Ruth is Stranger Than Fiction
Ruth McPhee
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About This Podcast
Historical tales of mystery and horror from the East of England, accompanied by copious amounts of booze and silly chat.
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Recent Episodes
S1E82 Episode 60 - The Wicked Lady
Stand and deliver! Your money or your life! We’re out on the dangerous roads of 17th century England this episode to explore some legendary tales from the golden age of the highwayman - and…
S1E81 Episode 59 - Valentine Special: The Doomed Lovers of Hickling Broad
Listen to the flutter of tiny wings - Cupid is in town! Where will he shoot his arrows on this, the most romantic day of the year? Of course, at this podcast we hate happy stories of romance so for…
S1E80 Episode 58 - Beast Anglia - Live Special!
A special live recording of the Hallowe’en Ruth is Stranger than Fiction event, held at the Museum of Cambridge on 31st October 2025. I was joined by author Mike Rampton for an exploration of the…
S1E79 Episode 57 - Death by Dumplings Part 2: Cup of Tea and a Rub
Back to Norfolk we go for the second part of Death by Dumplings! Unassuming Norwich man John Burgess has been poisoned, but he was not the intended victim. Now we will hear who was meant to receive…
S1E78 Episode 56 - Death by Dumplings Part 1: 20 Minute Swimmers
When Norwich man John Burgess sat down to a dinner of Norfolk dumplings in 1829, little did he suspect that he was about to eat himself into a nightmare. Poor John was about to board the poison…
S1E77 Episode 55 - The Orford Merman
More stories from the sea this week as we return to the watery shores of East Anglia for the folk legend commonly known as the Wild Man of Orford. I however will be referring to him as the Orford…
S1E76 Episode 54 - Strangeness from the Sea
The seas and oceans of our world are deep and mysterious, with plenty of legends of horrible creatures and man-eating beasts. In this episode we dive into terrifying tales of mythical sea monsters,…
S1E75 Episode 53 - Disappearances and Dragons Part 2: Bothered?
Last time we left you in suspense with the peculiar disappearance of American student James Dallas Egbert III. This episode we will learn his fate and discover whether or not the moral outrage around…
S1E74 Episode 52 - Disappearances and Dragons Part 1: Booze Your Own Adventure
Get the D20 ready! Grab the nearest Fighting Fantasy book! For the next couple of episodes we’re diving into the world of Role Playing Games, or RPGs for those in the know. But it will take a winding…
S1E77 Episode 51 - Regency Murder Part 2: The Classic Wig Wazzer
The stage is set, but not for a fine production of Shakespeare or Greek tragedy… no, the stage is set for MURDER! Last time we met a rum assortment of ne’er-do-wells from the Regency underground, and…
S1E76 Episode 50 - Regency Murder Part 1: The Blood Tubs
Ahhh the Regency era, when everyone was obsessed with true crime entertainment, boxing, and illegal gambling. Those were the days! From the East End of London to the quiet rural towns of Norfolk,…
S1E75 Episode 49 - The Devil Hates Suffolk
Folklore and religion collide as we journey to the fine county of Suffolk to hear about the misadventures of a slightly buffoonish devil. Let’s find out why this diabolical fool hates Suffolk so…
S1E74 Episode 48 - The Giant and the Spider
A giant named Moses Carter, farmer of cabbages and thrower of rocks! A psychical investigator called Tony Cornell, who will thoroughly examine your claims of supernatural occurrences and, quite…
S1E73 Episode 47 - Plague! Part 2: Bubo Tea
The Black Death continues its inevitable progress across the country, and East Anglia is next in line. What happens when the plague reaches Cambridge? Nothing good, that’s for sure. It’s pest houses…
S1E72 Episode 46 - Plague! Part 1: Bambi with a Bubo
It’s time for the last disease in our trilogy of maladies: the plague! In part 1 we explore the spread and of course the symptoms of the Great Plague aka the Great Mortality aka the Black Death. Are…
S1E71 Episode 45 - Live Special! Ghosts of Cambridge and Beyond
A special live recording of our Hallowe’en event at the wonderful Museum of Cambridge on 30th October: stories of grey ladies, poltergeists, haunted pubs, and even a spectral penguin.…
S1E70 Episode 44 - Leprosy! The Hooded Man
It’s time for the next disease: get ready to reabsorb your extremities and fit yourself with a set of jingling bells as we discuss the scourge of the Middle Ages. It’s leprosy! As it turns out,…
S1E69 Episode 43 - Marsh Fever! A Paludal Experience
Let the autumn of disease begin! For the next few episodes, we’ll be exploring some of the sicknesses and ailments of old Cambridgeshire and East Anglia. We begin with marsh fever, aka the ague, aka…
S1E68 Episode 42 - The Overbury Affair Part 2: A General Besmirching
Step this way for part two of the Overbury Affair. Things are really hotting up now! All the pieces begin to move into place for the scandal of the century. Public accusations of impotence? Check. A…
S1E67 Episode 41 - The Overbury Affair Part 1: Stop Doing Ruffs Down
The Overbury Affair has been described as one of the greatest court scandals of the Jacobean era: a web of intrigue and deception that captivated the nation. Even King James himself was implicated!…
Frequently Asked Questions
Ruth is Stranger Than Fiction has published 87 episodes since December 2019, covering topics in Comedy, History.
Ruth is Stranger Than Fiction is currently moderate with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 45m.
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