Sinister Sisters: Women In Horror

This week, watch out because this episode has teeth! And so do these women…First up, Felicia explores the mythological toothed vagina, or Vagina Dentata - a myth rooted in the fear and mystery around female sexuality and the female body. Inspired by the new musical TEETH (based on the 2007 indie horror movie of the same name), Felicia dives deeper into the history of the toothed vagina, from Greek mythology with Medusa to how it appears in other folk tales across history from countries around the world.Next, keeping the toothy theme going, Lauren tells us about Scylla - a supernatural female creature also from Greek mythology that first appeared in Homer's Odyssey. In some descriptions, Scylla had “12 feet and six heads on long snaky necks, each head having a triple row of sharklike teeth, while her loins were girdled by the heads of baying dogs” keeping her lower body very protected from men. She also devoured sailors who ventured into her cave. Our kind of lady. PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's a couple of mysterious creatures from the swamp and the forest!First up, Lauren goes on the hunt for the Bunyip - a Cryptid creature from the Indigenous Aboriginal mythology of southeastern Australia dating back to as early as 1812. The Bunyip has been described as an amphibious creature that lurks in local swamps, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes, but the other characteristics vary widely. Most of the sightings say they resemble seals or swimming dogs, but others claim to have seen long-necked creatures with small heads. Listen to hear more wild sightings of the man-eating monster!Next, Felicia tells the tale of the Samodiva - woodland fairies or nymphs found in South and West Slavic folklore and folk songs. These ethereal maidens are typically depicted with long, loose hair, and sometimes wings and are commonly seen riding deer or winged horses using snakes as the reins. Metal! A Samondiva can either be kind to humans or lethal depending on how she feels about you. And in some versions, their power comes from a magical gown or veil and if they lose the clothing, they have to reclaim it to get their power back. Listen to learn more about this witchy, free-spirited creature! PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's two folktales - one if by land, one if by sea!First up, Felicia goes in between the pages of the classic folktale of Sleepy Hollow! From “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” - the original 1820 short story by Washington Irving featuring the famous Ichabod Crane & the Headless Horseman with his flaming jack-o'-lantern - deeper to the mythical Headless Horseman's origins and roots in Irish and Scottish folklore, as well as the English tale Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. And of course no conversation about Sleepy Hollow would be complete without touching on Tim Burton's 1999 film Sleepy Hollow along with Disney's 1949 animated short “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.”

This week it's two terrifying tales about more than meets the eye! First up, Lauren takes you on a ride through the uncanny valley with the “Laff in the Dark” mannequin at the The Pike amusement park. In the early ‘70s, children visiting the boardwalk in Long Beach, California noticed one of the mannequins in the funhouse attraction looked a little…off. But it wasn't until some years later, when a production crew from a popular TV series were shooting in the funhouse in 1976, something more was discovered beneath the surface. How did this grotesque mannequin end up as a set piece in the amusement park ride and where did it come from?! And what was the glow-in-the-dark paint it was covered in actually hiding?! Next, Felicia profiles William H. Mumler - a spirit photographer from the 1800s. People took notice of Mumler's photography when he developed a self-portrait that appeared to feature the ghost of who he claimed was his cousin that had been dead for 12 years! This portrait is believed by many in the paranormal world to be the first spirit photograph ever. But William had both famous clients and famous critics, including infamous flim flam man P.T. Barnum. Listen to hear more about his fascinating work!PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week it's horse girls and hoarse guys!First up, Felicia covers another supernatural creature from Central American folklore - the legend of the woman Sihuehuet who, in some cultures, turned into La Siguanaba by a curse. Similar to other Siren stories, La Siguanaba initially takes the form of a beautiful woman....she looks like any other attractive, long-haired woman who happens to be scantily clad or, in some cases, just fully unclad (naked). La Siguanaba then lures unsuspecting men in this way before she reveals her face to be A HORSE HEAD! (Do you think when she did this she said "Hayyyyy"?)Nay, we digress. Next, Lauren explores the case of Giulia Tofana, an Italian woman who was a "professional poisoner" in the 1600s. Her main product - a poison called Aqua Tofana that she sold to women who wanted to murder their abusive husbands. She even went so far as to set up a kind of underground poisoning ring under the guise that she was selling cosmetics to women. Giulia was actually able to get away with it for quite a long time...but wait until you find out what happened when one woman got cold feet about killing her husband...Giulia probably just needed a signature tagline for her scent. Aqua Tofana - "Strong enough for a man (to die), but made for a woman (to kill he husband)" PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, we're covering two topics that are close to our horror hearts and our heritages! First up, Lauren explores the legend of The Demon House of Pennsylvania - a haunted house she recently visited in Monongahela, PA. It may just be a fictitious haunted attraction these days, but the horror and the true crime history that the McCue Mansion has held within its walls since the 1800s is very real. Was the former proprietor just a healer…or a witch? And what did they discover when excavating for the original mansion? Rumor is they unleashed an evil that is found in the Demon House to this day! And that maybe the haunts aren't so staged after all…Next, Felicia explores a creature of local Costa Rican folklore - a tale she heard told from her father during his childhood in CR. The Duendes are Dwarve-like fantastical creatures (similar also to Gnomes or Leprechauns) with roots in Latin American, Iberian, and Ibero American culture. Depending on the location and version of the mythology, Duendes can be playful tricksters full of mischief or wicked punishers of children. Imagine Dobby from Harry Potter…if he looked like wanted to murder you. Listen to hear Felicia's personal twist on the Duendes, and someone's possible real life encounter!PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

Merry Christmas, all you naughty boys & girls! This week, it's a little ho-ho-horror for the holidays with a double feature of Christmas creatures!Felicia unwraps the first present with the legend of Sinterklaas, or Sint-Nicolaas - a mythical figure based on the patron saint of children, Saint Nicholas. If it wasn't obvious, Sinterklaas is one of the sources for the classic Santa Claus mythology and has mainly been celebrated in the Netherlands as far back as the early 19th century. Felicia actually has some of her own personal experience with the story from attending the Sinterklaas Festival Day in Rhinebeck, NY. Though things turn sinister as she explores some of the more offensive origins of the figure and festival. Next, Lauren stuffs your stocking with another Christmas icon - Frau Perchta aka the Christmas witch! This 10th century German winter goddess has a beaked nose made of iron and stalks humans to make sure they have completed their spinning of flax and/or other domestic chores by Twelfth Night. And you thought your family's holiday traditions were boring! Other versions of the legend even feature an army of lost souls, including the Krampus-like demonic-looking Perchten. Her story may sound similar to other dark Christmas mythologies - after all, she knows who has been bad or good…but her way of dealing with naughty people is much more vicious than a lump of coal. Deck the halls with disembowelment!Listen to hear more about both of these Christmas creatures and how they tie-into our modern mythology. PS: As always, thank you for listening and supporting our show throughout 2023. Have a safe & scary New Year's evil and we'll see you with lots more sinister stories in 2024! 

Happy belated Thanksgiving, turkeys! This week it's a frightful feast, featuring a double heaping helping of two Thanksgiving-themed horror stories!First, Lauren explores how one grandfather's annual Thanksgiving ghost story (yes, that was apparently a thing for this grandpa) led brothers to uncover a mysterious mass grave site from the 1800s. Over 50 Irish immigrants died at a railroad site in Pennsylvania during the cholera epidemic in 1832…but did they actually die from cholera?!Next, Felicia tells a Thanksgiving true crime tale that will truly not be a story you're thankful for. Omaima Nelson was an Egyptian former model who immigrated to the US in 1986 and, 5-years-later in October 1991, met 56-year-old pilot William E. “Bill” Nelson when she was still only 23. Within days of meeting, the two were married despite their 33 year age difference. But it was not a happy holiday for the couple in November 1991, just a month into their marriage. We're not going to spoil your dinner with the “just deserts,” but let's just say the turkey wasn't the only thing that was carved that year. And you thought Thanksgiving dinner with your family was weird…Listen to hear the cornucopia of a twist in this terrifying Thanksgiving tale!

This week, it's sharp axes and even sharper psychics!  First up, Felicia explores the infamous, notorious Lizzie Borden - the axe murderer of Fall River, Massachusetts. While Borden may have been acquitted for the axe murders of her father and stepmother in 1892 when she was only 32, she forever remains linked to that horrific case. Her story has been immortalized, told time and time again in movies, television series, plays, books…and now this Sinister Sisters episode! Next, Lauren covers the case of the 1987 disappearance of 27-year-old Andre Daigle in New Orleans, Louisiana. When Daigle didn't show up to work after a night out with a friend, desperate his sister Elise contacted psychic Rosemarie Kerr, who she had received a psychic reading from only 2 days prior. Kerr used her clairvoyant abilities to help Elise find her brother and his kidnappers/killers - her visions so accurate that she was the first psychic to be placed on the witness stand for a murder trial and a case they helped solve. But you won't believe the scary details of this sad case and just how accurate and detailed Kerr was…PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

For part two of our spooktacular Halloween special, we are taking a look back at our costumes from past Halloweens. Listen as we rank our costumes, telling some stories along the way. Stay safe and Happy Halloween, boos and ghouls! PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast 

On this week's spooktacular special episode for October, Felicia & Lauren read their favorite selections from "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark". They both stumbled upon this book series in their elementary schools way back in the early 2000s. The series has now been turned into a supernatural horror film produced by Guillermo del Toro. Listen to hear these delightfully funny and frightening stories.PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast 

On this week's spooktacular special episode for October, Felicia & Lauren both take us through a couple of extreme haunted houses! Felicia kicks it off with the grandfather of extreme haunts - Blackout. This notorious NYC/LA-based immersive horror experience, tailored to people's individual fears, was created in 2009 to be the antithesis of the traditional haunted house and has been called “more performance art than haunted house" by its creators. Participants had to sign a liability waiver as Blackout's performers are able to touch and physically interact with the participants. And yet it still pales in comparison to Lauren's pick this week: the infamous McKamey Manor. McKamey Manor was created in San Diego by madman Russ McKamey, who describes it as a "survival horror boot camp experience.” If you beat McKamey and the manor, you receive a $20,000 grand prize. No one has ever won this prize, but participants do have to sign a 40 page waiver. The experience may involve guests being physically assaulted, waterboarded, forced to eat and drink unknown substances, or being bound and gagged, but the list goes on. And as you can imagine much controversy surrounds McKamey Manor and its creator. Listen with caution this week for a very spooky and memorable episode. PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast 

Happy October boos & ghouls!

This week, it's an underground haunted historical close and an underwater ghost plane! First up, Felicia takes us on a tour of Mary King's Close - an area of ancient alleyways and abandoned houses under the Edinburgh City Chambers in the historic Old Town area of Edinburgh, Scotland. From plagues to poltergeists, naturally this area has had a reputation for dark misdoings and hauntings since the 17th century, as it soon became “shrouded in myths and urban legends; tales of hauntings and murders abounded.”Next, Lauren goes fishing for clues in the Monongahela River with the Mystery of Pittsburgh's “Ghost Bomber” of 1956. How does a 15-foot high B-25 bomber go missing in a 20-foot deep river never to be seen again? Well that's the mystery! Was it carrying dangerous or mysterious cargo that the government wanted gone? A nuclear weapon?! A UFO from Area 51?! To this day, the Ghost Bomber remains one of aviation's murkiest unsolved mysteries that's just plane weird.PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's witches & weddings! First,  Lauren uncovers the case of Lilias Adie - a Scottish woman who was accused of practicing witchcraft in 1704.  Adie was held in prison and interrogated  day after day for over a month before she confessed only to eventually die in prison. But because she died before she could be burned at the stake, the townspeople had to bury her unlike most witch trials of the time.  She was given a grave on the beach and her burial site was covered with a large stone so she couldn't rise from the dead. This was the only case of a sea interment of an accused witch in Scotland.Next, Felicia takes us through the history of wedding rituals. Have you ever wondered why people where white bridal gowns? Or why brides will throw their bouquet to single women? Weddings have a lot of strange traditions that have evolved over the years. Listen to learn more! PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, we're putting the Sinister Sisters spin on “fairy tale cottagecore!”First, Felicia peels back the page on the real life history behind the classic Grimm's Fairy Tales "Hansel and Gretel.” It may be a story we all know, not to mention one that provided plenty of nightmare fuel for the fire at bedtime as children, but the fact behind the fiction is far more horrifying than just witches eating children. The Great Famine of 1315-1317 that plagued Europe early in the 14th century led people to go to extreme lengths to stay alive…and if you know the fairy tale, well then you can imagine where it goes from here. Let's just say things get dark on the episode…leave a trail of breadcrumbs to find your way back. Next, Lauren explores the case of “The Cottingley Fairies” - a series of several photographs taken by young girls Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths in England in the early 1900s that supposedly showed real life fairies. Eventually the photos caught the attention of theosophist Edward Gardner and even Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The photos are still discussed and debated to this day - how did these girls with primitive photography equipment manage to fake such convincing? Or did they actually provide photographic proof of the existence of these mythical creatures from folklore?!PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

The world is all about aliens right now and so is Sinister Sisters this week! First up, Lauren explores the UFO phenomena through the ages, hitting the historical highlights going all the way back to when the Halley's Comet was first observed in 240 BC! Then on to the modern UFO frenzy that began when Kenneth Arnold sighted nine unidentified flying objects in Washington in 1947 (the same year as the infamous Roswell crash). She also gives some background on past government programs to investigate UFO sightings, leading listeners right into... Felicia covering the recent US Congressional hearing on UFOs (or UAPs as they're referred to) that took place on Wednesday July 26, 2023. Unless you live under a rock around Area 51, three former military officials testified to Congress that the US government knows much more about UFOs and aliens than they are telling the public and can provide proof. Felicia explores and explains the most significant and shocking claims from this hours-long hearing.#IWantToBelieve #TheTruthIsOutThere

This week, it's the curse of Macbeth and the mystery of a missing man named Marx!First, Felicia explores the dramatic history of “The Curse of Macbeth!” For 400 years, theatre kids have lived in fear from simply uttering the name of the famous William Shakespeare play in a theater, for they may be the ones that tragedy befalls. But what is the origin behind this long-held stage superstition? And is there actually evidence of a real curse?!Next, Lauren covers the mysterious case of missing man Steve Carter aka Marx Panama Barnes. Carter wasn't actually missing but his past was…that was until he found his own face while searching a missing person's website! But how did this New Jersey man end up in a Hawaiian orphanage as a child?! And what happened to his birth parents and those missing years from his childhood?!PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's paranormal stories from The Aloha State to True Crime in the wrestling world. First, Lauren explores the “Kasha House of Kaimuki” in Honolulu, Hawaii - one of the state's most well-known urban legends and considered one of the most haunted places on the island. The paranormal activity in this historic haunted home spans decades, dating all the way back to August 1942 in which the police were called to shoo a ghost (as the actual headline in a Hawaiian newspaper read). 30-years-later, Halloween 1972, another attack by the angry spirit, including on the police officer who responded to the call. But this is not your normal neighborhood ghost…listen to find out about the man-eating ghost creature from Japanese folklore that is believed to be behind this house of horrors!Next, Felicia tells us the tragic story of Bruiser Brody aka Frank Goodish, a professional wrestler from the ‘80s who was stabbed by another wrestler backstage before a match and later died. But was Bruiser Brody's killing a case of self defense? Or did someone take the rivalry too far outside of the ring…PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's icebergs and Icelandic monsters!First, Felicia discusses the Titan submarine incident that's been sinking the news recently. In case you live under a rock (or an actual iceberg) and haven't seen the headlines, a small submersible carrying 5 people (including the founder of the company that operates the vessel) to explore the wreckage of the Titanic went mysteriously missing, thus giving us this generation's “Baby Jessica in the well.” But with all of our modern technology, how can something like this happen?! *For the record, we recorded this episode prior to recent findings from the international recovery team that discovered debris from the submarine, confirming a catastrophic imploding of the vessel on its descent. All five people onboard are now believed to have been instantly killed in the incident.  Our hearts will go on…Next, Lauren tells us about the Draugr - an undead creature from Nordic folklore / Scandinavian saga literature and folktales! The Draugr may have similarities to other creatures we know - zombies, ghosts, or even vampires…but it's their magical abilities set them apart. We're talking shape-shifting, seeing the future, cursing victims, creating temporary darkness in the day, possessing superhuman strength, entering the dreams of the living, being immune to all weapons…even controlling the weather! If this sounds like something out of a J.R.R Tolkien novel, you're right on the "barrow-wight.”PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's murderous mobs in town squares in New Orleans & murderous cults in evil buildings in New York! First up, Lauren takes a trip down south to her favorite city and takes us into a True Crime story she herself was spooked by on a recent ghost tour in New Orleans! In 1891, eleven Italian Americans were murdered by a mob for their rumored role in the killing of a police chief. None of them were actually proven to be guilty of the murder…but that didn't stop a group of angry townspeople from violently attacking them. Some say if you visit NOLA's Congo Square today, you may feel the spirits of the victims or even hear their voices crying out for help. Is The Big Easy really The Big Sleazy?!Next, it's from New Orleans to New York as Felicia uncovers a very recent fire that ravaged a four-story house in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn just this week. But this was no ordinary Brooklyn hipster home! This was known as the “House of Evil” - an infamous building historic for being the headquarters of Reverend Devernon “Doc” LeGrand's church in the 1960s/1970s as well as the site of his horrific acts. Devernon was a kind of cult leader, a scam artist, a rapist, and a murderer who peddled teenage "nuns,” put kids in cages, and many more violent crimes. WARNING: Devernon's disgusting, deplorable acts that are depicted in this episode are pretty brutal are not for the faint of heart, so please listen with caution.PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's killer pastries and ghostly patients!First up this week, Felicia covers the case of Viktoria Nasyrova - a woman who was convicted just this year in February 2023 for poisoning her friend Olga Tsvyk...with a slice of cheesecake! Right in the Cheesecake Capital - New York City! But why did one woman poison the other? Viktoria and Olga eerily resembled each other at the time, both were Russian speakers…was Viktoria trying to steal Olga's identity?! It's a case of pie-dentity theft!Next, Lauren explores Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, KY - a hospital that treated tuberculosis patients in the early 1900s. In the decades since, the building has housed numerous institutions: a sanatorium, a nursing home, a prison, and a haunted house (naturally).  But has it also been home to some patients that checked in but never checked out?! Waverly Hills is now known as one of the most haunted hospitals in the United States! Find out about its cursed “Body Chute" aka "Death Tunnel” and its numerous notorious spirits that haunt its historic halls. PS: If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's the mysterious murder of a school teacher + a history lesson on an infamous, iconic horror theater!First up this week, Lauren covers Dead Woman's Crossing in Custer County, Oklahoma! This cursed location and urban legend gets its name from the unsolved murder of a woman way back in 1905, whose ghost supposedly haunts the bridge area. School teacher Katie DeWitt James did not deserve to die like she did, but she makes up for it by still spooking locals today. At first glance, it might seem to be just another spot for local legends and paranormal experiences…but there is definitely more to this story.Next, and speaking of school teachers, Felicia puts on her teacher glasses to give us a history lesson on the Parisian Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol, or The Grand Guignol Theatre. Open from 1897 to 1962, this theater in Paris specialized in graphic, intense horror shows (that even went on to inspire a genre of horror films). Listen to learn more about the history of the theater, as well as some of the specific gory plays that were performed. Try not to faint or vomit like audience members once did! If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

On this week's episode, it's Rosemary's Baby and Nure-onna's baby! First, Felicia explores the infamous curse of the iconic 1968 cinematic masterpiece, Rosemary's Baby. It is of course considered one of the greatest horror films of all time…but have you heard about the scary stuff behind-the-scenes?! From crazy coincidences to eerie occurrences to multiples deaths and even the Manson murders, the devil may have possessed Rosemary's baby both on and off screen. Next, following up the Penanggalan from January, Lauren discusses another fearsome folklore from the Japanese yōkai - the Nure-onna! This vampiric sea she-serpent (also knows a ”wet woman”) is a bloodthirsty creature resembling a reptilian with the head of a woman and the body of a snake who eats humans, sometimes by luring them with a baby she's holding. If you were afraid of snakes before…If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

On this week's episode, it's Goldi-Lugosi and the Three Bears!First up, Lauren claws back the true (crime) story behind COCAINE BEAR! While the movie might feature over-the-top mauling and a drug-fueled animal-attack man massacre in the forest from a Black Bear hopped up on coke, the real story is far less gory and way more sad…for the bear, that is. Next she explores two additional true life bear attacks that occurred in Montana…and, unlike the first one, these are grizzly. Listen if you can bear it. Next, Felicia tells us about a potentially cursed and haunted mirror that was once owned by none other than Bela Lugosi! Mr. Lugosi was of course the OG Dracula in the Universal Monster movies, but he also had a strange and spooky life off-screen, as it appears that his interest in spiritualism and the occult wasn't just research for his roles. Uncover the paranormal experiences people have had around the mirror, IF YOU DARE!If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcastKillin Missin HiddenTHE podcast about bad things! Hosted by a former criminal defense trial attorney,...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

This week, it's Part 2 of 2 very female-focused sinister sister stories!Sometimes love is blind…but sometimes love blinds you! Lauren tells the tragic 1970s true story of Linda Riss, a beautiful Bronx woman who fell in love with an older man - a New York City-based lawyer named Burton N. Pugach. But when she found out he had a whole other life, with a wife and a family, she ended the affair abruptly. This enraged Burton, even to the point that he hired men to throw lye in Linda's face, blinding her for life. And yet shockingly this is not where their tabloid love story ends…but you'll have to listen to find out why they were in the news again (and even went on to have a documentary “Crazy Love” and a book “A Very Different Love Story” published about them) for what has been called “one of the most celebrated crimes of passion in New York history!”If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

This week, it's Part 1 of 2 very sinister sister stories!Felicia covers the American true crime case of Nannie Doss, otherwise known as the Giggling Granny (aka the Lonely Hearts Killer, the Black Widow, and Lady Blue Beard) - a rare female serial killer responsible for the deaths of 11 people around Oklahoma between the 1920s and 1950s. But they didn't call her granny for nothing, as each murder was someone closely related to her, including 4 husbands! But she didn't stop there at the old family tree…find out how fun her family reunions were on this week's episode! If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

On this week's episode, it's two true life stories - one scary, spidery and one sad, “sappy!”First, Lauren tells the story of “The Denver Spider Man” aka Theodore Edward Coneys - a terminally ill man who was told by doctors that he would not make it to his 18th birthday. Well he proved them wrong…but what horrifying lengths did he go to to survive in his twisted web of his life & lies?! Next, Felicia explores one of the most wild true stories we've ever covered! On January 15, 1919, a giant storage tank filled with molasses burst, sending a tidal wave of molasses through the streets of Boston. The “Great Molasses Flood,” also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster, resulted in a massive amount of damage, injuries, and even several deaths. The rumor is you can still smell molasses on hot days in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Molassachusetts!If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

On this week's episode, it's living with wild animals and a wild story of dating the dead! First, Felicia explores the tale of Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja, a Spanish man who was quite literally raised by wolves, as he lived among the animals as a feral child from ages 7 to 19. Hear how the wolves protected Pantoja and taught him how to survive in the wild before he was brought back to society and forced to acclimate. Next, Lauren explores the too-haunt-to-handle case of Amethyst Realm, a woman who brings new meaning to the pet name "my boo" as she claims to have had 20 ghost lovers! Realm says she has had everything from one night stands with poltergeist to even being engaged to a paranormal entity?! I guess Demi Moore isn't the only one to find love with a ghost...but when your dating life is that bad, it's really a grave situation. If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

On this week's episode, you might not want to stay in the house because its haunted...but you might not want to go outside with your ghost umbrella either! First, Lauren explores the Ackley House - a spooky mansion just ten minutes away from  Sleepy Hollow in Nyack, New York. This historic Victorian home is famous for being America's first legally haunted house! But what led to it being part of a court trial known as "The Ghostbusters Ruling?"Next, Felicia opens up on the Kasa-Obake - a mythical Muppet-like ghost creature from Japanese folklore that might be our cutest albeit weirdest topic yet! We don't want to give too much away but since it's the day after Rihanna's possessed Super Bowl Halftime performance, let's just say, "You can stand under our Kasa-obake, ake, ake, eh, eh, eh." If you have requests for future episodes or just want to hang out, follow us on Instagram @sinistersisterspodcast

We've got stories about two free-spirited women this week! First up, Felicia covers the romantic story of Angela McPherson and Derek McGillivray. Angela never expected to meet her true love when she walked into Derek's therapy office. He guided her through a past life regression session and she had visions of the two of them being together in a previous life. Next, Lauren discusses Isobel Gowdie, a Scottish woman who confessed to witchcraft in 1662. What really set her apart was that the confessions were incredibly detailed. Listen to hear all four of her specific stories of encounters with the Devil. 

This week, it's two tales of creepy creatures! Grotesque Ghost Heads and Goblins galore! First up, Lauren covers the Penanggalan - a nocturnal vampiric creature originating in Malaysian folklore that's unlike anything you've ever seen or heard of! This hideous entity appears as a floating, disembodied female head with its trailing organs and tail-like intestines still attached. It's like if Medusa and a slimy snake made a Black Magic baby that bursts into a ball of flames! But are they ghosts? Or is it a witch? Or something even more? Listen to hear how these decapitated undead creatures are created and what they could possibly want from the living… Next, Felicia discusses a more commonly seen creepy creature - Goblins! Of course we've all seen Goblins in their many forms, in everything from myths to movies and just as a general term for a creature, but Felicia talks about several unique kinds. Some of these little monsters might be relatively harmless, but others are just looking to dip their cap in your blood... 

On this week's episode, we're back to our simplest sinister stories - haunted buildings and haunted bodies! For Felicia, it's a hometown haunt and for Lauren, it's an embalmed corpse (yes, yet another). First, Felicia explores the historic Landon House - right down the street from where she grew up in Maryland! Growing up, it hosted a spooktacular Haunted House every year for Halloween...but is the actual building haunted itself?!Then, Lauren uncovers “The Legend of La Pascualita - The Corpse Bride.” For more than 90 years, tourists have flocked to a bridal shop in Chihuahua, Mexico…but they aren't there to see the wedding gowns. There's an urban legend that the very lifelike window model, nicknamed “La Pascualita,” could possibly be a perfectly preserved body! Is she mannequin or mummy?!

It's Part 2 of our first episode of 2023! Last week, it was reincarnation of the dead, and this week it's speaking to the dead from beyond the Spirit Board as Felicia takes us through the history of Ouija!The “origins of evil” of this séance-based board game are much more recent than we thought…and possibly less sinister?!And as a bonus, we also share some of our own Boo Year's stories with some recent paranormal experiences over the holidays! 

New year, new spooky stories! Welcome back, sinister listeners and happy 2023! We are back from the dead (aka a much needed holiday break) with a two-part episode, setting sail with a spooky reincarnation story from Lauren. Jamey was a seemingly normal child, except for his fear of water and abnormal obsession with the Titanic at his age. But is it possible he lived a past life…as Thomas Andrews - the architect of the The Ship of Dreams?! Find out more about this icy, chilling tale featured on "The Ghost Inside My Child.”And our heart will go on, as we will be back next week with Felicia's topic! PS: For 2023, we will be releasing three episodes per month instead of our usual four.

Happy Halloween, boys & ghouls! This week we have a treat (and maybe even a few tricks) - it's a special All Hallows' Eve Q&A spooktacular episode answering all your burning jack-o'-lantern questions submitted via Instagram!

Happy Halloween boos & ghouls!

Happy Halloween boos & ghouls!

Happy Halloween boos & ghouls!

Happy Halloween boos & ghouls!

On this week's episode, Felicia's urban legend might be the Greatest Of All Time while Lauren's cultural tale might be the weirdest of all time! First, Felicia explores the urban legend of the Goatman of Maryland - a half goat / half human hybrid cryptid who is rumored to reside in the woods of Prince George's County and reportedly responsible for countless unexplained dog disappearances & deaths over the decades since the 1970s. There are several theories on this Greek mythology-inspired urban legend with how the Goatman may have come to be…but is truth stranger than fiction?Next, Lauren documents the funeral rituals of the Torajan people on Sulawesi Island. Every 3 years, for more than 900 years, the people of the Lembang Paton Village perform the Ma'nene death ritual aka "The Ceremony of Cleaning Corpses" in which natives of this Indonesian island dig up the bodies of their dead mummified relatives to clean them, dry them, and nicely dress them to spend time with them before burying them again. If you thought your family get-togethers were awkward…Smells Like HumansLike spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

This week we're going Gothic with 2 classic monsters universally known and the true tales behind their masks! First, Lauren uncovers a case centering around recent discovery of alleged remains of a female "vampire" in the Polish village of Pień. In September 2022, archaeologists unearthed a skeleton dating to the 17th-century that featured some strange burial rituals, including a sickle across its neck and a padlock on its toe. The skull also has a large protruding fang-like tooth! Lauren also explores the 17th & 18th-Century Vampire Controversy in which real life superstition surrounding vampires ran rampant in Eastern Europe, leading to countless deaths and odd burials much like our own Salem Witch Trials stateside. Next, Felicia tells the true story behind the Phantom of the Opera and all of the true life details that inspired French author Gaston Leroux to write his classic novel first published in 1910. Which of course went on to inspire everything from the Universal Monsters movie from 1925 starring Lon Chaney to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway smash hit musical. And with the musical finally closing after its epic 35 year run, it feels only fitting to finally learn more about the real history behind the page, the stage, and the screen! In fact, the real life tragedy that took place in an actual Parisian theatre might be even more upsetting than the masked Phantom's tragic tale…

This week, we're both covering stories from The Lone Star State with a couple of con people! Where's that Southern hospitality?!

This week, we're going from fires underground to “fires in the sky”!

On this week's episode it's possessed bodies and bodies without identities! First up: we've of course covered specific exorcism cases on the show, but on this episode, Felicia exercises the demons and explores the broad history of exorcisms, dating all the way back to written text to modern day, with roots in religion and the Catholic church. Then Lauren covers the mysterious case of The Somerton Man - this well-dressed mystery man was found on the shores of a beach in an Australian suburb with no clear cause of death, no identification and only random objects in his pocket, including a scrap of paper with the Persian phrase “tamám shud” (“is finished”). It's one of the most perplexing mysteries from down under that has plagued amateur sleuths and armchair detectives alike for nearly 75 years! But has the who in this whodunnit finally been solved in this year thanks to forensic genetic genealogy?!Smells Like HumansLike spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Talk To Talk ClubWhere I talk about anything and Everything, from mental health , music , social media...Listen on: Spotify

We're back with Part 2 of our paranormal 2-parter from last week! This week, Lauren is up as she explores the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, Missouri - said to be one of the top ten most haunted places in America! Built in the 1860s, this mansion just off the Mississippi River has been everything from a millionaire's home to a boarding house and even a dead, er, bed-and-breakfast as it is today. But is it also home to specters, spirits, and spooks?! Find out the history of this historic and haunted house and its storied paranormal activity through the ages in this week's episode!

This week, there was so much to pack in that it's a spooky 2-parter, featuring Felicia's story this week and Lauren's story next week! First up this week, Felicia explores the phenomena of NDE's, or Near-Death Experiences, as she focuses on the story of Pam Reynolds - a singer/songwriter who was knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door during a brain operation. Her story has been purported as proof for out-body-experiences and life after death, with near-death studies proponents considering her operating table tale “evidence of the survival of consciousness after death.” Step into the light with us, Carol Anne, to find out in this week's episode! And tune-in next week as Lauren explores The Lemp Mansion - one of the ten most haunted places in America!PNW Haunts & Homicides Join Caitlyn & Cassie for chat about true crime and the paranormal in the PNW.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In this week's episode, it's haunted towns in Connecticut all the way to haunted hospitals in Costa Rica! Lauren explores the abandoned settlement and real life “ghost town” of Dudleytown in northwestern Connecticut. Settled in the early 1740s, this town (which was never an actual town) has been closed to the public since the mid-1900s. Was it a curse placed on the Dudley family that caused the demise of Dudleytown? And do ghosts still haunt this ghost town? Then from North America to South America, Felicia explores another possibly haunted, definitely deserted location - the Durán Sanatorium! Built in 1918 to treat tuberculosis patients as well as an asylum for the mentally ill, it was later used as an orphanage and then a prison. That is, until it was abandoned in the 1970s after the Irazú Volcano erupted nearby and damaged the building. Guess that's why they call it the most haunted place in Costa Rica!Smells Like HumansLike spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify True Crime BlackThe True Crime genre doesn't always include equity in its storytelling. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In this week's episode, Felicia dives into the true story behind the horror movie classic, The Changeling. In the late 1960s, composer Russell Hunter experienced strange paranormal activity in an old home in Denver. This story has hidden staircases, ghost little boys, and of course, a red rubber ball. Lauren covers a freaky cryptid with more first hand sightings than most. The Enfield Monster was first seen in April 1973 in Enfield, Illinois. These early sightings blew up in the media and led to a wave of hysteria and panic in the small town. Could it be an alien, an escaped zoo animal, or perhaps just social contagion at its finest? Smells Like HumansLike spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify What if They're Wrong?The podcast that wants YOU to question everything. If you're into the fringe, then...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

This week, it's spooky staircases in the woods and spookier castles in the Scottish countryside!First, Lauren explores the unexplained phenomena of “staircases in the woods” - like something out of an MC Escher piece, these mysterious isolated wooden or stone staircases have been found deep in numerous national parks & forests (and now across the world) with no signs of structures attached to them, seemingly leading nowhere…or do they?! Are they gateways to hell or other dimensions?! Are they pulpits for Satanic cult rituals?! What are they for?! Who is walking up them?! Take your own steps to find out...listen if you dare!Next, Felicia picks up from last week with Part 2 of Glamis Castle aka “The most haunted castle in Scotland.” 300 years before the “Monster of Glamis” Thomas Lyon-Bowes, the Lady Glamis Janet Douglas Lyon was burned as a witch in 1537 at only 39-years-old after she was falsely accused of witchcraft and plotting to poison King James V. She was one of 2,000 Scots (mostly women) burned as a witches at Castlehill between 1479-1722, when Edinburgh was the witch-burning capital of Europe. These witch hunts targeted women, especially those with any kind of power or property and/or who challenged the patriarchy. Find out more about Scotland's own Salem Witch Trails this week! Smells Like HumansLike spending time with funny friends talking about curious human behavior. Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify You Didn't Ask with Frankie & TishThe prescription for your boredom woes in an all encompassing package! Two best ghoul...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In this week's episode, it's knightly castles and Nightcrawlers! Felicia uncovers brick-by-brick the spooky happenings at the historic Glamis Castle in Scotland in part one of a two part story! The site is known as "Scotland's Most Beautiful Castle"...but is it also Scotland's most boo'tiful?! This first story revolves around the chilling tale of Thomas Lyon-Bowes who, as legend has it, was born deformed and locked away in the castle, cursed to live out his years as "The Monster of Glamis Castle." Then from 1820s UK to 2020s US as Lauren investigates the freaky Fresno Nightcrawlers - a modern urban legend and Internet mythology creature that has been captured on neighborhood surveillance cameras in the California suburb amongst other regions. The videos caught of these Cryptids are more believable and disturbing than any others we've covered on the podcast...but are thy real or a real good hoax? twInsanitytwInsanity is hosted by a pair of twin brothers who love to talk about anything and...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify