Episode Summary: In this episode, hosts Blake Smith and Dr. Karen Stollznow catch up on recent headlines and new literature. First, Blake discusses a "ripped from the headlines" update regarding the 2014 Slender Man stabbing case. We revisit the tragic story of Morgan Geyser, her recent escape from a halfway house, and the media’s handling of the mental health and transgender aspects of the story.

Later, Karen reviews a pre-publication copy of the upcoming book How to Build a Haunted House: The History of a Cultural Obsession by Caitlin Blackwell Baines. Does the book provide a blueprint for creating ghosts, or is it a cultural tour of famous haunts? Karen breaks down the architectural history, the folklore, and where the book lands on the spectrum of skepticism.

Key Topics
• Shout-outs for the Cryptid and Godzilla Advent calendars.
• Slenderman Segment:
    • Recap of the 2014 Waukesha stabbing (MonsterTalk Ep #86).
    • Morgan Geyser’s conditional release and subsequent escape attempt.
    • A critical look at the prison industrial complex, mental health care in the US, and the current moral panic surrounding transgender individuals in media coverage.

• Book Review Segment: How to Build a Haunted House (Coming April 2026).
    • A review of the book for the Society for Psychical Research (SPR).
    • Analysis of the Myrtles Plantation, Borley Rectory, and the Winchester Mystery House.

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