In 1692, a handful of accusations in Salem,Massachusetts, ignited one of the most infamous witch hunts in history. As fear spread, neighbours turned against neighbours, spectral evidence was accepted in court, and innocent people faced imprisonment and execution.

In this milestone 200th episode of Historical True Crime, we explore the Salem witch trials, from Tituba's extraordinaryconfession and the first accusations to the trials, executions, and devastating aftermath. What caused the hysteria, why did it spread, and how did it finally end?

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Source Materials

Emerson W. Baker — A Storm of Witchcraft: The Salem Trials and the American Experience (2015)

Benjamin C. Ray — Satan and Salem: The Witch-Hunt Crisis of 1692 (2015)

Mary Beth Norton — In the Devil's Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692 (2002)

Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum — Salem Possessed: The Social Origins of Witchcraft (1974)

Robert Calef — More Wonders of the Invisible World (1700)

John Hale — A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft (1702)

Increase Mather — Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men (1692)

Cotton Mather — The Wonders of the Invisible World (1693)

Bernard Rosenthal, general editor — Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt (2009)

University of Virginia — Salem Witch TrialsDocumentary Archive and Transcription Project: https://salem.lib.virginia.edu/

Salem Witch Museum — Historical research and primary-source resources: https://salemwitchmuseum.com/

In 1922, Edith Thompson's husband was stabbed to death while the couple walked home from the theatre in London. Her young lover, Frederick Bywaters, admitted to the killing but Edith was also charged with murder.

At the centre of the sensational trial were Edith's passionate letters, which prosecutors claimed revealed a deadly conspiracy.

Was Edith involved in her husband's murder, or were her private words used to condemn her?

This week on Historical True Crime, we explore the Edith Thompson and Frederick Bywaters case, one of Britain's most controversial murder trials.

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Vote for me in the iHeartRadio Top Host contest! I'd love your support as I work to grow the podcast. Every vote means so much!

Vote here: https://tophost.org/2026/elizabeth-scott

Join me on Patreon! For exclusive bonus episodes and more historical true crime stories, you can support the show for just $2/month.

Join here: https://www.patreon.com/historicaltruecrime

Thank you for listening and supporting Historical True Crime!

Source Materials

Filson Young (ed.), Trial of Frederick Bywaters and Edith Thompson (Notable British Trials, William Hodge & Co., 1923).

René Weis, Criminal Justice: The True Story of Edith Thompson (1988).

Lewis Broad, The Innocence of Edith Thompson: A Study in Old Bailey Justice (1952).

The Trial of Frederick Bywaters and Edith Thompson — Original trial proceedings, Old Bailey, December 6–11, 1922.

Edith Thompson and Frederick Bywaters — Surviving correspondence and letters presented as evidence at trial.

René Weis, Edith Jessie Thompson — Historical research, archival documents, original correspondence, and supplementary materials.

https://edithjessiethompson.com

https://edithjessiethompson.com/notable-british-trials-1923/

https://edithjessiethompson.com/verbatim-trial-transcript-december-1922/

https://edithjessiethompson.com/letters-of-edith-thompson-and-frederick-bywaters-4/

In July 1918, Russia's last emperor, Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, their five children and four loyal attendants were murdered in the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.

For decades, the disappearance of their remains fuelled rumours that Anastasia Romanov had survived. From the family's final months in captivity to the investigation, disputed survival claims and eventual DNA discoveries, this episode explores the murders of the Romanov family and the mystery that endured for nearly a century.

Support Historical True Crime on Patreon

Love Historical True Crime? Support the podcast on Patreon for access to exclusive bonus episodes, including historical murders, mysterious disappearances and fascinating cases you won't hear on the main feed. Your support helps keep the podcast going and allows me to continue bringing these stories to life.

Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historicaltruecrime

Source Materials

Helen Rappaport, The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg (2008)

Helen Rappaport, The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra (2014)

Pierre Gilliard, Thirteen Years at the Russian Court

Robert Wilton, The Last Days of the Romanovs (1920)

Joshua Hammer, “Resurrecting the Czar,” Smithsonian Magazine (2010)

Michael D. Coble et al., “Mystery Solved: The Identification of the Two Missing Romanov Children Using DNA Analysis,” PLOS ONE (2009)

Michael D. Coble, “The Identification of the Romanovs: Can We (Finally) Put the Controversies to Rest?” Investigative Genetics (2011)