Dulcie Markham has been called Australia’s most beautiful bad woman. Underworld figures describe her as "Black Widow," like the spider known for sometimes killing its mate. A key figure in the underworld gangs of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Dulcie used her Hollywood good looks, rosy pink lips and whip-smart mind to manipulate the most evil of mobsters. Author and historian Leigh Straw joins Jessie for this episode where she takes us through the life of Dulcie; how the 15-year-old started out in sex work in 1920s Wooloomooloo, rose to become one of the most influential female crime figures in Australia’s history only to wind up disappearing into suburban obscurity in her old age. This episode first aired in 2019 and marked one of the earliest major cases on True Crime Conversations. We're re-releasing it today for listeners old and new. CREDITS Guest: Leigh Straw Host: Jessie Stephens Senior Producer/Editor: Elise Cooper GET IN TOUCH Follow us on TikTok @truecrimeconversations Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at
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