Dying To Tell You

Depending on who you ask or where you look, the descriptions and attributes vary. What's the devil's origin story? Where is his kingdom? What's his obsession with fire and brimstone? What the hell is brimstone? Did the devil even go down to Georgia? And, does he only play the fiddle? We are going to dive straight in to the lore, myth and evolution of the prince of darkness himself. I warn you, we may be here until hell freezes over. [Trigger Warning: hell, devils, religious history]

Most of us aren't likely before Halloween to make it to Transylvania to visit one of the most spookiest castles, and most well known, Bran Castle. However, I did find some equally eerie and possibly haunted castles right here in the United States that promise to be quite spirited. Find out why the Hearst Castle in California is filled with such mystery surrounding the millionaire. Hear about the eerie hauntings of Galveston, Texas following the Great Storm of 1900 and how Bishop Palace became one of Galveston's most haunted destination. Take a boat ride to Heart Island in the Thousand Islands in upstate New York to hear the heartbreaking story of Boldt Castle and why a lonely bride still wonders the island. [TRIGGER WARNINGS: slight mention of alcohol, use of the word "mistress" once]

We can't get back time once it's lost. Or can we? One notorious Chicago mobster, Sam Cardinelli, who was nicknamed, the Devil — in 1921, used Daylight Savings to literally… save his life.

Navigating the ocean was once fraught with danger — from sirens seducing sailors by their treacherous songs to wreck their ship upon the rocks. Or, sea monsters just looking to destroy a vessel for no good reason. The living have had a love affair with the sea… but, so have the dead. Sail along with me and take a tour of some of the most infamous ghost ships.

The 50 States of Fear... in 50 words or less for each state. From sea to shining sea, one thing each state in the US has in common is each has a haunted place that still stands today or legend which keeps the born-and-raised and tourist all in a state of fear. Join along from Alabama to Wyoming, and everywhere in between, on this spooky episode about the most haunted and ghostly places in the US. [TRIGGER WARNING: suicide, murder, infanticide, miscarriage, loss of a child, slavery, violent murders, decapitation]

From Transylvania to Switzerland to the United Kingdom to the United States, Vampires have always been that of legend and lore. But, some of the best works of literary fiction are actually based on frightening facts. [TRIGGER WARNING: death, vampires, brief mention of the act of cannibalism, random lyrics of one hit wonders]

Welcome back to my Spooktober!! I'm doing 2 episodes each week for the month of October. From Nightmare on Elm Street to Ghostbusters to Friday the 13th, for just a moment we'll suspended Hollywood reality and tell you a thing or two you might not have known about the true origin of your favorite horror movie. You know what they say, "Truth is stranger than fiction" (Mark Twain). [TRIGGER WARNINGS: death, murder of teens, cursing, the devil, mention of abortion, superstitions, ouija game boards]

We've all heard of ghost towns. We think they are just cities left behind, but what is left behind is much more terrifying than you can imagine. Join us on our tour of America's most haunted "ghost" towns and the spirits that refuse to leave. [TRIGGER WARNING: death, slavery, ghost, sex workers, the Wild West]

It's said if you have the luck of the devil, you're able to escape any fate worse than death, because as luck would have it — the odds are ever in your favor. For, Sharon Kinne, she had somehow managed to convince police that her 2 year old daughter had murdered her husband. She had purchased a devilishly blue thunderbird that led her to meeting a man whom she had an affair — whose wife would be rather unlucky and be murdered. [TRIGGER WARNINGS: mention of the definition of necrophilia, murder, escape from prison, mention of possible attempted rape] Please wait until the very end to hear my source list. Today's drink is a shooter/shot called Wake The Dead

We call them lucky. Those devil-may-cares that risk the tables being turned, especially when the stakes couldn't be higher — because just when you're sure that karma's come to tap them on the shoulder, lady luck steps in once again. Sharon Kinne, a convicted multiple murderess, had a whole lot of luck on her side as she escaped a Mexican Prison 51 years, 9 months and 16 days ago. Love was a game that she was more than willing to gamble away, but like with most games, there is a winner and a loser. And, all you need to win is nerves of steel and a killer instinct.

I'm fairly sure if you were to ask anyone who is the most iconic, or at least, well known, American architect — they are going to immediately say without hesitation Frank Lloyd Wright. He once upon a time had a little love nest for he and his lover, but on the afternoon of August 15, 1914 a massacre of not only his mistress, but many others would alter his views on architecture and beauty forever. This is the tortured and unknown past behind one of the greatest artist of architecture in American history. Cocktail: Death in the Afternoon [TRIGGER WARNINGS: violence, murder including an ax, fire, death of children, adultery]

The Babylonians felt safe prior to being conquered and thus destroyed. Or, the ancient Greek city Helike, a real-life Atlantis - which was reclaimed by the seas by a catastrophic tsunami. Pompeii, an obvious example, was destroyed because of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. History is marred by tales of prosperous civilizations that had their worlds stolen from them within moments by unbridled violence... there is a city in Texas that also was almost wiped from the face of the earth too. [WARNING: language] [TRIGGER WARNING: fire] If these things scare you or you feel you can't listen please just skip this episode. I'm sure next week's will be easier to enjoy. Thanks for listening.

Arguably America's first viral video of the 20th Century. The 1940 collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Google “Galloping Gertie”. What you're looking at is a tableau of terror, a snapshot of undulating concrete and the twisting of steel that challenges all we know of the physical world. Those images are a portrait of the undetectable line of demarcation dividing the improbable and the impossible. The week's cocktail I decided to make the Tacoma Tahona, a simple 5 ingredient recipe and perfect for these hot summer days spent outside listening to podcasts https://www.patrontequila.com/cocktails/patron-silver/tacoma-tahona.html

In the year 1800, America was a sort of a utopian union, and still a brand new nation. 1800 saw the first presidential election, the first census, and the Library of Congress was founded. But the strength of a union isn't truly known until it is tested. And, just like the liberty bell — strength would be tested — and the cracks would begin to show. This is the story of the first murder trial of our brand new nation (mentioned in the Broadway musical, Hamilton) and the first murder trial with a recorded transcript: the infamous Manhattan Well murder of Elma Sands. WARNING: some cursing, mention of death, sexual relations out of a marriage

A crisp and clear morning rose over, the British capitol of, London, on December 5, 1952. They had endured weeks of chilly and overcast days in a mid-season wintery cold-snap but all of that was soon to change as the city was darkened by a deadly smog.

Apart from the neon lights of the Miami's Art Deco District is a lavish little island, Key Biscayne. A candy coated dream come true for many of the wealthy and elite. But, the sun bleached sands of this pastel paradise concealed a torrid and taboo bond that needed something — or someone — to do more than to just bend, but to break, for this forbidden affair to continue. (WARNING: incest of two consenting adults; murder)

In the historical and coastal town of St. Augustine, Florida a once New York City model turned Florida resident was struck down in midday by a maniac wielding a machete. But, the perpetrator quickly moves on to her best friend months later leaving a sleepy coast city to ponder who murdered Athalia Lindsley, and just what did her best friend know that ended up getting her murdered as well? (WARNING: murder by machete)

Behind the glitz and glamour of the neon soaked pavements of West Hollywood lurks a vicious killer, who on a night in October 1942, heiress Georgette Bauerdorf had the unpleasure of making his acquaintance. The murder has often been linked to the Black Dahlia as they were both similar in age, similar in appearance and both unsolved. [trigger warning: rape -- please skip this episode and come back next week if this is something you feel would make you uncomfortable]

Boston is known for many things and is home for many New England residents. It's a place where hopes, dreams and plans for the future are made for many that are trying to live the sweet life. But, in 1919 a tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses flooded the Boston Harbor leaving devastation and death in its wake.

In some rare occasions, some treasures, like the Hope Diamond, chose their own personality. These objects seem almost bound to chose their own destiny… despite what we hoped. The Hope Diamond is well known for her "curse" of taking the well-to-do to quite unwell rather quickly. We follow the famed diamond on her journey from India and France in 1666 to present day America and visit all of the victims in between.

The conclusion of the Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald story