In 1483, beneath the cold stones of the Tower of London, two young brothers—Edward V and Richard of York—vanished into the shadows of history. Was it a knight’s trembling hand guided by loyalty or the dark whispers of a ruthless king that sealed their fate? And what role could a humble barley-stuffed pillow play in one of England’s most infamous mysteries?

Join us for this episode of Plantagenet Murder as we unravel the secrets of betrayal, power, and the deadly intersection of history and agriculture. From the blood-soaked fields of Towton to the shadowed corridors of the Tower, we’ll explore the twists and turns of a murder that reshaped the course of a nation—and ask the question that still echoes centuries later: who killed the Princes in the Tower?

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A Clever > Than Production

Show theme: Poetic Justice by John Humphrey PRS

Publisher: 2496 Sound and Music

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In this gripping episode of Plant Murder, we delve into the tragic and mysterious story of Violet Sharp, a young British maid entangled in the shadow of the Lindbergh kidnapping. Amid the frenzy of America's most infamous crime, Violet’s life unraveled under relentless scrutiny, shifting alibis, and mounting suspicion. Her tragic death—by poison with the scent of bitter almonds—left behind questions of guilt, innocence, and the crushing weight of systemic injustice. Was she a scapegoat for a desperate nation seeking answers, or did she carry dark secrets to her grave? Join us as we explore the storm of class, grief, and vengeance that turned Violet’s life into a cautionary tale of justice gone awry.

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A Clever > Than Production

Show theme: Poetic Justice by John Humphrey PRS

Publisher: 2496 Sound and Music

Some Ambiences composed by Michael Ghelfi Studios

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Step into the fog-drenched streets of 19th-century Baltimore, where one of literature's darkest minds, Edgar Allan Poe, took his final, mysterious steps. Was it madness, murder, or something far stranger that led to Poe’s demise? This episode of Plant Murder uncovers an unexpected suspect: the Ugni Blanc grape, the humble foundation of cognac, a drink that Poe may have known too well. We journey through his tangled life and storied obsessions, tracing the poisonings, heartbreak, and rumors of alcoholism that tainted his final days.

Could the pale grape and its potent spirit have been one of his last companions, pulling him into a fevered haze? Or does something more sinister lie beneath the city’s gas-lit glow? We examine the enigma of Poe’s missing days and the haunting legacy he left behind.

Join us for this exploration of Edgar Allan Poe’s final days in this spine-chilling Plant Murder episode.

Written and narrated by Aaron J. Reardon

Exceptional Voice Talents:

Edgar Allan Poe - Jeremiah Dalton

Frances Sargent Osgood - Tali Hamilton

Special thanks to The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore

Subscribe for ongoing episodes, please rate and review to help the show.

Plant Murder Ad free episodes, extra, discussion and polls:

https://www.patreon.com/Cleverthan

A Clever > Than Production

Show theme: Poetic Justice by John Humphrey PRS

Publisher: 2496 Sound and Music

Some Ambiences composed by Michael Ghelfi Studios

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claudius, the emperor of Rome, is seated at a feast surrounded by his family, his trusted servants, and an assortment of delicacies. but something about this night is different. It happens fast—. One minute, he’s gorging himself on his favorite foods, the next, he collapses, and vomits blood across the mosaic floor, his body convulsing. Within hours, he’s dead. As Claudius lay gasping for breath on the cold marble floor, his body wracked with convulsions, the evidence of his murder was already slipping away. What killed him? Poison in the mulsum wine. The stuffed dormice, the oysters? Or his favorite, a tiny hidden killer – slipped onto his place of Mushrooms! And who put it there?

Join us for this episode of Roman intrigue as we peel back the mystery and determine if it was Plant Murder!

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Written and narrated by Aaron J Reardon

Voice Talents

Quotes - Tali Hamilton

Tacitus - John Kennard

*A note on ableism and Claudius: While history often mocks Claudius as a fool, it’s important to remember that these slights were due to his perceived indecisiveness and political naivety, not his physical afflictions. His stammer, limp, and other challenges were frequently weaponized against him by a ruthless elite, but his struggles did not define his intellect or accomplishments. In fact it showed great strength of character to weather those slights and persist. Claudius’ weakness lay in his trusting nature, not in his disabilities. It is my hope that this episode reflects that understanding.

Sources for this episode:

The many fantastic lectures of historian Mary Beard (youtube)

Swindle, Jenifer M. A Rhetorical Use of Women in Tacitus' Annales (2003

Aveline, John. The Death of Claudius (2004)

Carney, T.F. The Changing Picture of Claudius (1960)

Green, C.M.C. Claudius, Kingship, and Incest (1998) -

Griffin, Miriam. Claudius in Tacitus (1990)

Grimm-Samuel, Veronika. On the Mushroom That Deified the Emperor Claudius (1991)

Paschalis, Michael. The Afterlife of Emperor Claudius in Seneca's Apocolocyntosis (2009)

Vessey, D.W.T.C. Thoughts on Tacitus' Portrayal of Claudius (1971) 

Subscribe for ongoing episodes, please rate and review to help the show.

www.plantmuder.com

A Clever > Than Production

Show theme: Poetic Justice by John Humphrey PRS

Publisher: 2496 Sound and Music

Some Ambiences composed by Michael Ghelfi Studios

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teaser trailer for the upcoming episode - Claudius vs The Death Cap Mushroom

Was a powerful Roman emperor really murdered by a tiny mushroom?

Coming soon from Clever > Than and The Rusty Quill Network.

www.rustyquill.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.