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Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast — Personal Journals
Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast

Foggy gaslit streets. A quiet courtroom. And crimes that history tried to bury.

Foul Play is a historical true crime podcast that investigates the most chilling murder cases from the 1800s and early 1900s across the United States and the United Kingdom. Hosted by investigative crime journalists Shane Waters — who pioneered crime podcasting in 2008 — and Wendy Cee, each season unravels one complete criminal case through original research, court records, and primary source material.

This isn't sensationalized true crime. Every season of Foul Play puts victims first — their names, their stories, their humanity — before examining how murder investigations unfolded in an era before modern forensics, when justice was far from guaranteed.

From Victorian poisoners in London to Gilded Age killers in America, Foul Play brings historical true crime to life with cinematic storytelling and relentless accuracy. Every fact is verified. Every claim is sourced. Every story is told with the gravity it deserves.

New seasons of this historical true crime podcast release throughout the year, with episodes dropping weekly on Tuesdays.

Hello, friend. Welcome to Foul Play.

Copyright: © Copyright Black Label Podcasting

Latest Episodes:

London: Solving the Camden Town Murder Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

In a courtroom abuzz with tension, the trial of Robert Wood unearthed a series of conflicts that transcended beyond the murder of Emily Dimmock. As London steadied itself for the clamor of a high-profile case, ethics and justice were front and center. Season 17's interrogation of the Camden Town Murder contemplates the revelations made during trial, peering into the lens of a society faced with sensationalism and empirical truth. Bertram Shaw, entangled in grief, watched as Emily's life was deconstructed. She, whose warmth enlivened many posthumously, became emblematic of shifts in legal scrutiny and cultural power dynamics. The case spotlighted investigative shortcomings and societal biases of the Edwardian period while refocusing public discourse towards issues of gender and vulnerability. Wood's trial, rife with drama, interrogated parameters of fidelity and evidence where reasonable doubt oscillated wildly, paralleling transformative discourse of 1907 London amidst industrial and intellectual progress. This episode reveals iconic courtroom accounts, converging influential personalities and mixing accusation with defense amid storytelling reflective of larger social currents. Join us as witnesses bring voices from the past into the present, dissecting historical legacies of crime, justice, and justice's relentless pursuit. --- Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod
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London: The Camden Town Murder Continues Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

As the shadows of tragedy settled, the investigation into Emily Dimmock's murder evolved against the backdrop of Camden Town's social intricacies. For Bertram Shaw, the examining of Emily's past was a revelation, a confrontation with secrets she hid beneath a guise. Season 17's exploration of the Camden Town Murder draws listeners into the intimate yet troubled life of Emily, who sought transformation but found herself ensnared by history. Emily Dimmock, in seeking a fresh start, showcased the struggles of women pursuing autonomy amid societal constraints, with her murder igniting vital discourse on identity and justice. The fledgling detectives of 1907 London faced hurdles, with prejudice and assumptions distorting each lead. Emily's liaisons, recorded in her elusive diary, revealed a dual existence as investigators sought closure, battling courses paved with scorn and sensationalism. This era, painted with rapid change, allowed for both opportunity and peril. Listeners will follow the investigation's progress, balancing moral dilemmas and social commentary, as we chart Emily's journey toward an uncertain resolution. Discover, in riveting detail, how viewpoints clashed as evidence mounted, casting both doubt and clarity in equal measure. --- Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod
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London: The Camden Town Murder Begins Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

In the heart of London, Bertram Shaw unlocked his apartment door only to face a horror beyond imagination. The Camden Town Murder of Emily Dimmock, with her throat savagely slit, would grip the city. Season 17 of Foul Play examines into this chilling 1907 crime, examining the quiet life of Bertram Shaw where love and daily routine masked a more sinister backdrop. Emily, once vibrant and hopeful, found herself entwined in a series of covert affairs, her untimely demise signaling the end of innocence and spawning debates on morality and justice in Edwardian England. As authorities scrambled to piece together the mystery, the measures of recognizing truth and deception were tested. Camden Town, a lively district in Edwardian times, was rife with an undercurrent of class divide and social evolution. listeners will traverse through tangled love affairs, clandestine meetings, and the relentless pursuit of a killer as we reconstruct the circumstances that haunted Emily Dimmock's final days. Eternally remembered as more than a victim, Emily's story is a grim reflection of society's darker alcoves, and this discussion offers insight into the complexities surrounding her murder. We peel back the layers of intrigue to explore this infamous case that left a lasting mark on London's history. --- Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod
Our Sponsors:
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Windsor: Be-Lo Massacre Investigation Feb 15, 2023

Show notes

Windsor's Be-Lo Grocery Store Massacre remains etched in the town's memory as a chilling reminder of... In season 16, episode 3, we examine into a horrific event that shocked the small town of Windsor: the Be-Lo Grocery Store Massacre. Grover Cecil, Joyce Reason, and Johnnie Rankins were brutally murdered in a place where community once thrived. This episode humanizes the victims, exploring their roles in the community and the void left by their tragic deaths. The Windsor massacre highlights the fragility of everyday spaces. Why does it matter? The perplexing nature of this unsolved case keeps the community searching for answers decades later. Detailing the night of the crime, we uncover the horrifying sequence of events and the investigation's failures. The incident took place during a time of pervasive economic uncertainty and racial tension, impacting both the investigation's progress and the community's reaction. Listeners will journey through eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, and an unsettling lack of resolution. Who was the mysterious assailant that vanished into thin air? Tune in as we attempt to bring light to Windsor's darkest night. Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod
Our Sponsors:
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My Bloody Valentine, Part 2 Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

…12 dates …
…14 love gone wrong stories…
…Will YOU be my Valentine?
This Valentine's Day, prepare for a unique podcast experience! Shane Waters will introduce 14 crime podcast hosts. Each host brings a new, love gone wrong true story to mix. It's an extra special, two part, more than two-hour, Valentine event.
Part 2 of 2.
Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance:
In this Part 2 Episode:
1. Sirens
2. The Trail Went Cold
3. Method and Madness
4. True Crime Cases with Lanie
5. Crimelines
6. Love Murder
7. Foul Play: Crime Series
In the Part 1 Episode:
1. Murder She Told
2. True Crime Island
3. Hillbilly Horror Stories
4. Tapes from the Darkside
5. Coffee and Cases
6. Gone Cold, Texas True Crime
7. Live, Laugh, Larceny
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

My Bloody Valentine, Part 1 Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

…12 dates …
…14 love gone wrong stories…
…Will YOU be my Valentine?
This Valentine's Day, prepare for a unique podcast experience! Shane Waters will introduce 14 crime podcast hosts. Each host brings a new, love gone wrong true story to mix. It's an extra special, two part, more than two-hour, Valentine event.
Part 1 of 2.
Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance:
In this Part 1 Episode:
1. Murder She Told
2. True Crime Island
3. Hillbilly Horror Stories
4. Tapes from the Darkside
5. Coffee and Cases
6. Gone Cold, Texas True Crime
7. Live, Laugh, Larceny
In the next Part 2 Episode:
1. Sirens
2. The Trail Went Cold
3. Method and Madness
4. True Crime Cases with Lanie
5. Crimelines
6. Love Murder
7. Foul Play: Crime Series
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Windsor: Be-Lo Grocery Store Aftermath Feb 08, 2023

Show notes

Unfathomable tragedy in Windsor, North Carolina, persisted as the aftermath of the Be-Lo Grocery Store massacre unfolded, June 6, 1993, a day steeped in sorrow. Season 16 returns to Windsor, probing the aftermath where victims' families and a shaken community strive to grasp the intangible balance between resilience and memory. Preceding the massacre, ordinary lives intersected with steadfast dreams, now remembered with reverence. This crime's deeper notes speak to a community on its journey through collective grief and relentless questioning: how an evening blurred into horror. Families sought answers in corridors of dread, their search symbiotic with law enforcement's determined strides toward truth amid emotional upheaval. Amidst the 1990s zeitgeist of social reform and technological advances, Windsor's ordeal contrasted starkly, a microcosm of vulnerability versus clemency. This episode listens to narratives bridging life's fragility with resilient ontology, capturing interviews and insight into the pursuit for complete disclosure. As journeys of healing intersect, understand how voices rise from anguish, piecing together legacies reshaped by violence yet steeled by unity. Participate in analyzing transformation from calamity rooted deep within societal psyche. --- Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com
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Windsor: Be-Lo Grocery Store Massacre Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

A chilling day in Windsor, North Carolina, changed forever on June 16, 1993, as gunshots rattled Be-Lo Grocery Store. The massacre claimed the lives of those simply ending their shifts, their ordinary evening shattered irreparably. Season 16 unfolds the grim narrative surrounding the Be-Lo Grocery Store Massacre, detailing an abrupt collision with terror. These lives, once woven into local fabric, are mourned beyond their tragic end. Employees, remembered within their community for their camaraderie and kindly spirit, were thrust into histories they didn't deserve. The event, harrowing in its violence, challenged perceptions of safety and shook assumptions about rural life. Despite beloved familiarity, crime seeped into every corner, leaving citizens grappling with trauma. Initial investigations saw frantic efforts to unearth motives amid sorrowful scenes, burdened by emotions and demanding swift justice, but meeting procedural delays and fleeting leads. The 1990s, a decade of both hope and apprehension, reflected a dichotomy of progress versus peril. Listeners will encounter survivor stories and forensic accounts that examine into investigative processes veiled by anguish, posing questions of endurance. Join us to understand how unforeseen darkness impacted Windsor and echoed beyond its borders. --- Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod
Our Sponsors:
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Florida: What Happened to Trenton Duckett? Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

The search for a missing child becomes a desperate plea in 'What Happened to Trenton Duckett?', set in Florida. Trenton was only two years old when he was reported missing late one August night in 2006. He was an energetic toddler with an inquisitive spirit, bringing light and laughter to those around him. This disturbing case stirred broad public outcry and highlighted the urgent shortcomings and challenges faced by law enforcement in missing child investigations. Against the early 2000s temperament of heightened media scrutiny and digital age immediacy, Trenton's disappearance remains unsolved, a permanent blemish on justice. This episode dives into the frantic hours following his disappearance, the widespread investigations, and the tragic toll it took on those shadowed by his absence. As the broader societal context of the early 2000s unfolds, we explore how media and speculation shaped this desperate search. Join us in revisiting a painful chapter where hope flickered dimly. Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod
Our Sponsors:
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My Aunt and the Hitman: The End Jan 18, 2023

Show notes

As my aunt's story concludes, we reevaluate the motives and darkness shadowing these events. Dive into... The season finale, 'The Conclusion of My Aunt's Story,' ties loose ends, revisiting motives and historical paths that led to a tragic end. As my aunt's story concludes, we reevaluate the motives and darkness shadowing these events. Dive into Episode 8, the intense finale of 'Greenville: My Aunt and the Hitman,' as we deliberate on the thematic currents that have shaped this extraordinary saga. This season has continually provided not just an account of crimes, but a narrative woven with generational action and consequence. It serves as a profound study in how personal choices and societal structures can culminate in catastrophe. Reflecting on Sharon's journey, it's essential to recognize her as more than a victim. Her ambitions, connections, and the intrinsic value her life brought are testimony to what was lost — amplifying the gravity of her murder within Greenville's tranquil shadow. Understanding this story's importance lies in dissecting its myriad motives, some visible and some veiled. Grappling with these questions offers broader insights into criminal behaviors and societal apathy often dismissed in small-town narratives. Details from the case offer compelling conclusions. Unraveled is a poignant tapestry of decisions — each leading to near-inevitable bleak outcomes that are as much a product of personal frailty as they are of systematic indifference. The historical backdrop of late 20th-century America frames this narrative, revealing how suburban tranquility can hide chaos beneath its placid exterior and how community bonds can both unravel and heal under duress. As we explore the closing remarks, anticipate a meticulous dissection of motives, expert analyses, and the powerful closure that justice, perhaps, provides. Revelations await that will shed light on the forgotten moments and questions in pursuit of a fuller understanding. --- Support Foul Play: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/foulplaypodcast Website: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/foul-play/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foul-play-crime-series/id1525832703 Follow us: Instagram: @foulplaycrimeseries Twitter: @foulplaypod

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