In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous book The Great Gatsby, there are two deaths.  The first was an accidental hit-and-run incident when character Daisy Buchanan hits a woman while driving main character Gatsby’s car.  Because of this, Gatsby takes the blame.  The second is when character George Wilson, husband of the woman who was run over by the car, shoots Gatsby.  George believes that Gatsby was responsible for his wife’s death, and shoots him before turning the gun on himself.

It is believed that a murder and subsequent scandal may have inspired Fitzgerald’s book.  This scandal captivated a nation, but no one was ever brought to justice. 

So put on some choir music, my spooky friends.  You are about to hear the tale about the deaths of a minister and a choir singer that may have inspired a famous work of literature.  But before we start, here is a little heads-up.  Today, we will be talking about a graphic crime scene.  Listener discretion is advised.

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Have you ever stopped at a fast food restaurant late at night?  You walk in and hear the fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, and one or two exhausted workers are staring at you, waiting for you to order.  The silence is hanging in the air like a thick fog until the person at the till tells you the total of what you owe.  But for some customers in fast food places, they sometimes catch something out of the corner of their eye.  A shadow, a whisper, a presence that doesn’t belong.

So put in your orders, my spooky friends.  You are about to hear the tales of haunted fast food places around the world, and I hope you’re not too hungry

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

Here is the link for The Raccoon Incident that we spoke about in this episode: https://www.cbc.ca/player/video/1.6720665

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In the quiet heart of the Hungarian countryside lies a small village that, on first glance, appears sleepy and peaceful.  But behind this charm is a grim legacy.  It is soaked in arsenic and whispered secrets.  Between the years of 1914 and 1929, this tiny village became the unlikely stage for one of the most chilling mass murder conspiracies in European history.

So put away your potions, my spooky friends.  You are about to hear the tale of the Angel Makers of Nagyrev

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

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Perched high above the Scottish capital, sitting on a rock ledge on Castle Rock, stands one of the most iconic and haunted fortresses in the world: Edinburgh Castle.  It has been a place of blood, betrayal, and brutal history.  It’s also a place where the cries of the past echo off stone walls, and the shadows of the dead are within your reach.

So put on your crowns, my spooky friends.  You are about to hear the tale of one of the oldest fortified places in Europe, whose past continues to shape the present.

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

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There is one prison that is known around the world.  Alcatraz gained a reputation for being one of the most feared prisons in the United States.  It was known for housing the worst of the worst, and symbolized severe punishment and hopelessness.  Some of those who felt this despair died at Alcatraz and never left.  

So break out your handcuffs, my spooky friends.  You are about to hear the tale about a place that has been many things: a military fortress, a federal prison, a place of resistance, and, as some believe, a trap for the dead.

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

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Randall Woodfield had it all. He was an excellent student and a star athlete. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers and was chosen by Playgirl magazine as a candidate for their centrefold. Girls flocked to him, but he wasn’t interested in having a relationship with them. He wanted them dead.

So get out your pens and paper, my spooky friends. You are about to hear the tale about a man who, on the outside, looked like he had the perfect life. But on the inside was a monster that filled every woman within his grasp with fear and terror. Before we start today, be forewarned, we will be talking about crimes against children, sexual assault and murder. Listener discretion is advised.

Our website is the spot for everything spooky! Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

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Imagine for a moment that someone knocks on your door.  It is the police, and they take your son away to give him to another family to appease them.  How would you react, and how far would you go to get your son back?

So get comfortable, my spooky friends.  You are going to hear a tale that would be any parent’s worst nightmare

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

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My BFF and I have been friends since we were teenagers.  About a thousand years ago, he and I made a joking deal.  If he wanted to have someone killed, I would have to do it so he wouldn’t get implicated.  If I wanted someone dead, he had to do the same.  For years, whenever one of us has a bad day, we text each other saying things like, “You better go out and buy some garbage bags”.  This has been our running joke for what seems to be forever.  But in all seriousness, he and I are not killers or plan to ever be.  It is just a dark joke between spooky BFFs. 

So, go out and buy some duct tape, my spooky friends.  You are going to hear about some people who show how far some will go for their friends

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

To hear another episode about friendship gone wrong, check out our episode called Killing for Kicks: The Tale of Rich Boy Dellen Millard by clicking on this link.

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We have a special treat for you all, my spooky friends!  Today, we are presenting an episode from the podcast Police Off the Cuff.  The host is former NYPD Sergeant Bill Cannon, who is discussing the Idaho College Case with several true crime experts: Mike Geary (retired NYPD Sergeant and Professor at Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut, USA) and Dr. Joni Johnston (Author, Forensic Psychologist, and host of the podcast Unmasking a Murder).

The panel shares their insights from their law enforcement backgrounds to analyze this case, including the investigation process and the disturbing details of this crime that you haven't heard before, like the fact that Bryan Kohberger stalked and killed four students in a well-planned, well-researched attack speaks volumes about his psychology. They discuss the evidence of a deeply disturbed mind of Bryan Kohberger.

This episode dives into the Idaho 4 murders, exploring the crime scene and some of the unusual clues found. Bill Cannon and other experts discuss various theories related to true crime and offer their analysis of the evidence and potential criminal profiles. Was it a psycho sexually motivated killer or something else?  You can find Police of the Cuff wherever you find your favourite podcasts or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/PpoliceofftheCuff/video

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

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In fiction books and fairy tales, many stepmothers range from being not nice to being evil murderers.  From Snow White’s envy-filled evil queen and Cinderella’s greedy Lady Tremaine, there is no shortage of these types of characters in literature.  At the minimum, these villains are painted as cold, devious, and uncaring.  A great example of this is Lady Tremaine, who forces Cinderella into back-breaking labour while encouraging her biological children to verbally abuse their stepsister.  

Today, stepmothers are often thought of in a less favourable light than any other family member.  People make presumptions that they are less affectionate, unfair, and at times hateful.  Although blended families do face challenges and conflict that could reinforce some of these stereotypes, no evidence supports the idea of a wicked stepmother.  Research shows that stepmothers provide extra love and support for their stepchildren.  But the women that we are talking about today embrace the evil stereotype.  

So light a candle and turn out the lights, my spooky friends.  You are going to hear about some mothers who redefine the term of evil stepmother.  But be aware, today we will be talking about child abuse and murder.  Listener discretion is advised.

Our website is the spot for everything spooky!  Go to https://horrifying-history-shop.fourthwall.com to watch our history videos, find our social media links, read our spooky blog, get some great creepy merch, and join our fan club! If you are a member of our fan club, you will receive a permanent discount in our store while you are a member, and get our episodes a week early.  You will also get a bonus episode each week.

To hear more stories about horrible family members, listen to our episode called The Real Story Behind the Movie 'The Orphan', click here.

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