MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
Ballen Studios
MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories is a true crime and mystery podcast that presents strange, dark and mysterious content delivered in story format. The program is hosted by John Allen a.k.a. MrBallen.
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Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes 7-days early and ad-free. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Episodes
Mentioned books
9 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 29min
A Pyrrhic Victory (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Two stories about people who reached major career goals at devastating personal cost. One recounts a courtroom reenactment gone tragically wrong during an 1871 murder trial. The other follows the creation of a haunting 1932 song that exploded worldwide and sparked controversy tied to alleged suicides. Both tales explore fame, obsession, and the steep price of success.
22 snips
Mar 9, 2026 • 33min
Take Out (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
A late-night takeout pickup turns into a crucial piece of criminal puzzle. A quiet retiree disappears after missing a night out and is later found murdered. Detectives piece together evidence from neighborhood interviews, a restaurant receipt, and forensic reconstruction to identify an unlikely teenage perpetrator.
35 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 35min
Fan Favorite - "Big Bang"
A mysterious car explosion at an upscale country club sparks a cross‑continental investigation. A young detective follows leads from financial troubles to international fugitives. Tips, TV exposure, and extraditions unravel a long-buried conspiracy involving payments and motive. The case spans years and continents before finally coming together.
13 snips
Mar 5, 2026 • 26min
Do Not Disturb
Two sisters travel to Thailand and encounter strange events after checking into a hotel. Late-night beach drinks and unfamiliar companions set a tense timeline. Investigators piece together footage, toxicology, and travel patterns. A disturbing pattern of similar tourist deaths and a hidden toxic exposure emerge.
25 snips
Mar 4, 2026 • 34min
In Too Deep (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
A chilling cave rescue gone wrong as friends descend into Ellison Cave and face a deadly waterfall trap. A brave decision to rappel into danger leads to entanglement, hypothermia, and tragic loss. The story then shifts to Harry Truman, who defiantly refuses evacuation before Mount St. Helens erupts, turning stubbornness into a fatal stand and unexpected fame.
21 snips
Mar 2, 2026 • 42min
The Turquoise Necklace (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
A cold case in 1974 unravels around a missing college woman, a turquoise necklace, and a disturbing goodbye note. A pawnshop receipt and forensic digs breathe new life into the investigation. A self-proclaimed psychic enters the interrogation room with eerie specifics, and decades later DNA and reconstruction point to a shocking suspect and confession.
30 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 37min
Fan Favorite - "Murder by the Slice"
A small-town pizza shop turns into the scene of a brutal late-night crime. Tensions among staff and a messy closing routine become crucial pieces of the mystery. Investigators revisit cold-case forensics and use a high-pressure interrogation technique to unravel a staged robbery. A shocking family connection and financial motive emerge as the investigation closes in.
14 snips
Feb 26, 2026 • 28min
No Way Out Vol. IX
Three chilling tales of people literally trapped with no escape. A paper girl spots a bizarre waving figure that leads to a gruesome discovery. A newly commissioned submarine suffers a fatal collision and a desperate, dark escape unfolds. An elevator misstep reveals a horrific, hidden death and the strange chain of events that caused it.
14 snips
Feb 25, 2026 • 37min
The Best Laid Plans (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Tales of people trying to control fate and the catastrophic consequences that follow. A family’s safety plans collide with a deadly storm and turn their home into a macabre landmark. A fortune teller’s drunken advice sparks a citywide poison panic, mass arrests, and public executions. Dark decisions ripple into historic tragedies.
9 snips
Feb 23, 2026 • 41min
The Rumor Mill (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
A detective finds a blood-soaked bedroom with no body and a baffling missing-person mystery. Tense family drama, stolen payphone caper, and neighborhood gossip complicate the timeline. Forensic clues — a button, blood trail, DNA and fingerprints — steer investigators through months of dead ends. A tip and a reconstructed timeline ultimately point to a shocking neighbor revelation.
