After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
History Hit
This is After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal. The podcast that takes you to the shadiest corners of the past, unpicking history’s spookiest, strangest, and most sinister stories.Join historians Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling, every Monday and Thursday to take a look at the darker side of history. From haunted pubs and Houdini, to witch trials and weird UFO sightings.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal - a podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts Dan Snow's History Hit, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 5, 2026 • 37min
Al Capone and the Valentine's Day Massacre
Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer-winning biographer and historian of Al Capone, brings Prohibition-era grit. He traces how bootlegging, corrupt police and rival gangs set the stage. He recreates the massacre night, the shocking press coverage, theories about cops in uniforms, and how investigators ultimately built a tax case that toppled Capone.
14 snips
Feb 2, 2026 • 49min
Dark Truth About Victorian 'Freak Shows'
A haunting retelling of Julia Pastrana’s life and how Victorian curiosity turned people into public spectacles. They trace the rise of cabinets of curiosity into live shows, medicalized racism, and the business of selling otherness. The story follows marketing, exploitation, macabre postmortem display and eventual repatriation and reclamation efforts.
8 snips
Jan 29, 2026 • 45min
Essex's Darkest Witch Hunt
Marion Gibson, historian and author of Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials, specialises in early modern witchcraft cases. She recounts the St Osyth hunt: a cunning woman accused, children's testimonies, coercive interrogations, grisly trial details, and how local power, folk healers and pamphlets shaped wider witchcraft persecutions.
Jan 26, 2026 • 50min
Who Was the Witchfinder General?
A deep dive into 1640s England and how civil war, Puritan zeal, and a legal vacuum enabled a fevered witch hunt. Exploration of the methods used to accuse and torture suspected witches, including swimming, pricking, and searches for devil marks. A chilling case study of an accused woman and the era's print culture that amplified fear and shaped later trials.
9 snips
Jan 22, 2026 • 33min
Inside A Medieval Leper Colony
Dive into the intriguing world of a medieval leper colony! Discover the truth behind Victorian misconceptions and the realities of life within its gates. Learn about the leper bell's significance and what a 'living funeral' entailed. Explore the moral framing of leprosy, the community's care dynamics, and how the Black Death heightened isolation. Uncover the symptoms of leprosy, the routines of leper hospitals, and the remarkable case of Baldwin IV. This journey juxtaposes myth with historical fact, revealing a complex legacy.
55 snips
Jan 19, 2026 • 40min
The Victorian's Dark Obsession with Ancient Egypt
Dr. Jay Sullivan, a historian and author specializing in Egyptian Gothic, dives into the Victorian obsession with Ancient Egypt. He explores peculiar mummy unwrapping parties and the darker implications behind them. The conversation touches on the rise of Egyptomania influenced by Napoleon, the Rosetta Stone's impact, and the fusion of imperial pride with magical mystique. Jay also examines eroticized mummy narratives and how these stories reflect colonial fears and fantasies. It's a captivating journey through a bizarre chapter of history!
8 snips
Jan 15, 2026 • 41min
The Deadly Arctic Witch Trials
Historian Marion Gibson expertly unpacks the chilling Vardø witch trials of 1617, sparked by a catastrophic storm that claimed 40 fishermen. She explores the scapegoating of local women and the Sami community, detailing the pressures that led to coerced confessions. Gibson also sheds light on the cultural context, explaining the intersection of witchcraft beliefs, gender dynamics, and colonial power in Norway. The discussion weaves through themes of fear, othering, and contemporary parallels, elevating the historical narrative into a broader commentary on scapegoating.
50 snips
Jan 12, 2026 • 50min
The Great Fire of London As It Happened
In 1666, London faced its darkest hour as the Great Fire engulfed the city. Witnesses’ accounts reveal chaos, scapegoating, and a desperate fight against the flames. The hosts dive into the fire's origin in a bakery, early panics, and the mob violence that erupted amid the disaster. They discuss how the fire changed London's skyline and led to the rebuilding efforts spearheaded by Christopher Wren. This catastrophic event not only reshaped the city but also exposed deep societal tensions during a time of turmoil.
Jan 8, 2026 • 49min
Day in the Life of a Salem Puritan
Dive into the chilling life of Salem Village in 1692, where daily routines involved early prayers and a breakfast of beer and pottage. Discover the stark contrasts between Salem Village and Town, highlighting Puritan extremism and community power. Explore the dynamics surrounding Tituba and the role of otherness in witchcraft accusations. Maddy and Anthony shed light on the tensions that led to hysteria and devastation within the community, ultimately revealing the trials' lasting legacy and the characters behind the infamous events.
30 snips
Jan 5, 2026 • 41min
Inside the Victorian Asylum
Dive into the dark world of Victorian asylums, where fear mingled with reform. Discover how the treatment of the mentally ill evolved from chaotic confinement to moral care. Explore Nellie Bly's shocking undercover exposé that shed light on abuses. Learn about the stark differences in admission rules, revealing class dynamics and gender disparities. The hosts discuss the impact of Victorian literature on public perception and the ongoing debates about the utility of asylums versus their horrifying realities. It's an eye-opening look at history's hidden corners.
