Not Quite Normal

This week, Kailee opens with the real-life story of Holley Lynn James, a young Army nurse whose sudden disappearance in 2008 sent shockwaves through her community. What began as a simple missed shift quickly unraveled into a disturbing investigation involving a burned apartment, hidden motives, and a tragic truth that pointed back to someone close to her. Kailee traces the emotional and investigative journey that followed, highlighting both Holley’s dedication to her work and the betrayal at the center of her case.Michael then shifts gears with the almost unbelievable exploits of Victor Lustig, the infamous con artist best known for “selling” the Eiffel Tower. With charm, audacity, and meticulous planning, Lustig pulled off some of the boldest scams of the early 20th century — leaving behind a legend that still feels surreal today.Sources & Mentions:YouTube: 48 Hours Full EpisodeSmithsonianMag.comMedium.comWikipedia: Victor LustigFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast🕒 TikTok: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

In this week's episode, Kailee takes listeners through the unsettling world of botched executions, revealing disturbing moments in the justice system.Then, Michael shifts gears to the unbelievable tale of Pepsi Number Fever; the marketing promotion that ignited national outrage after one winning number—349—sparked chaos.From grim missteps in capital punishment to corporate miscalculations, this episode uncovers how small mistakes can lead to massive consequences.Sources & Mentions:DeathPenaltyInfo.orgSmithsonianMag.comHistory TodayWikipedia: Pepsi Number FeverMental FlossFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast🕒 TikTok: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

In this week's episode, Kailee walks listeners through the heartbreaking and unsettling case of Lauren Giddings, unraveling the events leading up to her disappearance and the shocking discovery that followed. With a mix of intrigue and suspense, Kailee unpacks the details of the case, exploring the investigation, and the unsettling twists that followed.Meanwhile, Michael lightens the format but not the mood, delivering a curated batch of eerie two-sentence horror stories circulating the web that will leave you looking over your shoulder. *Please be advised, multiple stories have trigger warnings.It’s a blend of true crime and micro-terror that’s sure to give you chills.Sources & Mentions:Oxygen.comArticleNews InterviewBuzzfeedBored PandaJJ Pryor SubstackReddit: r/TwoSentenceHorrorFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast🕒 TikTok: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

It’s episode 13! Join us as Kailee explores the origins of this long-standing superstition and how it shows up in today’s world — from the bible to buildings that skip the 13th floor, and even some stories of people having a not-so-great Friday the 13th.Meanwhile, Michael takes us back to the 1950s game show scandal that shocked America — the Twenty-One controversy. He unpacks how producers rigged the show, the fallout that changed television forever, and what it revealed about fame, greed, and trust in the media.Tune in for a blend of history, scandal, and a little superstition — it’s an episode you won’t want to skip (even if it’s number 13).Mentioned in this episode:Britannica: Andes MountainsBritannica: Costa Concordia DisasterAustralian Disaster Resilience Knowledge HubK-State.eduLibrary of Congress BlogsAviation Safety NetworkWikipediaBritannica: Quiz Show BroadcastingU.S. House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce hearings (1959)Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recordsFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast🕒 TikTok: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN ALL YOU COOL BATS & CATS!In this episode, Kailee digs into the real-life horror behind some of your favorite scary movies — the ones inspired by actual serial killers, and the disturbing stories of killers who claim the movies inspired THEM.Then, Michael switches things up with a world tour of Halloween traditions. From spooky festivals to unexpected celebrations, you’ll find out how other countries get into the Halloween spirit.Grab your pumpkin spice latte, turn down the lights, and hang out with us for some chills, laughs, and the perfect episode to get you in a spooky mood!Mentioned in this episode:Crime+InvestigationHistory.comFriedrichJones.com24/7 Wall StCN TravellerDekalistDestination TipsFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast🕒 TikTok: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

This week, Kailee unravels a haunting tale from a quiet German farm where something unspeakable happened one cold night. Meanwhile, Micheal explores an unusual Salem story that began with a simple tomato… and ended in disbelief.Mentioned in this episode:Mental FlossRipley'sBritannicaWikipediaThe Fact SiteGrunge.comThe Vintage NewsAll That's InterestingFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast🕒 TikTok: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

This week, Kailee takes us on a horrifying tour of history’s worst medical treatments — ever wondered who thought drilling holes in skulls would cure headaches? Or why leeches were the 18th-century equivalent of a multivitamin? Prepare to be grossed out and amused. Then Michael introduces us to Timothy Dexter, the wildly unqualified millionaire who somehow succeeded at everything… completely by accident. If you like your history weird, morbid, and slightly unhinged — this episode is for you.Mentioned in this episode:AAMCStat NewsCulture FrontierHistory on the NetAll That's InterestingHistoric IpswichNew England Historical SocietyFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast🕒 TikTok: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

This week, Kailee investigates a case where youthful infatuation turned deadly—leaving behind a trail of questions, betrayal, and a life cut short. What really happened between three teens whose connection ended in tragedy?Then, Michael brings us a story that defies logic: two women, complete strangers, brought together by pure chance—or something more. A routine day at work leads to a revelation decades in the making.Mentioned in this episode:Mean Girl Murders: She-Devil, S2E9Herald TribunePeople.comFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

In this episode, Kailee dives into the grisly legend of Sawney Bean and his infamous clan of cannibals said to have terrorized Scotland’s countryside. Then Michael lightens things up by digging through the archives of old slang—some phrases best left in the past, others maybe ready for a revival. From horror to humor, this episode has it all.Mentioned in this episode:The Sawney Bean ClanCannibal FactsMental Floss ArticleFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

This week, Kailee uncovers the grim tale of James Purrington, a Maine farmer whose shocking crime in the early 1800s still haunts local history. Meanwhile, Michael explores the unsettling pattern of disasters linked to flights numbered 191—a chilling aviation mystery some believe to be cursed. From true crime to strange coincidences, this episode blends history, horror, and the unexplained.Mentioned in this episode:TrueCrimeNE articleFamily Annihilator StudyMedium.comAirlineGeeks.comAmericanHauntingsInk.comWhy Planes Crash - TV Series (on Youtube)Follow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

This week, Kailee explores the heartbreaking murder of Angie Dodge and how a revolutionary use of familial DNA helped identify her real killer—years after the wrong man was put behind bars. Then, Michael shares the bizarre and almost unbelievable story of Mike "Iron Mike" Malloy, the man who survived multiple attempts on his life in what became one of the most absurd murder-for-hire plots in history. From cutting-edge forensic science to a man who simply refused to die, this episode is packed with mystery, resilience, and dark twists.Mentioned in this episode:Angie Dodge ArticleMysteries at the Museum: Indestructible Mike, Bubble Trouble, the Penny ManIn this episode:How familial DNA helped crack the Angie Dodge caseThe wrongful conviction of Chris TappThe bizarre, booze-fueled survival of Mike MalloyFollow us:📸 Instagram: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📘 Facebook: @NotQuiteNormalPodcast📧 Email us: [email protected]

In this episode, Kailee dives into the gritty and fascinating world of crime scene clean-up—from the unexpected realities to the psychological toll. Then, Michael lightens the mood with not one, but two quirky tales: the story of Cachi the poodle, and the strange legend of a mystery soda vending machine in Seattle that dispensed rare drinks... and then vanished. It’s a wild ride of dark, weird, and wonderful—just how we like it.Trigger Warning: This episode contains a discussion involving the death of a dog (Cachi’s story, no abuse). Listener discretion is advised.

In this week's episode, Kailee dives into the disturbing case of Mark Twitchell, the so-called “Dexter Killer” who blurred the line between fiction and reality in one of Canada’s most bizarre & terrifying true crime stories. From secret lairs to a script gone horribly real, she unpacks the twisted story behind his actions and capture.Then, Michael takes us for a ride—literally and conceptually—exploring the darkly fascinating design of The Euthanasia Coaster, a theoretical roller coaster engineered to take a life in the most thrilling way possible. Is it art? Is it science? Or something much more unsettling?Tune in for a ride through the macabre, the curious, and the ethically complex.

In this week's twistedly fascinating episode, Kailee dives into the grim world of cruel and unusual punishments, exploring the dark history of a few torture and execution methods that will make your skin crawl. From iron maidens to public dismemberments, she unpacks the chilling creativity behind historical justice.Meanwhile, Michael also takes you on a trip back in time by revealing how people managed to wake up on time before the invention & normalization of alarm clocks as we know them today. Think: human wake-up services called “knocker uppers,” time-tracking candles, and even strategic bladder control.It’s a strange, unsettling, and oddly informative journey through the ways humans have faced both rude awakenings and their final hours.

This week's episode starts with Kailee telling us the disturbing story of Carl Tanzler. Then, Michael shares the story of Patient AB. Join us as we also delve into discussions of mental health and more talk about the power of the brain!

Join us while Kailee takes us on a wild ride through some of history’s more... let’s say, “questionable” practices surrounding death, and then fast-forwards to some of today’s most out-there ideas for what happens after we kick the bucket—think space travel and the depths of the ocean. Meanwhile, Michael shares a few stories of some people whose brains coped with a traumatic injury in some unusual ways.