Spook Pod

A Dutch author writes a book about different ways he could have killed his wife... right after his wife went missing. It would take almost 10 years to solve this case, even though Richard loved the spotlight and didn't shy away from people knowing the truth. Just a note! Today is literally Courtney's due date, so we are going on hiatus for a little bit until things settle down with baby. T...

One of Amsterdam’s oldest bars, In ’t Aepjen (which translates to In The Monkeys), opened in 1519 during the Golden Age for sailors to drink, eat, and sleep while on break from their adventurous travels. Legend has it that on one night, the captain of the Flying Dutchman was there… before he sailed away and was never seen again. Tune in to hear the story. References can be found here: https://spoo...

There was some big news that came to us last week... Joran the Moron has confessed to killing Natalee Holloway back in Aruba in 2005. But what does this mean? What will happen next? Is he telling the truth? We give a case update today to let you know our thoughts on the entire story. Find references here: https://spookpod.com/blog/natalee-holloway-case-update .

It’s spooky season… so we’re bringing you some ghostly legends on a Friday the 13th! The year was 1730 and two beautiful sisters found themselves in a deadly love triangle. When one of them ended up dead, the other one was doomed to spend eternity as a ghost in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, whose moans some still claim to hear today.  It’s no wonder they re-named the street Spooksteeg, or Ghost...

Hi, everyone! This isn't an episode... just popping on to let you know we are currently on vacation, so there are no episodes slated for the next few weeks. Courtney is going on a trip to Canada and then Emily is coming to visit Courtney in the Netherlands, so we are busy busy! We also share some news in this little clip, like how Courtney is expecting and how to get the best out-of-office ema...

In our final episode on the betrayal of Anne Frank, we discuss theories. What are the facts known without a doubt? Who are the main suspects? What did the investigations over the years find? And... did Otto know more than he let on? We will let you decide! For a list of references, visit https://spookpod.com/blog/the-betrayal-of-anne-frank .

We’ve made it to the third episode on the betrayal of Anne Frank and her family. In this part, you hear what happened to all eight people from the achterhuis in the concentration camps. Unfortunately, Otto was the only survivor, and he returned home looking for his family and for justice over what happened to them. After publishing Anne’s diary, he worked tirelessly for the victims… and he searche...

Welcome back to our coverage on the betrayal of Anne Frank and her family. In part 2, you get to know all the people involved in the story: the 8 people who hid together in the achterhuis and the 6 helpers that took care of them. We discuss what life in hiding was like, do a recreation of the arrest, and bring you up until the moment that the prisoners arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration a...

Many of us have at least heard of the story… Anne Frank goes into hiding in Amsterdam during WWII. Eventually, her family is arrested and sent to concentration camps simply for being Jewish. Only Anne’s father would survive the war, and when he came home, he found a diary penned by his daughter that would become a worldwide phenomenon. But who betrayed them? How were they discovered? We’ll tell yo...

On May 4, 2019, a woman was out on her daily walk with her two dogs in The Hague. But unfortunately, this would be the last walk she would ever take. Her body was found about 10 minutes away from her house. Three days later across the country in Brunssum, two other dog walkers would be found dead when out on their daily walk. What was happening in The Netherlands? The answer involves a young man,...

When the body of a 14-year-old boy turns up on a villa that is home to a very prominent and mega rich Dutch family, the case becomes a sensation in The Netherlands. And it would become even more so when it was learned that the killers were the heirs to the company and fortune that spanned over 150 years. Here’s the transcription for this episode: https://spookpod.com/blog/the-baarn-murder .

Picture, if you can, the city of Leiden back in the 1880s. Most people there were poor, working class citizens. Poverty, plague, and death were constant visitors to their doorsteps. And so was a woman the town nicknamed "Goeie Mie" or “Good Maria”. Maria was known for helping to take care of children, the sick, and the elderly. But what was not known was that this poor city was the perfe...

It’s time for Part 2 of Willem van Eijk, finishing our case on one of The Netherlands most notorious serial killers. In this episode, Willem has just been released from prison, free as a bird, after committing two murders. And this is when he moves to Harkstede, and will earn his nickname as the Beast of Harkstede. Here are the notes and transcription for this episode: https://spookpod.com/blog/wi...

Dutch serial killers... there aren't too many of them. But in today's show we begin to tell the story of Willem van Eijk, also known as the Beast of Harkstede. This episode dives into his childhood, first murders, and his first long stint in prison, before he was released(!!) and went on to truly deserve his nickname. Tune in to part 1 now! Part 2 will release on April 21, 2023. Here are t...

In August of 1998, Nicky Verstappen went away to summer camp. The next morning, as the other kids started to wake up, they realised that Nicky’s sleeping bag was empty. His body was found after a two day search, but it would take more than 20 years to bring his killer to justice. Here’s the transcription and notes for this episode: https://spookpod.com/blog/nicky-verstappen .

Hi, everyone! This isn't an episode... just popping on to let you know there is no episode this week. Courtney is taking some time off as she just got married this week! But we will be back next week as usual with a brand-new case on March 24, 2023. We hope to see you then and thanks for your understanding.

In 1664, 18-year-old Elsje Christiaens moved to Amsterdam from Denmark to try to make a life for herself in this prosperous Dutch city. Two weeks later, she would be executed, her body hung on a hill as a warning for all others. Tune in for full story, which surprisingly also involves a very famous artist who loved to draw dead bodies.  Here’s the notes and transcription for this episode: htt...

Anne De Ruyter De Wildt was found dead on May 1, 1997 near the train tracks in Groningen. After a lengthy investigation a killer was finally apprehended. And when he was… many other things would be discovered. It turns out, Anne was not his only victim.  Here are the notes and transcription for this episode: https://spookpod.com/blog/anne-de-ruyter-de-wildt .

From a very young age it was clear… Willem Klein was a mathematical genius. He would go on to live a pretty incredible life, performing in the circus, evading the Nazis, working for big important sciencey companies, and achieving many Guinness World Records. That was until he was murdered in Amsterdam in 1986. In today’s episode, we discuss his incredible life and his unsolved murder.  Here’s...

Peter R De Vries was the most famous crime reporter in the Netherlands. Hundreds of people wrote to him each and every day begging for help with their situation… and Peter worked tirelessly to fight for justice, find perpetrators, and release innocents from prison. That was until he was murdered himself on the streets of Amsterdam on July 6, 2021. In this episode, we go over the colourful and exci...

On the night of July 11, 2005, Anneke van der Stap’s father was expecting his daughter home after she was visiting her friend across the country. But she never arrived. Phone records showed she made it to her home city of Den Hague… and then disappeared. The case went cold until one Ronald Pieper was arrested for another murder, and everything was blown wide open. But was justice served?  Her...

On January 9, 1994, Christel Ambrosius was found murdered in her grandmother’s house. Afterward, four young men were arrested and two confessed and were convicted of the crime. The only problem… the DNA found at the crime scene matched none of them. In today’s episode, we go through what is known as the worst miscarriage of justice in the history of The Netherlands.  Here is the transcription...

Emily is taking us back in time this week to 1957 where a pretty badass prostitute (The Blonde Dolly AKA Suze Niemans AKA Inge AKA Sebilla van den Bergh) was kicking ass and taking names until she was found murdered in her apartment in Den Hague. The case was never solved, but her story needs to be told.  Here are the notes and transcription for this episode: https://spookpod.com/blog/the-blo...

Martina O’Brien and Arnold Viguurs were supposedly a happy couple living in Den Bosch. They were preparing for retirement, selling their house, and about to move to Ireland near Tina’s children and grandchildren. Their plane tickets were booked for November 9, 2015. But instead of a flight, an emergency call came that day instead.  Here are the notes and transcription for this episode: https:...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! This isn’t an episode, it’s just us awkwardly wishing you good cheer and letting you know that we are going on holiday. The next episode on January 20, 2023 will bring you a brand-new case and more s p o o k. See you then!