Much of folklore is fun in a creepy sort of way, something that we often revel in here on Lore. But there are darker, more insidious corners of folklore that have used the power of storytelling for very dangerous reasons, and they lie closer to the surface that you'll believe.

Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with writing by GennaRose Nethercott, research by Cassandra de Alba, and music by Chad Lawson.

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©2026 Aaron Mahnke. All rights reserved.

I'm pleased to announce that my newest book, Exhumed: Unearthing the History of the American Vampire, is scheduled for August 4th, and it's available for pre-order TODAY!

Exhumed is a 400-page historical journey to unpack the heart of the Mercy Brown story. Think of it like a 20-episode Lore miniseries of brand new material and research, hand-crafted for lovers of strange history.

Here's my publisher's fancy write-up about the book:

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About Exhumed

"From critically acclaimed podcaster and bestselling author Aaron Mahnke comes this engrossing and macabre exploration of the folklore and early medical practices that fueled the ghastly exhumation of Mercy Brown in 1892.

With Exhumed, Mahnke presents a unique history of the intersection of folklore and science, and how pop culture, medical advancements, and pseudoscience of the time shaped the perspectives of people in 19th century America.

From the death of George Washington to Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein, Mahnke leads reads on a fascinating journey through history, touching on mummification, executioners, corpse medicine, European vampire folklore, and so much more. He reveals that, as shocking as Brown's exhumation might seem to us today, it also reflected surprisingly common attitudes and beliefs about the relationship between the dead and the living, the nature of science and magic, and the fate of the human soul. It all builds to a revelatory understanding of human behavior that continues to this very day."

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Learn more, see the cover, and pre-order your copy today...over at my personal website: https://www.aaronmahnke.com/exhumed

We might call them the Great Lakes, but the folklore in and around them is so much greater. And—if the stories are true—much more terrifying as well.

Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with writing by Nick Tecosky and research by Jamie Vargas.

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To report a concern regarding a radio-style, non-Aaron ad in this episode, reach out to ads @ lorepodcast.com with the name of the company or organization so we can look into it.

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©2026 Aaron Mahnke. All rights reserved.