In this chilling episode, we dive into two of history’s most perplexing and haunting mysteries. First, we unravel the enigmatic case of the Isdal Woman—a woman found dead in Norway’s “Ice Valley” under circumstances so strange they’ve fueled decades of speculation, from espionage to secret identities. Then, we journey back to 18th-century France, where the countryside lived in terror of the Beast of Gévaudan, a monstrous creature responsible for dozens of gruesome attacks and still the subject of fierce debate: was it a wolf, a man, or something far darker?
To complement these tales of mystery and menace, our champagne pairing for this episode is the Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé—a refined yet bold choice, perfect for sipping while pondering the unsolved.
Wikipedia overview with detailed case chronology, items recovered, aliases, burial details, and later forensic work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isdal_Woman Wikipedia
A&E True Crime digest of the case and theories (good plain-language recap): https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/isdal-woman A&E
Norwegian American (English-language article) overview and context: https://www.norwegianamerican.com/bergens-cold-case-isdal-woman/ norwegianamerican.com
(A note on sources: the original NRK and BBC pages are excellent, but direct access is sometimes restricted; the links above reflect open sources that consolidate the core facts, plus academic/official summaries where available.)
Wikipedia — “Beast of Gévaudan” (overview, descriptions, Marin report, Chastel): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_G%C3%A9vaudan Wikipedia
French Wikipedia — “Bête du Gévaudan” (dates, counts, geography): https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%AAte_du_G%C3%A9vaudan Wikipedia
Archives départementales du Cantal — document note identifying Jeanne Boulet (June 30, 1764) as first official victim: https://archives.cantal.fr/explorer/document-du-mois/2022/la-bete-du-gevaudan-dans-le-cantal archives.cantal.fr
Smithsonian Magazine — Jay M. Smith on the Beast and Moriceau’s national context for wolf attacks: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/beast-gevaudan-terrorized-france-countryside-180963820/ Smithsonian Magazine
History.com — “The Real Story Behind the ‘Beast of Gévaudan’,” for royal hunts (Denneval, Antoine), media panic, and timeline: https://www.history.com/news/beast-of-gevaudan-france-wolves HISTORY
Harvard University Press — Jay M. Smith, Monsters of the Gévaudan (book page): https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674061957 Smithsonian Magazine
Jean-Marc Moriceau (scholarship on wolf attacks; 3,000 attacks/9,000 fatalities context): Études rurales review (2012): https://journals.openedition.org/etudesrurales/9654 and Global Environment review (2009): https://www.environmentandsociety.org/mml/review-histoire-du-mechant-loup-history-big-bad-wolf-jean-marc-moriceau and Academia summary (2015): https://www.academia.edu/11509663/ OpenEdition JournalsEnvironment & Society PortalAcademia
Atlas Obscura — Marie-Jeanne Valet statue (Auvers) & museum in Saugues: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/marie-jeanne-valet-vs-the-beast-of-gevaudan and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-of-the-beast-of-gevaudan Atlas Obscura+1
Musée fantastique de la Bête du Gévaudan (official site): https://www.musee-bete-gevaudan.com/ and tourism pages on Marvejols’s Beast sculpture: https://en.aubrac-gorgesdutarn.com/discover/the-lot-valley/villages-of-the-lot-valley/marvejols/ musee-bete-gevaudanFrom Aubrac to the Gorges du Tarn
Research discussion on the Marin report (modern critique): Karl-Hans Taake preprint: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373559206_The_1767_French_Rapport_Marin_-_a_Questionable_Report_about_the_Examination_of_an_Allegedly_Man-eating_Wolf_Canis_lupus ResearchGate
Film/culture — Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brotherhood_of_the_Wolf and IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237534/ WikipediaIMDb
