The 10 Best Lore Episodes
Lore is a horror podcast that explores the mysterious creatures, tragic events, and strange places that fill the pages of history. From haunted lighthouses to 19th century serial killers to Robert the doll, Lore host Aaron Mahnke will guide you through the spooky annals of dark history. Aaron is known for his evocative, engrossing storytelling that pairs mystery and intrigue with musings on life, history, and the human experience. And, if you love Lore, there is even a Lore podcast TV show on Amazon Prime, as well as several books to dive into.
Last Updated: Dec 24th, 2021
1) Episode 1: They Made a Tonic
There’s no better way to dive into the Lore podcast than to start with the first and best episode! Host Aaron Mahnke gets right down to the creepy and mysterious by taking us on a journey through the dark history of vampires. You’ll hear a terrifying tale about the 19th century exhumation of three women buried in Rhode Island and how their culture’s practice with the dead gave rise to the undying creature of our scariest dreams.
2) Episode 2: The Bloody Pit
This episode about the “Bloody Pit” in Massachusetts is probably one of the scariest Lore episodes of all time. Set in 1867, the cursed construction of the Hoosac Tunnel claimed the lives of more than two hundred miners. Cold and dark as a tomb, visitors of the cave say they’ve witnessed mournful sounds and strange floating shapes. Like a good scary movie, the ending of the tale of the tunnel will definitely send icy chills down your spine.
3) Episode 6: Echoes
Asylums are supposed to be a place of healing and rest for the mentally ill, but why is it seared into our imaginations as places of horror? Aaron Mahnke opens the door into these feared institutions with stories of straight jackets, barbaric practices, missing patients, icepicks, and lobotomy. Discover how these places of hope turned into the stuff of nightmares in one of the best Lore episodes ever.
4) Episode 8: The Castle
In the late 1800s, it was a lot easier to fake your identity, and a man named Henry was an expert at hiding his nefarious and horrific secrets. In Chicago, he built what he called “The Castle”, a pharmacy, hotel, and boarding house for young women. But many of the Castle’s guests were never seen again. In 1895, when authorities searched the Castle, they found a maze of trap doors, peep holes, and hidden laboratories that revealed Henry’s monstrous activities. This exploration of Henry’s “murder house” is one of the creepiest Lore episodes ever — it’s terrifying to imagine what happened to the people trapped inside Henry’s horrific fantasy, and this episode definitely isn’t for the faint of heart.
5) Episode 23: Rope and Railing
As Aaron Mahnke explains, lighthouses are a liminal space, standing on the border between safety and danger, lightness and darkness. For many of us, we never think about lighthouses, but they have stood steadfast for thousands of years. In this episode, Aaron recounts chilling stories that take place within the walls of these beacons of hope and light. Stories of danger, lost love, and horror punctuated with wind, water, and darkness. Explore this world of isolation in one of the best, most evocative Lore episodes.
6) Episode 3: The Beast Within
We’ve all heard of werewolves, and for most of us they are just beasts of legend and movies like Twilight, but does this supernatural monster have a basis in reality? That’s what Aaron Mahnke explores in this early best episode of Lore, as he traces this myth through history, and talks about the scientific and medical basis for lycanthropy. In Germany, in the late 1500s, the town of Bedburg was plagued by some kind of wild animal, tearing their cows apart and hunting children and young women. Was this the work of werewolves? Or just paranoia? This is a juicy Lore episode that perfectly straddles the line between history lesson and intriguing mystery.
7) Episode 16: Covered Mirrors
At the heart of every horror film is an iconic weapon. Often times they are nondescript and ordinary, but in the hands of a killer they become something more. Something that has the potential to haunt...Show More
8) Episode 11: Black Stockings
Humans have a history of making up stories to explain the unexplainable. Sometimes we use those stories to teach our children a moral lesson, or entertain our friends. Sometimes, though, those stories...Show More
9) Episode 7: In the Woods
Stepping into the woods is like stepping through a doorway to another world. A world that hides dark secrets from prying eyes, and holds unknown dangers for unprepared travelers. But some woods are mo...Show More
10) Episode 18: Hunger Pains
For as advanced and civilized as we are, humans are still led by very basic desires. We are drive by a need for safety and shelter. We long for a community to belong to. And we hunger. But not every m...Show More