Best Detective Eleanor Podcasts (2025)

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Christmas Book Recommendations 2025 | #138 50:54

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11d ago50:54

50:54

Tired of seeing the same titles on every "Best Of" list? In this third annual special episode, host Blaine DeSantis cuts through the noise to deliver his personal baker's dozen of the absolute best books he's read all year. If you're searching for the perfect present for the readers in your life, this list of Christmas book recommendations 2025 has…

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Isabella d'Este: The First Woman of the Renaissance with author Sarah Dunant | #137 45:12

26d ago45:12

45:12

Was the Italian Renaissance only for men? While history remembers the names of Michelangelo, Leonardo, and the Medici, one woman’s story of power, art, and ambition rivals them all. In this episode, we uncover the life of Isabella d'Este, the First Lady of the Renaissance, with acclaimed historical novelist Sarah Dunant. Discover the incredible tru…

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Cheat Sheet... A new podcast from Sky News 11:11

1M ago11:11

11:11

Sophy Ridge and Wilf Frost bring you the Cheat Sheet to the day’s news in 10 minutes. On this first episode, they look at the Huntington mass stabbing and hear from an eye witness. Sophy’s spoken to the sole survivor of the Air India crash which killed 241 people back in June. And Wilf’s heard from the US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, who w…

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Backpack, Jacket, Surfboard: Hitchhiking Across America with Graham Broyd | #136 45:57

2M ago45:57

45:57

In 1980, a 20-year-old Graham Broyd turned a prestigious six-week scholarship to Washington, D.C. into the adventure of a lifetime. He traded his ticket for a flight to Los Angeles with a dream of surfing in Malibu and a wild plan to hitchhike across the country. In this episode, Graham shares the incredible story of his journey, a tale he revisite…

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Mary Grand Unlocks A Halloween Murder on a Haunted Island | #135 40:19

2M ago40:19

40:19

In this exclusive Mary Grand A Halloween Murder interview, we explore a high school reunion gone horribly wrong. When old friends gather at a historic castle on the most haunted island in the world, nostalgia quickly turns to terror after one of them is found dead. Was it a tragic accident, a desperate suicide, or a calculated murder? With the cast…

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The Secret History of Breast Cancer Awareness & The Women Who Fought It with Judith L. Pearson | #134 49:24

3M ago49:24

49:24

Before the Pink Ribbon, talking about breast cancer was taboo. In this episode, we uncover the shocking and inspiring history of breast cancer awareness and the three women who defied a dismissive medical establishment to save millions of lives. Author Judith L. Pearson joins us to discuss her groundbreaking book, "Radical Sisters," revealing how S…

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Cindy Fazzi on Crafting the Domingo the Bounty Hunter Series | #133 42:23

3M ago42:23

42:23

It took 30 years, multiple rewrites, and a publisher going out of business, but author Cindy Fazzi's groundbreaking story is finally here. In this episode, we sit down with Cindy for an in-depth author interview about her perseverance and the incredible journey behind the Domingo the Bounty Hunter series, a compulsively readable set of novels that …

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Inside The Deadliest Book Series with Eleanor Spicer Rice | #132 38:52

3M ago38:52

38:52

What's deadlier: a puffer fish or a great white shark? A tiger or a lion? A beautiful flower or a venomous snake? In this episode, we sit down with PhD entomologist and author Eleanor Spicer Rice to explore the shocking, fascinating, and sometimes gross world of her hit The Deadliest book series. Prepare to have your assumptions challenged as we un…

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The Martian Craze: How Percival Lowell Created Canals on Mars | #131 47:34

3M ago47:34

47:34

Were the Martian canals real? For decades, some of the world's most respected astronomers and newspapers answered with a resounding YES. But how did a simple misunderstanding spiral into a global belief in an advanced, dying civilization on the Red Planet? This episode unwraps the incredible story of the turn-of-the-century Martian craze, a period …

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A Marathon a Day: The Fastest Woman to Run Around the World | #130 49:29

4M ago49:29

49:29

What if you could transform your life from a pack-a-day smoker who gets winded after 500 meters to a world-record athlete? In this episode, we talk to Marie Leautey, the fastest woman to run around the world, who did exactly that. She reveals the incredible story of how an ordinary financial director with no athletic background ran the equivalent o…

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Beyond Baker Street: An Irregular Detective Mystery Series | #129 42:23

4M ago42:23

42:23

What happens in Sherlock Holmes' world when the master detective is away and Dr. Watson is kidnapped? In this episode, we sit down with author Jeri Westerson to do a deep dive into her An Irregular Detective Mystery series, a thrilling and historically rich take on the Victorian detective genre. When Dr. Watson goes missing, it’s up to Tim Badger, …

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John Seabrook on the True History of Seabrook Farms | #128 56:22

4M ago56:22

56:22

Have you ever wondered about the dark side of the American dream? In this episode, we delve into the complete Seabrook Farms history, a story of ambition, innovation, and betrayal that built—and ultimately destroyed—one of America's largest agricultural empires. Author John Seabrook, grandson of the company's visionary founder, joins us to discuss …

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The Untold History of Jose Cuervo: Rivalry, Railroads, Revolution, & Tequila | #127 46:49

4M ago46:49

46:49

Ever wondered about the real story behind a bottle of tequila? It's not just about agave and distilling; it's a dramatic saga of revolution, political betrayal, and intense family rivalries. In this episode, we're joined by author Ted Genoways to uncover the incredible history of Jose Cuervo, a story that is far more turbulent and cinematic than yo…

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How Female Grifters of the Gilded Age Stole Millions & Fooled Everyone | #126 27:41

5M ago27:41

27:41

Step inside a world of opulence, excess, and elaborate deception. While the Gilded Age is known for its industrial titans and lavish parties, a dark and fascinating criminal underworld was thriving, run by some of history's most audacious con artists. In this episode, we uncover the shocking true stories of the female grifters of the Gilded Age, a …

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The Story of ABBA: Uncovering Their Hidden Melancholy | #125 45:21

5M ago45:21

45:21

Go behind the music and uncover the secrets of one of the world's most iconic supergroups. In this episode, award-winning Swedish music journalist Jan Gradvall joins us to reveal The Story of ABBA, drawing from his new book, "The Story of ABBA: Melancholy Undercover." We explore the fascinating human drama, the cultural clashes, and the surprising …

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The Forgotten Women's Air Force Service Pilots & Nancy Love | #124 43:05

5M ago43:05

43:05

During World War II, a groundbreaking group of elite female aviators flew over 60 million miles in every type of military aircraft, from the P-51 Mustang to the B-17 Flying Fortress. They were the Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP), and after proving that women belonged in the cockpit, their program was abruptly disbanded and their contributio…

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#123 - Sara Winokur: Lewis Chessmen Murders, DNA & Iceland's Pirate Secrets 38:57

5M ago38:57

38:57

What if a centuries-old chess piece could trigger a murder spree in modern-day Iceland? Join molecular geneticist and author Sara Winokur as she delves into Ivory Bones: The Lewis Chessmen Murders, a thrilling tale where ancient artifacts, cutting-edge DNA forensics, and a chilling 1627 Turkish pirate raid collide. Discover how this historical fict…

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#122 - What I Saw Inside the Kremlin: CNN Journalist Jill Dougherty on Putin & Russia 46:06

6M ago46:06

46:06

Unparalleled Access: CNN journalist Jill Dougherty spent 30 years inside Russia, witnessing Vladimir Putin's rise from KGB officer to global adversary. In this interview based on her book, "My Russia," she shares unique insights, from covering Gorbachev and Yeltsin to the Ukraine war and surprising personal encounters. Understand the man behind the…

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#121 - Ruth Foster on 'A Perfect Year?': Family Conflicts & Hidden Lives 40:23

6M ago40:23

40:23

Secrets, family drama, and unexpected turns of fate are revealed in author Ruth Foster's unique novel. In this Books and Looks interview, Ruth discusses how "A Perfect Year?" uses annual Christmas newsletters to trace the lives of three families over decades in a British commuter town. Discover the hidden stories in plain sight and the inspiration …

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#120 - Marie Benedict on The Queens of Crime: The Real Murder That Inspired the Mystery 41:55

7M ago41:55

41:55

Are you ready to uncover a Gilded Age mystery that blurred the lines between fiction and reality? This week on Books & Looks, join Blaine DeSantis as he talks with acclaimed historical fiction author Marie Benedict about her new book, "The Queens of Crime." Step back to 1931 London, where legendary mystery writers Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, N…

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#119 - Disco, Dallas, and Dave Kingman's Bombs: The Unforgettable Summer of 1978 41:33

7M ago41:33

41:33

Dive into the explosive Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, disco fever, and the birth of iconic TV moments as author David Krell joins Blaine DeSantis to unpack his fascinating book "1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era." From Louisiana Lightning's unstoppable pitching to Robin Williams' star-making alien debut, discover how this pivotal year shaped A…

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#118 - The Woman Who Outsmarted Nazi Art Thieves: The Untold Story of Rose Valland 42:36

7M ago42:36

42:36

Meet Rose Valland, the art historian turned spy who documented the Nazi's massive art theft operation from inside occupied Paris. In this riveting episode, author Michelle Young reveals how Valland secretly recorded details of over 650,000 stolen masterpieces using her near-photographic memory while facing a Nazi death warrant. Young shares previou…

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#117 - Wearing The Pineapple Pin 37:55

7M ago37:55

37:55

From choosing steak knives for celebrities to outsmarting dawn trash room inspectors, Jamie Cooperstein reveals how rejection from sports broadcasting ("your voice is too local") led her to discover her true calling behind luxury concierge desks. In her memoir "True Hospitality," Cooperstein shares how a decade serving Philadelphia's elite transfor…

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#116 - Casting False Witnesses: The Tree of Lies and a Silversmith's Fatal Puzzle 44:11

7M ago44:11

44:11

In 1890s Bombay, a murdered silversmith and his partner holding the bloody knife set the stage for a mystery that unveils colonial India's soul. Join author Nev March, born in India herself, as she guides host Blaine DeSantis through the cultural labyrinth of "The Silversmith's Puzzle," where mixed-race detective Captain Jim and his high-society wi…

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#115 - Life’s Final Horizon 32:19

8M ago32:19

32:19

At age six, Pavel Baldea was dragged from his bed at 2AM by Communist police who imprisoned his parents and abandoned their children on the streets. Decades later, after a daring escape across borders to America, this Romanian refugee with a scientific mind has distilled 20 years of biblical study into "The Last Day on Earth," a book that deliberat…

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#114 - Revolution's Midnight Messenger 45:19

8M ago45:19

45:19

"Had Revere failed that night, America's revolution might have died before it began." Author Kostya Kennedy reveals how history pivoted on a silversmith's midnight journey and the astonishing betrayal by the British general's American-born wife who may have leaked crucial military plans. On the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride, "The Ride" un…

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Introducing... The Brothel 1:43

8M ago1:43

1:43

For more than a decade, London mum Anna has led a secret double life as a brothel keeper. But in 2024, a break-in at her brothel sparks a potentially deadly chain of events. Pitted against both criminals and the police, can Anna untangle herself from this hidden world with both her secret and her safety intact? The first episodes of The Brothel are…

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#113 - Stolen Heartbeats: When Hackers Rewrite the Transplant Code 33:54

8M ago33:54

33:54

When perfectly executed suicides deliver pristine donor hearts, cardiologist-turned-novelist Cristina LePort reveals the terrifying intersection of heart transplantation and organized crime in her medical thriller "Change of Heart." Host Blaine DeSantis explores how a mafia don's cybercrime operation manipulates organ donation networks while FBI pr…

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#112 - Beyond the Final Homestand: Small Towns, Bleacher Dreams, and America's Soul 40:08

9M ago40:08

40:08

When a corporate spreadsheet erased 42 minor league baseball teams from America's map, it didn't just kill baseball in places like Batavia, New York - it threatened to dismantle the last institution where a Vietnam veteran finds peace, political adversaries share beers as friends, and a young man with cerebral palsy washes uniforms by hand until 2 …

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#111 - Beautiful Invaders: How 200 Birds Became America's Billion-Dollar Problem 40:10

9M ago40:10

40:10

They transform American skies into living art, yet these same iridescent birds represent one of history's most spectacular ecological disasters—all because one Victorian gentleman released 200 starlings in Central Park in 1890. When Eugene Schieffelin's well-intentioned birds exploded to 200 million strong, they unleashed agricultural havoc costing…

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#110 - When Cultures Collide: The Shocking True Story of Jeddah Bride 51:53

9M ago51:53

51:53

In this gripping episode, author Patricia Bonis shares her harrowing true story documented in "Jeddah Bride." Bonis recounts falling in love with a Saudi man in 1970s Boston, her shocking cultural adjustment in Saudi Arabia, and the devastating 14-year separation from her children after their father kidnapped them. Host Blaine DeSantis guides this …

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Unreliable Witness 7: The Other Trial 39:22

9M ago39:22

39:22

EPISODE 7: A new court case finally exposes abuse in Barrow. Jason and Liz have known about these allegations for years but they can only reveal the facts now. The case involves three brothers and it's taken their victims more than a decade to get justice. Now we can tell the story of their crimes and follow a thread leading back to Ellie Williams.…

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#109 - Revolutionary War Mystery Meets Modern Cyber Warfare 19:08

10M ago19:08

19:08

A mysterious Revolutionary War coin, modern cyber terrorism, and a shadowy organization known as the Liberty Unit converge in this groundbreaking techno-thriller that bridges America's past and present. Join Books and Looks for an in-depth review of "Going Dark" by George K. Mehok, a stunning debut novel that weaves together historical intrigue and…

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#108 - The Forgotten Women Who Made Mountain Climbing History 45:39

10M ago45:39

45:39

In 1970, six women defied societal expectations and brutal conditions to become the first all-female team to summit North America's highest peak. This is their remarkable story.Author Cassidy Randall uncovers the incredible journey of the "Denali Damsels" who faced -30° temperatures, deadly storms, and a skeptical climbing community to make mountai…

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#107 - The Arctic: It’s More than a Sea 53:44

10M ago53:44

53:44

Explore the surprising history of U.S. interest in Greenland and the Arctic's rising geopolitical importance. Why has America tried to buy Greenland multiple times? Join us as we dive deep into the Arctic's past and present with Mary Thompson-Jones, author of 'America in the Arctic.' Discover how climate change and global powers are reshaping this …

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#106 - Science vs Religion: The Trial That Changed America 46:22

10M ago46:22

46:22

Can a single trial change the course of a nation? In 1925, the answer was yes. The Scopes Monkey Trial pitted evolution against creation, science against religion, and two of America's greatest orators against each other. Author Debbie Levy takes us beyond the courtroom drama to explore the deeper cultural battle that still rages today. Is teaching…

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#105 - Last of Their Kind: 10 Cultural Traditions About to Vanish 44:46

11M ago44:46

44:46

What do an Inca bridge master, a Sardinian pasta maker, and a Taiwanese movie poster painter have in common? They're among the last of their kind, preserving cultural traditions that may soon vanish forever. In this thought-provoking episode, author Elliot Stein takes us on a journey across the globe to meet these "Custodians of Wonder" and confron…

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#104 - They Starved Protecting Seeds: WWII's Unknown Heroes 40:58

11M ago40:58

40:58

What would you sacrifice to protect the future of the world's food supply? In war-torn Leningrad, a group of unsung heroes faced this very question. As Hitler's forces closed in and starvation set in, these brave scientists guarded a forbidden garden—the world's first seed bank. Discover the untold story of their harrowing struggle and ultimate sac…

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#103 - The Dazzling Rise & Fall of Evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson 52:32

11M ago52:32

52:32

Claire Hoffman discusses her new book "Sister Sinner" about the remarkable life of 1920s evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson. Hoffman shares key insights into McPherson's meteoric rise to fame, her pioneering use of media, her mysterious disappearance, and the fascinating relationship with her mother Minnie. Discover the gripping story of one of the …

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#102 - Discovering Provence: Food, History & Joie de Vivre with Carole Bumpus 50:29

11M ago50:29

50:29

Planning a trip to Provence or dreaming of a French getaway? This episode is your ultimate guide! Author Carole Bumpus shares her hard-won wisdom and insider tips for making the most of your Provençal adventure. From navigating markets and menus to uncovering local history and culture, Carole's stories will inspire you to embrace the region's joie …

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#101 - From Wall Street to Whodunnit: An Author's Tale of Tenacity 22:32

12M ago22:32

22:32

Today I Interview Robert Jackowski, author of the self-published mystery novel "Murder at the Hall". Robert shares his journey from a 40-year career on Wall Street to becoming a first-time novelist in retirement. He discusses the inspiration behind his book, the challenges and rewards of self-publishing, and offers advice for aspiring writers on st…

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#100 - The Untold Story of Prohibition's Leading Ladies with Gioia Diliberto 51:08

12M ago51:08

51:08

You think you know the story of Prohibition, but do you know the women behind it all? In "Firebrands", Gioia Diliberto uncovers the hidden history of four trailblazing women who fought for and against Prohibition. From the fierce ambition of Mabel Walker Willebrandt to the unlikely activism of society figure Pauline Sabin, these women wielded unpre…

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#99 - An Isle of Wight Christmas Whodunit with Novelist Mary Grand 44:59

12M ago44:59

44:59

Author Mary Grand transports readers to the Isle of Wight in her captivating Christmas mystery, "A Christmas Murder." In this episode, Mary shares her journey to becoming a published author in her 50s and reveals the real-life inspirations behind her novel's vivid settings. Discover the secrets of crafting gripping whodunits and immerse yourself in…

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#98 - 13 Must-Read Books for Your Holiday Wish List 46:01

1y ago46:01

46:01

Why settle for generic "best book" lists this holiday season? In this episode, you'll get my personal take on the most engaging, surprising and thought-provoking books from a year of author interviews. Uncover hidden gems like the stranger-than-fiction "Eden Undone" by Abbott Kaler and be inspired by "The Enigma Girls" by Candace Fleming. These are…

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#97 - The Remarkable 18th-Century Tale of Clara the Celebrity Rhino 49:31

1y ago49:31

49:31

Ever wondered what it would be like to tour Europe with a pet rhino? In this episode, author Jillian Forsberg shares the unbelievable true story behind her novel The Rhino Keeper. Discover the joys, challenges, and surprising insights Forsberg gleaned while researching and writing this tale of interspecies friendship that will make you see rhinos i…

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#96 - Irene Daria: How Schools Fail to Teach Reading (And What Parents Can Do) 51:00

1y ago51:00

51:00

Two-thirds of American children grow up without knowing how to read well. Is your child's school setting them up for failure? Irene Daria, author of "I Didn't Believe Him," shares her shocking discovery of how schools are using disproven methods to teach reading. Learn why millions of kids are being falsely labeled as "learning disabled" and what y…

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#95 - Abbott Kahler's "Eden Undone": Sex, Murder & the Search for Utopia 47:35

1y ago47:35

47:35

Looking for your next unputdownable read? Dive into "Eden Undone," Abbott Kahler's meticulously researched true adventure saga of a utopian experiment gone horribly wrong in the Galapagos Islands. In this episode, Kahler shares the most shocking twists, juiciest scandals, and profound insights from her years investigating this stranger-than-fiction…