‘The Rev’ Rose Mackenberg

Robert Moses is responsible for so much of the infrastructure of New York, including parks, bridges, highways and more. And he remains a divisive figure. The first part of this two-parter covers his rise in New York government. Research: “15% OF THE FAIR STILL UNFINISHED; 15 Pavi ... Show More

This 2021 episode covers smallpox, a viral disease that has existed for millennia. But it’s now one of only two diseases that’s been eradicated through human activity, and a global plan was enacted to do it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Holly talks about the lack information about Pinel’s family, and how much she’d like to see Oscar Wilde use social media. Tracy discusses the way the Cooley episode narrowed down the scope of her originally planned topic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

From 1925 to his death in 1926, the great escapologist and illusionist Harry Houdini conducts a tireless campaign against fake mediums. To help him, he has a small army of secret spirit investigators, led by the plucky female detective Rose Mackenberg. Working undercover in a ran ... Show More

The story of two famous friends — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini — and the disagreement that ended their friendship: can we speak to the dead? Read Rose Mackenberg's essays in Tony Wolf's book, Houdini's Girl Detective: The Real-Life Ghost-Busting Adventures of Rose Mac ... Show More

Helen Duncan was a famous medium who travelled around Britain in the 1940s performing séances. She claimed to speak to the dead, and even produce physical manifestations of their spirits. But when Helen Duncan seemed to know wartime secrets about the whereabouts of military ships ... Show More

Harry Houdini was one of the greatest entertainers of his time. He was constantly reinventing himself to stay on top. In the last few years of his career, he became dead-set on debunking people claiming to be psychic mediums who communed with spirits. And when he figured out how ... Show More

Gina Marks, often dubbed the “Psychic Scam Queen,” was a self-proclaimed psychic who conned multiple clients out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by claiming she could lift curses, reunite lovers, and cleanse their lives of bad luck. 

In 1841, Mary Rogers’ corpse was found floating in the Hudson. At only 20, the “beautiful cigar girl” was a local celebrity even before her mysterious death. Mary had many admirers, including a fiancé, an ex-fiance, the boss who hired her for her looks, the men to whom she sold c ... Show More