About this podcast
The award-winning podcast (also a TV show & book series) about dark historical tales. Each episode explores the mysterious creatures, tragic events, and unusual places that fill the pages of history. Because sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 500 episodes
- Legends 92: Last Call · 26 min · Episode 410The older the building, the longer the history inside. While that's a nice thought, there are some structures in England that give that rule a more sinister tone. Today's journey…
- Deeper Lore: 318 (3, 53, & 155) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (318: Pack Mentality) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 3…
- Lore 318: Pack Mentality · 27 min · Episode 409Europe didn't spend all of its time hunting witches in its darkest past, and a great example of their other obsession can be found in the forests of France. Narrated and produced…
- Lore Alive 5: In the Next Room · 21 minWelcome to Lore Alive, a special Halloween bonus series that brings dark tales from history to life with immersive sound design and voice actors. For today's final Halloween…
- Legends 91: Landslide · 27 min · Episode 408Humans have a special ability to create a lot of tragedy, and history is marked with many examples. But the natural world has always done its best to keep up, as these stories…
- Lore Alive 4: Peg & Button · 25 minWelcome to Lore Alive, a special Halloween bonus series that brings dark tales from history to life with immersive sound design and voice actors. For today's spooky tale, we meet…
- Deeper Lore: 317 (84, 111, & 215) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (317: Smoke and Mirrors) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 84…
- Lore 317: Smoke and Mirrors · 28 min · Episode 407Stage magic as we know it today is very different from how it began. The consequences of those early days, though, are all around us. Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with…
- Lore Alive 3: Under the Rug · 28 minWelcome to Lore Alive, a special Halloween bonus series that brings dark tales from history to life with immersive sound design and voice actors. For today's spooky tale, we…
- Legends 90: Set Aside · 26 min · Episode 406For a very long time, stories were fragile artifacts, passed along on the tenuous thread of oral tradition. And many of the relics that have survived to this day are thanks to…
- Lore Alive 2: In Dreams · 24 minWelcome to Lore Alive, a special Halloween bonus series that brings dark tales from history to life with immersive sound design and voice actors. Today's tale puts us in the…
- Deeper Lore: 316 (118, 166, & 212) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (316: A Spoonful of Sugar) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 118…
- Lore 316: A Spoonful of Sugar · 26 min · Episode 405Sometimes the most frightening stories involve things we consider safe retreats or mindless pleasures. If that sounds tasty, today's exploration will hit the spot. Narrated and…
- Lore Alive 1: The Sleep · 24 minWelcome to Lore Alive, a special Halloween bonus series that brings dark tales from history to life with immersive sound design and voice actors. Today's tale introduces us to…
- Legends 89: Mother Dearest · 24 min · Episode 404Folklore is often about powerful beings that deserve our fear and respect. Which is why one big category of legends around the globe is about someone very close to home. Narrated…
- Deeper Lore: 315 (32, 196, & 204) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (Lore 315: All Shook Up) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 32…
- Lore 315: All Shook Up · 26 min · Episode 403Folklore usually depends on the little things. The daily struggle to survive, the terror of a new location, or even violence and crime. But even when the events are bigger than…
- Legends 88: Tell-Tale Heartland · 27 min · Episode 402The American heartland might not be as ancient as New England, but it can hold its own when it comes to dark history and terrifying tales. Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke…
- Deeper Lore: 314 (166, 186, & 212) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (Lore 314: Hive Mind) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 166…
- Lore 314: Hive Mind · 27 min · Episode 401Not all big stories are about equally large characters. In the world of folklore, sometimes even the littlest players have a massive stage to perform upon. Narrated and produced…
- Legends 87: Cursive · 30 min · Episode 400Everyone loves a good ghost story, but literature and spirits have a relationship that is older than some might think. Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with writing and…
- Deeper Lore: 313 (7, 67, & 101) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (Lore 313: Tall, Tall Tales) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 7…
- Lore 313: Tall, Tall Tales · 27 min · Episode 399Some folklore thrives in the depths of our world—whether that's across the ocean waves or along the docks of an ancient harbor town. But a few have risen to great heights, giving…
- Legends 86: Litmus Test · 27 min · Episode 398Folklore has had many uses over the centuries. But while some has been used to educate or entertain, one pocket of legends has become a dangerous tool for sorting the good from…
- Deeper Lore: 312 (18, 113, & 122) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (312: Episode To Serve Man) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 18…
- Lore 312: To Serve Man · 27 min · Episode 397A lot of folklore is frightening, but some of it is definitely hard to swallow. Let's sink our teeth into some terrifying tales from history today. Narrated and produced by Aaron…
- Legends 85: Down Under · 27 min · Episode 396The huge number of dangerous creatures in Australia is terrifying, for sure. But if the legends are true, there's a lot more to be afraid of than spiders and birds. Narrated and…
- Deeper Lore: 311 (72, 122, & 284) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (311: Twice Upon a Time) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 72…
- Lore 311: Twice Upon a Time · 32 min · Episode 395Folklore is full of stories about people who seem to have lived more than one life. Which is why these true tales from history are so incredibly bizarre. Narrated and produced by…
- Legends 84: Dead in the Water · 25 min · Episode 394The vast oceans of our planet are more mysterious to us than the surface of Mars. And because of that, they have become the place where dark legends dwell beneath the surface…
- Deeper Lore: 310 (74, 196, & 44) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (310: Thunderstruck) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 74…
- Lore 310: Thunderstruck · 34 min · Episode 393While most folklore has a thrilling quality to it, there are some tales that are a bit more shocking. Just be careful where you stand while we explore them. Narrated and produced…
- EXHUMED Ch. 7: Leftovers · 29 minAlthough my new history book, EXHUMED, arrives on August 6th, you get to hear a whole chapter early! Enjoy this delicious sample from EXHUMED, and be sure to lock in your copy…
- Legends 83: Sweet Home · 26 min · Episode 392The American South might have its charm, but it also has a tragic history that lingers in the shadows to this day. Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with writing by Alex…
- Deeper Lore: 309 (81, 102, & 128) · 3 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (309: Party Favors) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 81…
- Lore 309: Party Favors · 32 min · Episode 391Parties promise us a break from the mundane or troubling. But a few celebratory gatherings in history have turned the tables, delivering something far more frightening. Narrated…
- Legends 82: The Weight of Fear · 25 min · Episode 390Over the centuries, it has become common to refer to traumatizing or frightening experiences as "a nightmare." The true origins of that notion, though, are the most terrifying of…
- Deeper Lore: 308 (40, 114, & 150) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (308: Without a Trace) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 40…
- Lore 308: Without a Trace · 29 min · Episode 389Dark stories often have twists, turns, and the constant fear of getting lost in the shadows. Which is a lot like one real trail that haunts American history. Let's take a journey…
- Legends 81: Undertaken · 25 min · Episode 388One of the most common fears we have is also the product of centuries of fiction mixed with a dash of truth. The result is a genre of storytelling that is truly horrifying…
- Deeper Lore: 307 (37, 79, & 215) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (Lore 307: Revisiting "Mary, Mary") with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: •…
- Lore 307: Revisiting "Mary, Mary" · 33 min · Episode 387This week, as summer weaves its way into our lives, the Lore team is taking a well-deserved break. To make that possible, we're reissuing a fan favorite from nearly a decade ago…
- Legends 80: He Said, She Said · 28 min · Episode 386Sometimes the thing that gives a story its authenticity is the frequency with which it has been shared, regardless of the truth. And many of them turn out to be utterly…
- Deeper Lore: 306 (111, 127, & 136) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (306: Disorienting) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 111…
- Lore 306: Disorienting · 31 min · Episode 385Some folklore can be very confusing, which can cause a lot of fear. Which was exactly the point for this specific realm of ancient belief and tradition. Just try not to get lost…
- Legends 79: Lone Scar · 26 min · Episode 384The bigger the space, the more room there seems to be for ghosts. So it shouldn't be a surprise that there's lots of chills to be had in the Lone Star State. Narrated and…
- Deeper Lore: 305 (42, 106, & 180) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (305: Botched) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 42…
- Lore 305: Botched · 32 min · Episode 383If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, then our journey toward a more human method of execution is a bloody highway. Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with…
- Legends 78: The Stacks · 26 min · Episode 382Folklore tells us that ghosts can be many things, but the most common view is that they are echoes of the past that are still present today. Which is why one type of building is…
- Deeper Lore: 304 (102, 116, & 172) · 2 minGo deeper into the subject matter of our most recent episode (304: Cult Hero) with these three recommendations from further back in the Lore catalog: • Episode 102…
