Blood Countess reveals the tragic ease with which this powerful woman was vilified by innuendo and disinformation, and how myths too often shape how we understand history.

About the Author
Shelley Puhak is a critically acclaimed author of historical poetry and narrative nonfiction. She has published three poetry collections, and her nonfiction work, The Dark Queens, was featured at HBF in 2022. A graduate of the Universities of Delaware and New Orleans, Puhak lives with her family in Maryland.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes.

About the Festival
The History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history. With the help of our presenting funding partner —  The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | PenFed Realty — as well as our program and community partners, volunteers, and donors, the 2026 History Book Festival will be full of great discussions with authors of newly published narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. 

Thanks to all our donors, especially our education and outreach funding partners: Carolyn & Aaron Nayer, Jen Mason & Clare Hancock, the Red Wagon Foundation, and Browseabout Books. HBF authors visit classrooms in Delaware, and HBF provides their books to schools, libraries, and community organizations.

Our Keynote event is presented by Griswold Home Care for Sussex & Kent Counties and Groome Church; our Closing event is presented by the Delaware Community Foundation. The Spirited Discussion, our gathering for attendees and presenters to celebrate and discuss their day, is presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.

Special thanks to our Program Partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library for event promotion and production; Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, official bookseller of the History Book Festival; and Historic Lewes for event promotion and author hospitality. Thanks also to the Lewes Chamber of Commerce for event promotion, and the Cape Gazette and Delmarva Public Media, our media partners.