In 1890, the murders of Phoebe Hogg and her infant daughter in Hampstead became one of the most widely reported criminal cases of the Victorian period. The investigation quickly centred on Mary Pearcey, whilst the public eyed Phoebe’s husband with suspicion. Evidence found at Mary’s home, along with witness testimony, seemed to point to a simple investigatio ... Show More
Today
The Unsavoury Tale of the Maryland Snallygaster
In the fall of 1909, a strange fear settled over the hills and farms of Maryland. Newspapers carried reports of a monstrous winged creature said to stalk the countryside with a host of bizarre descriptions pouring out from witnesses, including glowing eyes, huge claws, and boilin ... Show More
50m 5s
May 4
Amazing Stories & The Shaver Mystery
In 1945, the end of the second world war was approaching, atom bombs were on the way, and science fiction felt more like speculative prophecies than adventure stories. In the pages of pulp magazine, claims that ancient civilizations lived beneath the surface of the earth, armed w ... Show More
1 h
Jul 2022
Haunting Tales of a Victorian Crime- The Ghost of Fanny Adams
<p>Alton in Hampshire, England, is home to a particular tragic and haunting story. A story that captured newspapers and imaginations at the time and would go on to create macabre words and phrases that are still used today but for whom few know the dark, etymological root. < ... Show More
14m 22s
May 2024
The REAL Bridgerton: Queen Charlotte, Lord Byron & Georgian Celebrity
<p>The third season of Bridgerton is out and we are back in sexy scandalous Georgian society. But while we watch, we're taking a step back to ask: how real is Bridgerton?</p><br><p>On this second episode in our REAL Bridgerton mini-series, we're looking at the royals and celebrit ... Show More
43m 8s
Sep 2025
731 The Brothers Karamazov Reclaimed (#19 Greatest Book of All Time)
Responding to a special request from a listener, Jacke discusses Fyodor Dostoevsky, his novel The Brothers Karamazov, and the search for meaning in a meaningless world. This episode was originally released as episode #250 on October 7, 2020. For reasons Jacke discusses, it has no ... Show More
1h 21m
Oct 2025
743 Fairy Tales (with Jack Zipes) [RECLAIMED] | Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (#11 GBOAT) | Chaucer News
An early encounter with one of the most famous people in the world initiated Jack Zipes into the world of fairy tales - and he never looked back. In this episode, Jacke talks to the fairy tale expert about his book Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales, which profi ... Show More
1h 2m
Oct 2025
740 Mel Brooks and Other Eminent Jews (with David Denby) | War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (#13 GBOAT)
In this episode, Jacke talks to author David Denby about his new book, Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer, a group biography (loosely inspired by Lytton Strachey's Eminent Victorians) that describes how four larger-than-life figures upended the restrained culture of ... Show More
1h 3m