Switchblade Sisters Social Club

We are not ready for this, but here we go. Let’s take a look at the Tylenol murders of 1982, a story that's equal parts chilling and absurdly influential in the world of over-the-counter medication. Imagine it's the early '80s. Hairstyles are big, music is synth-heavy, and people everywhere are popping Tylenol like it's candy for everything from headaches to hangnails. Then, sudden...

Ah, the Carl Tanzler case, a tale that tiptoes the fine line between a Gothic romance and a plot rejected for being too bizarre for even the most outlandish sitcom. Picture this: Carl Tanzler falls head over heels for a young Cuban-American patient named Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos. This isn't your garden-variety crush; we're talking about a grand, transcendental love that refuses to ackn...

We usually steer clear of unsolved mysteries (because, let's face it, they're infuriating), but today, we're making an exception. Why? Because Dee stumbled upon the Circleville Letters Mystery, and trust us, it's too bizarre to pass up! How does one terrify an entire town with nothing but a pen, paper, and some outrageously creepy creativity? And possible muuuuurderrr? If 'The...

Last year, Dee wrote an article on the most impactful true crime books of 2023, and she included Louis Ferrante’s Borgata Trilogy Volume One: Rise of Empire. For those who don’t know him, Louis went from mobster to a bestselling author. His life took a turn from dodging bullets to dodging crazy true crime podcast hosts. But we nabbed him for an interview anyway.  Just like the mafia, we have our w...

In this week's episode of Switchblade Sisters Social Club, we sit down with the one, the only, Dr Honor Doro Townshend! Yes, you read that right – the criminology wizard and star of Crime + Investigation Play's hottest shows, #Dead2Me and Body in the Suitcase, graces our humble podcast with her brilliant mind and possibly a few crime scene tape snippets. Honor shares some behind-the-scenes...

In this sinfully entertaining episode, we dive deep into the world of Anton LaVey, the charmingly wicked founder of the Church of Satan. Don't worry, no souls were sold in the making of this podcast... or so we think! Here's what you'll unearth in this episode: Bold and Bald - what’s up with Anton’s hair?' Satanic Panic or Publicity Stunt? - We'll explore how LaVey turned shock...

During our short season break, let us take you to a time before video podcasts, when Randa was a mere guest co-host on Dee’s podcast, and let us share with you this vintage episode on Cults.  We ask the following questions: Are Trump followers a cult and why the f*ck are we even still having to talk about them as a thing?! Which Safieh sister would make the better cult leader? (Randa, obvs) Has an...

Hey Switchblade Sister (in this case, this term is gender-neutral and means you are a member of our Social Club,  In the season finale of Switchblade Sisters Social Club, we look at the perplexing case of Natalia Grace. The Natalia Grace case is a real head-scratcher wrapped in a mystery and served with a side of "you can't make this stuff up." Picture this: a couple adopts what they...

Are you ready to get stuck into one of the most twisted tales of deception, jealousy, and online personas gone terribly wrong? Buckle up, because our latest episode covers the infamous "talhotblond" case that will leave your jaw on the floor! Here's a sneak peek: Picture this - middle-aged man, a steelworker (let's call him "Tom"), finds himself entangled in an online l...

We’re just two girls, standing in front of a podcast listener, asking them to love us. And hopefully this treatment of the Robert Durst case by Randa ‘The Younger Safs’ Safieh-Angeles will help you fall deeper and harder than you ever have for us.  All we can say is wtaf?!  Let us take you on a journey through this fucked up adventure, starting with Durst’s bonkersly privileged childhood, to the d...

Why did we do this to ourselves? Well, we chose to do a true crime podcast, so we have no one to blame for our nightmares than ourselves.  John Cannan is a British murderer, serial rapist, and suspected serial killer. He was convicted in 1988 for multiple crimes, including the murder of Shirley Banks in Bristol (1987), attempted kidnapping of Julia Holman (1987), rape of a woman in Reading (1986),...

In this episode, Randa takes the lead, sharing the tragic story of Dorothy Stratten, a young Canadian model and actress whose life was cut short in a brutal murder.  Dorothy Stratten, born in Vancouver, Canada, quickly rose to stardom after being discovered by Playboy. Her life seemed like a fairytale, but it turned into a nightmare due to her abusive and controlling husband, Paul Snider.  To ligh...

Today, Dee tells Randa the chilling tale of Sawney Bean, a legendary figure in Scottish folklore. Imagine Dee, full of dramatic flair and armed with a stack of research, eagerly presenting the case to Randa, reacting with a blend of disbelief, disgust and eye rolls.  Dee starts by setting the scene: the misty, eerie landscapes of Scotland, where Sawney Bean, the alleged head of a cannibalistic cla...

Let us revel in Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s dramatic fall from grace, as he gets in the shit for sexual assault and a whole bunch of other gross and incident activities.  Once a prominent political figure, serving as the head of the International Monetary Fund and as France's Finance Minister, DSK was considered a potential candidate for the French presidency. However, in 2011, he was charged wit...

The case involving Penny McAlister and Susan Christie is fucking tragic. Penny and Duncan McAlister had an exciting marriage while Duncan pursued his career as an officer in the British Army. They moved to Armagh in 1990, where they became involved in the diving community and met Susan Christie, a young soldier with the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR)​​. Susan and Duncan soon started an affair, whic...

This case came up in our episode with the gorgeous Adam from Graveline Tours, when he took us all on a virtual true crime tour of LA and showed off his most excellent hair. We also learned a lot about postcode snobbery in LA.  So what case is it today? It’s the Menendez Brothers!  This is a controversial criminal case involving Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents,...

In November 1989, Julie Hogg went missing. Weeks passed without any indication of her whereabouts. Then, in February 1990, her mother discovered Julie's body hidden behind a bath panel in her own home. The primary suspect was Billy Dunlop. Dunlop was tried twice for her murder, but on both occasions, the juries failed to reach a verdict. As a result, he was formally acquitted. Historically in...

TRIGGER WARNING: BABY DEATHS AND MISCARRIAGES Leonarda Cianciulli, the notorious Soap-Maker of Correggio, could have given the local housewares boutique a run for their money—if only her product line wasn't so... macabre. This enterprising yet deranged Italian homemaker turned her victims into soap and teacakes, which is certainly one way to deal with the wartime shortage of cleaning supplies...

In this episode, we look into the controversial life and practices of Dr Donald Cline, an Indiana fertility specialist who made headlines for his unethical practices. From the late 1970s to the 1980s, Cline used his own sperm to inseminate unsuspecting patients, resulting in the births of at least 50 children, but possibly over 90. Join us as we navigate the profound ethical questions and human st...

We nagged, begged, cried and screamed like banshees on your behalf and convinced the wonderful Dr Brian Frederick to come back on the show again!  This queer criminologist is what you would get if Sherlock Holmes and RuPaul had a secret lovechild. I am sure you will agree, he brings both impeccable investigative skills and an unparalleled flair to every podcast episode he features on!  And this we...

Despite always saying she would never cover cases where the elderly are the primary victims, Randa follows on from Delroy Grant with the terrifying case of Dr Harole Shipman. This trusted general practitioner went on to become possibly the most prolific serial killer in the world. He exploited his position of trust in order to play God for a ridiculously long time. How did that even happen?! Come...

In this episode, we go deep into the sinister world of The Camden Ripper, Anthony Hardy. Chosen by our Patreon supporter, Marc Sheehan, we unearth the grim details of one of the city's most nefarious criminals. But fear not, true crime aficionados - as always, we offer a moment of respite. To lighten the mood, we wrap up with another round of 'The People's Pulse'. Come play with us...

This week, Randa presents a case Dee honestly never thought she would pick. She goes deep into one of the UK's most notorious criminals, Delroy Grant, known as the Nightstalker. This piece of shit was a serial burglar who also often sexually assaulted his victims, usually elderly women. Almost in real time, we get current love and former DCI Colin Sutton on the podcast again to give us all the...

Trigger warning: baby deaths and suicide. This week on Switchblade Sisters Social Club: Forget the peaceful vistas of Hungarian villages; we're talking dark secrets, poison, and...grandmas?  That's right! Over 300 mysterious deaths, a splash of arsenic, and women's whispers - sounds like your average soap opera, but folks, this one's real!  Between stitching and knitting, the Angel...

We dive deep into the tumultuous life of Pedro Rodrigues Filho, known as the 'Brazilian Dexter.' Born into violence, his story began even before his first breath, leading him down a path of vengeance and justice. By the age of 14, he had committed his first murder. But what sets Pedro apart? He mainly targeted criminals, claiming his actions were fueled by a twisted sense of justice. Join...