Devizes: The Confession of Constance Kent

Devizes: The Confession of Constance Kent

Author: Shane L. Waters, Wendy Cee, Gemma Hoskins February 3, 2026 Duration: 20:58

Constance Kent's confession shocked a nation still reeling from the Road Hill House murder, altering her life forever as Victorian justice loomed. In Season 37's climax, Foul Play explores the ripple effects of Constance Kent's confession which exposed Victorian society's rigidities and prompted a broader contemplation of justice. Constance lived in quiet affluence, working through societal structures until her arrest. Her life changed irreversibly when she confessed, a decision that intertwined personal conscience and family protection. Her confession sparked debates epitomizing tangible yet metaphorical shackles of Victorian society, challenging its judicial integrity and posing moral dilemmas. As investigation closed, the era demanded not just answers but an understanding of its own reflection on morality and justice, captured in intensified legal proceedings and public reaction. This episode offers a window into Constance's psyche, exploring societal constraints on women and family honor. Discover details overshadowed by past conclusions and inspect the confession's reverberations through history. Tune in for deep personal reflections and modern implications of a confession steeped in controversy and courage. Our narration weaves together investigators' demands, familial pressure, and societal judgments.



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Step back into an era of flickering gaslight and whispered secrets, where justice was often as murky as the London fog or as stark as a frontier town’s saloon. Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast exhumes long-forgotten criminal cases from the 1800s and early 1900s, meticulously piecing together stories that newspapers sensationalized and time nearly erased. Hosts Shane Waters, a veteran whose work helped shape the genre, and Wendy Cee, alongside researcher Gemma Hoskins, guide you through each meticulously researched season. They focus on a single, complete narrative, building the tension from the crime itself through the investigation and into the courtroom’s hushed drama. You’ll hear more than just the facts; you’ll get a sense of the societal pressures, the legal limitations, and the human lives entangled in each historical moment. This isn't about quick summaries-it's a deep, immersive audio experience that treats the past with the gravity it deserves. The podcast connects the dots using original documents, period accounts, and a clear-eyed analysis that separates legend from truth. It’s for anyone who wonders about the real stories lurking in the shadows of history, told with a journalist’s precision and a storyteller’s care for the victims and the complexities of their times. Listen to Foul Play for a compelling journey where every clue matters and history itself is the most important character.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Marrakesh: The Shoemaker's 36 Graves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:23
In Marrakesh, the shoemaker buried his many victims beneath his shop... This season unfolds the chilling narratives of historical serial killers worldwide. In a vibrant Marrakesh, the unassuming shoemaker, often found di…
Netherlands: Angel of Death's Many Victims [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:32
In 1880s Leiden, the 'Angel of Death's many victims lay undetected. 'Good Mary', once a beloved caretaker, was found to have... The season examines into the horrific actions of serial killers throughout history. Known to…
Finland: Matti Haapoja's Famine Murders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:19
Finland's Great Famine birthed bleak times, and amidst these shadows emerged serial killer Matti Haapoja... In dire straits, survival instincts can descend into depravity. Haapoja's crimes emerged from a backdrop of desp…
Geneva: The Poisonous Nurse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:30
On a warm June day in 1868, the vibrant streets of Geneva were struck by the nerve-chilling act of a nurse... The nurse was known for her guiding hand, yet within her grip lurked poison and peril. In Geneva's boarding ho…
Philippines: The Priest Who Killed 57 Parishioners [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:28
In 1826, a chilling discovery marred the serene backdrop of a Philippine parish. Father Juan Severino Mallari... The trusted priest of quiet parish life horrified his community. Allegations of murder, cloaked in piety an…
Australia: The 1842 Berrima Axe Murderer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:35
In February 1842, a dingo uncovered a shallow grave near Berrima. This harrowing discovery in Australian history... In the rolling hills near Berrima, the macabre find of a dingo engaged a nation. Kearns Landregan, an Ir…
India: Thug Behram and the Thuggee Stranglers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:56
In colonial India, travelers often befriended strangers on the road, never suspecting these companions were Thuggee Stranglers. Thug Behram's reign of terror makes a chilling subject for analysis of Foul Play's Season 36…
Portugal: The 1772 Foundling Wheel Killer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:28
In 18th-century Portugal, amid olive groves, a caretaker discovered a shallow grave containing an infant's body. The Foundling Wheel Killer of 1772 walks us along the tragic paths of historical serial killers in Season 3…
Jamaica: The Edinburgh Castle Mad Master [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:41
What drives a man from Scottish grace to Caribbean bloodshed? In the sun-drenched hills of Jamaica, the Edinburgh Castle Mad Master left a trail of violence. This Season 36 episode explores serial killers who left indeli…
France: La Voisin and the Poison Affair [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:43
In the glittering court of Louis XIV's France, La Voisin built a criminal empire on the dark art of poisoning. Known for the Affair of the Poisons, she became a notorious figure, weaving crime and mysticism in a tale tha…