Ch. 40 - Varney the Vampire, or, The Feast of Blood (1845)

It’s the hottest toy of the 1989 Christmas season and a retro sensation that’s sweeping the nation—the Ultimate Cosmic Sound Machine TM has landed on the podcast, leaving the Antiques Freaks frightened and confused. Where did it come from? What does it want? How did you find this? Who sent you?

Tap the admiral. Timber-taster. Tom Astoners. Tumble up. All these nautical terms and more defined in this, the twentieth chapter of The Sailor’s Word-Book.

Our friend James Wake joins us for an action-packed episode of mob violence against a vampyre! Check out James's cyberpunk novel THE SAPPHIRE SHADOW, available now wherever fine books are found. Varney the Vampire is a genuine penny dreadful, read aloud one chapter per week just like the original Victorian working class audience would do for the authentic 1840s Chartist coffeehouse experience. To instantly unlock over a hundred more chapters (literally), check out our Patreon.

The Antiques Freaks have ventured out into the wider world and returned with tales of wonder, including the most ironic possible book for sale, the most charming bookseller disclaimer, the smuggest item listing we’ve ever seen, and why you should always write your shop name on your price tag.

Once upon a time in April of 2020 we read our first Carnacki story - but we did not read it on air. Now the Horse of the Invisible has returned to wreak its revenge, and only Chris and Paris of the Terrible Book Club podcast can rescue the Antiques Freaks from its horrible haunting.

Why do most antiquarian and rare booksellers avoid library book sales? And why do we think you should buck the trend and attend anyway? Also, what are the startling similarities between books and human flesh, and how does a hairdryer form the vital link? Tune in for our library book sale haul and find out!

Our friend Tarra joins us for another thrilling chapter - wherein the duel FINALLY ACTUALLY HAPPENS! Varney the Vampire is a genuine penny dreadful, read aloud one chapter per week just like the original Victorian working class audience would do for the authentic 1840s Chartist coffeehouse experience. To instantly unlock over a hundred more chapters (literally), check out our Patreon.

The mind behind the tumblr Questionable Advice joins the Antiques Freaks for a rousing discussion on the social history hidden in books and ephemera, and what hilarious and poignant gems we can uncover for our modern age—such as, maybe eating a live spider will cure your flu? (Can’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!) To read more questionable advice, check out the blog at: questionableadvice.tumblr.com

Wherein Jack Pringle and Chillingworth meet up with Varney to prepare for the OH GOD WHY IS MARCHDALE HERE!? Varney the Vampire is a genuine penny dreadful, read aloud one chapter per week just like the original Victorian working class audience would do for the authentic 1840s Chartist coffeehouse experience. To instantly unlock over a hundred more chapters (literally), check out our Patreon.

Nothing gold can stay… except, of course, for Little Golden Books. Tune in to learn their origin story as literature for the youthful masses and where the deuce they hide that pesky edition number for The Pokey Little Puppy.