However, in the April 15 2024 episode one of the experts says “they were burning witches 90 miles away.” I assume he was talking about Salem, and that is factually incorrect. No one was burned to death during the Witch Trials. As a podcast that talks so much about facts and digging deep to tell the whole story, I’m very surprised that slipped in. Otherwise, this podcast is fantastic. I am loving how this story is being told. I’ve only heard it told as a “spooky urban legend” before this deep dive.

This is closely aligned with my own family history- Great Migration, followed Roger Williams to RI, went with Hutchinson to New Netherlands, etc. It’s Wonderful to follow this story!

“Fire and Brimstone” is by far my favorite season so far, and we are only two episodes in! I truly didn’t want today’s to end. :)

I have binge listened to all 10 seasons in 3 months. AMAZING! Keep all this great stuff coming

I tried again but still can't listen to KWD on this show. I love her on Buried Bones because she doesn't do the weird breathy delivery when speaking. On this podcast, she ends every sentence with this breathy emphasis that is annoying and distracting. When she speaks to the guests, her voice is very pleasant. I truly want to listen because the subjects each season seem intriguing but I rarely make it to the end of the first episode because of the way she reads her narrative. I don't know if she's going for drama but it translates to my ears as a bad attempt at being sultry and I can't get past it.

With meticulous attention to detail, the host delves into real stories, offering listeners an immersive experience into the murky depths of the past. What sets this podcast apart is its commitment to accuracy, meticulously researching the surrounding contemporary history to provide context and depth to each tale. In this way, the stories intersect with the past providing a captivating and authentic experience for those fascinated with both true crime and history.

Why is so much information exposed in the trailer? Example S11. I almost don’t need to listen to the episodes. The entire story is outlined. What fun is this?

Are a waste of time

I have stuck with this podcast because I like the interviews with journalists. I find the long form series extremely boring with endless sound effects like footsteps in the gravel and endless eye rolly repetitive content. I always come away with the thought that a wiki page could have given me all of this without dragging it out with poor sound quality interviews. If you’re going to tell a story in long form rather than a quick read, it needs to be told in a compelling way.

Let me preface my review by saying I love history, Colonial Williamsburg, and podcasts. Because of all that, I was excited to listen to this podcast, but wow is it boring. This story could have been told, and told well, in 2 or 3 episodes. You can imagine how much padding was needed to get the show to 6 episode. Apart from repeating the same points over, and over, and over again, the host went on all sorts of ridiculously unnecessary tangents. Perhaps the most ridiculous was talking about Edward Kennedy and the 1969 Chappaquiddick scandal.

Kate is a remarkably talented story teller who has a gift for choosing and researching the most intriguing of tales! I love this podcast.

I really want to listen to these stories, but I just need more vocal inflection to be able to listen. Every word sounds the same.

I love Kate’s storytelling, I can’t get enough of this season. This is a fabulous story, historical true crime is so fascinating!

My paternal family history in Virginia is pretty ugly. I heard “John Blair” and “Robinson” and knew it was familiar, given that I’d just invested significant time into Ancestry.com. Sure enough…. This is my family. Wondering if you found anything else about John Blair that you’d be willing to share. My IG is seebee1124.

I just can NOT listen to thistle hosts voice is so annoying!! Plus she has a lisp or something, I thought the name of the podcast was Temples Were Wicked, that’s the way it sounded to me coming out of her mouth!

I really enjoy the story telling aspect of this podcast. I also like her other podcast Buried Bones and am currently reading her book Death in the Air. The story telling without outside input is a nice break in True Crime genre.

Really enjoyable, and easy to follow the narrative. My only gripe is the lack of episode numbers, so it can be very difficult to see which is next in a series. Especially as all seasons are lumped as one show, but have different names.

Kate is so awesome at presenting these stories/cases! So interesting and leave you pondering.

I now have a better understanding of the British crown’s greed to rule and tax the new American colonies.

I have always been a HUGE Kate fan . . from her articles to her books to her podcasts (I have them all!). However, I just listened to the first episode for Ten Fold More Wicked Entitled: The Virginia Elite and I am not sure I can listen to anymore. . . .THERE ARE MORE WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE THEN “MOST”. “ The most powerful . . “ “ The most elite . . . “ I even started counting and thinking it would make a great drinking game to get drunk . . .drink every time Kate says “MOST”! You have always been one of my favorite authors . . .use a thesaurus and expand the vocabulary please!

You have to listen to this podcast if you don’t, you’re crazy Kate does such an amazing job best storyteller ever!!!!

“Aaaannnnnddd…” constantly made it horrible! But other than that which you cannot control I love your podcast! Just finished listening to all of Buried Bones. I thought Paul Holes was a little pompous at first when I heard him on Small Town but listening to your show has made me love him! I love your research and questions.

Sadly, the episode with Jennifer Wright was insufferable for me. That lady has such a pretentious and annoying way of talking, I couldn’t listen pass that and pay attention to the content. I much rather stick to KWD down to earth and relatable way to present stories and interview authors.

Wicked words is my favorite. I love Kate’s voice and she covers such interesting topics.

Hard to follow with all the interruptions. Same ads over and over.

One of my favorite podcasts that I look forward to every Monday morning. Every interview is so interesting.

Great

Great storytelling but for a history podcast, it sure does seem to ignore historical context at odd times. For example, a quick google reveals that in 1930, only 30% of teenagers graduated from high school. So… not “enigmatic.” Average. There are also some weirdly obtuse moments… just now listening to Blood Feud, and one very OBVIOUS possibility is NEVER even mentioned… Victoria & James (inexplicably) get married, with what appears to be (inexplicable) bad blood between families before this, she had been engaged to someone else SHORTLY before, she “falls pregnant in the first month” in a time when pregnancy tests are NOT a thing and it typically takes a few months to figure out, he’s clearly incredibly abusive and seems to think she’s a “loose” woman, her family supports divorce in a time when being a single mother is *one of* the worst things possible, the violence seems incredibly extreme for a custody fight, and the Witchers are acquitted, back in a time when corporal punishment towards enslaved people AND women was the norm? …. Guys. He r*ped her. She was r*ped. He blamed her for leading him on (typical), hence the suspicion & blame for basically “trapping” him, and because it happened before the wedding, he acted as though the child could technically be anybody’s. She had to marry him in case she got pregnant (she did). He continued to abuse her. Being a single, divorced mother was awful but WAY better than than having a child of r*pe out of wedlock. The Witchers would HATE James for this. The custody battle was between a r*pist and his victim. Her r*pe would never have been openly disclosed, BUT it may have been whispered about, leading to the acquittal. All this talk of “honor code” and the most obvious “missing piece” of the puzzle is never even mentioned as a POSSIBILITY?! Come on, guys. I’m not saying it’s 100% certain but it’s the one VERY obvious, VERY common thing that explains literally all the “mysteries” in this. And there’s plenty of speculation happening at other points so it seems odd to avoid mentioning this one thing as a possibility. Lastly, A lot of people’s actions are very clearly judged without empathy or understanding of the ACTUAL context, where modern day people are really quick to ascribe the “villain’s” actions as completely illogical or psychopathic when they can be easily understood (albeit criticized/disagreed with). Psychoanalyzing people 100 years after the fact using experts in ONE diagnosis would obviously result in looking at them as only fitting THAT diagnosis (“everything’s a nail”and all that.) Again… GREAT storytelling. But definitely not an overall rigorous investigation or analysis worthy of any real journalist or historian.

I have just discovered this after following Kate and her Buried Bones podcast. I am binging as I speak. I love the storytelling, the subject matter, and Kate’s voice and conversation ability. I’m a terrible sleeper, and I find myself listening at all hours. It often lulls me back to sleep, but if not it’s massively enjoyable and intellectual. I am a forever fan.

Stories are really interesting but trying to psychoanalyze people from 100 years ago is pointless and irritating. Just tell the stories! Cutting out to talk to modern day experts is distracting and takes away from the stories.

Great podcast. Love hearing from the authors. Can you provide links their sites or publishers so that we can easily find their books. All that is listed in the episode notes are links to your books!

I really love everything KWD does but this one is my absolute go-to. She uses her platform to interview other authors, there go giving their books a chance to increase their audiences! I’ve bought/read so so many of these wonderful books. That would have never been on radar without this podcast. (Im also partial because I’m a Texas gal too!)

I love this podcast but every time lately when I want to listen it doesn’t kick in. Just keeping grinding away with no progress. I listen through Apple. Any ideas?

I’ve listened to this several times. Still can’t figure out how Constance was aided in this crime by Constance? I’m missing something.

I love this podcast, every time and never disappointed ♥️

Guests are so hard to follow. They lose me every week. Talk fast, all over the place.

But audio needs proper cleaning up, and maybe the mixing engineer could watch for and correct the pace of interview guests. Just listened to the latest episode about ‘lie detectors’: the host speaks at a normal speed, but the person interviewed speaks at double time. And his portions are mushy.

Love podcast. Guest very difficult to understnt

Very interesting. She is professional

I think this is a great podcast series in general. I think the host is very thoughtful in terms of her research and delivery. The layout of seasons change in terms of following one to multiple stories. I have really enjoyed some of the seasons and stories and found others hard to get through. She puts in some personal touches that somewhat distracts me from the story (e.g., like looking for a headstone with a family member as part of her research)...but Kudos to the host for testing different formats. Feedback is a gift right?! :)

Smart host who doesn’t talk down to us. Smart guest writers too. Fascinating. You won’t want to miss an episode.Absolutely fascinating.

This podcast is impeccably done. Kate is so natural at interviewing and really engages with her guests and their vast range of stories. It’s refreshing and cool to be hearing from people who’ve dedicated years to a story. My one thing is that the guests have mild to poor quality audio. Is there a way to improve that?

The episodes are written rather poorly. They could be edited heavily. They can be disorganized, repetitive, and written in an awkward passive voice. Fascinating stories if you don’t mind the drama being overshadowed by the narration // tell, not show.

This woman will transport you and get you excited about anything she says and does

This is my favorite podcast. It is so well done and it is so interesting to hear from all of these amazing storytellers.

I absolutely love this Podcast. It has inspired me to research my hometown’s history and possibly start writing. Thank you Kate for bringing history to life with such great stories.

I enjoy the blend of history and true crime. Kate does an excellent job researching these historic stories

I love everything Ms Dawson puts out !

This author produces compelling true crime podcasts across the board! I can’t wait each week for new content! Wicked Words, Tenfold More Wicked and Buried Bones, they are all great! Thanks Kate!!

Captivating story telling of well researched true crimes 👍