Lore and Crime

This is the story of a man who turned crime itself into a weapon. Follow Eugène François Vidocq and his extraordinary transformation, from inmate in the brutal French prisons to undercover informant, master of disguise, and founder of the Sûreté, the world’s first modern detective unit. This true crime story explores how Vidocq used deception and intimate knowledge of the criminal underworld to dismantle it from within. A story of survival, revenge, and reinvention, Vidocq’s legacy still shapes modern policing, detective fiction, and true crime.

A true story of espionage, surveillance, and political paranoia, where information proves deadly. In late 16th-century England, a queen stands at the center of Europe’s most dangerous secrets. This episode traces the shadowed world of Elizabethan conspiracy through the lives of Francis Throckmorton, Anthony Babington, and Sir Francis Walsingham, men operating at the edges of power during one of England’s most unstable eras.

A woman vanished at the edge of the world. The true story of Marguerite de la Rocque. Set against the backdrop of 16th-century exploration, colonial authority, and moral judgment. In 1542, during France’s earliest attempts to colonize North America, a young noblewoman named Marguerite de la Rocque sailed across the Atlantic as part of a colonial expedition. What began as a hopeful voyage into the New World became a nightmare and a tale of survival unlike any other.

In a snowbound Alpine village where Krampus is feared more than the devil, anonymous letters turn Christmas into a season of terror for a young widow and her son. Set in 1893 Austria, this episode explores the dark intersection of European folklore, winter isolation, and moral panic, inspired by real Krampus traditions and historical imagery. The Krampus Letters asks how legends take hold, and what happens when fear becomes a weapon. Perfect for listeners who love crime, folklore, and atmospheric winter storytelling.

Follow Juana Azurduy, the legendary guerrilla commander of Upper Peru. She carved her name into the history of the Bolivian Altiplano. This is a story of courage in a land divided by war and a collapsing colonial empire, of a rebel fighter whose resolve burned brighter than the muskets aimed at her. No myths, just the raw force of a life lived in the search of freedom.

A wave of ghost sightings throws 1800s London into fear and confusion. In this episode, we explore the Hammersmith Ghost case, the eerie figure terrifying locals, the armed patrols roaming the streets, and the storm that followed. A gripping blend of history, mystery, and the supernatural.

This is the true story of Peter Kürten, the infamous Vampire of Düsseldorf, a man whose crimes turned 1920s Germany into a city of fear. Through letters, police reports, and psychiatrist Karl Berg’s notes, we trace how one killer exposed the fractures in a society still reeling from war. A chilling dive into true crime, psychology, and the mind of Peter Kürten, the real Vampire of Düsseldorf.

1692, travel to the fevered heart of Salem, where superstition turned neighbor against neighbor and faith against blood. Hear the chilling, true story behind the Salem witch trials through the eyes of one the families that were torn apart. In this Halloween special, we uncover the true story of Ann Foster and the Salem witch trials, where faith, fear, and betrayal blurred the line between justice and damnation.

Moscow, 1917, revolution is stirring, the city is in chaos. A group of anarchists and Black Guards fight to challenge the new Bolshevik regime. As propaganda turns to poetry and freedom to fear, their ideals and their lives hang in the balance. Dive into the forgotten story of Anarkhiia, the underground newspaper that turned art into rebellion, and uncover the secrets that history tried to silence.

John and Laura wage war against the law in this final chapter of the Ashley Gang story. Revenge fuels their attempts at survival, and the Everglades will never forget the blood that was spilled.

Step back into Prohibition-era Florida, where John Ashley and his gang ruled the Everglades with rum-running, daring bank heists, and an outlaw love story. This is part one of the true crime story that became legend.

Step into gothic Prague, where dangerous experiments are being carried out by historical legends John Dee and Edward Kelley under the rule of Emperor Rudolf II. A royal scribe sent by the Queen of England witnesses alchemy, angelic visions, and even golems brought to life for the emperor’s court. Blending dark history, occult lore, and historical horror, this episode reveals the strange partnership that blurred the line between science and sorcery.

The 1820 Manila Massacre was one of the most unsettling outbreaks of mob violence in Philippine history. Amid a deadly epidemic, fear twisted into superstition, and suspicion fell on foreigners accused of poisoning the city’s wells. In this episode of Lore and Crime, we bring you the story in two voices: first, through the eyes of a young Filipino groom whose bride’s sudden death drives him to seek vengeance; and through the testimony of French adventurer Paul Gautrin, who fought to survive and lead others to safety as the city burned. Blending true crime, history, and haunting drama, this episode explores how fear can become deadly, and how rumors can turn into mass hysteria.

The dark masses have ended, but Lyon’s unrest is only beginning. This episode uncovers the explosive silk workers’ revolt and the shocking sentencing of the accused wizards. What began with whispers of summoning and sorcery now collides with rebellion in the streets, as superstition, faith, and political power reach their breaking point. Set in 1740s Lyon, a city balancing superstition with Enlightenment ideals, this true story exposes how fear and control shaped the fate of ordinary people caught in extraordinary trials. As the verdict falls, history and lore entwine to reveal one of France’s last confrontations with wizardry. If you crave tales of dark history, true crime, and forgotten lore, don’t miss this true story.

18th-century Lyon, France. Between dark masses, whispered invocations, and the summoning of otherworldly forces the city is caught between the rise of Enlightenment ideals, and the shadow of superstition. This episode unravels the fascinating story of the last wizard trial in Lyon. Based on real historical events, this tale reveals how fear, faith, and power collided in a city known for its silk trade and cultural influence. Discover the lives of those accused of sorcery, the political and religious tensions of the Ancien Régime, and the unsettling truths hidden beneath the elegance of Enlightenment France. If you enjoy dark history, true crime, and lore-inspired storytelling, don’t miss this haunting journey into one of France’s forgotten trials.

Step into the oldest surviving story known to mankind in this original poetic retelling of The Epic of Gilgamesh. In this special episode we follow the mighty King Gilgamesh as he grapples with mortality, power, and the ghost of his only friend, Enkidu. Set against the backdrop of Sumerian temples, and the wilds beyond Uruk, this immersive poetic narrative blends myth, history, and dread. Perfect for fans of mythology, ancient history, and horror storytelling, this episode explores the blurred lines between legend and madness, all in a chilling poem form that pays tribute to the rhythm of ancient epics.

Uncover the chilling truth buried in the soil in this historical horror tale set in 1807, in the haunting aftermath of the Battle of Austerlitz. Thousands of soldiers perished and were buried in forgotten mass graves. Some bodies were recovered. Most were never found. When one man sets out to rebuild his life and earn an honest living, he unearths something far more terrifying than he ever imagined, a buried past filled with restless spirits and unspeakable secrets. Perfect for fans of historical fiction, ghost stories, and tales of wartime horror, this episode explores how the dead never truly rest, and the past never stays buried.

This is a modern retelling of Frankenstein the classic horror story by Mary Shelley, where science and obsession collide in a world of AI, biohacking, and blurred moral boundaries. Join us as we unravel a haunting tale of creation, responsibility, and the price of playing god.

In this episode we continue to follow Detective Frank Mathews into a dangerous world of gangsters, blackmail, and betrayal. What starts as a freak incident quickly unravels into a tangled web of unsolved secrets. Based on real events and grounded in historical fact, this dramatized retelling explores one compelling theory of what might have truly happened.

Sydney in 1935, a bizarre discovery would spark one of the most chilling and baffling murder mysteries in Australian history. We will follow Detective Frank Mathews into a dangerous world of gangsters, blackmail, and betrayal. What starts as a freak incident quickly unravels into a tangled web of unsolved secrets. Based on real events and grounded in historical fact, this dramatized retelling explores one compelling theory of what might have truly happened.