The Somerton Man - Part 1
02/04/19 • 41 min
Episode SummaryWe introduce ‘The Somerton Man' case, or the ‘Tamam Shud' case: the mystery of a man found on a beach in Adelaide in 1948.
He was smartly dressed with a lot of intriguing clues including no identification and a piece of a book hidden within his clothing. This case has never been solved to this day, although it has attracted an awful lot of attention.
There is lots of information and speculation about this case which we look into during this episode. We utilise our Aussie host's knowledge of Adelaide, which is actually her hometown. She tells us what it’s like there (leading us to wonder why she lives here), and why Adelaide is touted as the murder capital of the world...even though it’s not.
We also find out that Victoria wanted to be a spy. Show notes and linksDiscuss the show on Twitter using #CrimeGirlGang
- ABC News: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-14/somerton-man-cold-case-could-be-one-step-closer-to-solved/9245512?pfmredir=sm
- Adelaide Now: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/has-part-of-the-mysterious-somerton-man-code-been-cracked/news-story/3951eef52092ee56916aeefbc1b7007b
- Decoding the cipher: https://www.marcelvarallo.com/decoding-the-somerton-man-cypher/
- This whole blog is dedicated to the Somerton Man case: https://tamamshud.blogspot.com/
- Cipher mysteries: https://ciphermysteries.com/2017/06/10/rubaiyat-car-theory
- Professor Derek Abbott's AMA: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/2f1qt0/i_am_professor_derek_abbott_a_researcher_of_the/
- ABC News: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-15/why-cant-adelaide-bury-murderous-capital-reputation/9249142
- Jane Harper - The Dry: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01C37W582/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
- Autopsy report overview: https://www.archives.sa.gov.au/blog/%E2%80%9C-what-poison%E2%80%9D-mystery-somerton-man
- Rubaiyat - Omar Khayyam: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rub%C3%A1iy%C3%A1t-Omar-Khayy%C3%A1m-Wordsworth-Classics/dp/1853261874
- McCarthyism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism
- Reddit clue: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/951z0k/somerton_man_the_most_important_clue/
- Ear pictures for comparison: https://tamamshud.blogspot.com/2016/11/somerton-man-ear-comparison-detailed.html
- Visit the Crime Girl Gang website for case photos and more
- Read Blood for Blood by Victoria Selman
- Pre-order Nothing to Lose by Victoria Selman
- Read I, Witness by Niki Mackay
- Pre-order The Lies We Tell by Niki Mackay
- Read The Guilty Wife by Elle Croft
- Read The Other Sister by Elle Croft
Episode SummaryWe introduce ‘The Somerton Man' case, or the ‘Tamam Shud' case: the mystery of a man found on a beach in Adelaide in 1948.
He was smartly dressed with a lot of intriguing clues including no identification and a piece of a book hidden within his clothing. This case has never been solved to this day, although it has attracted an awful lot of attention.
There is lots of information and speculation about this case which we look into during this episode. We utilise our Aussie host's knowledge of Adelaide, which is actually her hometown. She tells us what it’s like there (leading us to wonder why she lives here), and why Adelaide is touted as the murder capital of the world...even though it’s not.
We also find out that Victoria wanted to be a spy. Show notes and linksDiscuss the show on Twitter using #CrimeGirlGang
- ABC News: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-14/somerton-man-cold-case-could-be-one-step-closer-to-solved/9245512?pfmredir=sm
- Adelaide Now: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/has-part-of-the-mysterious-somerton-man-code-been-cracked/news-story/3951eef52092ee56916aeefbc1b7007b
- Decoding the cipher: https://www.marcelvarallo.com/decoding-the-somerton-man-cypher/
- This whole blog is dedicated to the Somerton Man case: https://tamamshud.blogspot.com/
- Cipher mysteries: https://ciphermysteries.com/2017/06/10/rubaiyat-car-theory
- Professor Derek Abbott's AMA: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/2f1qt0/i_am_professor_derek_abbott_a_researcher_of_the/
- ABC News: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-15/why-cant-adelaide-bury-murderous-capital-reputation/9249142
- Jane Harper - The Dry: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01C37W582/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
- Autopsy report overview: https://www.archives.sa.gov.au/blog/%E2%80%9C-what-poison%E2%80%9D-mystery-somerton-man
- Rubaiyat - Omar Khayyam: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rub%C3%A1iy%C3%A1t-Omar-Khayy%C3%A1m-Wordsworth-Classics/dp/1853261874
- McCarthyism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism
- Reddit clue: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/951z0k/somerton_man_the_most_important_clue/
- Ear pictures for comparison: https://tamamshud.blogspot.com/2016/11/somerton-man-ear-comparison-detailed.html
- Visit the Crime Girl Gang website for case photos and more
- Read Blood for Blood by Victoria Selman
- Pre-order Nothing to Lose by Victoria Selman
- Read I, Witness by Niki Mackay
- Pre-order The Lies We Tell by Niki Mackay
- Read The Guilty Wife by Elle Croft
- Read The Other Sister by Elle Croft
Previous Episode
The Murder of Betty Gail Brown - Part 3
Episode Summary
This is the third episode where we look into the cold case of Betty Gail Brown, a university student strangled with her own bra in 1941. Her killer has never been identified, although there are plenty of strange clues surrounding Betty Gail Brown's murder. This week we discuss how we’d solve this case if we were writing it as fiction.
This episode also features a cameo appearance from Maggie - Victoria’s dog and the fourth member of Crime Girl Gang.
Show notes and links
Discuss the show on Twitter using #CrimeGirlGang
Kentucky News: https://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/fayette-county/article182486586.html
Transy Rambler: https://www.transyrambler.com/kentucky-cold-case-who-killed-betty-gail-brown/
Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/8lh4fu/unresolved_murder_who_killed_betty_gail_brown/
Betty Gail Brown's Diary Entries: https://www.kyforward.com/betty-gail-brown-cold-case-police-have-evidence-suspicions-%E2%80%94-but-no-resolution/
The Cry, BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bmkqz5
The Cry (book) by Helen Fitzgerald: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DAJ5AEY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Alex Arnold Junior's Confession: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.kybar.org/resource/resmgr/2018_convention/materials/who_killed_betty_gail_brown.pdf
Child of Rage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_of_Rage
Mary Bell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bell
Jennifer Rees: https://uk.funzing.com/users/79916
Jennifer Rees on Twitter: @JenniferRees88
Next Episode
The Somerton Man - Part 2
Episode Summary
We carry on discussing The Somerton Man case.
Lots of twists turns, and other possible spy-related deaths. This leads us off onto a tangent about spy thrillers, films, books and real life stories – please see the links below for examples of authors who write great spy thrillers.
Victoria offers her services to MI5, we discuss the best Bond and how much we all want the next one to be Gillian Anderson.
You can expect all of our next books to be spy thrillers!
Show notes and links Discuss the show on Twitter using #CrimeGirlGang
- Blog dedicated to the Tamam Shud Case: https://tamamshud.blogspot.com/
- Cipher mysteries: https://ciphermysteries.com/2017/06/10/rubaiyat-car-theory
- Reddit AMA – Professor Derek Abbott: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/2f1qt0/i_am_professor_derek_abbott_a_researcher_of_the/
- Autopsy report overview: https://www.archives.sa.gov.au/blog/%E2%80%9C-what-poison%E2%80%9D-mystery-somerton-man
- Rubaiyat - Omar Khayyam: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rub%C3%A1iy%C3%A1t-Omar-Khayy%C3%A1m-Wordsworth-Classics/dp/1853261874
- Derek Abbott marriage – Reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/3959ki/plot_twist_derek_abbott_leading_expert_on_the/
- Petition to have The Somerton Man exhumed: https://www.change.org/p/solve-the-taman-shud-mystery-by-identifying-somerton-man
- Joseph George Marshall https://omarkhayyamrubaiyat.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/why-george-marshalls-rubaiyat-is-not-a-false-imprint/
- People connected to the Taman Shud case: https://www.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/personal/dabbott/wiki/index.php/List_of_people_connected_to_the_Taman_Shud_Case
- Isdal Woman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isdal_Woman
- D.B. John - Star of the North: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07594DBPF/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
- Mick Herron: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B001JP3TOY?_encoding=UTF8&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true&rfkd=1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
- Asia Mackay - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Killing-Brilliant-funny-Hugh-Grant-ebook/dp/B0755BQPRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1549535584&sr=1-1&keywords=Asia+Mackay
- Luke Jennings: https://www.amazon.co.uk/l/B003L6XM28?_encoding=UTF8&redirectedFromKindleDbs=true&rfkd=1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
- Gillian Anderson for Bond: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/24/jane-bond-gillian-anderson-next-007-twitter
- Spooks: https://...
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