Today is fun for me because my good friend Kathleen is here to post about one of my favorite podcasts which is run by someone I think is pretty swell! Kathleen is here to tell us all about her favorite episodes of the podcast Lore. I have spoken about Lore before because I looove it. Those of you into history will enjoy it and those of you into the somewhat creepy history will LOVE it. I really don’t think it is too scary for those of you who don’t enjoy horror, however. So read on about what Kathleen has to say, go listen to Aaron’s soothing voice tell you some nice stories and then head over to Amy & Brittany’s blogs to see who they have featured today! Don’t forget, we are hosting wonderful bloggers & authors for two whole weeks with recipes, book recommendations and a lot more awesome!

Have you heard of the podcast LORE yet? No? Well go and correct that immediately! The podcast LORE is created and hosted by Aaron Mahnke and focuses on lore throughout history and true crime. I was first introduced to LORE by the lovely Alyssa, and I’m so happy I gave it a shot because it’s my favorite podcast out there. LORE was created in March of 2015 and Aaron has been producing biweekly episodes ever since. Not only does Aaron do the LORE podcast, but there is also an Amazon Prime TV show that’s available starting on 10/13 and he has multiple books coming out soon. (All of which I’m VERY excited for!)

So back to the podcast, Aaron has this soothing voice that adds a bit of an extra creepy factor when listening to the stories he’s telling. His voice also draws you in and keeps you hooked. The content is wonderful too. Stories can range from the lore of vampires and werewolves to real life monsters like H. H. Holmes or Elizabeth Bathory. All of which I find very fascinating and have done extensive research on, ask Alyssa if you don’t believe me.

It’s difficult picking out my favorite LORE podcast episode because I either already love the topic or find myself researching them after the episode is over. However, since I already mentioned my like (love) for H. H. Holmes, I’ve decided to pick two episodes that feature his story, The Castle (episode 8) and Homecoming (episode 63). For those who don’t know who H. H. Holmes is, I’ll give you a brief history. His real name is Herman Mudgett and he confessed to 27 murders throughout the US, but is believed to have killed over 200 people. He built the famous “Murder Hotel” in Chicago for the 1893 World’s Fair (Ryan Murphy was inspired by this for AHS: Hotel). In this hotel he created hallways with dead ends, rooms that turned into gas chambers, rooms with only one way out, and some that had chutes to the basement where an incinerator was located. He ran many cons over the years and was arrested, imprisoned, and hung in Philadelphia in 1896 at the age of 34.

In these two episodes, Aaron delves into Holmes’ life and the crimes he committed. I really enjoyed all the backstory of his life, marriages, and crimes. I learned so much about Holmes that I didn’t know. That not only did he commit murders, but he also committed tax fraud, life insurance fraud, polygamy, and got others to help him willingly in all of his crimes. When he was building “The Castle” he kept all the building plans to himself and would regularly fire people in order to keep them secret. The way in which Aaron presents all of the information is so well done. It’s not just bullet points or a listing of items. The dialogue is well thought out and planned. The background music is also haunting, yet inviting. It keeps you entranced and makes you want to listen to more. Another thing I love about LORE is that Aaron offers a newsletter (The Epitaph), which includes an episode summary, source bibliography, and exclusive news. If you become a Patreon, then you also get other exclusives including bonus mini episodes to listen to.

I hope y’all gave LORE a try this Halloween season!

Links: LORE Website | LORE Episodes | Support LORE

Aaron is the writer, host, and producer of Lore, as well as the author of a number of supernatural thrillers. Aaron has a deep love of the mysterious and frightening that began with Unsolved Mysteries and The X-Files — a love that continues to this day. Basically, he’s a nerd for anything unexplainable or supernatural.

Aaron lives with his family in the historic Boston area, in the very heart of Lovecraft Country and the epicenter of the Salem witch trials. You can follow him on Twitter, and learn more about him on his website.