Halloween has passed but the spooky stories continue on here on Unpleasant Dreams. Cassandra Harold reads the short story, The Boarded Window, by Ambrose Bierce on this week’s episode. It was written in 1891, and is in the Public Domain. Enjoy! — Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers’ intellectual property. All fictional stories on Unpleasant Dream…

Today we speak with Clay Bryant about his new book "Solving the Murder of Vieng Phovixay : Evil Dwells in West Georgia". “Cold Case” Clay Bryant unravels the 20-year old cold-case murder of Viang Phovixay in search of justice. Mr. Bryant is a former Georgia State Patrol Officer and his cases have been chronicled on 48 Hours Investigates, Bill Curti…

Happy Halloween! Cassandra Harold reads the short work of prose fiction, "The Vampyre," by John William Polidori on this week's Unpleasant Dreams. It was written in 1819, was published in New Monthly Magazine that year, and is in the Public Domain. "The Vampyre" is believed to have started the romantic vampire genre. We hope you enjoy! -- Jim Harol…

We talk to Erin Chandler about her book Bluegrass Sons, A True Memoir. The story is about Bradley Bryant, a United States Marine who lived a double life. The FBI labeled him "a one-man crime wave" responsible for the largest gunrunning, drug-smuggling network in the United States and Erin is Bryant's niece, who masterfully tells this true crime sto…

This week on Jim Harold's Crime Scene we speak with Mikita Brottman about her book, Guilty Creatures: Sex, God, and Murder in Tallahassee, Florida. She examines the psychology of a killer couple and how it felt to live with murder on their souls. The New York Times calls it “Murder, a love triangle, and small-town secrets in Tallahassee, Florida...…

What would you do if you were on your way to a wedding and a sailor stops you tell you a story about life or death? This week Cassandra Harold tells us The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This poem was first published in 1798 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra is narrating an 1834 edition. This famous poem features popul…

This week's Unpleasant Dreams features a horror story written by H.P. Lovecraft. Cassandra Harold narrates the short story, "The Music of Erich Zann." "The Music of Erich Zann" was written in 1921 and first published in 1922 and is in the Public Domain. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on Unplea…

The thought of murdering a child—much less their own child—is the most disturbing thought a parent could have. This week we speak with Amanda Woomer about her new book Killer Moms: True Stories. You can Amanda's book at Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dNpRUP This post contains Amazon affiliate links that benefit Jim Harold Media when you make a qualifying…

Ted Bundy was one of the most twisted serial killers ever. We talk with author Kevin Sullivan about his book, Ted Bundy's Murderous Mysteries: The Many Victims Of America's Most Infamous Serial Killer. You can find it at Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/47WJBnL Note: This is a classic episode of Jim Harold's Crime Scene originally posted in 2019. We'll …

Join us this week on Unpleasant Dreams as Cassandra Harold tells us the story of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death." "The Masque of the Red Death" (originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy") is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1842 and is in the Public Domain. -- Jim Harold Media…

Believe it or not, Mark Twain actually wrote a classic ghost story. Appropriately enough, it was called, "A Ghost Story" and it is our Season 4 premiere. Much more to come this fall! It is great to be back and thanks for your patience! We'll be back next week with more chilling Unpleasant Dreams. "A Ghost Story" by Mark Twain, was originally publis…

Israel Keyes has been called the most meticulous serial killer in history. He is certainly one of the most chilling. Author Maureen Callahan joins us to talk about this monster. You can find her book on Keyes at Amazon.com: American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century Note: This is a classic rewind episode f…

Joe D. Kennedy retired as the Special Agent-in-Charge for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Carolinas Field Office in 2014 after 28 years of service. These days, Mr. Kennedy spends much of his time looking into cold cases. In this return episode of Jim Harold's Crime Scene we talk about some famous cold cases and his COLD CASE LIVE to…

This week on Unpleasant Dreams we dive into an eerie tale that tests the boundaries of darkness and the sway it holds over the mind. Our story is Edith Nesbit's "The Power of Darkness." "The Power of Darkness" by Edith Nesbit, originally published 1905 and is in the Public Domain. Our narrator is Cassandra Harold. Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/eb…

Tune in for this classic Victorian ghost story written in 1852 by Elizabeth Gaskell. "The Old Nurse’s Story" by Elizabeth Gaskell, originally published 1852 and is in the Public Domain. Your narrator is Cassandra Harold. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on Unpleasant Dreams are in the U.S. publi…

Cassandra shares the troubling tale of "The Vale of Corbies" written by Arthur J. Burks. "The Vale of Corbies" by Arthur J. Burks, originally published 1926 and is in the Public Domain. You can find the original at The Internet Archive here: https://archive.org/details/WeirdTalesV06N05192511/page/n31/mode/1up Please tell your classic horror loving …

A hard boiled journalist encounters something that shakes him to his core. That is the premise of H.F. Arnold's classic short story, The Night Wire. You can find it here: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Night_Wire "The Night Wire" by H.F. Arnold, originally published 1926 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra Harold is our narrator. Thank you f…

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's the perfect story for a day dedicated to our hearts. It's The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Enjoy! "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe, originally published 1843 and is in the Public Domain. Cassandra Harold is our narrator. -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stori…

Join Cassandra on a journey to the mysterious Goblin Market on this edition of Unpleasant Dreams! "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti, originally published 1862 and is in the Public Domain. Thank you for listening and please share the show your friends! -- Jim Harold Media LLC respects writers' intellectual property. All fictional stories on Unpl…

The Yellow Wallpaper is a horror tale from 1892 which details a woman's decent into madness. Yet, it is much more and is considered a classic of feminist literature. The author is Charlotte Perkins Gilman and you can find the full text at Project Gutenberg. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, originally published 1892 and is in the …

A Christmas Carol is perhaps the most loved classic holiday story of all time. Cassandra shares her narration of the full version of Ebenezer Scrooge's tale by Charles Dickens. This episode includes the complete story. "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, originally published 1843 and is in the Public Domain. Enjoy this super sized Christmas edi…

Cassandra shares the conclusion of the terrifying tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! You can find the classic original, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, at this link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43/43-h/43-h.htm#chap02 "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, originally publish…

For this special Halloween edition, Cassandra shares the terrifying tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! This is part one. You can find the classic original, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, at this link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43/43-h/43-h.htm#chap02 "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert…

We delve into the conclusion of Robert W. Chambers’ “The Mask,” a tale that intertwines love, art, and the audacity of human ambition. What happens when an artist’s quest for eternal beauty crosses the unforgiving lines of mortality? Join us as we explore a story that ventures beyond the surface, examining the emotional and psychological toll of ca…

We delve into Robert W. Chambers' "The Mask," a tale that intertwines love, art, and the audacity of human ambition. What happens when an artist's quest for eternal beauty crosses the unforgiving lines of mortality? Join us as we explore a story that ventures beyond the surface, examining the emotional and psychological toll of capturing perfection…

A terrifying tale of a lost soul on the sea crying for any help he can find for himself and his doomed wife. Cassandra Harold narrates the classic short story, "A Voice In The Night" by William Hope Hodgson. "A Voice in the Night" by William Hope Hodgson, originally published 1907 and is in the Public Domain. Please share this episode with your fri…

Classmates exchange mysterious tales about their "ordinary" Latin teacher. Their banter spirals into a gripping saga of ghostly encounters, where reality blurs with the realm of the unknown. Cassandra Harold reads this classic tale, A School Story by M.R. James on this edition of Unpleasant Dreams. You can find the short story here: https://www.gut…

Ever get an offer too good too be true? That's the terrifying predicament of our subject on this week's Unpleasant Dreams. Cassandra Harold narrates this classic short horror story. Source of A Suspicious Gift by Algernon Blackwood: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14471 "A Suspicious Gift" by Algernon Blackwood, originally published 1906 and is in…

Long for the good ol' days when people were honest? Well, keep dreaming! Railey Jane Savage shares stories of the great scammers of history who would cheat you as soon as look at you! You can find her book, A Century of Swindles, at Amazon: https://amzn.to/42PjjQ7 Thanks Railey Jane for a great conversation! -- For more information on our podcast d…