Let's Talk Spooky

• 18: The Great Amherst Mystery

  Send us a textIn 1878, the small town of Amherst, Nova Scotia became the stage for one of Canada’s most chilling and violent hauntings.When nineteen-year-old Esther Cox narrowly escaped an attempted assault, strange disturbances soon followed—objects hurled across rooms, violent knocking that answered questions, and spontaneous fires that defied explanation. Witnesses swore the events were real. Skeptics called it hysteria.Enter Walter Hubbell, an actor turned investigator, who lived in the house and documented every terrifying detail. His account would become The Great Amherst Mystery—a case that still blurs the line between trauma, belief, and the supernatural.Was Esther haunted by something beyond this world—or by the echoes of her own pain?So, gather close, and let’s talk spooky. Sources & ReferencesHubbell, Walter. The Great Amherst Mystery: A True Narrative of the Supernatural. New York: W. Briggs, 1879.Norris, Laurie Glenn. Haunted Girl: Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery. Nimbus Publishing, 2012.“Cox, Esther.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol. 14. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/cox_esther_14E.htmlSmith, Barbara. Ghost Stories of Canada. Heritage House, 1993.CBC Archives. Haunting History of Amherst, Nova Scotia.McEwan, Graham. Ghost Stories of the Maritimes. 1987.🎙️ About This EpisodeWritten, researched, and narrated by Shauna Produced by Let’s Talk Spooky Podcast Sound design & post-production by Shauna📬 Follow & Connect👻 Instagram: @letstalkspooky 🎧 TikTok: @letstalkspooky 📧 Share your stories: [email protected] 🌐 Listen on Buzzsprout: https://letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com

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• 17: The Haunting Lore of Scarecrows

  Send us a textScarecrows—just straw and cloth, right? Or something much older, stranger, and darker? In this episode of Let’s Talk Spooky, we wander the fields to uncover the chilling history and folklore of scarecrows. From the tragic tale of Albert Engel in Wisconsin, to Celtic effigies carved from turnips, to Japan’s kakashi festivals and the uncanny scarecrow village of Nagoro, these figures have always been more than just guardians of the harvest. They’ve been seen as protectors, omens, and even restless watchers that blur the line between the living and the supernatural.So grab your lantern, keep to the path, and join me as we explore why these silent sentinels continue to haunt our stories and our nightmares.Folklore & HistoryDavidson, H.R. Ellis. Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. Thames & Hudson, 1964. (Celtic and Norse agricultural ritual context)Simpson, Jacqueline, and Steve Roud. A Dictionary of English Folklore. Oxford University Press, 2000. (Folklore of scarecrows, omens, and field guardians)Frazer, James. The Golden Bough. (Chapters on agricultural rites and effigy traditions)Historical & Cultural AccountsThe story of Albert Engel (Wisconsin, 1916) is referenced in regional folklore and newspaper reports.Japanese scarecrow traditions and Kakashi Matsuri festivals (Shirakawa-go, Nagoro, etc.) — documented in travel and cultural sources.Nagoro Scarecrow Village: coverage in BBC Travel (2015), National Geographic (2017), and various interviews with Ayano Tsukimi.Police identify woman who was killed — Chillicothe Gazette (Oct 14, 2015) chillicothegazette.comWoman’s Dead Body Mistaken for Halloween Decorations — Time Magazine time.com🔗 Connect With Let’s Talk SpookyInstagram & TikTok: @LetsTalkSpookyWebsite: letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.comShare your own spooky stories: [email protected]

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• 16: Haunted Road Trip: Vancouver Island

  Send us a textEpisode Summary: Our haunted road trip comes to its final stop — the legendary supernatural hotspots of Vancouver Island. From the tragic tale of Yow Kum in Victoria’s Chinatown to phantom ships, haunted lighthouses, ghostly nuns, and one of Canada’s most haunted cemeteries, this episode ties together a journey across some of the island’s darkest and most unforgettable places.Join me as we explore:Victoria’s Chinatown & Fan Tan Alley – The tragic 1889 murder of Yow Kum and the restless spirit of Ah Heung still running through the alley’s narrow passageways.Amphitrite Point Lighthouse (Ucluelet) – Built after the Pass of Melfort tragedy, this storm-beaten lighthouse is said to echo with phantom bells and screams carried on the wind.The Ghost Ship of the Strait of Georgia – A blazing phantom vessel that vanishes without a trace, believed to be a spectral replay of real tragedies at sea.St. Ann’s Academy (Victoria) – The footsteps and whispered prayers of the Sisters of St. Ann, lingering in the chapel they built over a century ago.Ross Bay Cemetery (Victoria) – The Woman in Black, restless spirits disturbed by storms, and one of Canada’s most haunted burial grounds.This episode is the grand finale of the Haunted Road Trip Edition, weaving history, folklore, and ghost stories into one last spooky ride across the island.📌 Sources & Further ReadingSinn, Shanon. The Haunting of Vancouver Island. TouchWood Editions, 2017.“Amphitrite Point Lighthouse History.” Ucluelet Info. https://www.ucluelet-info.com/history-amphitrite-lighthouse/“Amphitrite Point Lighthouse.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphitrite_Point_Lighthouse“Fan Tan Alley Murder History.” Reddit VictoriaBC Community Discussion. https://www.reddit.com/r/VictoriaBC/comments/1ek79eh/fan_tan_alley_murder_history/“Chan’s Haunting Legacy as the Ghostly Beheader of Victoria’s Fan Tan Alley.” Kelowna Capital News. https://www.kelownacapnews.com/trending-now/chans-haunting-legacy-as-the-ghostly-beheader-of-victorias-fan-tan-alley-7620157/“Ross Bay Cemetery.” Victoria’s Haunted History. https://victoriahistoryproject.ca/ross-bay-cemetery/“Ross Bay Cemetery Ghosts.” Haunted Places. https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/ross-bay-cemetery/“Three Real Vancouver Island Ghost Stories.” Vancouver Island University News. https://news.viu.ca/community-classroom-blog/three-real-vancouver-island-ghost🔮 Connect with Let’s Talk Spooky👻 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @letstalkspookypodcast 🎧 Listen & subscribe on Buzzsprout: https://letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com 📩 Share your spooky stories: DM on socials or email [email protected]

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• 15: Haunted Road trip Edition: Creatures and Cryptids of British Columbia

  Send us a textDescription: British Columbia is a place where wilderness and legend intertwine. From the shadowy forests where Sasquatch walks, to the foggy shorelines haunted by the shapeshifting Kushtaka, to the deep black waters of the Salish Sea where Cadborosaurus might rise—tonight’s episode explores the creatures that have shaped Indigenous stories, inspired modern sightings, and kept mystery alive in Canada’s wild west.Join me as we uncover the lore, the sightings, and the warnings carried through generations… and decide for yourself what waits out there in the wild.In This Episode:🌲 The legend of Sasquatch and its roots in Indigenous storytelling🌫️ The eerie shapeshifter known as the Kushtaka, the “Land Otter Man”🌊 Tales of the sea serpent Cadborosaurus (Caddy) and the evidence behind the legend📖 Firsthand accounts, cultural meanings, and modern sightings that keep these mysteries alive📚 Sources & ReferencesSasquatchIndigenous oral traditions from the Sts’ailes (Chehalis) and Stó:lō Nations describe Sasq’ets as the “wild man of the woods.”Ostman, Albert (1957). Abduction Account at Toba Inlet.Harrison Hot Springs Sasquatch Museum.BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) Canadian sightings database: bfro.net.KushtakaTlingit and Tsimshian oral histories—stories of the Land Otter Man as shapeshifter, trickster, or rescuer.Emmons, George Thornton. The Tlingit Indians (Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, 1991).Alaska Native Heritage Center resources on Kushtaka lore.Portlock, Alaska, village abandonment accounts tied to Kushtaka encounters.Cadborosaurus (Caddy)Discovery UK. Cadborosaurus: North America’s Legendary Sea Serpent.Times Colonist, Origin of the Cadborosaurus Legend (1933 coinage of the name).The 1937 Naden Harbour whale-stomach carcass: photographs and reports from G.V. Boorman and whaling staff.Operation CaddyScan (1999), Saanich Inlet video project by BCSCC.John Kirk, British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club (BCSCC) – Fraser River sighting, 2010.Terrace Standard. BC cryptozoologists still looking for sightings of fabled sea serpent.

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• 14: Haunted road trip Edition: Haunted Banff Spring Hotel

  Send us a textEpisode Summary:Tonight, we check into one of Canada’s most haunted hotels — the legendary Banff Springs Hotel. Hidden within its luxury and history are tales that chill even the most seasoned traveler. From the tragic Ghost Bride still seen gliding down the grand staircase, to Room 873 — a room that was allegedly sealed off after a horrific murder-suicide — and Sam the Bellman, the ever-polite ghost who still helps guests with their luggage…But the hauntings don’t stop there.We explore unsettling guest stories, phantom phone calls, eerie elevator rides, and lingering spirits that make this hotel more than just a historic landmark — it’s a living, breathing legend.Welcome to the Castle in the Rockies. Check in… if you dare.Brief history of the Banff Springs HotelThe tragic tale of the Ghost BrideReal accounts of phantom bellman Sam MacauleyThe chilling mystery of Room 873Paranormal guest experiences: cold spots, voices, flickering lightsHaunted hallways, ballroom echoes, and midnight phone callsA closing reflection on the line between luxury and lingering spiritsWebsite: ⁠https://letstalkspookypodcast.buzzsprout.com⁠Instagram & TikTok: @letstalkspookypodContact: ⁠[email protected]⁠🎧 Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to keep the stories flowing!

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