Free Daily Podcast Summary
Dark Histories: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Ben Cutmore
Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 1 weeks ago55 min
Mob Football, Murder & The Possession of Anne Gunter
It’s fairly rare for a football match to end in murder, witchcraft accusations and vomiting pins, but, as weird as it sounds, it apparently does happen. Or at least, it happened once, in 1605, when a small village in Oxfordshire had a kickabout that turned violent. Years later, accusations of witchcraft flew around the same village, with the victim making waves throughout the medical, academic and religious world, until her story made it all the way to the attention of the King. SOURCES Sharpe, James (1999) The Bewitching of Anne Gunter. Routledge, NY, USA. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago52 min
The Strange Disappearance of Rudolf Diesel
SOURCES Brunt, Douglas (2023) The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel. Atria Books, London, UK. Edinburgh Evening Dispatch (1913) The Missing Inventor. Edinburgh Evening Dispatch, Thurs 2 Oct 1913, p2. Edinburgh, UK. New York Times (1913) Dr Diesel Vanishes From A Steamship. New York Times, Wed 1 Oct 1913, p1. NY, USA. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 21, 202655 min
Philip: The Ghost That Never Was
In the early 1970’s a small group of Canadians making up the Toronto Society for Psychical Research set out to prove the existence of ghosts and poltergeists. Such an investigation was sure to need a highly controlled experiment if it were to hold any integrity at all, and the Toronto group felt they had created just that, when they sat for several years, communicating with their very own poltergeist. There was one small twist, however, and that’s that the poltergeist never actually existed and was nothing more than the product of their own imaginations.SOURCES Owen, Iris (1976) Conjuring Up Philip: An Adventure in Psychokinesis. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto, Canada. Ingus, Thomas et al (1971) Auditory and Visual Phenomena in an Allegedly Haunted House. New Horizons Journal, Vol 1, No.1, Summer 1971. New Horizons Research Foundation, Toronto, Canada. Ingus, Thomas et al (1974) Generation of Paranormal Physical Phenomena in connection with an Imaginary "Communicator". New Horizons Journal, Vol 1, No.3, January 1974. New Horizons Research Foundation, Toronto, Canada. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 8, 20261h 0m
The Willie Starchfield Murder Mystery
On a cold, grey January afternoon in 1914, a railway carriage travelling through north London shuttled along its route, carrying a grim secret. Beneath a third-class carriage seat lay the body of five-year-old Willie Starchfield, strangled and carefully concealed from view. Earlier that day, Willie had been sent out on an errand and never came home. The police launched a struggling investigation, hampered by a voracious press and conflicting witnesses, that eventually concluded with the arrest of Willie’s own father. Yet when the case finally reached court, the truth remained frustratingly out of reach. SOURCES The Star (1914) N.L.R. Train Murder. The Star, Fri 9 Jan 1914, p1. London, UK. Bradford Daily Argus (1914) Revenge? Bradford Daily Argus, Fri 9 Jan 1914, p1. Bradford, UK. The Star (1914) London Train Murder. The Star, Sat 10 Jan 1914, p1. London, UK. The Star (1914) N.L.R. Train Murder. The Star, Fri 9 Jan 1914, p1. London, UK. The Star (1914) Scotland Yard Dilemma. The Star, Mon 12 Jan 1914, p1. London, UK. The Star (1914) Hunt For Train Murderer. The Star, Tues 13 Jan 1914, p1. London, UK. The Star (1914) Tube “Clues” To N.L.R. Murder. The Star, Wed 14 Jan 1914, p5. London, UK. The Star (1914) Train Murder Inquest. The Star, Thurs 15 Jan 1914, p1. London, UK. Londonderry Standard (1914) The Body Under The Seat. Thurs 15 Jan 1914, p1. Londonderry, UK. Lloyd’s Weekly News (1914) The Murder Of Willie Starchfield. Sun 1 March 1914. P1. London, UK. Leicester Daily Post (1914) London Train Mystery. Leicester Daily Post, Fri 16 Jan 1914. P1. Leicester, UK. The Star (1914) The Starchfield Drama. The Star, Thurs 2 April 1914, p4. London, UK. The Star (1916) Starchfield Dead. The Star, Sat 22 April 1916, p4. London, UK. John Bull (1914) Starchfield’s Untold Story. John Bull, Sat 11 April 1914, p8. London, UK. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 25, 20261h 0m
Early America & The Savage Crimes of the Harpe Brothers
In the years following the American Revolution, when the country was still uncertain of itself and the frontier was still a place of violence, two brothers carved out a story of fear across the wilderness. When their story was first published in 1824, many people thought it was so terrible it simply had to be fiction, and whilst the facts may have been a little blurred, it sadly had much more truth to it than people wanted to accept. Behind the legend lay a grim and disturbing story of violence and murder and even a twinge of mystery, that is still as troubling today as it ever was.SOURCES Grandjean, Katherine (2026) Kingdom of Devils. Random House, NY, USA. Coates, Robert (1930) Outlaw Years, The: The History of the Land Pirates of the Natchez Trace. Pelican Publishing Co. USA. Hall, James (1833) The Harpe’s Head, a Legend of Kentucky. Key & Biddle, NY, USA. The Poughkeepsie Eagle (1799) Domestic Intelligence. The Poughkeepsie Eagle, Tues, 26 Deb 1799, p3. USA. Kentucky Gazette (1799) Lexington, April 18. Kentucky Gazette, Thurs 18 April 1799, p2, USA. Kentucky Gazette (1799) Lexington, April 25. Kentucky Gazette, Thurs 18 April 1799, p2, USA. The United States Gazette (1804) February 9. The United States Gazette, Tues 13 March 1804, p4. USA ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 12, 20261h 7m
The Grafton, The Invercauld and the The Multiple Wrecks of the Auckland Islands
In the winter of 1864, two ships met their fate on one of the most remote and unforgiving stretches of the Southern Ocean. The Grafton and the Invercauld were wrecked thousands of miles from civilization, leaving their survivors stranded on the desolate Auckland Islands. What followed was a remarkable test of endurance, struggling against the cold, hunger and isolation that would see feats of remarkable ingenuity and the lowest of humanity leading to two very different survival stories, separated by only a few miles of wilderness and a very, very tall cliff. SOURCES Musgrave, Thomas (1865) Castaway on the Auckland Isles: Narrative of the Wreck of the "Grafton". H. T. Dwight.Melbourne, Australia. Raynal, Francois (1880). Wrecked on a Reef, or Twenty Months on the Auckland Islands. Thomas Nelson & Sons. Edinburgh, UK. Druett, Joan (2007). Island of the Lost: An Extraordinary Story of Survival at the Edge of the World. Algonquin Books. NY, USA. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 3, 20261h 16m
Summer Break - Charlotte Riddell: The Open Door
Hey Everyone! here is a little episode to tide us over til next week when I'll be back to the usual posting schedule. I took a short, mid-season break to sort some bits and pieces out and enjoy a bit of the summer weather, but I do love a good ghost story, so here's one for the time being! The Open Door, by Charlotte Riddell, originally published in 1882. I hope you enjoy it! ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Jul 14, 20261h 10m
William Heirens & The Lipstick Killer
In the early twentieth century, Chicago was a city already familiar with violence and corruption, but in 1946, a new case hit the headlines that introduced a whole new level of shock and scandal to the hardened city residents. Savage murders, a message scrawled across the wall in lipstick at one of the scenes and the dismemberment of a young girl gave rise to a case that would in time become known as “The Lipstick Killer.” When seventeen-year-old William Heirens was arrested, authorities declared the mystery solved, but the reality was seemingly much, much different.SOURCES Dolores Kennedy (1991) William Heirens: His Day in Court. Bonus Books, Chicago, IL, USA. Freeman, Lucy (1977) Before I Kill More… . Pocket, London, UK. Rosewood, Jack & Walker, Dwayne (2016) William Heirens: The True Story of The Lipstick Killer. Createspace Independent Publishing. Foster Kennedy, Harry R. Hoffman, William H. Haines (1948) Psychiatric Study of William Heirens. 38 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 311 (1947-1948). Chicago Tribune (1945) Widow Is Found Slain In Home, Suitor Quizzed. Chicago Tribune, Wed 6 June 1945, p7. Chicago, IL. USA. Chicago Tribune (1945) Ex-WAVE Slain, Plea Written In Red On Wall. Chicago Tribune, Tues 11 Dec 1945, p1. Chicago, IL. USA. Chicago Tribune (1946) Child Stolen From Her Bed During Night. Chicago Tribune, Tues 8 Jan 1946, p1. Chicago, IL. USA. Chicago Tribune (1946) Degnan Child Slaying Unsolved After Four Month Enquiry. Chicago Tribune, Tues 7 May 1946, p16. Chicago, IL. USA. Chicago Tribune (1946) Student Seized In Fight After Revolver Fails. Chicago Tribune, Thurs 27 June 1946, p7. Chicago, IL. USA. Chicago Tribune (1946) FBI Reports Palm Print Matches Ransom Notes’. Chicago Tribune, Tues 2 July 1946, p7. Chicago, IL. USA. Chicago Tribune (1946) How Heirens Slew 3. Chicago Tribune, Tues 16 July 1946, p1. Chicago, IL. USA. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Get Dark Histories summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Going West: True Crime
Two hosts analyze true crime cases, focusing on disappearances and murders, with new episodes released twice weekly.
History's Great Mysteries
Explores unexplained historical events and invites listeners to ponder possible theories behind enduring mysteries.
After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
Historians explore eerie, strange, and dark historical events, from hauntings and witch trials to UFOs and infamous crimes.
So Supernatural
Investigates unsolved true crime cases with bizarre, unexplained, or paranormal elements.
Ghost Town: Strange History, True Crime, & the Paranormal
Explores haunted locations, true crimes, and bizarre historical events through detailed storytelling and investigation.
Haunted American History
A daily podcast exploring American history, folklore, and true crime through a campfire-style narrative.
Dark History
Reveals dark, overlooked historical events like tyrannical rulers and corporate crimes that were omitted from mainstream education.
RedHanded
Explores serial killers, hauntings, mysteries, and disturbing true crime cases with a focus on the bizarre and unsettling.
Hidden History with Dr. Harini Bhat
A clinical pharmacist explores baffling historical mysteries as unresolved case studies shaped by gaps in knowledge and human perception.
Into The Dark
Explores true crime cases, conspiracy theories, and paranormal mysteries while examining the psychology behind human behavior.
Murder: True Crime Stories
A deep dive into notorious murders, exploring the crimes and their lasting impact on the lives involved.
Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast
Examines historical crimes and criminals through interviews with experts, covering figures like serial killers and gangsters with factual detail.
About Dark Histories
Fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Dark Histories in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Dark Histories daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Dark Histories as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Dark Histories podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Dark Histories product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Ben Cutmore.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Dark Histories release new episodes?
Dark Histories publishes biweekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Dark Histories cover?
Dark Histories covers topics including History. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Dark Histories summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.