The second October hits, I’m in full-on spooky mode. Pretty much everything I watch, read or listen to for the whole month will need to be supernatural, otherworldly or generally eerie. Sure, I’m interested in these things all year, but I like having a special occasion excuse.
One of my favorite ways to bask in all the glory of Halloween is to cue up some scary podcats. I’ll put these on as I stitch in the morning or on my way to work. It’s a great way to sneak in some haunted vibes in what would normally be downtime. Here’s what I’m listening to this year (and always):
Lore
Obviously! This is the essential spooky podcast if you ask me. Aaron Mahnke digs up unusual stories from history and tells them in a way that is at times tedious (I find he uses about ten words when one would do) but almost always spinetingling. I love how this podcast has exposed me to some of the lesser known haunts and legends of the world, and I like how they run about 20 to 30 minutes, perfect for a commute.
Here are my essential episodes:
- Black Stockings: This is as good as Lore gets, in my opinion. A tragic story about an Irish woman and changelings.
- The King: A story about an island off the coast of Mexico and how it was overthrown by a terrifying lighthouse keeper – and then how women took it back. I find this tale really fascinating. If anyone writes a book based on this story, let me know!
- On the Farm: There aren’t a lot of concrete details about the Hinterkaifeck murders, but Mahnke doesn’t mind. He made a whole episode about it (and I gobbled it up whole).
- Mary, Mary: I thought about this one for days.
Stuff You Missed in History Class
This was the first podcast I ever listened to. While it’s not categorically spooky, there are special Halloween-themed episodes every year. This is a great podcast for when you’re in the mood for creepy stuff but don’t necessarily want to be scared out of your wits.
- The Bloody Benders: The American West was scary as hell in the 1800s. And the Bloody Benders made it all the scarier.
- The Vascilla Ax Murders: Ever since I heard about this story on the History Channel, it’s haunted me. People hiding in your home and then murdering you in your sleep. Nope.
- The Belle Gunness Episode: Who Was the Mistress of Murder Hill: Another example of how scary the world could be. Belle Gunness tricked men into marrying her – and then she killed them.
- H.H. Holmes and the Mystery of the Murder Castle (and part two): H.H. Holmes is horrifyingly fascinating. Stuff You Missed in History does a really excellent deep dive into his life.
- Building Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion (and part two): If really scary stuff isn’t your thing but you still love Halloween, these are some great episodes!
Welcome to Nightvale
A pal of mine recommended this to me years ago. At the time I scoffed at the idea of a fiction podcast. And then I scoffed after listening to the first episode. But then I listened to about a dozen last year and loved it. Definitely weird in that Twilight Zone way (that’s a good way). I don’t have any recommended episodes here. Just start at the beginning and see how far it takes you.
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I think that’s a pretty good start for anyone looking to jump into the scary podcast world! If you have any recommendations, let me know – I’m dying to hear them.
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