The Arkin’s Hearth returns for Season Two, and this time, we’re hunting cryptids! Join the Ginger, the Pixie, Michael Jason Chandler, and Thorin Wolf as we take to the skies to explore the legendary Thunderbird.

From Native American traditions and sacred stories to strange sightings across the Southwest, giant footprints, terrifying encounters, and some very questionable explanations, we’re asking: What exactly have people been seeing?

So buckle up, grab your umbrella, and watch the skies. The Thunderbird is coming.

Art By the Pixie

References

The myth of the thunderbird: The sky spirit of Native American Lore". (n.d.). https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/the-myth-of-the-thunderbird-the-sky-spirit-of-native-american-lore

Thunderbird cryptid: Ultimate guide to America’s Giant Bird. I Heart Cryptids. (n.d.). https://iheartcryptids.com/thunderbird-cryptid/

The Thunderbird Sightings of Tucson: When Mythology and Ornithology Collide - discoverwildscience

Shadows, C. (2012, January 20). The Texas-sized “monster” bird that created a huge flap back in 1975. San Antonio Current. https://www.sacurrent.com/news/the-texas-sized-monster-bird-that-created-a-huge-flap-back-in-1975-2251208/

Please Join us as we look back into Season one of The Arkins hearth and we review the mistakes, missteps, and general flub-ups of season one of our shows.

If you enjoy The Arkins Hearth please visit us on patreon.com, look us up and support us as we grow. Thank you

Art by The Pixie

Episode of our Mini-series, please enjoy and support us on Patreon. com by going to Patreon and searching The Arkins Hearth and pledging to support the podcast

Art by the Pixie

Step into the dark world of Thomas Neill Cream, the Victorian doctor who turned medicine into murder. In this episode of The Arkins Hearth, we explore the chilling true story of the infamous Lambeth Poisoner, whose victims trusted him with their lives only to be betrayed by the very man sworn to heal them. Along the way, we separate fact from fiction, examining Jason's mistaken late-night research mistake where he believed false rumors of possible victims in the American Southwest.

Art by the Pixie

References

McLaren, A. (1990). A prescrip

Referemces:tion for murder: The Victorian serial killings of Dr. Thomas Neill Cream. University of Chicago Press.

Ramsland, K. (2007). Inside the minds of healthcare serial killers: Why they kill. Praeger Security International.

Wynne, J. (2018). The man who poisoned London: Thomas Neill Cream and the Lambeth murders. History Press.

Newgate Calendar. (n.d.). Thomas Neill Cream, the Lambeth poisoner. Retrieved from https://www.exclassics.com/newgate/ng673.htm

Journey into the haunted heart of the American Southwest, where ancient deserts, abandoned hotels, forgotten highways, and whispered legends blur the line between history and the supernatural. From the chilling case that inspired The Entity to the haunted St. James Hotel, the devotion to Santa Muerte, and the deadly expanse of the Devil's Highway, we explore why this land has become synonymous with mystery, death, and the unexplained. Is the Southwest truly haunted—or does the desert simply remember?

Art by the Pixie

Please visit us on Patreon.com and search for The Arkins Hearth to support the show.

References:

​American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.

Baglio, M. (2009). The rite: The making of a modern exorcist. Doubleday.

Chesnut, R. A. (2017). Devoted to death: Santa Muerte, the skeleton saint (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Cuneo, M. W. (2001). American exorcism: Expelling demons in the land of plenty. Doubleday.

Harlow, J. (2024, October 31). Paranormal activity: A UCLA haunting. UCLA Magazine. https://newsroom.ucla.edu/magazine/paranormal-activity-ucla-parapsychology-lab-poltergeist

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (1999). Exorcisms and related supplications. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Join us for an exclusive interview with Tacet, a Southern California rapper, vocalist, songwriter, and producer hailing from the San Gabriel Valley. Known for his dark, atmospheric style and his ability to fuse elements of underground hip-hop, rap, and alternative sounds, Tacet has carved out a distinct identity within the Southern California music scene.

Beyond his solo work, Tacet has built a reputation as a versatile artist and collaborator, working alongside emerging and established voices while bringing a producer’s ear and a storyteller’s perspective to every project. From his independent releases to his behind-the-scenes contributions, Tacet’s music reflects the influence of West Coast hip-hop traditions while pushing into new, experimental territory.

In this conversation, we explore his creative journey, his approach to songwriting and production, the evolution of his sound, and the experiences that continue to shape his art.

Please support the show, go to patreon.com, search for The Arkins Hearth, and pledge to support.

In this episode of The Arkins Hearth, the team explores one of the internet's most fascinating modern mysteries, the Utah Monolith. From its unexpected discovery by wildlife biologists in a remote desert canyon to the explosion of alien theories, internet sleuths, copycat monoliths, and its equally mysterious disappearance, the hosts separate fact from fiction with their signature blend of humor, skepticism, and storytelling. Was it evidence of extraterrestrials, an elaborate art installation, or simply a reminder that mystery still has a place in the modern world? Join the crew as they uncover the truth behind the shiny object that captivated millions and discuss why sometimes the greatest mystery isn't the answer; it's our endless curiosity.

Please Join Us on patreon.com; look up The Arkins Hearth, where you can support the show.

References:

Associated Press. (2020, November 29). Utah monolith disappears after attracting worldwide attention.

Bureau of Land Management. (2020). Leave No Trace principles and protection of public lands.

Kaur, H. (2020, November 24). Utah's mysterious monolith sparks worldwide speculation. CNN.

Mele, C. (2020, November 24). A mysterious monolith appears in Utah. The New York Times.

Utah Department of Public Safety. (2020, November 23). Utah monolith discovered during wildlife survey.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. (2020). Aerial bighorn sheep survey observations.

West, T. (2020, November 30). Witnesses describe removal of the Utah monolith. The Salt Lake Tribune.

Woolfson, D. (2020, November 28). The Utah monolith has disappeared. BBC News.

Zaveri, M. (2020, November 29). The mysterious Utah monolith is gone. The New York Times.

In this third episode of our Patreon Sample series, we return. It's been more than 135 years since the Whitechapel murders; Jack the Ripper still stands as history’s most famous unsolved mystery. In Part Three of our Jack the Ripper miniseries, we dig into the evidence and criminal profiling, discuss the less likely suspects, and take a closer look at some of the best-known suspects, including Aaron Kosminski and Montague Druitt, as well as Walter Sickert, Francis Tumblety, and James Maybrick. Along the way, we separate fact from fiction, test the strongest theories, and explore why this chilling case continues to fascinate historians, detectives, and true crime fans alike.

Please visit us at The Arkins Hearth Podcast — A podcast with stories from the Four Corners of murder and myth | Patreon

References

Begg, P. (2006). Jack the Ripper: The definitive history. Pearson Education.

Bond, T. (1888, November 10). Report on the Whitechapel murders. In S. P. Evans & K. Skinner (Eds.), The ultimate Jack the Ripper sourcebook (2000, pp. 360–363). Robinson.

Cornwell, P. (2002). Portrait of a killer: Jack the Ripper—Case closed. G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Douglas, J., Burgess, A. W., Burgess, A. G., & Ressler, R. K. (2013). Crime classification manual: A standard system for investigating and classifying violent crimes (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Evans, S. P., & Rumbelow, D. (2006). Jack the Ripper: Scotland Yard investigates. Sutton Publishing.

Hazelwood, R. R., & Douglas, J. E. (1980). The lust murderer. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 49(4), 18–22.

Rubenhold, H. (2019). The five: The untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Knight, S. (1976). Jack the Ripper: The final solution. Granada.

The National Archives. (1888–1891). Whitechapel murders police files (MEPO series). The National Archives, Kew, United Kingdom.

White, J. (2007). London in the nineteenth century: "A human awful wonder of God". Vintage Books.

Wolf, T. (2018). Victimology and the Whitechapel murders: Reconsidering offender familiarity and environmental context. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 15(2), 140–156.

Skinwalker Ranch has become one of the internet's biggest paranormal phenomena, but how much is mystery, and how much is myth? In Part II of our Utah UFO series, the crew explores the ranch's rise through reality TV, conspiracy culture, government investigations, and viral internet lore. From UFOs and portals to infrasound, military secrets, and the psychology behind belief, they separate documented facts from modern folklore while asking why places like Skinwalker Ranch continue to capture our imagination. Is it evidence of the unexplained or a mirror reflecting humanity's fascination with the unknown? Tune in for laughs, skepticism, and a deep dive into one of America's strangest legends.

Please go to Patreon.com and look up The Arkins Hearth

References

Bartholomew, R. E., & Howard, G. S. (1998). UFOs and alien contact: Two centuries of mystery. Prometheus Books.

Blumenthal, R., Cooper, H., & Kean, L. (2017, December 16). Glowing auras and “black money”: The Pentagon’s mysterious U.F.O. program. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagon-program-ufo-harry-reid.html

Jacobsen, A. (2011). Area 51: An uncensored history of America’s top-secret military base. Little, Brown and Company.

Knapp, G., & Kelleher, C. (2005). Hunt for the Skinwalker: Science confronts the unexplained at a remote ranch in Utah. Paraview Pocket Books.

Persinger, M. A. (1984). Geophysical variables and behavior: LXXIII. Predicting the details of visitor experiences and the personality of experients: The temporal lobe factor. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 58(3), 831–842. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1984.58.3.831

Radford, B. (2016). Investigating ghosts: The scientific search for spirits. Rhombus Publishing Company.

Hunt for the Skinwalker: The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch

Summary

In The Arkins Hearth Special: Jack the Ripper, Part Two – Victims, Mistakes, and Missing Murders, Michael Jason Chandler and the panel shift the focus away from the killer and toward the women whose lives were overshadowed by the legend of Jack the Ripper. Rather than treating them as anonymous victims, the episode explores their personal histories, emphasizing that poverty, homelessness, isolation, and economic hardship—not simply prostitution—were the common factors that made them vulnerable.

The episode examines how Victorian investigators lacked the modern concept of victimology, causing them to focus primarily on crime scenes and suspects while overlooking patterns in the victims' lives. It argues that a modern investigation would have paid closer attention to the places the women frequented, the people who regularly interacted with vulnerable residents of Whitechapel, and those who could move through the neighborhood unnoticed.

The discussion also explores the debate over the "Canonical Five" murders, considering whether victims such as Martha Tabram, Alice McKenzie, and Frances Coles may also have been killed by the Ripper. While acknowledging that no consensus exists, the episode explains how including or excluding these cases could significantly change the timeline and understanding of the killer's evolution.

The episode concludes by encouraging listeners to remember the victims as individuals rather than as supporting characters in the story of a famous murderer. It closes with a preview of Part Three, which will examine the many suspects proposed over the past century and the theories that continue to surround the identity of Jack the Ripper.

References

Begg, P. (2006). Jack the Ripper: The definitive history. Pearson Education.

Bond, T. (1888/1987). Memorandum on the Whitechapel murders. In S. P. Evans & K. Skinner (Eds.), The ultimate Jack the Ripper sourcebook. Robinson.

Evans, S. P., & Skinner, K. (2000). The ultimate Jack the Ripper sourcebook. Robinson Publishing.

House, J. (2013). Jack the Ripper and the case for Scotland Yard's prime suspect. John Blake Publishing.

Rubenhold, H. (2019). The five: The untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Sugden, P. (2002). The complete history of Jack the Ripper (Rev. ed.). Carroll & Graf.

Whitechapel Society. (2024). The canonical five and victim debates. Whitechapel Society Historical Resources.

Woods, P., & Baddeley, G. (2009). Saucy Jack: The elusive Ripper. John Blake Publishing.