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In 1931, an ordinary farmhouse on the Isle of Man became the centre of one of Britain's strangest paranormal mysteries.

The Irving family claimed they were being visited by a mysterious creature that called itself Gef—a talking mongoose with a sharp wit, an endless stream of stories, and a habit of appearing just out of sight.

Gef insisted he was "an extra, extra clever mongoose," capable of speaking multiple languages, predicting events, and spying on the neighbours. To some, he was a supernatural entity. To others, an elaborate hoax. Nearly a century later, the debate continues.

In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the legend of Gef the Talking Mongoose, the investigations that followed, and the evidence that has kept one of Britain's most bizarre mysteries alive.

Because sometimes... the strangest stories are the hardest to explain.

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In Part One, we followed fifteen-year-old friends Marianne Schmidt and Christine Sharrock on what should have been an ordinary summer day at Cronulla Beach—a day that ended in one of Australia's most infamous unsolved murders.

Now, the investigation begins.

From the mysterious teenager known only as "The Surfy" to convicted murderer Alan Bassett, serial killer Christopher Wilder, and Australia's notorious Derek Percy, detectives pursued every promising lead in their search for justice.

We explore the suspects, the missed opportunities, advances in DNA technology, and why, more than sixty years later, the Wanda Beach murders continue to haunt Australian criminal history.

Will this mystery ever be solved?

Join The Eclectic as we conclude our two-part investigation into one of Australia's greatest unsolved cases.

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On a warm January morning in 1965, fifteen-year-old friends Marianne Schmidt and Christine Sharrock boarded a train to Cronulla for what should have been an ordinary day at the beach.

They never came home.

Hours later, the girls vanished into the vast Wanda Sandhills, accompanied by a mysterious teenage boy seen only by Marianne's seven-year-old brother. By the following afternoon, one of Australia's most haunting murder investigations had begun.

In Part One of this two-part series, we follow Marianne and Christine's final journey, uncover the disturbing discovery that shocked Sydney, and examine the enormous police investigation that followed. Thousands of witnesses were interviewed, countless leads were pursued, and a nation became captivated by one question...

Who was the mysterious "Surfy"?

Join The Eclectic as we explore one of Australia's most enduring unsolved mysteries.

🎧 Part Two continues the investigation, examining the suspects, modern DNA evidence and the theories that still divide investigators more than sixty years later.

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In 1629, the Dutch ship Batavia struck a reef off the coast of what is now Western Australia.

For the survivors, the disaster should have been the end of their ordeal.

Instead, it was only the beginning.

Stranded on a remote chain of islands, the passengers and crew found themselves trapped in a desperate struggle for survival. As order collapsed, one man seized control, transforming the wreck into one of the darkest episodes in maritime history.

What followed was a story of fear, betrayal, murder, and resistance.

In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the Batavia Shipwreck — the voyage, the wreck, and the horrifying events that unfolded in its aftermath.

Because sometimes, the greatest danger arrives after the storm has passed.

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Batavia: The Worst Shipwreck in History | History Hit

Batavia shipwreck archaeologists discover new mass grave on the Abrolhos Islands | The West Australian

Batavia's mysteries unfold with discovery of mass grave | Western Australian Museum

Silent witnesses: Further dark secrets of Batavia shipwreck laid bare

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Silent witnesses: further dark secrets of Batavia shipwreck laid bare

Final days of expedition reveal new Batavia burials | Western Australian Museum

Batavia’s history, 1628-1963 | Western Australian Museum

New horrors unravelled in the story of the Batavia shipwreck

The Batavia Story » Visit Geraldton

Batavia (1628 ship) - Wikipedia

Wreck of the Batavia | National Museum of Australia

Mass Grave Discovered From Gruesome 400-Year-Old Shipwreck on 'Murder Island' : ScienceAlert

Batavia burials uncovered - CAMD

Further dark secrets of Batavia shipwreck laid bare

Batavia shipwreck: expedition to uncover more secrets | PerthNow

Batavia | Maritime Archaeology Databases

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In 18th-century France, a man named Tarrare became famous for an appetite that seemed impossible.

No matter how much he consumed, he remained desperately hungry.

Witnesses claimed he could eat vast quantities of food in a single sitting. During the turmoil of the French Revolutionary Wars, his unusual condition even attracted the attention of military officials, who believed his appetite might be put to use in service of the state.

But as the years passed, the stories surrounding Tarrare became increasingly disturbing.

In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the life of Tarrare — separating documented accounts from exaggeration, examining the medical theories, and uncovering one of history’s strangest and most unsettling true stories.

Because sometimes, reality is far stranger than fiction.

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Tarrare - Wikipedia

Wait, what? Tarrare, the man with an insatiable appetite – Diff

The Medical Mystery Of Tarrare, A Cannibalistic French Spy | Ripley's Believe It or Not! | Aquariums, Attractions, Museums

Looking for the Golden Fork | The Tarrare Project

The Grippe Trip: The Spy Who Ate Everything | The Scarlet Beacon at Ohio State

The Medical (and Murder?) Mystery of Tarrare: Cannibal, Showman, Soldier, Spy : r/UnresolvedMysteries

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On the night of December 30, 2000, a family of four were murdered inside their home in the Setagaya district of Tokyo.

What followed would become one of the most baffling unsolved cases in modern history.

The killer left behind an extraordinary amount of evidence. DNA. Fingerprints. Personal belongings. Even traces of what they had eaten. Yet despite one of the largest investigations ever conducted in Japan, no one has ever been charged with the crime.

More than two decades later, the case remains open.

In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the Setagaya Family Murders — the timeline, the evidence, and the theories surrounding a case that seems as though it should have been solved.

Because sometimes, having too many clues can be just as troubling as having none at all.

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Setagaya family murder - Wikipedia

Police continue searching for killer of Setagaya family 25 years on - The Japan Times

The Setagaya Family Murder Case | On This Day in Japan

Setagaya family murders 24 years on: Expanded DNA usage urged - TokyoReporter

Police keep hunting for killer of Setagaya family 25 years On

Setagaya family murders 20 years on: ‘It’s a case that must be solved’ - TokyoReporter

10 Gruesome Facts Of The Setagaya Family Mystery - Listverse

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In the summer of 1944, residents of Mattoon began reporting a strange and frightening phenomenon.

Late at night, people claimed that an unidentified figure was prowling the town, releasing a mysterious gas through open windows. Victims described a sweet, unpleasant odour followed by symptoms including nausea, dizziness, temporary paralysis, and overwhelming fear.

As reports spread, so did panic.

Was Mattoon being targeted by a criminal using some unknown chemical? Was there a rational explanation for the incidents? Or had fear itself taken hold of an entire community?

In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the Mad Gasser of Mattoon — the sightings, the investigations, and the theories behind one of America’s strangest mass mystery cases.

Because sometimes, the most unsettling question is whether the threat was real at all.

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Mad Gasser of Mattoon - Wikipedia

Myths And Legends: The Mad Gasser Of Mattoon - Mike Sirota

Airing Out the Mystery of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon

Report from the Florida Zone: The Phantom Anesthetist

The Mad Gasser Of Mattoon | Backpackerverse

Mad Gasser of Mattoon: Inside US' first case of mass hysteria

The Case of the Mad Gasser of Mattoon

The ‘Mad Gasser of Mattoon’ is one of history’s most bizarre unsolved mysteries | Popular Science

Mad Gasser of Mattoon | Public Domain Super Heroes | Fandom

Eastern Illinois University :: Localites - (Page Desc)

The Mad Gasser of Mattoon | History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library | University Library | Illinois

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In 1943, four boys exploring woodland in Hagley Wood discovered a human skull hidden inside the trunk of a wych elm tree.

The victim was later identified only as “Bella” — but who she was, how she died, and who placed her inside the tree have never been answered.

Then, just a few years later and less than fifty miles away, another case unsettled rural England. In the village of Lower Quinton, farm labourer Charles Walton was found brutally murdered in circumstances that fuelled rumours of witchcraft, ritual killing, and the occult.

Over time, the two cases became linked through folklore, speculation, and fear.

In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the mystery of Bella in the wych elm and the murder of Charles Walton — examining the evidence, the theories, and the strange atmosphere that continues to surround both cases.

Because sometimes, it’s the stories around a crime that become impossible to bury.

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Who put Bella in the wych elm? - Wikipedia

Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? — Foulplay Games

"Who put Bella in the Wych-Elm?" - The Documentary - a Film and Theatre crowdfunding project in Stourbridge by Jayne Harris

The 80-year-old mystery of the skeleton found in a wych elm - BBC Reel

‘Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?’: Espionage, Witchcraft, and other Theories – Curious Archive

Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? Cathi Unsworth on the spooky true story - Serpent's Tail

The Woman in the Tree: Revisiting the Wych Elm Mystery

Bella in the Wych Elm - Josef Jakobs - 1898-1941