Blanche Wright thought she had met her 'Prince Charming' She could not have been more wrong. Image / Becky Cloonan, The New York Times
Blanche Wright thought she had met her 'Prince Charming' She could not have been more wrong. Image / Becky Cloonan, The New York Times
The New Zealand Herald is bringing back some of the best stories of 2019 from our premium international syndicators, including The New York Times, Financial Times, The Times of London and Harvard Business Review.
This morning we look at the contract killer who led a young woman on a murderspree, whistleblowers speaking out against the world's leading accounting firms, sexism within housework, the jeweller to the stars, and Georgia's dark tourism.
The accidental hit woman
At just 20 years of age Blanche Wright met Willie Sanchez. He promised her a new future and a life of pampering.
The love of Blanche's life however was actually a contract killer. He led her on a murder spree and she took the fall.
"You did good," he told her. "You didn't make a sound. You can be trusted." Image / Becky Cloonan, The New York Times
Betrayed by the Big Four: Whistleblowers speak out
Four individuals have spoken out about their experience of harassment, bullying and discrimination at four of the most renowned names in the business world: EY, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC.
An investigation has revealed a culture of fear at the world's leading accounting firms. Photo / 123RF
Chore wars: Why do women still do more housework?
The emergence of the two-job family in the final decades of the 20th century wasn't accompanied by similar changes outside the workplace. Stressed and overworked women became resentful of their partners.
Keen to avoid this fate, Gavin Jackson of the Financial Times convinced his girlfriend to join him in an experiment.
The emergence of the two-job family has not been accompanied by similar changes outside the workplace. Photo / 123RF
Richie Rich: Meet Instagram's diamond geezer
Richie Rich's name is the most subtle thing about him. He's the go-to jeweller for a generation of celebrities who want to show off just how minted they are.
Richie Rich with an assortment of his diamond rings. Photo / richierich Instagram
A monster to history, Stalin is a tourist magnet in his hometown
Sandwiched between Russia and Turkey, Georgia is a small country with celebrated cuisine, gorgeous landscapes — and a scarcity of world-renowned tourist attractions. One of the few it does have, unfortunately, is the man born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili, the son of a cobbler who became one of humanity's greatest criminals.
