In 1905 a woman claiming to be a Javanese temple dancer rocketed to fame in Europe. Her name was Mata Hari and her nearly-nude dances were presented as profound religious experiences. But, Mata Hari was selling a fantasy. She was actually a Dutch woman born Margaretha Zelle. Her real origins were considerably less glamorous than the fiction she pres ... Show More
Jun 17
Episode #230- Why President McKinley? (Part I)
The 25th President of the United States, William McKinley, has recently been in the news. In the 2025 inaugural address it was announced that Alaska's highest peak would once again be known as Mt. McKinley to honour the former President, who was apparently a "great businessman" w ... Show More
1h 27m
Jun 10
Bonus Episode- Selkies, Spectacles, and Satire
In this Bonus Episode Sebastian takes questions about his recent exploration of mermaid mythology. He gets into the difference between Selkies and Mermaids, and wades into the murky waters of Scottish oral tradition. There is also some discussion of the 2012 hoax documentary Merm ... Show More
34m 40s
Apr 2024
Mata Hari: un 'sex symbol' víctima de la Gran Guerra
La leyenda ha hecho de Margaretha Zelle, la famosa bailarina Mata Hari, un sinónimo de mujer fatal y espía traidora. Hoy en día, sin embargo, muchos piensan que su muerte ante un pelotón de fusilamiento fue resultado de un proceso injusto.
17m 11s
Oct 2020
S1 Ep1: The Murder of Mary Phagan
At 3:00 am on April 27th, 1913, the body of 13 year old Mary Phagan was found in the basement of the factory where she worked in Atlanta, Georgia. Her dress was up around her waist and a strip from her petticoat had been torn off and wrapped around her neck. Her face was blackene ... Show More
44m 8s
Feb 2021
Episode #127- Who Was the Blood Countess? (Part II)
In 1611 a the Hungarian Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, was confined to her castle of Cachtice, never to leave again. This sentence was imposed on her by the Lord Palatine of Hungary. But strangely, even though Bathory had been accused of some truly heinous crimes, she was never for ... Show More
1h 16m
Oct 2023
BEST OF CRIME WORLD: The story of Darkey Kelly - Witch, devil worshipper or Ireland's first female serial killer?
Witch, devil worshipper and Ireland’s first serial killer are just some of the titles that have been bestowed on Darkey Kelly over the years. Born in the 1700s as Dorcus, she ran a brothel on Fishamble Street in Dublin’s city centre.
And while not much is known about her life, th ... Show More
32m 13s