Bust or Trust: A Kids' Mystery Podcast

Did a giant lizard roam South Carolina in the 1980s? Or is it all tricks of the swamp? Tiernan and Athena look at the case of the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp so you Chief Detectives can decide if this scaly mystery is real or not. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the best podcasts for kids. *** If your chief detectives want to hear more from the investigations, including more c...

In 1994, blobs of jelly seemed to fall out of the sky and land on Oakville, USA. Were they a military experiement? Alien remains? Bits of jellyfish? No one knows. More importantly, was it jelly or jell-o and did it go well with ice cream? Tiernan and Athena investigate. Chief Detectives, listen to the evidence and then you decide if the Oakville blobs were something strange or very normal and we a...

An old tale tells of two brothers who fought a duel on a field, now believed to be somewhere in central London. They both died and the ground remembered this tragedy by never letting grass grow on their footsteps. But is this story just a step into the imagination or is the Field of Forty Footsteps somewhere in the capital city? Tiernan and Athena investigate and then its up to you Chief Detective...

Thailand has many ghosts, but few cause as much trouble as Phi Pop. This hungry ghost likes to possess people and animals, and cause a lot of trouble. But is Phi Pop really a troublestarter? Or just a traditional way to get rid of village pests? Its up to you, as our Chief Detectives to work it out, while Athena and Tiernan make sure they bring enough facts and evidence to fill up any ghoul's appe...

Imagine waking up and suddenly knowing a completely different language? Xenoglossy has happed to people for many years, usually after holy incidents or accidents, where they find themselves waking up and talking another language fluently. But scientists say it's not a real thing. Athena and Tiernan speak the language of evidence to bring you all the details and then its up to you, our Chief Detect...

Are the ancient amphora jars off the coast of Brazil, proof of a different history for the country? Or just evidence of an amateur jar salesman's terrible ideas? Athena and Tiernan bring you jars full of evidence on this case of history and mystery, so that you, our Chief Detectives, can put a lid on the truth. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the best podcasts for kids. *** If y...

The Big Grey Man is thought to lurk around Mount Ben MacDui in Scotland, creeping out any hikers who dare visit. But is the lanky ghoul real or is it all just tricks of the mountain? Athena and Tiernan bring you the evidence on grey giants and windy sounds, so that you, our Chief Detectives can solve the case. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the best podcasts for kids. *** If yo...

In the 1700s, did a church in County Louth, Ireland really jump over the buried body of someone it didn't want in its grounds? Or was it a powerful storm that somehow moved a wall exactly three feet and left it standing upright? The ruins of the Church of Kildemock only tell stories, but no answers so its up to you, our Chief Detectives, to take your own leap of faith. Need the evidence first? Ath...

As Bust or Trust has a happy 1st birthday, Athena and Tiernan look into whether time travel is real. Have people really made machines to travel back and forth through history, or can we all only time travel in a forward direction, one second at a time? No time to waste, so you, our Chief Detectives must listen to the evidence and solve the case. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of t...

In May 2001, panic spread through the Indian city of New Delhi as people reported sightings of a strange 'monkey man'. But did this monkey man ever really exist? Or were people just going bananas over nothing? Time for you Chief Detectives to listen to all the evidence as Tiernan and Athena investigate some real monkey business. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the best podcasts...

In King William County, Virginia USA a strange ghostly light appeared on a railway crossing for over 50 years. Known as the Cohoke Light, some people think its the lantern of a railwayman's ghost, as he looks for his head. Others think it might just be a case of bad gas. Tiernan and Athena travel down all the evidence tracks and its up to you, our Chief Detectives to solve the mystery. Brought to...

WARNING: This week's episode is all a bit gruesome. So tinier Bust or Trusters maybe shouldn't listen before bedtime. Athena and Tiernan investigate the Wendigo, a mythical creature that roams the Canadian forests, snacking on, gulp, people! But is it all just a story, or is the ever hungry Wendigo real? We bring the evidence and you, the Chief Detectives can put together the case on this creepy m...

Skara Brae is one of the oldest historical sites in the world, but its also one of the oldest mysteries. Just why did people abandon this Stone Age community way back in 2500BC? Tiernan and Athena excavate all the information for our Chief Detectives - that's you that is - to help solve the case. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the best podcasts for kids. *** If your chief detec...

Planes, boats and even people have been disappearing for years in the Bermuda Triangle. But it is just an area of sea like any other or is is something more supernatural occuring? Athena and Tiernan deliver the evidence on this tricky triangle so you, our Chief Detectives, can get right to the points. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the best podcasts for kids. *** If your chief...

The Palace of Versailles, is a famous French castle quite close to Paris. But is it actually haunted by the past? There are many ghost stories about Versailles, but one of the most famous is a strange claim by two very well-to-do English women that in 1901 on a visit to the Palace of Versailles in France, they had a vision of the past and saw a lot of 18th century ghosts. As always, Tiernan and At...

As a special bonus we're very pleased to bring you a crossover episode with our friends at Koala Moon. Twin detectives Darla and Ralphie Holmes have flown to New Mexico to solve the mystery of the Taos Hum, but they need some help. Never fear! Tiernan and Athena are here! Can Darla and Ralphie crack the case once and for all? Let's find out! To find out more about Koala Moon you can find them here...

Montezuma's Treasure is the legendary ancient Aztec horde of gold that was supposedly hidden somewhere in Southwestern USA. But if it does exist, why has absolutely no one found any of it? Tiernan and Athena unearth the evidence for you, our Chief Detectives to work out if there's Aztec gold in them hills, or well, anywhere at all. Bust or Trust is now available on Storybutton. Visit www.storybutt...

Crop circles are the strange patterns found in cereal crops all across the world. We know some are definitely made by artistic humans but where have the others come from? Athena and Tiernan examine the field of evidence and harvest all the useful information they can. Then its up to you, the Chief Detectives to decide if aliens or earth energies had anything to do with fancy swirls in large amount...

There have been stories about mermaids all over the world and in many different cultures, but has anyone actually ever seen a real one? Tiernan and Athena take a deep dive into all the evidence about the popular creature that is half fish, half person. Then its up to you, the Chief Detectives to decide if mermaids are real and in the oceans somewhere, or in fact, there's something fishy about thes...

In 1955 a family in Texas ran to the police because their home was being 'attacked by aliens'. Was the Kelly-Hopkinsville Encounter really the first contact with 'little green men'? Or just a confrontation with some very annoyed owls having a real hoot? Athena and Tiernan delve into the evidence so that you, our Chief Detectives can decide for yourself. Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of s...

The Sumerians existed in Mesapotamia nearly 7000 years ago and without them we probably wouldn't have writing, maths or many other incredible inventions. But where did they originally come from and why is it so hard to find out? Tiernan and Athena look at whether these amazing ancient peoples were the excellent travellers or just beamed down by winged aliens. They'll bring the evidence so you, our...

You've heard of plant based diets, but what about plants having people based ones? In the 1800s there were stories of trees growing on the island of Madagascar that fed on humans, but did they ever really exist? Athena and Tiernan take a look at the roots of this story and then its up to you, our Chief Detectives, to find out if this story is all bark and no bite. Brought to you by Small Wardour,...

The incredible Hanging Gardens of Babylon were one of the 8 Ancient Wonders of the World. But they are the only one that there is no evidence of. Did these amazing gardens - where it appeared the plants and trees were floating - actually exist? Or could it be that they were somewhere else entirely? Or did the name just mean they were somewhere nice for people 'hang out' and have picnic? Tiernan an...

On the 30th June 1908, the skies above Tunguska in Siberia, exploded with the force of an atomic bomb. But to this day scientists still aren't 100% sure what caused it. Its widely thought to have been a meterorite, but could it have been caused by something more mysterious? Athena and Tiernan bring the evidence, then its up to you to decide! Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the b...

A little bonus episode to help with the mystery of just what that time between Christmas and New Year's is actually called. Athena and Tiernan take a look back at their favourite cases of 2023. We'll see you next year for even more Bust or Trust cases! HNY! Brought to you by Small Wardour, makers of some of the best podcasts for kids. *** If your chief detectives want to hear more from the investi...