* Includes an Exclusive Interview with the Legendary Singer Johnny Mathis * It was “the” place to see and be seen. But it was too successful for Monte Proser’s own good. Monte Proser was described as a “little guy who was practically brought up on Broadway.” He instinctively understood that patrons came to a nightclub for the show. And his finest creation was the Copacabana at 10 E. 60th Street in Manhattan. A-List 1940s celebrities from Susan Hayward, to Bert Lahr, to Betty Grable wanted tables - and didn’t mind paying for them. The Copa was a goldmine, and gangster Frank Costello took no ..read more

Spiritualism, the belief in the ability to speak with the dead, started as a practical joke in 1848 when two teenage girls in upstate New York realized they could produce seemingly paranormal noises by cracking their toe knuckles, of all things. The Fox sisters delighted in their gullible mother's response, and soon convinced her these "rapping" sounds were actually produced by a murdered vagabond buried on their property. It was, the girls said, his form of communication - conversations that only they had the power to initiate. Within two decades, the organized Spiritualism movement was a wor ..read more

It's Election Day in America and the only thing we can be sure of is that a lot of people will have a lot of predictions. Humans have tried to predict the future since the first caveman wondered if it would rain. But the truth is, no one knows what the future holds. Still, that doesn't stop people from guessing. Today I'm going to tell you about the five worst prognostications of all time (including the one about women not actually wanting to vote.) I predict that, if nothing else, you'll find them an entertaining reminder that - where human beings are concerned - there's no such thing as a su ..read more

There are two kinds of people in the world: people who cover their face with pillows while they watch scary movies - and those of us who inch closer to the screen the scarier the movie gets.  We've all heard the dime store psychology. Horror movies, claim the professionals, satiate our primitive need for safe thrills. We all KNOW there's no Freddie Krueger... no malevolent clown in the street drains... no evil spirit in your TV about to do a freaky-deaky jerky crawl into your living room.  These frights, as effective as they are, are just products of the imaginations of skilled - if ..read more

As the old rhyme goes... Even he who is pure of heart And says his prayers at night May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms And the moon is full and bright. We all know the legends - but where did this myth of "man-becomes-wolf" originate? Are these simply exaggerated stories of one of the world's most efficient natural predators? Perhaps the werewolf's carnage is symbolic of the savagery man has inflicted on man over the centuries. Or, could there actually be some underlying truth to the folklore? Stephanie has that story - but she'll leave the conclusions to you. To share your comments ..read more

Politics has always had a dark side. But what happened in the small Pennsylvania mining town of Kelayres is downright evil. Five men were killed. Twenty-six men, women and children were injured. Perhaps the most shocking thing about the massacre is that so few people know about it today - even though there are startling similarities between today's fractured political climate and that violent day in Kelayres in 1934. In this episode, Stephanie discusses the November 5, 1934 election eve murders that came to be known as the Kelayres Massacre. Much of the material comes from her book on the kil ..read more

Rose Mackenberg is often described as "Harry Houdini's investigator" or his "right hand woman." The truth is, though, that Rose had a longer career of debunking fraudulent Spiritualist mediums than her famous mentor ever had. In this episode, Stephanie tells the story of the remarkable Mackenberg, a natural-born detective and "ghost buster" extraordinaire. For more information on this podcast, visit StephanieHoover.com ..read more

Before it was regulated, life insurance was the motive for more crimes than a room full of screenwriters could ever conceive. Murder, faux suicide, mysterious disappearances - even self-mutilation - were all employed in fraudulent life insurance schemes. Some of these plots were successful. More often than not, these perpetrators were caught and, in some cases, hanged. In this episode, Stephanie discusses the astonishing - and deadly - history of life insurance. To learn more about the Blue-Eyed Six (mentioned in this episode), read Stephanie's article here: http://www.hauntinglypa.com/blue ..read more

The Warren Commission wrote what was supposed to be the final word on the assassination of the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. Unfortunately, its report spawned a seemingly endless stream of conspiracy theories about Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby - and even Kennedy himself. The truth is, though, you don't have to turn to theoretical hypotheses to read crazy stories about Kennedy's killing - all you have to do is study the files from the FBI's original investigation. And, Stephanie Hoover has. In this episode, she reveals six - sometimes entertaining, sometimes sad - thin ..read more

The use of fingerprints as a means of establishing identity dates back to 300 BC. But, it was American agricultural scientist Thomas Taylor who first proposed, in 1877, the use of palm and finger marks to identify criminals. The elevation of fingerprints from "junk science" to reliable courtroom evidence was first achieved by New York Police Inspector Joseph Faurot. Faurot's passion for this field, and his absolute faith in its accuracy, made him the nation's most respected fingerprint expert. In this episode, Stephanie discusses this fascinating history of fingerprints, from early scientifi ..read more