On March 17th, 1995, six teenage boys from Pickering, Ontario, disappeared in the early hours of the morning after leaving a house party near the shoreline of Lake Ontario.

What followed was a large-scale search, an investigation built on fragments, and a timeline that—decades later—still feels incomplete.

While the official explanation points to a tragic boating accident, the available evidence does not fully establish how—or when—the events of that night unfolded.

SOURCES

• Durham Region News – coverage on anniversaries of the case
• Toronto.com – reporting on private investigator involvement
• Mysteries of Canada – case overview and timeline
• MissingPeople.ca – case summary and updates
• Vocal Media – compiled case narrative
• Kendall’s Place – video discussion and breakdown
• Community archive – Lost Boys of Pickering (Facebook memorial page)

Some forests welcome you. Others… watch you.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore two of the world’s most haunted forests: Aokigahara, Japan’s mysterious Sea of Trees, known for its silence, sorrow, and restless spirits... and Germany’s Black Forest, where werewolves roam, witches cast curses, and tall shadowy figures are said to follow wanderers home.

If you’ve ever felt the woods were watching — maybe they were. 

Content Warning:

This episode contains discussion of:

• Suicide and grief (Aokigahara)
• Historical executions and violence
• Themes of isolation and supernatural danger

Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please know you are not alone.
 📞 Canada & U.S.:
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988 (24/7, free, and confidential)

📞 For Canada (Talk Suicide Canada):
1-833-456-4566 | talksuicide.ca

📞 For listeners outside North America:
Visit https://findahelpline.com for international resources. 

Sources & Further Reading:

• Wandering in Japan’s Suicide Forest, The New York Times
  https://archive.nytimes.com/lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/wandering-in-japans-suicide-forest/
• “The Werewolf of Bedburg” (Peter Stumpf) – 1589 trial records and historical analyses
• “The Wolf of Ansbach” – Bavarian legend and folklore (1685)
• Morbach Monster – U.S. military base accounts and shrine folklore (1988)
• “Yūrei: The Japanese Ghost” by Zack Davisson
• Encyclopedia of German Superstition and Folklore (translated editions)

Connect with Us:

• 🎧 Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
• 📸 Instagram: @letstalkspooky
• 📩 Got a spooky forest near you? Please send us your stories!

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore the chilling lore, cultural warnings, and unsettling history behind the Wendigo and the Skinwalker. These are two of the most searched and most misunderstood figures in Indigenous folklore, Canadian legend, and North American supernatural storytelling.

We begin with the Wendigo, a terrifying figure found in the traditions of Ojibwe, Anishinaabe, Cree, Algonquin, Innu, and other Algonquian-speaking Nations. Often connected to winter, starvation, greed, isolation, and transformation, the Wendigo has become one of the most haunting presences in Canadian folklore, forest legends, and Indigenous oral tradition. We also explore real historical cases from Canada, including Swift Runner in Alberta and Jack Fiddler in Ontario, and examine how Wendigo stories were shaped, misunderstood, and reinterpreted through colonial history.

From there, we move into the deeply feared and widely misunderstood figure of the Skinwalker, known in Diné (Navajo Nation) tradition as yee naaldlooshii. Unlike pop culture versions of shapeshifters and monsters, the Skinwalker belongs to a specific cultural framework and should not be treated as generic paranormal folklore. In this episode, we discuss the Skinwalker carefully, focusing on public knowledge, cultural context, and the reason these stories continue to inspire fear across discussions of forest spirits, dark folklore, paranormal legends, and unexplained creatures in the woods.

This episode is for listeners interested in Wendigo stories, Skinwalker lore, Indigenous legends, Canadian supernatural tales, creepy forest creatures, dark folklore podcast episodes, and unexplained cryptid stories. As always, we approach these traditions with care and deliberately avoid sacred ceremonial or ritual details.

If you’re drawn to stories about haunted forests, forest spirits, ancient warnings, cryptids, supernatural creatures, and the darker side of folklore, this episode is one you won’t want to miss. 

A Note on Consent and Representation

This episode deliberately omits ritual and procedural details from both traditions. No sacred ceremonial knowledge has been reproduced. The accounts included are drawn from publicly shared oral histories, published journalism, and documented community storytelling. The producers of this podcast encourage listeners to seek out Indigenous voices directly.

Sources and Further Reading

Cultural attributions:

• Wendigo tradition: Ojibwe (Anishinaabe), Cree, Algonquin, Innu, and related Algonquian-speaking Nations
• Skinwalker (yee naaldlooshii) tradition: Diné (Navajo Nation)

Recommended reading:

• Louise Erdrich — The Night Watchman, LaRose, and essays on Ojibwe tradition
• Tomson Highway — The Rez Sisters and interviews on Cree spiritual life
• Adrienne Keene — Native Appropriations blog and academic writing on Indigenous representation
• Navajo Times — navajotimes.com
• Basil Johnston — Ojibway Heritage

The Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest mountain ranges on Earth, stretching more than 2,000 miles across the eastern United States. For generations, the people who lived in these mountains have shared stories about strange encounters in the woods, mysterious creatures, and folklore that seems to blur the line between history and legend.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore some of the lesser-known legends said to originate in the Appalachian region. From ancient Cherokee folklore to stories shared by hunters and hikers in the mountains today, these tales reveal how deeply storytelling is woven into Appalachian culture.

We’ll dive into stories about:

• Appalachian Mimic Legends – Stories of voices in the woods that sound almost human.• The Wampus Cat – A mysterious creature said to roam the mountains and forests.• The Moon-Eyed People – A strange group described in Cherokee traditions who were said to move through the mountains only at night.• Appalachian Witch Traditions – Folk healers, “granny women,” and the folklore surrounding witches in the mountains.• Spearfinger (U’tlun’ta) – One of the most chilling Cherokee legends about a shapeshifting predator that could disguise itself as an old woman.

The Appalachian Mountains are full of stories, and many of them are still told today by the people who live closest to the forests and hills where these legends began.

So gather close, dim the lights, and join us as we explore the strange folklore and eerie legends hidden deep in the Appalachian Mountains.

And remember…

Stay curious. Stay spooky.

Sources: 

Books & Academic Sources

Mooney, J. (1992). Myths of the Cherokee. Dover Publications.(Original ethnographic work documenting Cherokee legends, including Spearfinger)

Jones, W. (2009). Appalachian Ghost Stories and Other Tales. Globe Pequot Press.

Briggs, K. (1976). An Encyclopedia of Fairies: Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures. Pantheon Books.(Background on regional folklore traditions)

Folklore & Historical Sources

North Carolina Folklife Institute⁠https://ncfli.org⁠

Smoky Mountain News – Cherokee folklore archives⁠https://www.smokymountainnews.com⁠

Georgia Historical Society – Moon-Eyed People references⁠https://georgiahistory.com⁠

Folklore & Legend Collections

Appalachian History Project⁠https://www.appalachianhistory.net⁠

Atlas Obscura – Appalachian folklore and legends⁠https://www.atlasobscura.com⁠

Additional Folklore References

Cherokee Nation Cultural Resources⁠https://www.cherokee.org⁠

Smithsonian Folklife & Cultural Heritage⁠https://folklife.si.edu⁠

Time slips don’t arrive with spectacle.
They happen quietly—on familiar roads, well-marked trails, and in places people believe they know.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore the folklore, historical accounts, and modern experiences of time slips: moments when people report briefly stepping outside linear time. Across cultures and centuries, these encounters share the same unsettling details—sudden silence, altered landscapes, missing hours, and the instinctive certainty that staying would be a mistake.

We move from early folklore warnings about “thin places” and forbidden roads into documented case studies and contemporary accounts, including travelers who pass through villages that no longer exist and hikers who narrowly avoid stopping in places that feel profoundly wrong.

Fear appears to end the experience. Movement restores the world. And those who return are left with the same quiet certainty: something real happened, even if it cannot be explained.

This episode isn’t about proving time slips.
 It’s about recognizing the patterns they leave behind—and what they suggest about how fragile the present moment may be.

Condensed Sources & Further Reading

Historical & Documented Cases

• Kersey Time Slip (1957) — British soldiers report encountering a medieval version of the village
• Bold Street Time Slip Accounts — Repeated reports of slipping into the past on the same street
• Versailles – The Moberly–Jourdain Incident (1901)
  An Adventure by Charlotte Anne Moberly & Eleanor Jourdain

Folklore & Cultural Context

• Evans-Wentz, The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries
• Katharine Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies
• Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, Myth, Legend & Romance

Psychical & Modern Accounts

• Jenny Randles, Time Storms
• Fortean Times archives
• Society for Psychical Research case files
• Reddit: r/HighStrangeness, r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix (comparative modern reports)

TikTok: @letstalkspookypod 

Insta: @letstalkspooky 

Email: letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com 

In 1863, the quiet fishing village of Sandy Cove was forever changed by a single, unsettling discovery.

Along the rocky shoreline, locals found a young man sitting alone on the beach—both of his legs freshly amputated, his clothes still fine, his expression calm but distant. When asked who he was or how he came to be there, he spoke only one word:

“Jerome.”

Over the next fifty years, Jerome would become one of Atlantic Canada’s most enduring mysteries. He lived out his life moving between homes and institutions across Nova Scotia, refusing to explain his past, lashing out violently when pressed, and guarding his silence with almost supernatural determination.

Was Jerome a sailor punished for mutiny? A political exile from Europe? A victim of organized crime—or a man deliberately erased? Sources & Further Reading- Primary & Historical Sources

• Mooney Jr., Fraser. Jerome: Solving the Mystery of Nova Scotia’s Silent Castaway. Nimbus Publishing.
• Digby County historical records and oral histories
• 19th-century Nova Scotia newspaper accounts documenting Jerome’s discovery and later life

Secondary & Folklore Sources

• Nova Scotia Archives – regional medical and institutional records
• Local histories of Digby Neck and the Annapolis Basin
• Maritime folklore collections documenting oral traditions surrounding Jerome

Online & Reference Materials

• Canadian Museum of History – regional folklore archives
• Nova Scotia Museum – coastal community history resources
• Encyclopedic entries and historical summaries on the Jerome of Sandy Cove case

Episode Links- 

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/NgYX0NnAXZb

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/10mSdwwAXZb

New Orleans has always belonged to the night.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we step into the gas-lit streets of the French Quarter to uncover the vampire legends that took root in the city’s earliest days—where European superstition, colonial fear, and scandal blurred the line between myth and history.

We trace how Old World vampire folklore crossed the Atlantic and embedded itself in New Orleans, shaping burial customs, whispered convent legends, and tales of blood-drinking figures who walked openly among society. From the unsettling story of the Carter Brothers to the infamous legend of Jacques St. Germain, these vampires were not creatures of castles—but of parties, parlors, and disappearing acts.

This episode explores how fear of the undead reflected real historical anxieties about death, disease, and identity in one of America’s most haunted cities—and why New Orleans remains inseparable from vampire lore to this day.

Pour yourself a drink, lock the doors, and walk with us into the dark.

 📚 Sources & Further Reading

Historical & Folklore Sources

• Davis, Wade. Passage of Darkness: The Ethnobiology of the Haitian Zombie. University of North Carolina Press.
• Barber, Paul. Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality. Yale University Press.
• Summers, Montague. The Vampire: His Kith and Kin. 1928.
• Lecouteux, Claude. The Return of the Dead: Ghosts, Ancestors, and the Transparent Veil of the Pagan Mind.

New Orleans–Specific Sources

• Kendall, John S. History of New Orleans. Lewis Publishing Company.
• Campanella, Richard. The West Bank of Greater New Orleans: A Historical Geography.
• New Orleans Historic Collection (archival essays and folklore references)
• French Quarter historical walking-tour records and preserved oral histories

Jacques St. Germain & Vampire Lore

• Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters.
• Ellis, Bill. Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture.
• Contemporary newspaper accounts referenced in late-19th-century New Orleans archives

Cultural & Pop Culture Context

• Skal, David J. V Is for Vampire: An A to Z Guide to Everything Undead.
• Nina Auerbach. Our Vampires, Ourselves. University of Chicago Press.

📸 Follow @letstalkspookypod on TikTok & Instagram ⭐ Leave a review to help fellow spooky souls find the show 📩 Have a vampire story or local legend? Send it in for a future listener episode

Until next time…

🖤 Stay Spooky 

Episode Show Notes

Welcome back to Let’s Talk Spooky, the podcast where eerie tales, strange encounters, and whispered folklore come to life.
Tonight’s episode is a special one — because every story you’re about to hear came from you. From shadowed hallways and childhood bedrooms to lonely highways and ancestral homes that hold more than memories, these listener submissions prove one thing: the world is far stranger, and far more haunted, than most people realize.

Whether you’re here for brush-ups with the unexplained, ghostly warnings, or those moments that make you question what you really saw in the corner of your eye… this collection has it all.

In This Episode

You’ll hear stories featuring:

• Uninvited guests in old farmhouses
• Objects that refuse to stay where you left them
• Night-time footsteps that don’t belong to anyone living
• Childhood encounters that still linger decades later
• Creepy shifts in energy in places that should feel safe
• Haunted hotels, phantom voices, protective spirits, and things that knock back

Each narrative is read in a storytelling format to preserve the voice, emotion, and atmosphere of the original experience.

Want to Be Featured in a Future Listener Episode?

Have a ghost story, strange encounter, cryptid sighting, or family legend you’re brave enough to share?
 You can submit your story through:

• Instagram: @letstalkspookypod
• TikTok: @letstalkspookypod
• Email or DM: Send your long or short stories anytime!

Your tale could be featured in the next Listener Special.

Support the Podcast

If you enjoy tonight’s episode:

• Follow Let’s Talk Spooky wherever you listen
• Leave a review or comment — it helps spooky listeners find our little haunted corner of the internet
• Share the podcast with a friend who loves the paranormal as much as you do

Music & Production

Produced and hosted by Shauna
 Original stories submitted by our amazing listeners
 Soundtrack and ambience curated to maximize the chills

Until Next Time…

Stay curious. Stay spooky.
 And remember — if something feels like it’s watching you… maybe it is.

Remember those creepy games we dared each other to play at sleepovers — Bloody Mary in the bathroom mirror, the Pencil Cross game at school, or hiding from a possessed doll in the dark?In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore the origins and unsettling folklore behind the games we were warned never to play.From the mirror rituals that trace back to old divination practices, to the Japanese legend of Hitori Kakurenbo — “One-Man Hide and Seek” — where dolls become vessels for the dead, these so-called “games” blur the line between childhood curiosity and ancient superstition.We’ll uncover how these traditions evolved from European love omens and séance parlor tricks to modern internet dares, and why we keep playing them — even when we know something might be watching back.👁️ “Three Games We Shouldn’t Have Played” —
 Because sometimes, playtime opens the wrong door.🔦 Listen wherever you stream your favorite spooky stories.🎃 Follow @LetsTalkSpooky on TikTok and Instagram for episode visuals, behind-the-scenes lore, and listener submissions.

📚 Sources & References:

• Ellis, Bill. Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture. University Press of Kentucky, 2004.
• Dundes, Alan. Bloody Mary in the Mirror: A Ritual Reflection of Pre-Pubescent Anxiety. Western Folklore, Vol. 57, No. 2/3 (1998), pp. 119–135.
• Bennett, Gillian. Alas, Poor Ghost! Traditions of Belief in Story and Discourse. Utah State University Press, 1999.
• Yoda, Hiroko. “Hitori Kakurenbo: The Deadly Game of Hide and Seek.” Japan Subculture Research Center, 2008.
• Radford, Benjamin. Mysterious New Mexico: Miracles, Magic, and Monsters in the Land of Enchantment. University of New Mexico Press, 2014.
• Foster, Michael Dylan. Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yōkai. University of California Press, 2009.
• Reddit r/Paranormal community discussions (2009–2018): eyewitness accounts of Hitori Kakurenbo experiences and mirror-game phenomena.
• BBC Future. “Why We Can’t Stop Playing Cursed Games.” October 2021.
• Smithsonian Magazine. “The Creepy Origins of Bloody Mary.” October 2019.

In this episode, we wander into the shadows of early modern Europe and North America to uncover the unsettling history of witch marks—the mysterious symbols carved into thresholds, hearths, barns, attics, and even hidden inside old furniture. These markings, long misunderstood and often misattributed, were believed to protect homes from malevolent forces. Today, they tell a quieter but no less eerie story about fear, folklore, and the lengths people went to in order to keep themselves safe.

Whether you love folklore, hidden history, or the mysterious little details we leave behind, this episode is for you. Turn down the lights, take a closer look at the walls around you… and let’s talk spooky.

Below are the historical, academic, and credible sources used to shape the episode’s folklore, dates, examples, and terminology.

• Merrifield, Ralph. The Archaeology of Ritual and Magic. B. T. Batsford, 1987.Foundational work on magical protection practices, concealed objects, and apotropaic marks.
• Hutton, Ronald. The Witch: A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present. Yale University Press, 2017.Context for European witch beliefs and protective traditions.
• Delaney, Helen. “Protective Symbols and Rituals in Early Modern England.”Folklore, vol. 121, no. 2, 2010.Discusses hexafoils, Marian marks, and ritual burn marks.
• Historic England. “Ritual Protection Marks.”Official documentation on witch marks, symbols, and discovered examples from English sites.
• Apotropaios.org (Brian Hoggard’s research database).Modern scholarly archive of ritual protection practices, witch bottles, burned marks, and concealed items.
• East Anglian Archaeology Reports — Various real-world documented findings of ritual marks in houses, barns, churches.
• Knole House, Kent (National Trust) — extensive Marian marks and daisy wheels.
• The Tower of London — protective VVs carved around prisoner cells.
• Shakespeare’s Birthplace — burn marks near the fireplace interpreted as protection symbols.
• Creswell Crags, Nottinghamshire — hundreds of ritual protection marks discovered in the caves (2019).
• Medieval barns in Essex & Suffolk — complex mesh-mark carvings to trap evil spirits.
• Simpson, Jacqueline & Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000.
• Daniels, C. “Household Magic and Domestic Ritual in 17th-Century Britain.”Archaeology International, 2012.
• Northeast Atlantic Folklore Archives (NEAFA) — records documenting settler beliefs transferred to early Canada.
• Canadian Museum of History (CMH) — notes on apotropaic beliefs among settlers in Ontario and the Maritimes.
• Hoggard, B. Magical House Protection: The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft. Berghahn Books, 2019.
• Eliade, Mircea. Patterns in Comparative Religion. Harvill, 1958 — conceptual background on protective magic.
• Regional folklore studies on rowan wood, hag stones, and iron-based charms.
• Real examples of discovered witch marks taken from:
  • Knole House archives
  • Creswell Crags 2019 cave survey
  • East Anglian barn surveys (2000s)
  • North American settler accounts (Maritimes & New England)
• The final story uses documented Victorian-era accounts of:
  • concealed protection marks in attic beams
  • unexplained footsteps and “dragging” sounds
  • Marian marks interpreted as attempts to trap a malevolent presence

These elements were blended, res

Scarecrows—just straw and cloth, right? Or something much older, stranger, and darker?
 In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we wander the fields to uncover the chilling history and folklore of scarecrows. From the tragic tale of Albert Engel in Wisconsin, to Celtic effigies carved from turnips, to Japan’s kakashi festivals and the uncanny scarecrow village of Nagoro, these figures have always been more than just guardians of the harvest. They’ve been seen as protectors, omens, and even restless watchers that blur the line between the living and the supernatural.

So grab your lantern, keep to the path, and join me as we explore why these silent sentinels continue to haunt our stories and our nightmares.

Folklore & History

• Davidson, H.R. Ellis. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. Thames & Hudson, 1964. (Celtic and Norse agricultural ritual context)
• Simpson, Jacqueline, and Steve Roud. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000. (Folklore of scarecrows, omens, and field guardians)
• Frazer, James. The Golden Bough. (Chapters on agricultural rites and effigy traditions)

Historical & Cultural Accounts

• The story of Albert Engel (Wisconsin, 1916) is referenced in regional folklore and newspaper reports.
• Japanese scarecrow traditions and Kakashi Matsuri festivals (Shirakawa-go, Nagoro, etc.) — documented in travel and cultural sources.
• Nagoro Scarecrow Village: coverage in BBC Travel (2015), National Geographic (2017), and various interviews with Ayano Tsukimi.
• Police identify woman who was killed — Chillicothe Gazette (Oct 14, 2015)
  chillicothegazette.com
  Woman’s Dead Body Mistaken for Halloween Decorations — Time Magazine
  time.com

🔗 Connect With Let’s Talk Spooky

• Instagram & TikTok: @LetsTalkSpooky
• Website: letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com
• Share your own spooky stories: letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com

Episode Summary:
Our haunted road trip comes to its final stop — the legendary supernatural hotspots of Vancouver Island. From the tragic tale of Yow Kum in Victoria’s Chinatown to phantom ships, haunted lighthouses, ghostly nuns, and one of Canada’s most haunted cemeteries, this episode ties together a journey across some of the island’s darkest and most unforgettable places.

Join me as we explore:

• Victoria’s Chinatown & Fan Tan Alley – The tragic 1889 murder of Yow Kum and the restless spirit of Ah Heung still running through the alley’s narrow passageways.
• Amphitrite Point Lighthouse (Ucluelet) – Built after the Pass of Melfort tragedy, this storm-beaten lighthouse is said to echo with phantom bells and screams carried on the wind.
• The Ghost Ship of the Strait of Georgia – A blazing phantom vessel that vanishes without a trace, believed to be a spectral replay of real tragedies at sea.
• St. Ann’s Academy (Victoria) – The footsteps and whispered prayers of the Sisters of St. Ann, lingering in the chapel they built over a century ago.
• Ross Bay Cemetery (Victoria) – The Woman in Black, restless spirits disturbed by storms, and one of Canada’s most haunted burial grounds.

This episode is the grand finale of the Haunted Road Trip Edition, weaving history, folklore, and ghost stories into one last spooky ride across the island.

📌 Sources & Further Reading

• Sinn, Shanon. The Haunting of Vancouver Island. TouchWood Editions, 2017.
• “Amphitrite Point Lighthouse History.” Ucluelet Info.
   https://www.ucluelet-info.com/history-amphitrite-lighthouse/
  
  
• “Amphitrite Point Lighthouse.” Wikipedia.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphitrite_Point_Lighthouse
  
  
• “Fan Tan Alley Murder History.” Reddit VictoriaBC Community Discussion.
  https://www.reddit.com/r/VictoriaBC/comments/1ek79eh/fan_tan_alley_murder_history/
  
  
• “Chan’s Haunting Legacy as the Ghostly Beheader of Victoria’s Fan Tan Alley.” Kelowna Capital News.
  https://www.kelownacapnews.com/trending-now/chans-haunting-legacy-as-the-ghostly-beheader-of-victorias-fan-tan-alley-7620157/
  
  
• “Ross Bay Cemetery.” Victoria’s Haunted History.
  https://victoriahistoryproject.ca/ross-bay-cemetery/
  
  
• “Ross Bay Cemetery Ghosts.” Haunted Places.
  https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/ross-bay-cemetery/
  
  
• “Three Real Vancouver Island Ghost Stories.” Vancouver Island University News.
  https://news.viu.ca/community-classroom-blog/three-real-vancouver-island-ghost
  
  

🔮 Connect with Let’s Talk Spooky

👻 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @letstalkspookypodcast

🎧 Listen & subscribe on Buzzsprout: https://letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com

📩 Share your spooky stories: DM on socials or email letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com

Description:
British Columbia is a place where wilderness and legend intertwine. From the shadowy forests where Sasquatch walks, to the foggy shorelines haunted by the shapeshifting Kushtaka, to the deep black waters of the Salish Sea where Cadborosaurus might rise—tonight’s episode explores the creatures that have shaped Indigenous stories, inspired modern sightings, and kept mystery alive in Canada’s wild west.

Join me as we uncover the lore, the sightings, and the warnings carried through generations… and decide for yourself what waits out there in the wild.

In This Episode:

• 🌲 The legend of Sasquatch and its roots in Indigenous storytelling
• 🌫️ The eerie shapeshifter known as the Kushtaka, the “Land Otter Man”
• 🌊 Tales of the sea serpent Cadborosaurus (Caddy) and the evidence behind the legend
• 📖 Firsthand accounts, cultural meanings, and modern sightings that keep these mysteries alive

📚 Sources & References

Sasquatch

• Indigenous oral traditions from the Sts’ailes (Chehalis) and Stó:lō Nations describe Sasq’ets as the “wild man of the woods.”
• Ostman, Albert (1957). Abduction Account at Toba Inlet.
• Harrison Hot Springs Sasquatch Museum.
• BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) Canadian sightings database: bfro.net
  .

Kushtaka

• Tlingit and Tsimshian oral histories—stories of the Land Otter Man as shapeshifter, trickster, or rescuer.
• Emmons, George Thornton. The Tlingit Indians (Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, 1991).
• Alaska Native Heritage Center resources on Kushtaka lore.
• Portlock, Alaska, village abandonment accounts tied to Kushtaka encounters.

Cadborosaurus (Caddy)

• Discovery UK. Cadborosaurus: North America’s Legendary Sea Serpent.
• Times Colonist, Origin of the Cadborosaurus Legend (1933 coinage of the name).
• The 1937 Naden Harbour whale-stomach carcass: photographs and reports from G.V. Boorman and whaling staff.
• Operation CaddyScan (1999), Saanich Inlet video project by BCSCC.
• John Kirk, British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club (BCSCC) – Fraser River sighting, 2010.
• Terrace Standard. BC cryptozoologists still looking for sightings of fabled sea serpent.

In this chilling first part of a two-part series, Shauna takes you on a journey through centuries of funeral rituals shaped by both reverence and terror. From sin-eaters in rural Britain to ancient Greek coins meant to pay the ferryman, this episode unearths the spiritual, folkloric, and at times horrifying ways humans have tried to ensure the dead stay at rest. With stories that span from historical rituals to near-death modern miracles, we peel back the veil on how humanity has tried to say goodbye… and why we’re still afraid it might not be enough.

Key Topics Covered:

• Fear of death vs fear of the afterlife
• Historical burial practices
• The role of the Sin-Eater in rural England and Wales
• Ancient Greek funerary coins and beliefs in the afterlife
• Cross-cultural comparisons (Egypt, Norse, Haitian traditions)
• The true purpose of wakes and stories of premature burial
• Modern near-death story from Reddit (u/missymaypen)
• Teaser for Part Two: Rituals meant to trap the dead
•  Sources & Historical References:

1. Sin-Eaters:
   • Davies, Owen. The Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts.
   • Ronald Hutton’s work on British folklore and folk magic
   • "The Last Sin Eater" (historical references to Richard Munslow, Shropshire)
2. Ancient Greek Burial Customs:
   • Garland, Robert. The Greek Way of Death
   • Archaeological studies of obol placement in 5th–4th century BCE graves
   • Classical mythology of Charon and the River Styx
3. Premature Burial and Wake Traditions:
   • Jan Bondeson, Buried Alive: The Terrifying History of Our Most Primal Fear
   • Victorian mourning rituals & the role of wakes before embalming
   • Case study: Susan Armstrong (1839) [urban legend and folklore reports]
4. Cross-Cultural Funerary Practices:
   • Egyptian Book of the Dead references to Duat
   • Norse burial ships and coin offerings
   • Haitian Vodou rituals involving Baron Samedi
5. Reddit User Story (modern legend):
   • Shared by u/missymaypen on Reddit’s r/Paranormal

Have your own eerie tale or hometown haunting?Email: ⁠letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com⁠Follow Instagram @letstalkspookypodcast on TikTok @ letstalkspookypod

⚠️ Listener Discretion Advised: This episode discusses themes of death, including child mortality and era-specific religious beliefs. Listener discretion is advised.

Step back in time as we explore one of the most hauntingly intimate traditions of the Victorian era: postmortem and spirit photography. In this chilling episode, we peer into a time when families memorialized their loved ones not just in portraits of the living, but in final images of the dead. Discover how technological innovation, religious beliefs, and grief collided to create a tradition that is both unsettling and deeply human.

We’ll uncover:

• The birth of postmortem photography and its ties to infant mortality and working-class grief
• Spirit photography and the ghostly rise (and fall) of William Mumler
• The chilling 1919 photograph that may have captured the ghost of Freddy Jackson
• Why were these photos more than macabre—they were acts of love and remembrance

🔮 Whether you're a believer in the beyond or just intrigued by eerie history, this episode will have you second-guessing the next old photo you stumble across…

Want to See the Photos?Check out our Instagram page ⁠@letstalkspookypodcast⁠ to view some of the images discussed in the episode, including the ghostly figure believed to be Freddy Jackson. Got your own eerie photo or family ghost story? Tag us or send it in—you might hear it featured in a future episode!

Sources & Further Reading:

• Victorian Visual Culture Blog: ⁠Photos of the Dead⁠
• BBC News: ⁠Freddy Jackson’s Ghost Photo⁠
• Stanley & Wise, “The Domestication of Death” (JSTOR)
• ⁠YouTube: Spirit Photography Short⁠
• Slate: ⁠Spirit Photography and Child Mortality⁠

👻 Like what you heard? Rate, review, and follow Let’s Talk Spooky on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps more spooky souls find our fireside stories. 🔥

Episode One:

Step into the flickering firelight of ancient tradition as we explore the rich history and folklore of Beltane, the Gaelic fire festival that marks the beginning of summer. This first episode unpacks the origins of Beltane, its ties to fertility, fire rituals, fae folklore, and centuries-old superstitions. Discover how this sacred seasonal turning point once shaped communities—and how it still enchants those who celebrate today.

Light a candle, stay close to the flames, and get ready to talk spooky. 🔥🌸🧚‍♀️

Show notes:

In This Episode:

• The origins and meaning of Beltane

• Fire festivals and fertility rituals across Celtic lands

• The Maypole and its symbolic significance

• Hawthorn flowers, handfastings, and ancient marriage customs

• Faeries of the old world—mischievous, powerful, and dangerous

• Beltane superstitions and protections

• A haunting Irish legend of a forgotten offering to the fae

• Beltane’s connection to witches and cunning folk

Resources & Further Reading:

• History.com: Beltane

• Historic UK: May Day Celebrations

• Folk Lore: or, Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland by James Napier

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your fellow spooky friends.
Until next time – stay curious, stay safe, and stay spooky. 🌙

In this episode, we buckle up for a journey through some of the world’s most haunted highways. These roads are more than just routes — they’re stitched with ghost stories, legends, and unexplained encounters that have left even seasoned drivers shaken.

Featured Locations & Legends:

• 🛣 Clinton Road (New Jersey, USA)
  Known for phantom trucks, time slips, and the tragic tale of a ghost boy at the bridge who returns tossed coins. A real-life murder case involving serial killer Richard Kuklinski adds chilling weight to the legend.
• 👰 Blue Bell Hill (Kent, England)
  Home of the Vanishing Bride. Drivers pick up a woman in a white dress—only to have her vanish from the backseat. Local legends tie her to a fatal 1965 car accident.
• 👹 Route 44 / La Mala Hora (New Mexico, USA)
  "The Evil Hour" apparition terrifies drivers at night — a dark-robed woman with red eyes said to foretell death or madness. 
• 🏞 Ghost River Road (Alberta, Canada)
  Near Ghost Lake, Indigenous legends tell of lingering battle spirits. Campers report drumming, fog, and voices that rise from the river itself.

📚 Sources & References

• Weird NJ Magazine – Clinton Road legends & Richard Kuklinski case
• Atlas Obscura – Clinton Road hauntings
• Kent Live – Blue Bell Hill ghost bride
• Myths and Folklore Wiki – La Mala Hora
• [Reddit / r/NoSleep / r/Paranormal] – First-hand road horror stories
• Puzzle Box Horror – Vanishing hitchhiker lore
• [Tumblr Urban Legend Threads] – Ghost River folk stories & user encounters

Valentine’s Day is often framed as a celebration of romance — roses, chocolate, candlelight.

But beneath the surface, February 14th carries a far older and darker history.

In this bonus episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore the lesser-known folklore and urban legends connected to Valentine’s Day — from early martyrdom and ritual superstition to backroad ghost stories and industrial-era mining lore.

Sources & Further Reading

• Brunvand, J. H. The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings.
• Dégh, L. Legend and Belief: Dialectics of a Folklore Genre.
• Kelly, H. A. Chaucer and the Cult of Saint Valentine.
• Springhill Miners’ Museum Archives (Nova Scotia mining history).
• Simpson, J., & Roud, S. A Dictionary of English Folklore.

If you enjoyed this bonus episode:

💌 Follow Let’s Talk Spooky
⭐ Leave a rating or review
🖤 Share with someone who loves a little history with their hauntings

Until next time…
 Stay curious. Stay spooky.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore modern accounts of time slips, missing time, and parallel reality experiences shared by users on Reddit.

From waking up in impossible locations with no memory of how they got there… to stepping into what felt like another universe… these first-hand accounts blur the line between psychological phenomenon and paranormal mystery.

Are these glitches in perception? Dissociation? Dimensional shifts?
 Or something far stranger?

Stay curious. Stay spooky.

📚 Sources

Stories sourced from public Reddit threads on r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix and r/ParanormalEncounters.
 Additional references include folklore accounts of time slips and psychological research on dissociation and missing time.

⚠️ Disclaimer

The stories discussed in this episode are shared from public Reddit forums and reflect personal experiences and interpretations of the original posters. These accounts are not independently verified.

Before the costumes, the candy, and the porch lights, there was a fire burning on the hills of ancient Ireland. It was called Samhain — the night when the veil between the living and the dead grew thin.
In this Halloween special, we travel back through time to uncover how a pagan festival of harvest and remembrance became the night we now know as Halloween — from the fires of the Celts to the prayers of medieval England, the tricks of Stingy Jack, and the playful magic of the Witching Night.

Hear the echoes of history in every flickering jack-o’-lantern, every mask, and every whispered story shared by candlelight. Because on this night, even now, the veil grows thin.

Sources & References

Celtic & Samhain History

• Hutton, Ronald. The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain. Oxford University Press, 1996.
• Danaher, Kevin. The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs. Mercier Press, 1972.
• O’Cathasaigh, T. Samhain and the Celtic New Year. Celtic Studies Journal, Vol. 12, 1985.
• National Museum of Ireland – “Samhain: The Celtic Origins of Halloween.” museum.ie
  
  

Christian Adaptation & All Hallows’ Eve

• Pope Boniface IV and the Dedication of the Pantheon (609 CE) – Vatican Archives / Catholic Encyclopedia.
• Pope Gregory III establishes All Saints’ Day, 8th Century Papal Records.
• Cleene, M. & Lejeune, M. Compendium of Symbolic and Ritual Plants in Europe. Man & Culture Press, 2002.
• The Catholic Sourcebook: All Hallows’ Eve and the Communion of Saints, Catholic Education Resource Center, 2018.

Stingy Jack & the Jack-O’-Lantern Legend

• Irish Folklore Commission Archives, University College Dublin.
• The Dullahan and Jack of the Lantern, Irish Myths and Legends Series, Folklore Society of Ireland, 1898.
• GhostCityTours – “The Legend of Stingy Jack.” ghostcitytours.com
  
  

The Witching Night – Halloween Games & Customs

• Napier, James. Folk Lore: Or, Superstitious Beliefs in the West of Scotland. Paisley Press, 1879.
• Chambers, Robert. The Book of Days: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities. W. & R. Chambers, 1864.
• Simpson, Jacqueline & Roud, Steve. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000.

Modern Traditions & Folklore Today

• Bannatyne, Lesley Pratt. Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History. Pelican Publishing, 1998.
• Rogers, Nicholas. Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night. Oxford University Press, 2002.
• Smithsonian Magazine – “How Halloween Evolved from Ancient Samhain to Trick-or-Treat.” (2019).
• CBC Archives – “The Celtic Roots of Halloween in Canada.” (2021).

Storytelling & Original Script

• Original narrative adaptation by Shauna for Let’s Talk Spooky, 2025.
• Inspired by oral tradition and folklore recordings from the 18th–20th centuries.

💀 Credits & Socials

Written and narrated by Shauna
Produced by Let’s Talk Spooky
Editing, sound design, and original script by Shauna

Follow for more spooky folklore:
 🎧 TikTok / Instagram / Pinterest: @LetsTalkSpooky
📬 Send your ghost stories: letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com

🌐 Listen on: letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com

Leprechauns are often seen as cheerful little shoemakers guarding pots of gold—but their origins are far more complex, and much darker.

In this episode, we explore the folklore roots of leprechauns in Irish mythology, tracing their connection to older fairy traditions, solitary spirits, and trickster entities. We look at how these figures evolved through oral storytelling during times of hardship—particularly during the mass emigration of Irish people in the 19th century—and how their image was reshaped into the playful mascot we recognize today.

But beneath the green coats and gold coins lies something older… something not always friendly. 

Sources & Further Reading (Condensed & Credible)

• Briggs, K. M. (1976). A Dictionary of Fairies. Penguin Books.
• Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (1911). The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. Oxford University Press.
• Yeats, W. B. (1888). Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry.
• Duffy, S. (Ed.). (2005). Atlas of Irish History. Gill & Macmillan.
• National Museum of Ireland – Folklore Collections
• Duchas.ie – The Schools’ Collection (Irish oral folklore archives)
• Ó Súilleabháin, S. (1967). Irish Folk Custom and Belief.

Long before Dracula, Ireland was already telling stories of the dead who refused to stay buried.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore ancient Irish vampire lore—legends of revenants, blood-drinking dead, and cursed burials rooted in fear, famine, and unresolved death. From the tragic tale of the Dearg-Due to the violent legend of Abhartach, these stories reveal a darker understanding of the undead, where vampires were not romantic outsiders, but neighbors, rulers, and lovers.

These early Irish legends would go on to shape many of the vampire-slaying traditions found across Europe, leaving behind a legacy of fear, ritual, and ancient hunger.

Sources & Further Reading

• Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. Myth, Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition.
• Barber, Paul. Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality.
• Ellis, Peter Berresford. The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends.
• National Folklore Collection (Dúchas.ie), University College Dublin
• Geoffrey Keating. Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (17th century)

In Part Two of our funeral superstitions series, we explore the eerie traditions and strange rituals people have used across history to keep the dead from rising — and protect the living from what might return.

We cover:

• Revenants in Slavic folklore and how communities fought back with stakes, decapitation, and fire
• Victorian safety coffins and the real fear of premature burial
• Superstitions about burial direction, mirrors, coins, and thresholds
• The chilling story of Rosângela Almeida dos Santos, a modern-day case in Brazil where a woman may have been buried alive
• Folklore from the Amazon, where families hold vigils and sleep beside the dead to guide the soul safely on
• The symbolism behind nails, ropes, and weights in burial rituals meant to hold spirits down
• Why some graves include broken tools, upside-down shoes, or iron keys

📚 Sources & References:

• Neplach’s Chronicle (14th Century) – Account of Myslata of Blov, a revenant in Bohemia
• “The Fear of Premature Burial” – Jan Bondeson, 2001
• JSTOR – Ethnographic studies on Brazilian funeral customs
• Folklore Society archives – Burial superstitions and corpse-control practices in Eastern Europe
• News reports: Case of Rosângela Almeida dos Santos (Brazil, 2018)
• “Revenants and the Boundaries of Death” – Paul Barber, 1988
• Smithsonian Magazine – "Victorian Era’s Obsession with Avoiding Premature Burial"
• “Sleeping with the Dead: Vigil and Transition Rituals in Amazonian Tribes” – Ethnos, 2014

🧠 Listener Tip:

Superstitions weren’t just fear-based — they were survival stories. Whether it was disease prevention or spiritual defense, many of these practices were born out of lived experiences and local lore.

🔗 Follow & Subscribe:

Listen to more eerie episodes of Let’s Talk Spooky at:
🎧 letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com

Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @LetsTalkSpooky
 Tag us with #LetsTalkSpooky to share your own funeral superstitions or family lore!

Show notes: 

In this episode, we head deep into the forest to explore two chilling legends that haunt campers and hikers alike. First, we meet The Whistling Man, a sinister figure inspired by Venezuela's El Silbón, who might just follow you home if you dare to answer his eerie four-note tune. Then, we unravel the mystery of The Last Campsite, a ghostly clearing in the woods that some say doesn’t exist—except to those who vanish there.

🧾 Stories Featured:

The Whistling Man

Origin: Inspired by the legend of El Silbón from Venezuela

Key themes: Isolation, whistling as a supernatural warning, cultural punishment folklore

Modern retelling set in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

The Last Campsite

Type: Urban legend / Creepypasta-style folklore

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore four ships whose stories continue to drift through maritime history and folklore. These ships reveal how maritime disasters don’t always sink into history—they linger, resurface, and sometimes drift back into view.

SS Valencia (1906)

• Parks Canada — The Sinking of the SS Valencia
  Government overview of the disaster and its impact on marine safety
  https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2017/06/the_sinking_of_thessvalencia.html
  
  
• Maritime Museum of British Columbia — SS Valencia: A Theatre of Horror
  Artifact records and historical interpretation
  https://mmbc.bc.ca/exhibits/ss-valencia-a-theatre-of-horror/
  
  

SS Atlantic (1873)

• Library and Archives Canada — The Wreck of the Atlantic
  Archival documentation and historical context
  https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/Pages/ss-atlantic.aspx
  
  
• Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 — SS Atlantic Disaster
  Immigration history and survivor context
  https://pier21.ca/community-presents/ss-atlantic-immigrant-ship-disaster
  
  

Baychimo (Abandoned 1931)

• Manitoba Museum — Baychimo: The Adventures of the Ghost Ship of the Arctic
  Museum-based archival research and documented sightings
  https://manitobamuseum.ca/baychimo-the-adventures-of-the-ghost-ship-of-the-arctic/
  
  
• Canada’s History — S.S. Baychimo Icebound
  Historical summary grounded in documented events
  https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/transportation/s-s-baychimo-icebound
  
  

Pass of Melfort

• Heritage BC — Pass of Melfort Submerged Heritage Record
  Official wreck record and site documentation
  https://heritagebc.ca/submerged-heritage-resource/pass-of-melfort/
  
  
• Wrecksite.eu — Pass of Melfort
  Maritime registry data and loss details
  https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?167255=
  
  

🎧 Content Note

This episode blends documented maritime history with regional folklore and later retellings. Where stories move beyond archival evidence, they are presented as cultural responses to loss and danger along Canada’s coast.

Inside one of the most haunted buildings in Canada — the Ottawa Jail Hostel, formerly the Carleton County Jail at 75 Nicholas Street, Ottawa, Ontario. From 1862 to 1972, this limestone prison housed up to 150 inmates in cells barely three feet wide, with no heat, no plumbing, and no light. Three men were hanged on its still-standing gallows: Patrick James Whelan in 1869 for the assassination of the Father of Confederation, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, William "Billy" Seabrooke in 1933, and Eugène Larment in 1946 — the last public hanging and the last execution in Ottawa's history. Roughly 140 unmarked graves were uncovered beneath the site's parking lot.

Today, paying guests sleep in converted death-row cells. Visitors and staff report a dark figure at the foot of the bed, the Lord's Prayer whispered in empty corridors, sudden nosebleeds near Whelan's unmarked grave, sleep paralysis in the old Warden's office, and the unmistakable sense of being watched on the eighth floor. We walk the building room by room — the basement "Hole," the women's wing, death row, the gallows, and the courtyard — and ask the harder question this place keeps raising: what does it mean to turn a site of real human suffering into somewhere you pay to spend the night?

Visit the Carleton County Jail & Ottawa Tours

If this episode pulled you in, the building itself is open to visitors. For guided historical and ghost tours of the Ottawa Jail and surrounding heritage sites, we recommend reaching out to our friend at Ottawa Tours by TAF — local, knowledgeable, and passionate about the haunted history of the capital. OTTAWA TOURS BY TAF

Carleton County Jail & Ottawa Heritage Tours Website: ottawatoursbytaf.ca

Connect With the Show

Subscribe, share, and tell a friend who loves haunted history. Every listen helps us find the next story. Folklore · Haunted History · Urban Legends Website: www.letstalkspooky.ca

Sources

• Historical Society of Ottawa & Today in Ottawa's History

• The Globe (1869), Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette (1933) — archival coverage

• The Canadian Encyclopedia & Dictionary of Canadian Biography — Whelan / McGee

• Lorna Poplak, Drop Dead (Dundurn, 2017)

• Heritage Ottawa & Ottawa Police Service historical archive

• Globe and Mail (Roy MacGregor, 2015); Canadian Geographic (Robin Esrock, 2024)

• Hostelworld — Jeff Delgado interview; Haunted Walk of Ottawa

What if the scariest urban legends were real? Not metaphors. Not campfire exaggerations.

Actually, verifiably, documentable real — and the communities telling them knew something terrible was happening long before anyone with authority chose to listen?

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky — a solo-narrated folklore and haunted history podcast — we follow four true horror stories hidden within four legends you thought you already knew. Visit letstalkspooky.com  to connect with our socials and see what's new!! 

Connect with us: 

If this episode got under your skin — share it. The best way to help Let’s Talk Spooky grow is to leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and to send it to one person you know who loves a good dark story. Word of mouth is still the most powerful algorithm there is.

Sources & Further Reading

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

• Lüneburg Manuscript (c. 1440–50); Hamelin Town Chronicle (1384); Stained glass window, Marktkirche

Hameln (c. 1300); Rattenfängerhaus inscription, Hameln, Germany. • Mieder, Wolfgang. The Pied Piper: A

Handbook. Greenwood Press, 2007. • Udolph, Jürgen. Linguistic surname research linking Hamelin to Polish &

Pomeranian records. • Kadushin, Raphael. “The Grim Truth Behind the Pied Piper.” BBC Travel, 2020.

The Greenbrier Ghost

• The Greenbrier Independent & The Monroe Watchman, 1897 (archived, WV Division of Culture and History). •

Baltimore American. “Mother-in-Law’s Vision as Evidence.” July 5, 1897. • Greenbrier County Courthouse —

trial records and autopsy report, 1897. • Lyle, Katie Letcher. The Man Who Wanted Seven Wives. Quarrier

Press, 1999. • e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. “Greenbrier Ghost.” wvencyclopedia.org.

Cropsey & Andre Rand

• Zeman & Brancaccio, dirs. Cropsey. Antidote Films, 2009 (Tribeca Film Festival). • Rivera, Geraldo.

Willowbrook: The Last Disgrace. WABC-TV, 1972. • The New York Times — coverage by Todd Purdum (Aug.

6, 1987) and Elizabeth Neuffer (Aug. 14, 1987). • The Charley Project — case files for all confirmed and

suspected victims. charleyproject.org.

The Black Volga

• Czubala, D. Wspónczesne Legendy Miejskie. Uniwersytet nlnski, 1993. • Brunvand, J.H. Encyclopedia of

Urban Legends. ABC-CLIO, 2001. • Kunicki, M. “The Red and the Brown.” East European Politics and

Societies, 2005. • Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), Warsaw — Piasecki case archival materials.

They came singing.

They came smiling.

And sometimes… they came to kill.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we step into the dark side of a tradition meant to spread cheer. From ancient winter rituals and threatening songs to Victorian-era fear tactics and modern urban legends, we explore the unsettling history of Christmas caroling—and the moments when those voices at the door were anything but welcome.

Caroling wasn’t always harmless. In some places, it was loud, aggressive, and dangerous. In others, it became a mask for violence, home invasion, and terror hidden behind song.

So if you hear singing outside your door tonight…

You may want to think twice before answering.

Source Material & Further Reading

This episode draws on historical folklore research, social history, and cultural analysis, including:

Ronald Hutton, The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain

Jacqueline Simpson & Steve Roud, A Dictionary of English Folklore

BBC Culture, “The Dark Origins of Christmas Carols”

https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20141219-the-dark-origins-of-carols

The British Library, “Christmas in Victorian Britain”

https://www.bl.uk/victorian-britain/articles/christmas-in-victorian-britain

Old Bailey Online, historical records of public disorder and group violence

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org

Jan Harold Brunvand, The Vanishing Hitchhiker

Atlas Obscura, articles on dark holiday traditions

https://www.atlasobscura.com

Japan is home to some of the most chilling urban legends in the world.

Stories whispered in school hallways, shared on quiet train rides, and passed between friends late at night. Some of these legends have existed for decades… while others were born on the internet and spread like wildfire across message boards.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore four of Japan’s most haunting urban legends.

A vengeful spirit that drags herself across the pavement searching for victims.

A masked woman who asks a terrifying question before revealing her true face.

A ghost said to haunt the bathrooms of Japanese schools.

And a train station that doesn’t appear on any map.

Join us as we dive into the eerie folklore and modern legends behind:

• Teke Teke
• Kuchisake-onna
• Hanako-san
• Kisaragi Station

These stories blend folklore, fear, and modern storytelling — proving that urban legends continue to evolve with the world around us.

But one thing never changes.

If you hear footsteps behind you at night…
 or a voice asking a strange question…

You might already be part of the story.

Sources

Teke Teke

• Yokai.com
• Michael Dylan Foster – The Book of Yokai
• Japanese folklore archives on urban legends

Kuchisake-onna

• Shūkan Asahi reports on the 1979 panic
• Shūkan Shincho coverage of sightings
• Michael Dylan Foster – Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yokai

Hanako-san

• Japanese school folklore collections
• Hiroko Yoda & Matt Alt – Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide

Kisaragi Station

• 2004 posts on the Japanese forum 2channel
• Internet folklore archives on creepypasta and digital urban legends

Episode Summary:

They sound sweet, playful… harmless.
 But behind the sing-song melodies of childhood lies something far older — and often far darker.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we peel back the innocent surface of familiar nursery rhymes to uncover the bloody history, buried warnings, and folkloric origins they carry. From the burning martyrs behind “Three Blind Mice” to the sinister symbolism of “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” and the terrifying legend of “The Muffin Man,” we explore how these rhymes became time-traveling vessels for superstition, grief, and hidden truths.

🕯️ What You’ll Hear:

• 🎵 The Tudor executions encoded in Three Blind Mice
• 🪦 The hidden graveyard symbolism in Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
• 🧁 Whether The Muffin Man was a street vendor or a serial killer
• 🧺 How nursery rhymes may have acted as coded warnings in public
• 🕸️ Why folklore loves to dress darkness in rhyme
• 👶 Why children’s songs are perfect carriers for cultural memory

📚 Referenced Articles & Sources:

• BBC Culture – The Hidden Meaning of Nursery Rhymes
• History Extra – The Bloody Origins of Nursery Rhymes
• Smithsonian Magazine – “Mary, Mary Quite Contrary” and English Execution Folklore
• Oxford University Press – The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes by Iona and Peter Opie
• Folklore Society Archives – Songs as Oral History: Rhymes and Riddles as Codes
• “The Muffin Man” Creepypasta origins – Uncyclopedia (archival satire, not factual)
• JSTOR Daily – The Evolution of Folk Songs in Oral Tradition

🔮 Listener Note:

This episode includes references to historical violence, child death, and folklore with dark origins. Listener discretion is advised.

💀 Want More Spooky in Your Feed?

Be sure to subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts — and share the episode with your favorite folklore lover.

🌒 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @LetsTalkSpooky
🎧 All episodes: https://letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com

Victorian England may be remembered for its carols, holly, and festive cheer—but beneath the flickering glow of candlelight, Christmas was once the season for ghosts. In this chilling holiday episode, we delve into the forgotten tradition of telling supernatural tales on Christmas Eve, long before Halloween claimed the spotlight.

We delve into the Dickens-era fascination with spirits and the supernatural, unraveling why Victorians believed the veil thinned during midwinter. We also travel through some of the era’s eeriest Christmas hauntings, including the classic tale of The Phantom Coach and a final, haunting encounter with The Lady in Black.

Blending historical commentary, folklore, and immersive narrative storytelling, this episode reveals the darker side of Christmas that Victorian families once gathered around the fire to hear. So grab your mulled wine, settle into the lamplight, and journey with us into a winter world where the shadows are long, and the spirits still wander.

Stay curious, stay spooky—and happy haunted holidays.

Condensed Source Breakdown — Haunted Victorian ChristmasHistory.com – “The Forgotten Tradition of Christmas Ghost Stories”

Used for background on why Victorians told ghost stories at Christmas, the connection to older midwinter beliefs, and the decline of the tradition in the 20th century.

Used for context on Dickens’ influence on Christmas ghost storytelling and the popularity of serialized supernatural tales during the Victorian era.

Primary source for the mid-episode narrative retelling and an example of a classic Victorian Christmas ghost story.

Used to support atmospheric details, cultural customs, and inspiration for the final “Lady in Black” narrative.

Used to frame Victorian interest in the supernatural and explain the popularity of ghost stories during the holiday season.

Charles Dickens & Victorian Ghost Fiction J. Sheridan Le Fanu – “The Phantom Coach” (1864) General Victorian Folklore & Winter Hauntings Background on the 19th-Century Spiritualist Movement

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If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow Let’s Talk Spooky, leave a review, and share it with your fellow spooky souls 👻

Got a story of your own? We’d love to hear it.

Description: 

What if someone saw you… Somewhere you’ve never been?

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore the unsettling idea of the doppelgänger—an identical double said to exist alongside you, ahead of you, or even completely separate from you.

From ancient beliefs to modern encounters, the idea of a second self has appeared across cultures for centuries. In ancient Egypt, the Ka was believed to be a spiritual double tied to one's existence. In Norse folklore, the Vardøger was said to arrive before you—your presence echoing forward in time. And in Celtic traditions, seeing your double was often considered a warning… something not meant to be witnessed.

But these stories didn’t stay in the past.

We move into real documented accounts, including the chilling case of Émilie Sagée—a teacher reportedly seen in two places at once by dozens of witnesses—and modern experiences where people have been seen, spoken to, or encountered… without ever being there.

Because sometimes, the most unsettling stories aren’t the ones that feel impossible—

They’re the ones that feel almost normal… until they aren’t.

📚 Sources & Further Reading 

• Émilie Sagée case⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89milie_Sag%C3%A9e⁠
• Doppelgänger folklore overview⁠https://www.britannica.com/art/doppelganger⁠
• Norse Vardøger⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vard%C3%B8ger⁠
• Egyptian Ka⁠https://www.britannica.com/topic/ka-Egyptian-religion⁠
• Chinese hun and po⁠https://www.britannica.com/topic/hun-and-po⁠
• Reddit (modern experiences)⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/Glitch_in_the_Matrix/⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/⁠

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore two of Canada’s most unsettling locations—places where history didn’t just happen… it stayed behind.

We begin in Halifax at The Five Fishermen, a historic building that once operated as a funeral home. This site played a role in the aftermath of the RMS Titanic disaster and the devastating Halifax Explosion, where victims were brought, identified, and prepared. Today, staff and visitors report eerie encounters—reflections that don’t match reality, unexplained movement, and a lingering presence that refuses to fade.

From there, we travel west to Vancouver and step inside the Vancouver Police Museum—once the city’s morgue, autopsy room, and coroner’s court. A place where death was not only witnessed but examined repeatedly over decades. Connected to real cases, including the “Babes in the Woods” and early violent crimes in Vancouver, the building now houses reports of unexplained sounds, shifting objects, and an unsettling sense of being watched.

Two locations.Two very different kinds of hauntings.

One question remains— Do these places hold onto the people who passed through them…or the weight of what happened inside?

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow Let’s Talk Spooky wherever you listen to podcasts.

And if you’ve ever experienced something you couldn’t explain—a place that didn’t feel quite right… We want to hear your story.

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In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we journey across Alberta’s eeriest landscapes — from ancient stone guardians to the forgotten towns they watched over.

First, we explore the haunting Indigenous legends behind the Hoodoos of the Alberta badlands — towering rock formations believed to be petrified giants, guardians of sacred lands, and even cursed beings struck down by the spirits.

Then, we travel through time into four of Western Canada’s most chilling ghost towns:

• Anyox, BC – A lost copper town only accessible by boat, where lights still flicker in buildings with no power.
• Frank Slide, Alberta – The site of Canada’s deadliest landslide, where rock buried nearly a hundred souls — and some say, still holds them.
• Phoenix, BC – A once-bustling city now watched over by a woman in black, forever mourning a forgotten grave.
• Bankhead, Alberta – A mining town swallowed by silence, where voices still echo through ruined wash houses and unmarked graves.

We explore the tragic history, eerie encounters, and the folklore that lingers long after the last train left.

🔍 Referenced Legends & Lore:

• Hoodoo origin stories from Blackfoot and Cree traditions
• The 1903 Frank Slide disaster (Turtle Mountain)
• Reports from Phoenix Cemetery and the Woman in Black
• The ghost of Bankhead and the legend of the exhumed grave
• Urban explorer accounts from Anyox

📚 Sources & Further Reading:

• Parks Canada interpretive materials (Bankhead & Frank Slide)
• Canadian Encyclopedia – “Frank Slide”
• Mystery Weekly Magazine – “Haunted Canada: Ghost Towns”
• Medium: “The Ghost Towns of British Columbia”
• Puzzle Box Horror – “Legends of the Hoodoos”
• Indigenous oral storytelling traditions (Blackfoot, Stoney Nakoda references)
• Ron’s Amazing Stories: Canadian Ghost Towns Series
• Weird Canada Archives

📲 Stay Connected:

🔗 Website: letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com
 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @LetsTalkSpookypod
 💬 Got a local legend to share? Email us at letstalkspooky@gmail.com

Step into the firelight and into one of the most fascinating festivals of the ancient Celtic calendar. In this remastered episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore Beltane, the ancient Celtic fire festival that marked the beginning of summer and the thinning of the line between the human world and the spirit world. From ancient pagan rituals and sacred bonfires to fertility traditions, protection rites, fairy folklore, and the darker side of May Day legends, this episode digs into the history, mystery, and magic behind one of the most powerful seasonal celebrations in folklore.

We’ll talk about the origins of Beltane in Celtic tradition, why fire played such a central role in cleansing and protection, how people believed the fae were especially active, and how old customs surrounding witches, spirits, and supernatural forces shaped the night. Whether you’re interested in pagan holidays, European folklore, the history of witchcraft, seasonal traditions, or the eerie folklore tied to May Eve, this episode brings together the beautiful and unsettling sides of Beltane.

If you love stories about ancient festivals, folklore and superstition, Celtic mythology, fairy beliefs, witch lore, and the haunted edge of old-world tradition, this episode is for you.

Sources: 

Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Beltane” — strong overview of Beltane’s meaning, timing, and pastoral/fire customs. 

Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Belenus” — helpful for the older connection between Beltane and fire symbolism. 

Historic Environment Scotland, “Behind the Fire – the Symbolism of Beltane Fire Festival” — useful for Scottish fire symbolism, cleansing, and community ritual. 

Dúchas.ie, “May Day Customs and Beliefs” — excellent folklore source for beliefs about fairies, witches, fire, cattle, milk, and protection. 

Dúchas.ie, “Bealtaine Eve” — great source for May Eve customs, dew washing, may boughs, and fairy beliefs. 

Dúchas.ie, “Béasaí agus Nósanna Lae Bealtaine” — useful for household luck, primroses, ashes, and May Day prohibitions. 

Historic UK, “May Day Celebrations” — broader context for Beltane within May Day tradition. 

In Part One of this two-part series, we explore real missing person cases connected to the Appalachian region and the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail.

Appalachia stretches from Georgia to Maine, cutting through national forests, deep mountain hollows, and some of the most rugged terrain in the eastern United States.

In this episode, we examine documented disappearances, including:

• Dennis Martin (1969) – 6-year-old boy who vanished in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park• Trenny Lynn Gibson (1976) – A teenager who disappeared during a school trip near Clingmans Dome• Louise Chaput (2001) – Quebec woman murdered while hiking in the White Mountains

These cases remain either unsolved or deeply debated.

SOURCES 

• FBI – Highway Serial Killings Initiative⁠https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2009/april/highwayserial_040609⁠

• National Park Service – Great Smoky Mountains⁠https://www.nps.gov/grsm⁠

• Disappearance of Dennis Martin⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Dennis_Martin⁠

• Trenny Gibson CaseTennessee Bureau of Investigation

• Louise Chaput CaseAppalachian Trail Noir (archival reporting)Backpacker Magazine reporting on NH cold cases

• Samuel Little – FBI Archives⁠https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/samuel-little-serial-killer⁠

• Gary Hilton Case Documentation

In this chilling episode, we step behind the crumbling walls and flickering lights of some of the world’s most haunted hospitals. From the infamous death tunnel of Waverly Hills Sanatorium, to the mysterious and tragic lore of Sayama Hospital in Japan, to the silent echoes trapped inside the overgrown halls of Riverview Hospital in British Columbia, we explore what happens when pain lingers long after the patients are gone.

🧠 Topics Covered:

Dark history of Waverly Hills Sanatorium (Louisville, Kentucky)

Sayama Hospital and the cultural impact of the Sayama Incident (Japan)

The rise and fall of Riverview Hospital (Coquitlam, British Columbia)

🔗 Resources & References:

Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Waverly Hills Historical Overview: https://www.therealwaverlyhills.com

“The Haunted History of Waverly Hills Sanatorium” – Legends of America

Personal testimonies and ghost tours via [YouTube – Ghost Hunters & BuzzfeedUnsolved]

Sayama Hospital & Sayama Incident

Background on the Sayama Incident: Human Rights Now – Sayama Case

Creepy Reddit encounter near Sayama: r/Paranormal

Cultural impact and hospital myth: [r/UnresolvedMysteries]

RiverviewHospital

Riverviewhistory via BC Archives: BC Government Heritage Site

CreepyReddit tales and eyewitness accounts:

r/coquitlam– haunted places

r/Paranormal– bus ghost story

r/britishcolumbia– abandoned buildings

📲 Connect With Us:

👻 Instagram: @letstalkspooky

📩 Email Your Stories: letstalkspooky@gmail.com

🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen!

 In this episode, we travel to Bell Island, Newfoundland — a place where iron ore, phantom miners, UFO theories, and unexplained explosions collide. From the tragic history beneath the island to eerie firsthand accounts of shadow figures in the mines, Bell Island remains one of Canada’s strangest paranormal hotspots. 

 Sources & Further Reading

• Newfoundland & Labrador mining archives
• CBC interviews and regional oral histories
• Local folklore compilations
• Articles on the 1978 Bell Island Boom
• Museum and heritage site information

Call to Action

If you loved this episode, don’t forget to:

• Rate and follow Let’s Talk Spooky
• Join our spooky community on Instagram & TikTok: @letstalkspookypod
• Send your paranormal stories for our upcoming listener episode!

Long before Christmas became a season of comfort and light, midwinter was a time of hunger, fear, and moral reckoning. Across Europe, stories emerged of creatures who roamed during the longest nights—watching households, judging behavior, and punishing those who failed to prepare for the harshness of winter.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore the folklore of three of the most unsettling Christmas figures: Grýla, her monstrous companion Yule Cat, and the Alpine enforcer Krampus. We also examine the darker legends surrounding Saint Nicholas, including the infamous tale of the pickled children—revealing how fear, morality, and survival shaped early holiday storytelling.

These were not stories meant to entertain. They were warnings. And in the depths of winter, they mattered.

📚 Sources & Further Reading

• Árni Björnsson, Icelandic Folklore and Legends
• National Museum of Iceland – Grýla and Yule Cat folklore resources
• Encyclopedia Britannica – Entries on Grýla, Yule Cat, and Alpine winter traditions
• History.com – The History of Krampus, the Christmas Demon
• Jacob Grimm, Teutonic Mythology
• Ronald Hutton, Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain
• Catholic Encyclopedia – St. Nicholas traditions and hagiography
• The British Library – Medieval saints’ legends and moral folklore
• Valancourt Books – The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories (contextual winter folklore parallels)

This episode unravels the eerie side of second-hand shopping. From a ghostly Victorian dress to a haunted eBay painting and a sinister vintage chair, we explore real stories and folklore that beg the question: Can objects carry emotional residue or even spiritual energy?

Let's find out!  

Don't forget to hit that follow button and leave a review to help us grow. 

Stay spooky, friends  👻 

This episode covers: 

• Blue Silk, a cautionary tale published in the Evening Post in 1884, warns about the dangers of used clothing.
• The Hands Resist Him is the infamous haunted painting that shocked eBay buyers and terrified children.
• A chilling Reddit story about a dream-haunting chair.
• Cultural beliefs in object-bound spirits, like Japan’s tsukumogami and Jewish folklore’s dybbuk.

Got a haunted thrift story of your own?Email at: letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: ⁠@letstalkspookypodcast⁠

Sources & References:

• “How Thrift Stores Were Born” – Time Magazine⁠https://time.com/5364170/thrift-store-history/⁠
• “Ragpickers or Rescuers? Gender and the Salvation Army” – New England Quarterly via JSTOR⁠https://www.jstor.org/stable/43284988?mag=how-thrift-stores-were-born⁠
• “10 Haunting Facts About the Painting ‘The Hands Resist Him’” – Listverse⁠https://listverse.com/2021/10/07/10-haunting-facts-about-the-painting-the-hands-resist-him/⁠
• Reddit Thrift Hauls Community ⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/ThriftStoreHauls/comments/l04yuu/have_you_ever_bought_a_haunted_item_at_a_thrift/⁠

👻 Credits:Written, researched, and produced by Shauna Taylor.

🎧 Listen, subscribe, and stay spooky wherever you get your podcasts.

In 1878, the small town of Amherst, Nova Scotia became the stage for one of Canada’s most chilling and violent hauntings.

When nineteen-year-old Esther Cox narrowly escaped an attempted assault, strange disturbances soon followed—objects hurled across rooms, violent knocking that answered questions, and spontaneous fires that defied explanation. Witnesses swore the events were real. Skeptics called it hysteria.

Enter Walter Hubbell, an actor turned investigator, who lived in the house and documented every terrifying detail. His account would become The Great Amherst Mystery—a case that still blurs the line between trauma, belief, and the supernatural.

Was Esther haunted by something beyond this world—or by the echoes of her own pain?

So, gather close, and let’s talk spooky.

 Sources & References

• Hubbell, Walter. The Great Amherst Mystery: A True Narrative of the Supernatural. New York: W. Briggs, 1879.
• Norris, Laurie Glenn. Haunted Girl: Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery. Nimbus Publishing, 2012.
• “Cox, Esther.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol. 14. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/cox_esther_14E.html
  
  
• Smith, Barbara. Ghost Stories of Canada. Heritage House, 1993.
• CBC Archives. Haunting History of Amherst, Nova Scotia.
• McEwan, Graham. Ghost Stories of the Maritimes. 1987.

🎙️ About This Episode

Written, researched, and narrated by Shauna
Produced by Let’s Talk Spooky Podcast
Sound design & post-production by Shauna

📬 Follow & Connect

👻 Instagram: @letstalkspooky

🎧 TikTok: @letstalkspooky

📧 Share your stories: letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com

🌐 Listen on Buzzsprout: https://letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore some of history’s most unsettling disappearances—cases where people didn’t just go missing… they seemed to vanish.

From children who disappeared in broad daylight, to pilots lost mid-sentence, to historical figures who stepped out of reality itself—these stories challenge what we think we understand about time, space, and human experience.

Some of these cases may have explanations.
 Others… feel like they slipped through something we can’t quite see.

📚 Sources & Further Reading

Case-Specific Sources

• Disappearance of the Beaumont children
   https://www.police.sa.gov.au/about-us/cold-case-investigation/beaumont-children
  
  
• Frederick Valentich disappearance
   https://www.naa.gov.au/explore-collection/immigration-and-citizenship/valentich
  
  
• Benjamin Bathurst disappearance
   https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Benjamin-Bathurst/
  
  
• Owen Parfitt disappearance
   https://www.historicmysteries.com/owen-parfitt/
  
  

Archival & Research Resources

• National Archives of Australia
• South Australia Police
• Historic UK

Books & Deep Dives

• The Mammoth Book of Unsolved Mysteries
• Vanished Without a Trace

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore some of the most haunted universities in North America and the UK — from abandoned asylum buildings and Gothic towers to medieval cathedral ruins and anatomy theatres linked to real historical crimes.

These aren’t urban legends pulled out of thin air. Many of these campuses are built on documented history involving:

• Former psychiatric institutions
• Grave robbing
• The Burke and Hare murders
• Public dissections
• Religious executions
• Phantom monks and ghostly figures

📚 Sources

Ohio University & The Ridges

• Ohio University. The Ridges History.⁠https://www.ohio.edu/ridges/history⁠
• Ohio History Connection. Athens Lunatic Asylum Overview.

University of Toronto

• Richardson, D., Careless, J.M.S., & Craig, G.M. (1990). A Not Unsightly Building: University College and Its History. Mosaic Press.

Queen’s University

• Queen’s University Archives. Grant Hall History.⁠https://www.queensu.ca/archives/⁠

University of St Andrews

• University of St Andrews. History of the University.⁠https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/about/history/⁠
• Historic Environment Scotland. St Andrews Cathedral.⁠https://www.historicenvironment.scot/⁠

University of Edinburgh

• University of Edinburgh. History of the University.⁠https://www.ed.ac.uk/about/history⁠
• Rosner, L. (2009). The Anatomy Murders: The True and Spectacular History of Edinburgh’s Notorious Burke and Hare.
• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Surgeons’ Hall Museums – Burke & Hare Collection.⁠https://museum.rcsed.ac.uk/⁠

This week on Let’s Talk Spooky, we unlock the doors to two haunted homes that history tried to forget.

First, we travel to the tangled fields of Goa, India, where the tragic legend of the D’Mello House still lingers—two brothers, one house, and a silence that never truly settled.

Then, we journey to Nova Scotia’s oldest town to visit the Bailey House, a Georgian-era home where ghostly perfume drifts through the halls… and a pale woman is said to still wait by the window for a ship that never returned.

Ghost stories, historical echoes, and the kind of hauntings that don’t scream—they watch.

📚 Sources & References

🏚️ D’Mello House – Goa, India

Local legend compiled from regional folklore, local accounts, and oral retellings

Anecdotes from tourist blogs and video entries of midnight visits (e.g., Goa-based haunted places on YouTube)

Mentioned in articles like:

Haunted Places in Goa - Holidify

India Times - Haunted Houses of India

🕯️ Bailey House – Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Built c.1770, Georgian-style house

Historical context from:

Historic Places Canada Registry – Bailey House

Annapolis Royal Heritage Tour Guides

Folklore and ghost sightings gathered from:

Local tourism and B&B guest testimonials

Ghost stories featured in Nova Scotia supernatural forums and books like Haunted Canada series

Destination Halifax Haunted Highlights

In this episode, we delve into the eerie world of garden folklore, where healing herbs and haunted hedgerows blur the lines between magic and myth. You'll hear the tragic true tale of Agnes Sampson, explore the deadly cry of the mandrake root, and wander into the modern urban legend of the Witch Garden on Widdershins Lane. We’ll also uncover ancient traditions such as moon planting, spirit gardens, and poison plots.

 Topics Covered:

• Agnes Sampson and the garden that condemned her
• The Mandrake's Scream: folklore and real history
• Witch’s gardens: belladonna, henbane, and shadowy traditions
• Modern legend: The Witch Garden on Widdershins Lane

Further Reading & Resources:

1. Agnes Sampson – North Berwick Witch Trials
   https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-North-Berwick-Witch-Trials/
2. Mandrake Folklore & Medicinal History
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4658872/
3. The Poison Garden at Alnwick Castle
   https://www.alnwickgarden.com/the-garden/poison-garden/
4. Lunar Gardening Guide (Folkloric Perspective)
   https://www.farmersalmanac.com/gardening-by-the-moon
5. Victorian Floriography and Symbolism of Flowers
   https://www.languageofflowers.com/
6. Witch Gardens in History and Myth
   https://www.learnreligions.com/herbs-of-the-witchs-garden-2562107
7. https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/pendle-witches-witch-trials-what-happened/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

Long before the Twelve Days of Christmas became a cheerful song, they were feared.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we explore the ancient folklore surrounding the Twelve Days — a liminal stretch of time between Christmas and Epiphany when the boundaries between the living and the dead were believed to weaken. Across Europe, people feared that spirits roamed freely, animals spoke, omens appeared, and the Wild Hunt rode through winter storms.

Drawing from Germanic, Norse, Alpine, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh traditions, this episode examines why silence, restraint, and ritual protection were believed to be essential for survival during midwinter. From ancestral spirits returning home, to dangerous thresholds and supernatural processions, the Twelve Days were not meant to be celebrated — they were meant to be endured.

Because when the year was dying, and the new one had not yet begun, people believed the world was listening.

📚 Sources & Further Reading

Primary & Scholarly Sources

• Ronald Hutton, The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain
• Jacob Grimm, Teutonic Mythology
• Katharine Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies
• Alexander Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica
• Claude Lecouteux, Phantoms of the Night: Spirits, Ghosts, and the Devil in Medieval Thought
• Claude Lecouteux, The Return of the Dead: Ghosts, Ancestors, and the Transparent Veil of the Pagan Mind

Regional Folklore & Traditions

• Germanic Rauhnächte traditions
• Norse Yule and winter spirit beliefs
• Irish and Scottish Twelve Days superstitions
• Welsh midwinter customs and spirit lore
• Alpine Wild Hunt and winter processions

Additional References

• British Library folklore archives
• National Folklore Collection of Ireland
• Scandinavian folk belief records (18th–19th c.)
• Church prohibitions against midwinter folk practices

Episode Summary:

Tonight, we check into one of Canada’s most haunted hotels — the legendary Banff Springs Hotel. Hidden within its luxury and history are tales that chill even the most seasoned traveler. From the tragic Ghost Bride still seen gliding down the grand staircase, to Room 873 — a room that was allegedly sealed off after a horrific murder-suicide — and Sam the Bellman, the ever-polite ghost who still helps guests with their luggage…

But the hauntings don’t stop there.We explore unsettling guest stories, phantom phone calls, eerie elevator rides, and lingering spirits that make this hotel more than just a historic landmark — it’s a living, breathing legend.

Welcome to the Castle in the Rockies. Check in… if you dare.

• Brief history of the Banff Springs Hotel
• The tragic tale of the Ghost Bride
• Real accounts of phantom bellman Sam Macauley
• The chilling mystery of Room 873
• Paranormal guest experiences: cold spots, voices, flickering lights
• Haunted hallways, ballroom echoes, and midnight phone calls
• A closing reflection on the line between luxury and lingering spirits

Website: ⁠https://letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com⁠Instagram & TikTok: @letstalkspookypodContact: ⁠letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com⁠🎧 Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to keep the stories flowing!

This is a remastered episode — new research, new stories, new folklore. Worth a re-listen.

We pull on a blue silk dress in 1884 Boston and follow the thread back through the strange, unsettling history of secondhand things. From the rag pickers of Victorian London to the smallpox-laced wardrobes of the dead, from The Hands Resist Him to the Crying Boy paintings that wouldn’t burn, from a haunted wine cabinet in Oregon to a green velvet chair no one should have brought home — tonight we’re asking the question every thrifter eventually whispers to themselves: what lived in this thing before I did?

Sources

Thrifting & Victorian secondhand: Lemire, The Business of Everyday Life (2005); Mayhew, London Labour and the

London Poor (1851); Le Zotte, “The Surprisingly Sanitized History of the Thrift Store,” Time (2017).

Mourning culture: Lutz, Relics of Death in Victorian Literature and Culture (Cambridge, 2015).

Folklore traditions: Foster, The Book of Yokai (UC Press, 2015); Nigal, Dybbuk Tales in Jewish Literature.

Hands Resist Him: Bill Stoneham’s artist statements (billstoneham.com); Snopes, “eBay Haunted Painting.”

Crying Boy: The Sun, “Blazing Curse of the Crying Boy” (Sept 4, 1985); David Clarke, Fortean Times investigation.

Dybbuk Box: Mannis’s original 2003 eBay listing; Haxton, The Dibbuk Box (Truman State Press, 2011); LA Times

coverage (July 2004).

Listener folklore: r/ThriftStoreHauls Reddit thread.

Connect with the Show

Got your own haunted thrift story? I want to hear it.

Email: letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com

TikTok: @letstalkspookypod

Instagram: @letstalkspookypodcast

Stay Curious. Stay Spooky.

Written, researched, and produced by Shauna.

A grieving widow develops a roll of film and finds her dead mother in the back seat. A WWI airman steps into a squadron portrait two days after his funeral. A Boston photographer swears he can capture the dead — and P. T. Barnum takes the stand to prove him wrong. Tonight, the photographs that came back heavier than they went in. 

Before the smartphone, before the camera roll — before there was a way to carry your dead in your pocket — people wanted to keep the faces of the ones they loved. Some of them tried very hard. Some of them, it seems, succeeded a little too well.

In this remastered episode, we’re climbing back into the strange, tender, deeply uncanny history of postmortem and spirit photography — from Victorian iron posing stands and painted-on eyes, to

William Mumler’s scandalous Boston studio, to the back seat of a quiet Ipswich car on a Tuesday afternoon in 1959.

Featuring the Mabel Chinnery photograph, the ghost of Freddy Jackson, the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall, the haunted faces in the wake of the S.S. Watertown, Mary Todd Lincoln’s most famous portrait, and three modern firsthand-style accounts that have been quietly circulating online — the kind of photograph you delete six times, and it keeps coming back.

Postmortem Photography & Victorian Death Culture

• Stanley, Liz, and Sue Wise. “The Domestication of Death: The Sequestration Thesis and Domestic Figuration.”

Sociology, vol. 45, no. 6, 2011, pp. 947–62. JSTOR. (jstor.org/stable/42857592)

• Slate Magazine: “The Eerie History of Spirit Photography and Child Mortality in the 19th Century.” October 2017.

(slate.com/human-interest/2017/10/spirit-photography-and-child-mortality-in-the-19th-century.html)

• Victorian Visual Culture blog: “Photos of the Dead.” December 2020.

(victorianvisualculture.blog/2020/12/14/photos-of-the-dead/)

William Mumler & Spirit Photography

• Cao, Maggie M. “Spirit Photographs and the Civil War.” American Art, vol. 31, no. 2.

• Kaplan, Louis. The Strange Case of William Mumler, Spirit Photographer. University of Minnesota Press, 2008.

• Court records of The People v. William H. Mumler, New York, 1869.

Freddy Jackson

• Goddard, Sir Victor. Flight Towards Reality. London: Turnstone Books, 1975.

• The Black Vault Case Files: “The Ghost of Freddy Jackson.”

(theblackvault.com/casefiles/the-ghost-of-freddy-jackson/)

Mabel Chinnery

• Sunday Pictorial, April 19, 1959 — original publication and expert analysis.

• Anomalies database (Garth Haslam): “1959, March 22 — Mabel Chinnery’s Strange Photograph.” (anomalyinfo.com/Stories/1959-mabel-chinnerys-strange-photograph)

The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall

• Country Life magazine, December 1936 — original publication of the photograph by Captain Hubert Provand and Indre Shira.

• BBC News: coverage of Raynham Hall and the Brown Lady. (bbc.com/news/uk-england-36389581) S.S. Watertown

• Service News, Cities Service Company company newsletter, 1924–1925 — primary publication of the photographs and crew accounts.

• Hervey, Hal. “Ghosts of the Watertown.” True Strange Stories, 1929.

• Foster, Michael Dylan. The Book of Ynkai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore. University of California

Press, 2015 — for context on shinrei shashin in Japanese popular tradition.

• Behrend, Heike, et al., eds. Spirits in Politics: Uncertainties of Power and Healing in African Societies. Campus Verlag, 2015 — for a broader cross-cultural context on photography and the spirit world.

• Instagram: @letstalkspookypodcast

• Email: letstalkspookypodcast@gmail.com

• Subscribe/follow wherever you listen, and please leave a review — it helps more spooky souls find the firelight.

Episode Description

A campfire walk through some of the most feared women in world folklore, from a four-hundred-year-old spider waiting in a Japanese mountain house, to a wailing figure outside an Irish window at midnight. We travel through Slavic rivers and summer wheat fields, down dark roads in South Asia, into Colombian mangroves and the deep Brazilian Amazon, and onto the forest trails of Indigenous North America. What you start to notice, when you put these women side by side, is that almost every one of them was wronged first. Mothers who lost children. Brides who were murdered. Women buried wrong. They came back anyway. They came back hungry. And every culture on earth seems to have remembered them, independently, in its own language, in its own forest, on its own river, at its own time of day. Light a candle. Lock the door. Don’t answer if someone calls your name from past the streetlights.

Sources meterial

• Lady Anne Fanshawe, Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe (composed 1676, first published 1829). The earliest detailed first-person Banshee account in print.

• Karel Jaromír Erben, Polednice (“The Noon Witch”), 1853. Czech folklore ballad foundational to Polednice in modern memory.

• Edo-period ynkai collections, including the Taihei Hyaku Monogatari and the Tonoigusa, for Jorngumo in her earliest written form.

• W. B. Yeats, Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (1888). Foundational survey of Irish supernatural tradition, including Banshee accounts.

• Lady Wilde, Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland (1887). Nineteenth-century compilation of Irish folklore.

• Lady Augusta Gregory, Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland (1920). Documented Banshee sightings from West Ireland oral tradition.

• Tupi-Guarani oral tradition, recorded by sixteenth-century Jesuit missionaries in Brazil, for the earliest written references to Caipora.

• Slavic folklore scholarship on the Rusalka and Polednice traditions, including ethnographic work from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries across Russia, Ukraine, Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland.

• Indigenous storytellers, writers, and scholars for the deeper teachings of Deer Woman. See contemporary Indigenous-led folklore podcasts, anthologies, and community-published resources.

Content Note

This episode discusses themes of murder, death in childbirth, violence against women and children, drowning, and historical injustice. It is intended for adult listeners.

Stay Curious. Stay Spooky.

On Christmas Eve in 1689, a Swedish farmer and his wife carried their ten-year-old son to the manure heap at the edge of their farm and left him there overnight to freeze. They believed, sincerely and devoutly, that he was a changeling — and that the elves would come in the night and return their real son by morning.

He was not the first child this happened to. He would not be the last.

This week, host Shauna takes you deep into the changeling tradition — into where the lore came from, what our ancestors believed a changeling was, and the documented historical record of what they did to the children they were certain were not their own. From a courtroom in Tralee in 1826 to a Lutheran pulpit in Wittenberg in 1532 to present-day West Africa, this episode walks through five hundred years of folk diagnosis, folk cure, and the children who paid the price.

Sources & Further Reading

• The Gotland Trial Records, 1690 — bound in the Swedish dombok (court book), held in the Swedish National Archives, Stockholm. Studied in detail by Ilmar Arens and Bengt af Klintberg in Rig: Kulturhistorisk Tidskrift, 1979.

• Martin Luther, Tischreden (Table-Talk), volume 5 — first printed 1566; standard scholarly edition in the Weimar edition of Luther's collected works (Weimarer Ausgabe).

• Ralph of Coggeshall, Chronicon Anglicanum, c. 1200 — British Library, Cotton MS Vespasian DX.

• Tralee Assizes Trial Records, July 1826 — the case of Ann Roche; contemporary court reports and transcripts, excerpted in 19th-century Irish folklore writings.

• John Francis Campbell, Popular Tales of the West Highlands, 1860–1862, four volumes — The Smith and the Fairies is in volume 2. Public domain; available free at archive.org and on Project Gutenberg.

Episode Summary

On the night of March fifteenth, eighteen ninety-five, eight people in a small Irish kitchen watched a

man named Michael Cleary set his wife on fire. Not one of them tried to stop him. They all believed the

same thing he did: the woman on the bed wasn't his wife anymore. The fairies had taken her.

In this episode, we use the death of Bridget Cleary as a doorway into something much larger. We trace

fairy belief across five cultures and two centuries —through documented court cases, ethnographic

records, modern road bends, and a billionaire's fall — to ask the splinter-under-the-skin question: why

does almost every culture on Earth, independently, agree that there are beings just adjacent to us, and

That there are rules?

This is fairy folklore as our great-great-grandparents understood it. Not the wings and wishing dust of

the Disney version. Something older. Something stranger.Something a man would burn his wife alive

over, with eight witnesses who agreed he was doing the right thing.

Sources & Further Reading

On Bridget Cleary and Irish changeling cases:

• Angela Bourke, The Burning of Bridget Cleary (1999)— the definitive scholarly account.

• Joan Hoff & Marian Yeates, The Cooper's Wife is Missing: The Trials of Bridget Cleary (2000).

• Carole Silver, Strange and Secret Peoples: Fairies andVictorian Consciousness (1999) — for

documented Welsh and Irish changeling cases.

On Welsh and broader Celtic fairy belief:

• Elias Owen, Welsh Folk-Lore (1896) — first-hand 19th-century ethnography.

• Katharine Briggs, A Dictionary of Fairies (1976) —the standard reference.

• W. Y. Evans-Wentz, The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries (1911).

On Icelandic Huldufólk:

• AP and BBC reporting on the Álftanes case (2013–2015).

Let's Talk Spooky · The Fair Folk · Show Notes 4

• Terry Gunnell, University of Iceland — academic work on Icelandic folk belief.

On Filipino engkanto belief:

• Francisco R. Demetrio, S.J., "The Engkanto Belief: An Essay in Interpretation" (1969).

• Maximo D. Ramos, Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology (1971).

On the Sean Quinn / Aughrim Wedge Tomb story:

• Irish Independent, "Sean Quinn's downfall is fairies' revenge say locals in Cavan" (2011).

• RTÉ, biography excerpt of Sean Quinn (2022).

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