In the final installment of our three-part investigative series, Ash and Kristen put the stories of Sally Horner, Jan Broberg, and the infamous novel Lolita side by side.

At first glance, these cases seem unrelated... a forgotten 1948 kidnapping, a shocking 1970s true crime case, and one of the most controversial novels ever written. But when you line them up, a disturbing pattern begins to emerge.

Authority.
Grooming.
Isolation.
Movement.
Social camouflage.
Narrative control.
Public misunderstanding.

In this episode, Ash breaks down the blueprint of coercive control that connects all three stories and explores how predators manipulate not just their victims, but the people and systems around them.

Because once you see the pattern… you can’t unsee it. And the more you recognize it, the harder it becomes for these stories to repeat themselves unnoticed.

TW: For everything mentioned above... this is an upsetting topic that I found very difficult to research, make sure to take care of yourselves 🫶

• Make sure to listen to TSFU Ep. 187 - KIDNAPPED: Sally Horner & The Real Story Behind Lolita (Part I) and TSFU Ep. 187 - KIDNAPPED: Jan Broberg & Abducted in Plain Sight - Part II (Re-Release) first!
• Here's the psychological warfare IG post that I referenced in the intro!! This woman explains what I mentioned in much greater and more understandable detail! 😅🫶

STUFF TO CHEER YOU UP:

1. Ash's list of "Comfort Shows" (and where to watch them for freeeee)
2. Ash learned a dance and actually filmed it... aka Ash dancing alone in …her yard aka "How Ash Likes to Party" 
3. Behind the scenes of Ash struggling to make a simple dance video ft. her SPARKLY BOOTS!

PODS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED:

1. It Could Happen Here- It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future.
2. Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.
3. Pod Save the World - A weekly podcast that breaks down international news and foreign policy developments, but doesn’t feel like homework.
4. This F*cking Guy - Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco, co-hosts of the podcast Hysteria, do a deep dive into the lives of some of the worst b*tches in the game - and let you know everything there is to know about their horrible, corrupt, and dishonest pasts.
5. Behind the Bastards - There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.
6. Gaslit Nation - Gaslit Nation provides a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Hosted by journalist and filmmaker Andrea Chalupa, an expert on authoritarian states who warned America about Russia and election hacking before the 2016 election.
7. The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Jon Stewart and The Daily Show News Team cover today's biggest headlines. The “Ears Edition” of The Daily Show features full episodes, extended content, exclusive interviews, and more.

• Join our Patreon for early releases, ad-free episodes, and tons of bonus content, including all 25 episodes of Ash Learns the Bible!
• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Follow us on Instagram, where Ash is actually starting to post again!
• We'd love to see you in our Discord, come hang out!
• Audio editing by Malissa Coulson.

PART III AVAILABLE NOW, AD-FREE, ON PATREON!

This week we’re revisiting one of the wildest and most disturbing cases we’ve ever covered: the abductions of Jan Broberg. This re-release is part two of our three-part investigative series exploring the disturbing patterns shared between the stories of Sally Horner, Jan Broberg, and the character known as "Lolita" or "Dolly" in the infamous novel Lolita.

Make sure to check out last week's episode first, TSFU Ep. 187 - KIDNAPPED: Sally Horner & The Real Story Behind Lolita (Part I), where Ash told the story of Sally Horner, the real child whose 1948 kidnapping would later echo inside Nabokov’s controversial novel. In the final installment of this series, we’ll put all three stories side by side and expose the shared blueprint of authority, grooming, isolation, social camouflage, narrative control, and public misunderstanding that links them.

Originally released in 2022, this episode dives into the case made famous by Netflix’s documentary Abducted in Plain Sight. Ash told Cam about how trusted family friend Robert Berchtold groomed not just Jan, but her entire family... before abducting her at ages 12 and 14.The deeper you look, the more unbelievable it gets: secret affairs with both of Jan’s parents, manipulation of an entire community, and a predator who managed to convince nearly everyone around him that he should be trusted. Berchtold had been abusing young girls since he was a child himself, and the adults around him repeatedly enabled it.

TW: For everything mentioned above... this is an upsetting topic that I found very difficult to research, make sure to take care of yourselves 🫶


STUFF TO CHEER YOU UP:

1. Ash's list of "Comfort Shows" (and where to watch them for freeeee)
2. Ash learned a dance and actually filmed it... aka Ash dancing alone in …her yard aka "How Ash Likes to Party" 
3. Behind the scenes of Ash struggling to make a simple dance video ft. her SPARKLY BOOTS!

PODS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED:

1. It Could Happen Here- It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future.
2. Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.
3. Pod Save the World - A weekly podcast that breaks down international news and foreign policy developments, but doesn’t feel like homework.
4. This F*cking Guy - Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco, co-hosts of the podcast Hysteria, do a deep dive into the lives of some of the worst b*tches in the game - and let you know everything there is to know about their horrible, corrupt, and dishonest pasts.
5. Behind the Bastards - There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.
6. Gaslit Nation - Gaslit Nation provides a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Hosted by journalist and filmmaker Andrea Chalupa, an expert on authoritarian states who warned America about Russia and election hacking before the 2016 election.
7. The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Jon Stewart and The Daily Show News Team cover today's biggest headlines. The “Ears Edition” of The Daily Show features full episodes, extended content, exclusive interviews, and more.

• Join our Patreon for early releases, ad-free episodes, and tons of bonus content, including all 25 episodes of Ash Learns the Bible!
• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Follow us on Instagram, where Ash is actually starting to post again!
• We'd love to see you in our Discord, come hang out!
• Audio editing by Lorenzo Alexander and Matt Miller.

PART II AVAILABLE NOW, AD-FREE, ON PATREON!

Ash and Kristen begin a three-part investigative series on the abduction of 11-year-old Sally Horner, the real child whose 1948 kidnapping would later echo inside one of the most controversial novels ever written, Lolita.

In Part I, Ash breaks down how a convicted sex offender posing as an FBI agent groomed and kidnapped Sally, launching a 21-month ordeal built on authority, manipulation, and fear.

Next week, we revisit the grooming and abduction of Jan Broberg. And in the finale, we put all three stories side by side- exposing the shared blueprint of coercive control, isolation, social camouflage, and narrative manipulation that connects them.

Because these aren’t just separate cases. They’re the same pattern... repeated.

TW: For everything mentioned above... this is an upsetting topic that I found very difficult to research, make sure to take care of yourselves 🫶


STUFF TO CHEER YOU UP:

1. Ash's list of "Comfort Shows" (and where to watch them for freeeee)
2. Ash learned a dance and actually filmed it... aka Ash dancing alone in …her yard aka "How Ash Likes to Party" 
3. Behind the scenes of Ash struggling to make a simple dance video ft. her SPARKLY BOOTS!

PODS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED:

1. It Could Happen Here- It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future.
2. Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.
3. Pod Save the World - A weekly podcast that breaks down international news and foreign policy developments, but doesn’t feel like homework.
4. This F*cking Guy - Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco, co-hosts of the podcast Hysteria, do a deep dive into the lives of some of the worst b*tches in the game - and let you know everything there is to know about their horrible, corrupt, and dishonest pasts.
5. Behind the Bastards - There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.
6. Gaslit Nation - Gaslit Nation provides a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Hosted by journalist and filmmaker Andrea Chalupa, an expert on authoritarian states who warned America about Russia and election hacking before the 2016 election.
7. The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Jon Stewart and The Daily Show News Team cover today's biggest headlines. The “Ears Edition” of The Daily Show features full episodes, extended content, exclusive interviews, and more.

• Join our Patreon for early releases, ad-free episodes, and tons of bonus content, including all 25 episodes of Ash Learns the Bible!
• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Follow us on Instagram, where Ash is actually starting to post again!
• We'd love to see you in our Discord, come hang out!
• Audio editing by Gaytrice Perdue.

Ash and Kristen continue their dive into the wildly controversial world of Graham Hancock and his hotly debated speculations!

In part two, the gals dig into Hancock’s Ancient Apocalypse era- breaking down his theory that a catastrophic comet wiped out an advanced civilization at the end of the last Ice Age, whose survivors may have spread knowledge of agriculture, astronomy, and architecture across the world. They explore mysterious Indonesian mountaintop ruins, buried structures, global mythology connections, archaeological pushback, debate-stage drama, and Hancock’s ventures into altered consciousness, psychedelics, and the eternal question: suppressed truth, misunderstood evidence… or just a really fascinating speculative rabbit hole?


STUFF TO CHEER YOU UP:

1. Ash's list of "Comfort Shows" (and where to watch them for freeeee)
2. Ash learned a dance and actually filmed it... aka Ash dancing alone in …her yard aka "How Ash Likes to Party" 
3. Behind the scenes of Ash struggling to make a simple dance video ft. her SPARKLY BOOTS!

PODS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED:

1. It Could Happen Here- It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future.
2. Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.
3. Pod Save the World - A weekly podcast that breaks down international news and foreign policy developments, but doesn’t feel like homework.
4. This F*cking Guy - Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco, co-hosts of the podcast Hysteria, do a deep dive into the lives of some of the worst b*tches in the game - and let you know everything there is to know about their horrible, corrupt, and dishonest pasts.
5. Behind the Bastards - There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.
6. Gaslit Nation - Gaslit Nation provides a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Hosted by journalist and filmmaker Andrea Chalupa, an expert on authoritarian states who warned America about Russia and election hacking before the 2016 election.
7. The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Jon Stewart and The Daily Show News Team cover today's biggest headlines. The “Ears Edition” of The Daily Show features full episodes, extended content, exclusive interviews, and more.

• Join our Patreon for early releases, ad-free episodes, and tons of bonus content, including all 25 episodes of Ash Learns the Bible!
• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Follow us on Instagram, where Ash is actually starting to post again!
• We'd love to see you in our Discord, come hang out!
• Audio editing by Tina Lukic.

PART II ALREADY OUT ON PATREON! IT'S AD-FREE, AND THERE'S A TON OF OTHER GREAT PATREON PERKS, JOIN US THERE!

Ash and Kristen begin their dive into the wildly controversial world of Graham Hancock and his hotly debated speculations. Along the way, they take approximately 700 Wikipedia detours through Gnosticism, Catharism, esoteric secret-knowledge clubs, and so much conspiracy-adjacent archaeology, religious relic lore, and Ice Age brain-melt timelines that Ash has to stop Kristen every 2-3 minutes to define something. So naturally, we had to make this a two-parter!

In part one, the gals talk about Hancock's journey from respected journalist to alternative archaeologist who digs into controversial theories about lost ancient civilizations and literally everything else throughout time and space. They dig into his greatest hits: the Ark of the Covenant, the Knights Templar, pyramids/Sphinx “they’re older than you think” chaos, the Face on Mars, and that whole “is this an ancient warning or just Virgin Mary on toast?” dilemma.


STUFF TO CHEER YOU UP:

1. Ash's list of "Comfort Shows" (and where to watch them for freeeee)
2. Ash learned a dance and actually filmed it... aka Ash dancing alone in …her yard aka "How Ash Likes to Party" 
3. Behind the scenes of Ash struggling to make a simple dance video ft. her SPARKLY BOOTS!

PODS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED:

1. It Could Happen Here- It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future.
2. Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay dissect the biggest topics in Black culture, politics, and sports. Two times per week, they will wade into the most important and timely conversations, frequently inviting guests on the podcast and occasionally debating each other.
3. Pod Save the World - A weekly podcast that breaks down international news and foreign policy developments, but doesn’t feel like homework.
4. This F*cking Guy - Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco, co-hosts of the podcast Hysteria, do a deep dive into the lives of some of the worst b*tches in the game - and let you know everything there is to know about their horrible, corrupt, and dishonest pasts.
5. Behind the Bastards - There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.
6. Gaslit Nation - Gaslit Nation provides a deep dive on the news, skipping outrage to deliver analysis, history, context, and sharp insight on global affairs. Hosted by journalist and filmmaker Andrea Chalupa, an expert on authoritarian states who warned America about Russia and election hacking before the 2016 election.
7. The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Jon Stewart and The Daily Show News Team cover today's biggest headlines. The “Ears Edition” of The Daily Show features full episodes, extended content, exclusive interviews, and more.

• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Follow us on Instagram, where Ash is actually starting to post again!
• We'd love to see you in our Discord, come hang out!
• Audio editing by Gaytrice Perdue.

NEW EPISODE OUT ON PATREON TODAY! Free feed friends, catch us for a brand new episode next Friday or join our Patreon for early, ad-free access and much more!

Ash and former co-host Michelle Mosher are joined by hilarious historian, host of HILF: History I'd Like To Fck, Dawn Brody! For Valentine's Day 2023 the gals brought you your own tales of dating, romance and love gone wrong.We got a toooon of submissions from Colorado, Denver in particular... ladies of Denver, STAY STRONG! We are so sorry, and thank you for sharing your horror stories with us! Be safe out there everyone, love hurts.

Find Dawn from HILF: History I'd Like To Fck here:

• https://www.dawnbrodey.com/

Follow HILF: History I'd Like To Fck on:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HILFpodcast/
• Dawn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawn_brodey/

• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• We'd love to see you in our Discord, come hang out!
• Audio engineering by Audio editing by Emma Bowen.
• Intro background music courtesy of: https://www.youtube.com/@HapterMusic

NEW EPISODE COMING TO PATREON THIS FRIDAY! Free feed friends, catch us for a brand new episode next week or join our Patreon for early, ad-free access and much more!

This week we take another trip down TSFU memory lane to V-Day 2022 when Ash and Cam read stories from Kristine, who met a potential cult leader on a dating app; an anonymous listener who was stalked by a terrifying Todd in college; and another anonymous listener whose co-worker was murdered by his step-son. Love kills y'all!

• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Audio engineering by Evette Darensbourg and Lexi Jackson.
• Intro background music courtesy of: https://www.youtube.com/@HapterMusic

Join Ashley and Fallon as they reconnect after a break, catching us up on life’s latest ups and downs—housing insecurity, mental health struggles, and some serious community love. Fallon shares news about stepping back from co-hosting, and the gals dive headfirst into the spine-chilling tale of the Amityville Horror.

From the tragic DeFeo murders to the Lutz family’s eerie encounters, they cover paranormal scares, family drama, and the infamous investigations by Ed and Lorraine Warren. It’s a mix of personal updates, ghostly thrills, and supernatural skepticism! 

• To hear all 25 episodes of Ash Learns the Bible, plus early access to regular content, and ad-free versions of all 600 episodes in our catalog, visit our Patreon!
• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Edited by Ryan Truby.

Ash is joined by long time Guru and research assistant Celi Riojas as they wrap up the Devious Dolls season!

Ash tells Celi about one of the word's most infamous dolls, Annabelle. But the real Annabelle isn't like the scary one in the Conjuring movies, she's just an innocent looking Raggedy Anne doll... with very sinister intentions. Ashley also denounces her love of Ed and Lorraine Warren after finding out that Ed was allegedly sleeping with a 15 year old while married to Lorraine (which she apparently knew about), and that he was physically abusive towards Lorraine... Make sure to listen to TSFU Ep. 185- SPOOKY: The Smurl Haunting, The True Story Behind "The Conjuring: Last Rites" for all of the deets on THAT!

-Crave more stories involving hauntings, ghosts, demons, aliens, cryptids, conspiracies, curses and lore? Check out these episodes!

• Episode 10- Vampires: Vlad the Impaler and The Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory
• Dexter's Conjectures 1- The Curse of King Tut's War Trumpets
• Dexter's Conjectures 2- All About Aliens
• Dexter's Conjectures 4- Cattle Mutilations
• Dexter's Conjectures 7- Crop Circles
• Episode 36- Cursed Movies: The Exorcist and Dementia 13
• Episode 50- Aliens and Cryptids: The Abduction of Antonio Villas Boas and the Mothman of Point Pleasant
• Episode 58- Demonic Possession: The Devil Made Me Do It, the True Story Behind The Conjuring 3
• Episode 63- Conspiracy Theories: The Reptilian Illuminati and the Philadelphia Experiment
• Episode 86- Murder by Exorcism: The Death of Janet Moses
• Episode 103- Real Urban Legend: Cropsey and Willowbrook State School
• Binge or Bust?- Episode 8: Beware the Slenderman
• Episode 113- Vampire Panic: The Highgate Cemetery Vampire
• TSFU Halloween Spookysode- "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark"
• Binge or Bust?- Episode 10: Devil's Road- The True Story of Ed and Lorraine Warren
• Episode 122- Haunting: The True Story Behind "The Conjuring"
• Feisty Festivals- Episode 3: Fun Religious Festivities
• Patreon Exclusive: Ash and Michelle Do the Bible- Episode 1: Genesis- The Garden of Eden

• To hear all 25 episodes of Ash Learns the Bible, plus early access to regular content, and ad-free versions of all 600 episodes in our catalog, visit our Patreon!
• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Audio engineering by Gaytrice Perdue.
• Research assistance by Ryan Pregent.

"Ed and Lorraine Warren battled demons, devils and poltergeists for over 50 years, influencing today's ghost hunters and spawning a blockbuster movie franchise. Exclusive interviews and a stunning archive charts their rise as a paranormal power couple."- Discovery+

• To hear all 25 episodes of Ash Learns the Bible, plus early access to regular content, and ad-free versions of all 600 episodes in our catalog, visit our Patreon!
• If you'd like to support my escape to Indonesia, check out the GOFUNDME :)
• Audio editing by Nicole Peek.