CLASSIC: Is there a secret funeral monopoly?

Manchester, England is a city with an amazing history and -- according to some -- a terrible secret. For years a rumor has been spreading, first through local circles, and now across the globe. Could all the tragic deaths and disappearances near canals and waterways really be accidents, as law enforcement maintains today? Or could there be something more sinister at work... an active serial killer, operating with dark impunity? Join Ben and Matt as they delve into the harrowing theory of the Manchester Pusher.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Feb 1h 16min

As World War II drew to a close, multiple Nazi officials saw the writing on the wall: Germany would lose the war, and members of the Nazi party would have to answer for their crimes -- if, that is, they were caught. In a desperate bid to avoid justice, various factions of the SS and other Nazi officials created secret international escape routes called ratlines. Just how big was the operation? Tune in to learn more about the mysterious organization called ODESSA, and why it remains a subject of intrigue and controversy in the modern day.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Feb 55min

A Chinese Corgi Cop loses his bonus. The largest tuberculosis outbreak in US history is occurring, right now, in Kansas. A Las Vegas ice cream truck is mistaken for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- or ICE -- truck. The AI company DeepSeek sparks a massive stock selloff. Pope Frances officially dissolves Sodalitium Christianae Vitae. All this and more in today's weekly strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Feb 1h 7min

As the only land bridge between South and Central America, the notorious Darién Gap is a lawless, unforgiving region through which thousands of people, every year, traverse in search of survival and escape. In the second chapter of this special two-part series, Ben and Matt explore the harrowing reality of making this passage. Beset with bandits, crime, corruption, cartels and danger, innocent people are hoping against hope to survive the horrors of the jungle, and arrive at a better place in the north.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

31 Jan 1h 12min

Griffin explores the nature of chimera and ethics.Oz Woman prompts the guys to quote the Bible. Marvelous Marvin has questions about salutes. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

31 Jan 1h 4min

If you look at a world map, you'll see one tiny stretch of land connecting South, Central, and North America. As the only break in the great Pan-American Highway, the Darién Gap has long been one of the world's most inhospitable places. It's rife with crime, disease, and danger. Yet, in current decades, this single geographic chokepoint has evolved into what some describe as a migration 'superhighway' -- every year, thousands upon thousands of innocent people risk their lives traversing this lawless land on foot, hoping against hope for a better life in the north. In the first chapter of this special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the history of the infamous Darién Gap.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 Jan 50min

When the guys get together to trace the story of secret societies, they aren't expecting a surprise guest to crash their podcast, revealing first-hand experience with some the most elite, secretive organizations in the United States. Wait. How did John Hodgman get in here?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Jan 34min

As one U.S. President leaves and another returns to office, both administrations launch an extraordinary number of pardons and commutations, sparking extreme controversy. Studies indicate the wealth of billionaires is exploding, with at least five trillionaires expected in the next decade. Amid other controversies, Elon Musk is accused of cheating at video games. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Jan 1h 12min