Welcome in Dear Guest! We know that some of you have been waiting for another visit to this beloved topic for quite some time, so tonight, we have a spritely telling of Fairies in Art! These enchanting creatures live in the hearts and minds of people all over the globe, and thanks to some magically gifted artists, now everyone can see them!... not just us. Your ethereal host will describe for you, 2 paintings, Midsummer Eve, by Edward Robert Hughes, and Spirit of the Night, by John Atkinson Grim...
Dec 25, 2023•41 min•Season 9Ep. 6
Do we "not" have a surprise for YOU, Dear Guests! Tonight your bewitching host has for you- the amazing story of Romulus, Remus, & Lupercalia, the ancient feast day, and in-the-buff frenzied frolic that brought romance and fertility to lovers for perhaps thousands of years... and we're totally "not" reviving the wild tradition...nor will we tell you exactly where and when ...and what to wear to the celebration, so "don't" listen closely (wink, wink) Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful Mu...
Dec 11, 2023•35 min•Season 9Ep. 5
All Aboard Dear Guests! Tonight, we are off on a dire and dreary seafaring adventure! First, there will be rumors of sightings of the Famous Ghost Ship, The Flying Dutchman. This ethereal ship has emerged out of the mists to strike fear and bestow doom upon its many beholders... and we are so here for it! Then, we will witness the building, sinking, and astonishing raising of Sweden's colossal warship, Vasa... including her dead, that you can visit today. Please join us! (Lifeboats will not be p...
Nov 27, 2023•44 min•Season 9Ep. 4
Step right this way, Spooky Lovelies! Have we got just the thing for YOU! No matter what ails you, we have... something ...that will make you feel... differently than you do currently... perhaps... forever! Tonight, your Divine Host, Miranda Merrick, will tell you all about those shifty, snake-boiling sellers from days of yore! Where did they come from? Exactly what were they really selling? And is there any left on the shelves at Grimm's Grocer's? You bet there is! (No returns, of course) Pleas...
Nov 13, 2023•38 min•Season 9Ep. 3
Welcome to Part 2 of The Midnight Market, Spooky Lovelies! We promise this will be a night for you to remember… however, we cannot promise that you will be able to. Come as you are or dress in your finery! Bring your children… we insist. You’ll see your friends and meet new ones– Oh! and the goods we will have on offer are sure to charm you… forever. Thank you for permitting us to hold this unusual sale…those of you who so kindly voted in our favor. We’ll never forget you… Special Thanks to Soun...
Oct 29, 2023•49 min•Season 9Ep. 2
Come one! Come all! To: The Midnight Market! 100% safe and enjoyable food & fun for your entire family! Our permit was secured via YOUR VOTE at The Village Council meeting, and we Thank You for making it all possible! After your evening… rest, visit our cheery marketplace just beyond the county line in the huge clover field at the edge of The Village. All of your Midnight Library favorites will be there- PLUS a few new ones that you’re bound to be just as fond of! (This is Part 1 of this enc...
Oct 15, 2023•49 min•Season 9Ep. 1
When will the Reading Room reopen? What will be on the Hospitality Tray? Can you help me find my other eye? We get SO MANY questions this time of year… there must be something in the air… that makes human people crave the unique atmosphere of The Midnight Library! To put your fears at rest… for the most part, here we have a reassuring Season 9 Announcement for you. To mildly comfort you even further, we have a short story, “Miranda’s Way” that will give you a beyond-the-library-walls peek into y...
Oct 01, 2023•28 min
Greetings My Dear Guest! Maybe you recall ...in our previous reading on Sacred Tattoos, I lamented the fact that there were just too many wonderful tattoo tales to choose from-- and the story of the first tattooed circus performers is one of them! So please join me now to hear about these daring and "colorful" characters! Now, won't you take a seat beside me? Natasha will be along shortly with our tea. Just relax and maybe don't make too much eye contact with her... She's a ... nervous sort of.....
Aug 06, 2023•30 min•Season 8Ep. 9
Greetings, Dear Guest! Please dash in quickly before the crows get you-- I mean before the crows get IN!! They've paid us a completely unexpected visit that's coincidentally collided with your lovely visit! We have no idea how this has happened! Perhaps they heard that they're the star of tonight's reading: As The Crow Flies. Please walk calmly to your favorite spot to hear all kinds of fascinating crow facts and lore. And everything... will be just fine... Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earfu...
Jul 23, 2023•38 min•Season 8Ep. 8
Welcome, Lovely Guest! We hope you're in the mood for romance because tonight's reading is all about ancient and sometimes forbidden love spells and potions! So, why don't you slip into something more comfortable while we pour a little wine … and gather up some sacred rings, various animals,... and a little blood and fingernail clippings, and such. Then let's see if we can make the magic happen! We promise not to kiss and tell... Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful Music Supply for the amazi...
Jul 09, 2023•39 min•Season 8Ep. 7
Greetings, Dear Guest! You are in for such a colorful treat this evening, as your host, the other Divine Ms. M., tells you all about the little-known art of Hand-Painted Human Skulls! Most of them are ancient, but there are certainly some more recent painted-up dead heads, too. Oh, and the best part is-- many of them are on display for you to see! Find out the fascinating history of how and why this peculiar practice of decorating the dead came to be. Please take your favorite seat in The Readin...
Jun 25, 2023•39 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Right this way, Dear Guest! What if we told you that tonight, we're going to be doing a little spelunking or cave-dwelling? And not just so we can pet the bats, but because it is the birthplace of a very famous WITCH: Mother Shipton, "The Yorkshire Prophetess." Ms. Merrick will take you from her humble cave birth, through her eerily dramatic predictions, and finally the close of her life... and, she'll tell you how she lives on in a place that thousands of people visit each year. You'll love the...
Jun 11, 2023•37 min•Season 8Ep. 5
Greetings, Dear Guest! In tonight's dire reading, we will reminisce about the many splendid ways people used to kick the bucket... or uh... pass away. There was once so much unpredictable variety! Folks used to be forced to meet their maker by fickle fairies, chancy chickens, and even wily wallpaper! Please curl up in your favorite spot and join us as we visit yesteryear and fondly recall many of the Bygone Ways to Bite the Dust!-- Oh! And we have a famous surprise guest to greet you! (A live on...
May 28, 2023•39 min•Season 8Ep. 4
Welcome, Dear Guests! Back by popular demand, an art special! This wicked reading will feature 3 hotter than Hades paintings starring His High Hotness: The Devil! Each fiery work of fine art portrays Big D in a distinctly different style, from mild to wild! There's sure to be something to suit everyone's taste. Please make your selections from The Hospitality Tray and cozy up by the fireplace for tonight's... burnt offerings! (If you would like to search for the images of the paintings as you li...
May 14, 2023•33 min•Season 8Ep. 3
Welcome Spooky Lovelies! Gather ye, Witches, for this Halfway to Halloween Celebration!! April 30th is Walpurgisnacht, Walpurgis Night, or WITCH'S NIGHT! A Devil's delight like no other! -- With a centuries-old dead nun included that only helps to stoke the fire and fan the flames! If you didn't know before that there 2 wild nights for the wicked each year, NOW YOU DO! Please take your seats! Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful Music Supply for the amazing music AND sound design....
Apr 30, 2023•32 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Welcome back to The Reading Room, Spooky Lovelies! Oh how we've missed you! And what a treat you're in for this evening! I am so pleased and proud to be telling you the oddly touching Tale of Our Natasha Boomslang, complete with new characters for you to meet, as well as old friends for you to greet! There will be no spoilers about coilers here, so slither into your favorite cozy corner or curl up by the fire with a wolf pup as we begin at the beginning... for the most part. And yes! There are g...
Apr 16, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 8Ep. 1
The Midnight Library is pleased to introduce Guide to the Unknown: A podcast for horror fans and the paranormal-curious.
Apr 05, 2023•11 min
Why are the gates to The Midnight Library closed? Will they reopen? If so, when?! Why can I still taste the last thing I ate from The Hospitality Tray? Most of these questions will happily be answered in this short message from your Heavenly Host: Miranda Merrick (Besides, who else would tell you the truth?)
Mar 06, 2023•6 min
Tonight, Dear Guest, we have a topic of great interest to anyone who has skin! So, please make yourself at home in The Reading Room as your appealing host, Ms. Merrick tells you the soothing story of those found sporting the world's earliest and most exotic tattoos. Early humans seemed to know the magical power of embedding ink deeply into their skin. Now, you'll know, too. Welcome to The Midnight Library. Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful Music Supply for the amazing music AND sound desig...
Jan 23, 2023•39 min•Season 7Ep. 8
Walk this way, Dear Guests- Tonight's engrossing tale is the key to the history of graves and the silent language of tombstone symbols. The dead have much to teach us about being buried for thousands of years, and what we choose to engrave on their headstones, speaks volumes to those who know how to interpret these "silent as the grave" images. Grab a few tombstone cookies off The Hospitality Tray and make yourself at home! Welcome to The Midnight Library. Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful...
Jan 09, 2023•36 min•Season 7Ep. 7
Welcome in, Dear Guest! We insist that you enjoy a cup of Midnight Library Blend Tea... And let our Host, Miranda, tell you what your future will be. Tonight, we unfurl a topic in The Reading Room that many have been anxiously waiting for -Tasseomancy! The history and art of predicting the future by the reading of tea leaves. How did the magically comforting drink of tea come to be part of the supernatural world of prophecy? We knew you were going to ask that! Cozy up with your cup, and we'll te...
Dec 26, 2022•35 min•Season 7Ep. 6
Let us ask you a question, Dear Guest-- Have you ever discovered that a friend has had a secret prosthetic body part? (not like that) An artificial arm, leg, or maybe teeth that were so cleverly made that you never even noticed it? Well, there's no chance of that with the ancient prosthetics Ms. Merrick is going to tell you about tonight! These past times orthopedics would have stuck out like a peg leg! Find out about our ancestor's creative replacement body parts in tonight's darkly entertainin...
Dec 12, 2022•36 min•Season 7Ep. 5
There once was an island as sure as can be, far and away upon the sea... Welcome, Dear Guests! Batten down the hatches and stow your goods! Tonight we search for the mysterious and storied Island of Hy Brasil! There and then not, the strangely inhabited island was rumored to be the home of a wizard, masterful monks, fairies, ghosts, and even a hidden-from-the-eyes-of-humans city of advanced beings. Witnessed and visited by some, Hy Brasil may just surface again in the future... Please take your ...
Nov 28, 2022•34 min•Season 7Ep. 4
Welcome Spooky Lovelies! This evening our reading is in honor of a very special... lady, (who's definitely not related to your wholesome host, Miranda Merrick)-- The One, The Only, Baba Yaga. She is rumored to be an ogre, a witch, a crone, a goddess... and perhaps even more than one being all rolled into one! Will she harm you when she greets you; offer you gifts, or decide to eat you? We'll just have to see... Dear Guest, please welcome, Baba Yaga Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful Music S...
Nov 14, 2022•34 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Greetings Spooky Lovelies & Creepy Kitties!! Step lightly, right this way, Dear Guest-- and bring your feline friends for this evening's tale on BLACK CATS!! From rat catcher to revered deity; from loving pet to witch's shifty sidekick. Black cats are the famed harbingers of doom... and sometimes The Devil in the room! The cat certainly does NOT have Ms. Merrick's tongue, so don't pussy-foot around! Please take your seat for this kitty cat treat! Oh! And Happy Halloween! Special Thanks to So...
Oct 30, 2022•40 min•Season 7Ep. 2
There's a rumor in The Village that The Midnight Library holds secret, exclusive parties, and that only certain people ever get invited. If you believe such things, you can only hope that you might be on the guest list. Or, hope that you're not! Some believe that such strange goings-on is just the stuff of dreams... or nightmares. In any case, we hope you get exactly what you should be careful of wishing for... Welcome to The Midnight Library Masked Ball! Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful ...
Oct 16, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 7Ep. 1
Now that it's just you and I... alone, let me ask you a question, won't you, my dear guest? Do you keep any secrets? I'm afraid I'm about to break your heart with my story about the secret of this lovely old painting. You don't think I can? You don't think this witch is wicked enough to do it? Alright... We'll just let Natasha pour the tea... and I'll tell you the secret that was never meant to be told... or maybe it was. This is the story of The Angelus -- I read somewhere that "you have to kee...
Jul 31, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Step Lightly Right This Way, Dear Guests! The Hospitality Tray is brimming with tombstone-shaped biscuits! (just check them for wolf fur) Tonight Ms. Merrick will take you on a moonlit tour of some twisted tales of old tombstones and what lies beneath them! She has lost graves, cursed graves, and witch graves to entice you! And after the reading, we're all going outside for a little tour of The Library's private Chauncey Graveyard! You'll be fine. Everything will be just... fine... Special Thank...
Jul 17, 2022•38 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Welcome Aboard, Dear Guest! You'll probably never get any closer to the Island of Poveglia than you are to it this very moment... and trust us, that's probably for the best. So, wipe your feet, see if anything looks tempting to you on The Hospitality Tray, and curl up in your favorite spot in The Reading Room! Ms. Merrick will tell you all about the beautiful, haunted & forbidden: Povegelia, "Island of Ghosts" Special Thanks to Sounds Like an Earful Music Supply for the amazing music AND sou...
Jul 03, 2022•36 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Welcome, Dear Guest! Please find your favorite spot in The Reading Room as we gather to gaze upon what some have considered to be forbidden subjects for artists and the human eye: WITCHES IN ART! See for yourself what several artists have dared cast onto their canvases as your host describes for you the rich, enchanting, and other-worldly life of witches captured in these magical paintings! If you would like to look the paintings up in advance, which is highly recommended, the paintings discusse...
Jun 19, 2022•36 min•Season 6Ep. 6
