Unspeakable Scotland

To mark the end of the first series, we're delighted to share a live version of Unspeakable Scotland (recorded at Bloody Scotland crime writing festival in 2019). Comedian and 'Burnistoun' creator Rab Florence joined Janice on stage to tell the grisly tale of Sawney Bean. Set in the 16th century, the story features washed-up body parts, a foul-smelling cave and a royal intervention. Rab's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/officialrobertflorence/ For more information about the podcast, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On 17th March 1926, Bertha Merrett 'shot herself' with a pistol. However, the circumstances of the act were highly suspicious. Comedian and broadcaster Susan Morrison tells the story of the Buckingham Terrace Suicide - a globe-trotting tale featuring forged cheques, speedboats, guns, airplanes and courtroom dramas! Susan's website: www.suziemo.co.uk For more information about Unspeakable Scotland, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland

On 14th May 1841, 50,000 people attended the last scene of crime execution in Scotland (the first in Glasgow since 1769). Dennis Doolan and Patrick Redding were sentenced to death for the alleged murder of John Green, an English ganger. The controversial killings took place in the context of industrial unrest during the construction of the Glasgow-Edinburgh railway line, which was dominated by Irish labour. Willy Maley (playwright, poet and Glasgow University professor) tells the story of the Crosshill Railway Murder of 1840 and explains its historical significance. Willy Maley’s website: www.willymaley.scot For more information about Unspeakable Scotland, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland

Chris Dolan (award-winning novelist and playwright) tells the story of the Appin Murder - a chilling tale set in the aftermath of the 1745 Jacobite Uprising. Listen for a surprising connection to Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novel, 'Kidnapped'! Chris Dolan bio: https://saraband.net/contributor/chris-dolan/ For more information about Unspeakable Scotland, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland

Crime writer and playwright Denise Mina tells the story of the Greenock Stowaways. In 1868, seven young Scottish boys boarded a ship bound for Canada and endured extreme hardship and cruelty. They suffered at the hands of the crew and faced the terrifying reality of the frozen landscape. This is a different kind of horror story. Denise Mina: http://www.denisemina.com For more information about the podcast, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Janice sits down with crime writer Douglas Skelton to hear the case of John Adam (1835). It's a tale of greed and murder in the Highlands, with a whisper of the supernatural. It starts with the discovery of a body on the Black Isle... Douglas Skelton: http://douglasskelton.com For more information about the podcast, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Val McDermid - celebrated and best-selling Scottish crime writer - kicks off the very first episode of 'Unspeakable Scotland' (a new true crime series from The Big Light). Janice Forsyth listens to her tell the story of Buck Ruxton - an Indian-born British physician. The gruesome murder case is recognised for its contribution to forensic science, but some of the details are hard to stomach. Get comfortable, turn up the volume and prepare to be spooked by this unspeakable true life crime. Val McDermid: https://www.valmcdermid.com Tom Wood's book, 'Ruxton: The First Modern Murder': https://www.waterstones.com/book/ruxton/tom-wood/9781789720723 Additional research from the Glasgow Police Museum: http://www.policemuseum.org.uk For more information about the podcast, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Expect “shock and aww, naw!” as we hear the gory details of an unspeakable true life crime. Join Janice Forsyth, Scotland’s top arts broadcaster, as she listens to the details of an arresting true crime story for the first time. Presented by a weekly guest star, uncover the gritty and gorier aspects of Scotland in this chilling conversational storytelling podcast. This is history as you’ve never heard it before. Upcoming guests include crime writers Val McDermid, Denise Mina, and Douglas Skelton. For more information about the podcast, visit: www.thebiglight.com/unspeakablescotland   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.