Everyone has certain preconceptions about criminals, and the popular image of a violent killer is certainly not a flattering one; perhaps you'd expect a hardened killer to look shifty, with cold dead eyes; your idea of a serial killer might be a wild-eyed maniac, probably wielding a bloody weapon. But what if the phrase painted the image of a gorgeous, wholesome looking girl-next-door? Or a sultry single lady, all dyed blonde hair and perfect makeup. Those notions don't quite measure up with what we expect from the average cold-blooded killer. But of course, in life as in art, sometimes the killer is the one you'd least expect. This list takes a look at ten women who've been suspected, or convicted, of inflicting untold tragedy, turning countless lives upside down, at the same time turning preconceptions of what a killer looks like on their head. Like it or not, we're a society that judges books by their covers. So when these femmes fatales were pulled up in court on murder charges, the world can't help but look on in bewilderment (and just a little morbid fascination). Sure, they're all beautiful, but these tales of true crime are stark reminders that beauty really is only skin deep.