Plot Twisted History
A podcast that delivers history stories with plot twists. David Nix, a writer of historical fiction, brings biweekly historical tales that twist and turn like a good mystery novel. Whether offering new stories or new insights, this podcast drags you down the rabbit holes of history in search of the magical surprise. Find me at davidjnix.com.
Episodes
7 days ago
7 days ago
She is a forgotten member of her family – the youngest girl, the smallest, the most disposable – relegated to a life of chores and servitude with no hope for a brighter future. However, when the smallest sliver of opportunity appears, she seizes it with a vengeance to plot a path that will take her to the stars. This episode covers the amazing and improbable life of Caroline Herschel.
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
018: The Solid Gold Man - Mansa Musa
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
Tuesday Mar 11, 2025
One of the wealthiest men in human history set out on a medieval journey whose logistics are nearly too astonishing to be believed. How he used his wealth stands in stark contrast to the havoc wreaked by the uber rich of today. This episode tells the story of Mansa Musa, perhaps the richest man who ever lived.
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
017: Catching the Mother Killer - Ignaz Semmelweis
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Vienna of 1840 faces a deadly mystery. Pregnant women are entering its Clinic Number 1 and never leaving, killed in high numbers by deathbed fever. When a prickly doctor doggedly uncovers the reason, he is punished for his theory. And young mothers keep dying. The cautionary tale of Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis.
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
016: The Seven Lives of Josephine Baker
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
A poor girl trapped in an abusive marriage, a world-famous entertainer taking Europe by storm, a decorated hero of Nazi resistance, an American civil rights icon – all the same woman. This episode tells the story of the remarkable life of Josephine Baker.
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
015: Enemy Among Us - Juan Pujols Garcia
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
Tuesday Jan 28, 2025
A shadowy figure runs a massive Nazi spy network from the heart of London under the noses of the British during WWII. The catch? The network is a fiction, the work of a self-made spy trying to help the Allies, whether they want him or not. The amazing story of Juan Pujols Garcia.
Tuesday Jan 14, 2025
014: Star Crossed - Jean Godin Des Odainis
Tuesday Jan 14, 2025
Tuesday Jan 14, 2025
Fate conspires to destroy an 18th century love story by separating the couple with a nearly impassable gulf. Only an epic historical expedition can reunite them – if they survive. The remarkable tale of Isabel and Jean Godin Des Odainis.
Tuesday Dec 31, 2024
013: Run for Your Life - Cliff Young
Tuesday Dec 31, 2024
Tuesday Dec 31, 2024
In 1983, one of the greatest underdog stories in modern history unfolded in Australia over the course of five days when a 61-year-old sheep farmer ran a seemingly impossible race. This episode tells the improbable story of Cliff Young.
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
012: American Girl - Iva Toguri D'Aquino
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
An all-American girl trapped inside adversarial Japan when WWII erupts, she not only survives but manages to aid her imprisoned countrymen while subtly undermining the enemy. Her reward? A charge of treason levied by her own nation. This episode tells the winding tale of Iva Toguri D’Aquino.
Tuesday Dec 03, 2024
011: Let's Go All the Way - Ferdinand Megellan
Tuesday Dec 03, 2024
Tuesday Dec 03, 2024
Everyone knows that Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to circle the Earth. Wasn't he? The answer is both simple and surprisingly complex and features a fascinating cast of characters and plot twists galore. This episode tells the story of the epic 16th-century voyage that changed the course of world history.
Tuesday Nov 05, 2024
010: Let's Save the World - Juanita Moody
Tuesday Nov 05, 2024
Tuesday Nov 05, 2024
What if a single person could save the world from apocalypse? For five thousand years, humans have predicted the end of the world with helpless anticipation of destructive forces beyond our control. However, three times an obscure individual averted nuclear annihilation on our behalf. This episode tells the story of those unsung heroes.

Plot Twisted History
As a writer of historical fiction, I spend far too much time following rabbit trails of history in search of good stories. Those that intrigue me most are stories that feature a good, Agatha Christie style plot twist.
In this podcast, I tell you stories from history that suddenly veer into strange territory and hopefully leave you at least a little agape. Some of these stories you will have heard before, but many should be new to you. In either case, I will tell the story in service of the surprise.
Half of these stories feature women. For thousands of years, historians have routinely changed, forgotten, or actively erased the historical acts of women. Which means we have a lot of catching up to do
Contact me or subscribe to my newsletter at www.davidjnix.com