It was pitch black. The cold night air made the hairs on my arms stand at attention. The wind howled angrily and I braced myself for a harsh trek to my final destination. Remanence of a rainstorm filled my shoes with water, they sloshed as I walked. I rubbed my shaking hands to preserve the last of my body heat. My breath puffed out in tendrils of white mist, I watched as it disappeared into the frigid night air. This walk might kill me, I thought grimly. I checked my phone, just as I feared, it was 4:57 PM. The sun was gone behind the horizon.
Okay, a tad dramatic but we all know the harsh realities of winter in Seattle. No sun, short days, dropping temperatures. While many people are pouring over old vacation photos or fantasizing about their next beach trip, I think it’s best to lean into the darkness. Cuddle up in a pool of blankets and light a candle. Let the downpour set the tone for the evening. If you’re looking for the perfect way to sink into the depths of winter, here are a few podcasts that embrace cold.
- Full Body Chills
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From the creators of “Crime Junkie” comes a Halloween special treat. Though it ran for the last few weeks of October, “Full Body Chills” is the perfect backdrop for a stormy night and a cup of hot chocolate. With ten episodes, the podcast features host Ashely Flowers telling short stories that will linger in the back of your mind for weeks to come. The episodes run from about 15-30 minutes and they feature the fictional works of online writers.
Although the stories are spooky, there’s something so comforting about somebody telling you a story. Crafted specifically to be read out loud, there’s always some mystery to be solved or twist that will jump out at you for the last second. This podcast, unlike a traditional true-crime podcast, allows the audience a bit of space between the story and their own lives. If you feel like true-crime podcasts are too depressing but still like the idea of being scared, “Full Body Chills” works as a happy medium.
If you’re just getting started, the very first episode is a good place to begin. Although this isn’t a chronological series, the first episode (titled “Ersatz”) is my favorite. Written by David Flowers (who does the audio production) this episode follows a character with a serious case of Déja Vu. As the character fails to shake the familiar faces of complete strangers, they begin to question their own sanity. This is a great episode because it doesn’t end with a traditional scare, rather, it leaves the audience with all sorts of unanswered questions. It dodges familiar tropes of ghost stories and tugs at something a little closer to home.
- The Thing About Pam
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You guys know Dateline, right? The one where they tell 45-minute stories about murderers and you try to beat the host to the (rather grim) punchline? Well if you like that, you’ll love “The Thing About Pam”. Keith Morrison, who has spent his career working with “Dateline” tells us about the most bizarre and twisted case he’s ever come across––the murder of Betsy Faria.
Betsy was a normal woman with a seemingly average life. Facing personal tragedy, such as a recent cancer diagnosis, Betsy was a kind soul––a loving mother to two daughters and wife of Russ Faria. The family’s life would be flipped upside down one fateful night when Russ comes home to find Betsy in a pool of her own blood. As more and more scrutiny falls on Russ (the husband always did it, right?), the details of Betsy’s life becomes increasingly complicated.
Then, there’s Pam. The last person to see Betsy alive, Pam’s relationship with the Faria’s is…complicated. Telling a completely different story than the one of an ideal and loving family, Pam paints a picture we haven’t yet seen of the couple. Just when you think you know where this case is going, it takes a sharp turn.
Maybe nobody else is into binging podcasts, but I listened to this one all the way through in one sitting. Start from the beginning and try to guess where this case will end up, the more you think you know, the further from the truth you are. Don’t take my word for it, this one comes straight from the creators of “Dateline”, so you know it’s got to be good.
- Radio Rental
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Picture this: Dwight Schrute owns a video rental store. He dusts off an old collection of tapes and offers to show you them one by one. Each of the tapes contains a terrifying story––sometimes a ghost story, sometimes a run-in with the worst kinds of killers––all true. Complete with 80s-Esque background music, that’s essentially “Radio Rental”.
Okay, so it’s not technically Dwight Schrute, but it is Rainn Wilson doing some sort of a voice. Each week (right now there are five episodes out for listening) two or three people share their real-life experiences with the paranormal or their intersections with true-crime. Some of them are funny, some barely escape with their lives.
Episode four is a good place to start. Beginning with a story called “If You Don’t Slow Down”, a man tells a fairly lighthearted story about a time he inadvertently caused someone the scare of their life. Told in his own words, he recounts the day, reflecting on his own actions and cringing at the way he must’ve looked. For those of you who just want a flavor of spooky, this is a great story, still comprised of chilling elements, this story won’t haunt your nightmares but it might give you something to think about.
The second segment of the episode is called “Laura of the Woods”. A man recounts a childhood memory–-a friend he once had. As he grew up, and the friend disappeared from his life, he wondered what really happened. As he turns over the sinister details, he comes to a shocking realization about this friend, Laura of the Woods. If you’re looking for something that will send legitimate tingles down your spine, this is your episode.
As the days grow shorter, enjoy a hot drink with your spooky stories. Bring back that childhood memory of sitting around the campfire whispering tales of ghosts and spirits. While your friends are mourning the death of the sun in the late afternoon, bask in the glory of all that hides in the shadows.