
Hosted by Justin Holt & Kimberly Ramey · EN
History is stranger than fiction---and we're here to prove it. Welcome to The House Red, the podcast where we uncork the wildest, weirdest, and most unbelievable true stories from history. From bizarre plagues to daring heists, twisted scandals to forgotten legends, we dive into the past's juiciest tales with a twist of dark humor and a splash of intrigue. So pour yourself a glass and get ready---because history has never been this intoxicating.

In 1908, a massive explosion tore through the remote wilderness of Siberia, flattening more than 80 million trees across hundreds of square miles. The strange part? No crater. No impact site. No clear explanation. Was it a meteor, a comet, a freak natural event—or something even stranger? This week on The House Red, we investigate the mysterious Tunguska Event, one of the most powerful explosions in recorded history and a cosmic cold case that still sparks debate more than a century later.

A brutal double murder. A daughter under suspicion. A nursery rhyme everyone knows. This week on The House Red, we’re exploring the shocking case of Lizzie Borden—a story filled with bloodshed, courtroom drama, and enough unanswered questions to keep people arguing more than 130 years later. Grab a seat and decide for yourself: did Lizzie do it?

A royal feast. A horrifying mistake. And one king who never recovered. This week on The House Red, we dive into the bizarre and gruesome story of Charles VI of France and the infamous meal that may have helped seal his fate. From medieval medicine to royal excess, this is one dinner France would never forget.

In this episode of The House Red, we dive into the chilling true story of the Greenbrier Ghost — the only known case in U.S. history where a ghost’s testimony helped solve a murder. Young bride Zona Shue was found dead under mysterious circumstances and what followed shocked an entire town, baffled a courtroom, and turned a local legend into one of America’s strangest murder cases.

In this episode, we explore the life of Genghis Khan—from an outcast on the Mongolian steppe to the leader of one of the largest empires in history. Was he a ruthless conqueror who left devastation in his wake, or a brilliant strategist who reshaped the world? We break down his rise, his tactics, and the lasting impact of the Mongol Empire—and ask whether history has judged him fairly.

In 1944, the quiet town of Mattoon, Illinois was gripped by a bizarre and terrifying mystery. A phantom attacker. A town in panic. And a mystery that still doesn’t quite make sense. This week, The House Red dives into the strange case of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon.

After a plane crash deep in the Amazon, four children vanished into one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. For 40 days, they survived alone—guided by the eldest, whose courage and instincts kept them alive against impossible odds. This is a story of survival, resilience, and a jungle that didn’t take them.

Out on the open ocean, there’s nowhere to run… and nowhere to hide.In 2012, José Salvador Alvarenga set out on a routine fishing trip—and vanished into one of the most unbelievable survival stories ever recorded. For 438 days, he drifted across the Pacific Ocean, battling starvation, isolation, and the endless horizon.This week on The House Red, we explore how he survived, what it cost him, and what happens to the human mind when it’s left alone with nothing but the sea.

A former cop. A Playboy Bunny. A brutal murder.Laurie "Bambi" Bembenek's life reads like fiction—but her conviction was all too real. In this episode, we unravel how a woman with everything to lose became the center of a shocking case, and why many believe she never should’ve been found guilty.

At 17, Julianne Koepcke fell from a plane into the Amazon—and survived. Alone and injured, she spent 11 days fighting her way through the jungle in one of the most unbelievable survival stories ever told.