What happens when a town turns a family's tragedy into a tourist attraction? And what if the hysteria surrounding three missing teenage girls wasn't so different from the witch hunts of centuries past?

This week on Dreadfully Yours, author J.L. Hyde joins me to discuss her newest mystery series, beginning with Witches of Westridge and continuing with The Widow Nora.

Inspired by an overheard conversation during a visit to Salem, Massachusetts, Jamie created Westridge Cove—a fictional Michigan town where three sisters vanished in 1993 after being accused of practicing witchcraft. Decades later, their disappearance has become the foundation of a thriving Halloween tourism industry, while the family they left behind continues living in its shadow.

Jamie shares how the real-life Satanic Panic and the West Memphis Three influenced her story, and why criticism of the word witch inspired her to embrace actual witchcraft in the sequel and turned her into a "witch ally." We also dive into her writing process, including a surprising confession about how she develops her infamous plot twists.

Whether you're a longtime J.L. Hyde reader or you're just discovering Westridge Cove, come hang out with us for a little mystery, a little magic, and a whole lot of storytelling. 🖤🔮

Find J.L. Hyde and explore her books:

https://www.jlhyde.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

The Darkest Season

Find The Darkest Season: True Crime in the American South from Halloween to Christmas anywhere you get your books. Releasing mid-October 2026.

When Virginia Ridley was found dead inside her Georgia home in 1997, suspicion quickly fell on her husband, Alvin—a reclusive television repairman whose unusual behavior and eccentric reputation had made him an outsider in his own community.

Charged with his wife's murder, Alvin faced a criminal justice system that struggled to understand him. But attorney McCracken Poston Jr. would discover that behind the rumors, the locked doors, and the troubling circumstances of Virginia's death was a far more complicated story.

In this episode of Dreadfully Yours, I sit down with McCracken Poston Jr., criminal defense attorney and author of Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom, to discuss one of Georgia's most extraordinary murder trials.

From the challenges of representing an unconventional client to the evidence that would reshape the narrative surrounding Alvin and Virginia's marriage, McCracken shares his experiences inside and outside the courtroom—and reflects on the friendship that grew from a case neither man would ever forget.

It's a conversation about justice, prejudice, loyalty, love, and the danger of mistaking someone's differences for evidence of guilt.

Featured Book: Zenith Man: Death, Love, and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom by McCracken Poston Jr. Find more info about Poston, Jr. on his website at https://www.zenithmanbook.com/ and find the book anywhere you get your books.

Available on:

Sirens | A Southern True Crime Podcast

Dreadfully Yours: Conversations with Dark Storytellers

Mentioned in this episode:

The Darkest Season: True Crime

Halloween. Thanksgiving. Christmas. For mood readers who love Southern true crime, get The Darkest Season today. KU/Kindle Exclusive. Paperbacks anywhere.

In this gripping episode, I sit down with journalist and true crime author Tony Adame, the mind behind Chase the Devil: Murder and Obsession on Florida’s Gulf Coast and the award-winning podcast The Sheriff: Murder, Lies & Revenge in Okaloosa County.

We dive into the real-life case that inspired his debut true crime book—a haunting story of manipulation, obsession, and murder set against the backdrop of coastal Florida. The story of Tonya Ethridge McKinley.

Tony shares what it was like to research such an emotionally complex story, how living on the Gulf Coast gave him a unique perspective, and what it takes to turn a criminal case into a compelling long-form narrative.

We also explore the psychological themes at play and how Tony’s background in journalism and podcasting shaped his voice as an author.

Find Chase the Devil anywhere books are sold or at:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million

Find Tony Adame's podcast, The Sheriff: Murder, Lies & Revenge in Okaloosa County, on all major podcast platforms.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Watch Tony on Cold Case Files (Intro with interview from Tony's sister, Renee) S2 E16: The Clock Strikes Murder. Find Cold Case Files on Hulu, A&E, or most streaming platforms.

(This episode originally aired on the podcast Sirens | Southern True Crime with Raven Rollins. It has been reformatted for use on this podcast.)

Find retail links to this storyteller's work, along with other books, podcasts, films, and music featured on the show at https://linktr.ee/DreadfullyYours.

Find Raven's books, audiobooks, and podcasts at www.RavenRollins.com.

Support the show by donating today.

Mentioned in this episode:

Allegedly: True Crime

30 Cases. 1 County. 0 Justice? For readers of The Innocent Man by John Grisham. Same town, same authorities, more stories. Get Allegedly anywhere you get your books. Also on KU.