The strange case of hellish Nell : the true story of Helen Duncan and the witch trial of World War II

On March 23, 1944, as the Allied Forces were preparing for D-Day, Helen Duncan -- "Nell" to her six children and four grandchildren and "Hellish Nell" to her detractors -- stood in the dock of Britain's highest criminal court accused of witchcraft! At the time of her arrest, Helen Duncan was Britain's most controversial psychic, a celebrity medium with a notorious reputation. During her seances, she channeled spirits who spoke from the world beyond, and on a few occasions, her "spirit" seemed to know too much: Helen's seances were accurately revealing top-secret British ship movements. Intelligence authorities wanted "Hellish Nell" silenced. Using diaries, personal papers, interviews, and declassified documents, Nina Shandler resurrects this strange episode and explores the unanswered questions surrounding the trial: Did "Hellish Nell" channel spirits of the dead who gave away wartime secrets? Was she a calculating charlatan or the innocent target of obsessive wartime secrecy? Why did the Director of Public Prosecutions try her as a witch, and not a spy? Sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, The Strange Case of Hellish Nell is a true crime tale laced with psychic phenomena and wartime intrigue.

On March 23, 1944, as the Allied Forces were preparing for D-Day, Helen Duncan—"Nell" to her six children and four grandchildren and "Hellish Nell" to her detractors—stood in the dock of Britain's highest criminal court accused of:witchcraft! At the time of her arrest, Helen Duncan was Britain's most controversial psychic, a celebrity medium with a notorious reputation. During her seances, she channeled spirits who spoke from the world beyond, and on a few occasions, her "spirit" seemed to know too much: Helen's seances were accurately revealing top-secret British ship movements. Intelligence authorities wanted "Hellish Nell" silenced. Using diaries, personal papers, interviews, and declassified documents, Nina Shandler resurrects this strange episode and explores the unanswered questions surrounding the trial: Did "Hellish Nell" channel spirits of the dead who gave away wartime secrets? Was she a calculating charlatan or the innocent target of obsessive wartime secrecy? Why did the Director of Public Prosecutions try her as a witch, and not a spy? Sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, The Strange Case of Hellish Nell is a true crime tale laced with psychic phenomena and wartime intrigue.

On March 23, 1944, as the allied forces prepared for D-Day, Britain’s most famous psychic, Helen Duncan-“Nell” to her family-stood in the dock of Britain’s highest criminal court accused of...witchcraft. It was a trial so bizarre Winston Churchill grumbled, “Why all this tomfoolery?” But the Prime Minister was not privy to the Military Intelligence agenda fueling the prosecution: Duncan’s séances were accurately revealing top-secret British ship movements. The authorities wanted “Hellish Nell” silenced. Using diaries, personal papers, interviews, and declassified documents, Nina Shandler resurrects this strange courtroom episode and the shadowy world of wartime secrets and psychics. Sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, The Strange Case of Hellish Nell is a true crime tale laced with supernatural phenomena and wartime intrigue. "On March 23, 1944, as the Allied Forces were preparing for D-Day, Helen Duncan - "Nell" to her six children and four grandchildren - stood in the dock of Britain's highest criminal court accused of witchcraft." "At the time of her arrest, Helen Duncan was Britain's most controversial psychic - a celebrity medium with a notorious reputation. During her seances, she channeled spirits who spoke from the world beyond - and on a few occasions, as far as British Intelligence was concerned, these "visitors" seemed to know too much. Inexplicably, Helen's seances were accurately revealing top-secret British ship movements. This information, were it to fall into the wrong hands, could determine not only the success of the upcoming Allied invasion, but also the fate of Britain. Intelligence authorities wanted "Hellish Nell" silenced." Prophecies The seer The psychic investigator The chief constable In morning light Breach of intelligence Changing fortunes A material witness Grasping at evidence A triumph of humiliation At the chief constable's bidding An extraordinary pack of lies Conspiracy The hearing Tempting invitation Behind closed doors The appearance of justice Opening the prosecution The irreverent witness Indecent suggestions Opening the defense Betrayal Surrender Sincerity beyond belief Possessions An extraordinary rivalry A nemesis returns Coffee and clairvoyance Judgment day A slip of the tongue Shall be set free Loose lips The Supreme Court Freedom in deception Released. "Using diaries, personal papers, interviews, and declassified documents, Nina Shandler resurrects this strange episode and explores the unanswered questions surrounding the trial: Did "Hellish Nell" really channel spirits of the dead who gave away wartime secrets? Was she a calculating charlatan or the innocent target of obsessive wartime secrecy? Why did the Director of Public Prosecutions try her as a witch, not a spy?" "At times comic, at times tragic, The Strange Case of Hellish Nell is a true-crime tale laced with psychic phenomena and wartime intrigue." "This book includes eight pages of photographs."--Jacket On March 23rd 1944, as the Allied Forces prepared for D-Day, Britain's most famous psychic, Helen Duncan stood in the dock of Britain's highest criminal court. This work tells the story of the World War II witchcraft trial, and Helen Duncan, the unassuming grandmother who conducted seances and had a knack for revealing military secrets. A story of the World War II witchcraft trial, and Helen Duncan, the unassuming grandmother who conducted seances and had a knack for revealing military secrets. This work takes us inside a world where spirit visitors delivered wartime secrets and the success of the Allied invasion of Normandy depended on keeping one psychic quiet. Describes the life and career of Nicolas Foucquet, a French administrator under King Louis XIV, who lived a life of opulence and arrogance that inevitably led to his downfall and life imprisonment. The fascinating story of Britain's World War II witchcraft trial of Helen Duncan, the grandmother who conducted séances, and had a knack for revealing military secrets