A mysterious woman. A body burned beyond recognition. Two suitcases full of disguises, foreign currency and coded notebooks. And absolutely no idea who she really was.
In this episode of Killers, Cults & Queens, Nikki and Cheryl investigate one of Norway's most baffling unsolved mysteries: the case of the Isdal Woman.
It's November 1970, and a family hiking through the remote Isdalen Valley near Bergen, Norway, stumble across something horrifying. Nestled among the rocks is the badly burned body of a woman. Her face has been destroyed by fire, her clothes have almost entirely disappeared, and there is very little to help investigators establish who she was or how she ended up dead in such an isolated location.
But things get even stranger...
As detectives begin examining the scene, they discover that identifying labels have been deliberately removed from almost everything surrounding her. Her clothing, belongings and even the items in her luggage have been stripped of anything that might reveal where they came from.
Then, just days after her body is discovered, two suitcases are found abandoned in a locker at Bergen railway station. Inside are wigs, cosmetics, foreign currency, European road maps and notebooks containing what appears to be coded writing.
Who was this woman? Why was she travelling with disguises and multiple currencies? Was she deliberately concealing her identity, and what could she possibly have been running from? Was this a tragic accident, murder, or something altogether more mysterious?
Join Nikki and Cheryl as they begin piecing together the extraordinary story of the Isdal Woman, one of Europe's most fascinating unidentified-person cases.
And don't get too comfortable, because we're only just getting started. Part Two continues on Thursday.
👑 Hosted by Cheryl The Queen and Nikki Druce.
Got a theory? Been lost in a rabbit hole? We want to hear from YOU! Email killerscultsqueens@gmail.com to get in touch, or DM us @killerscultsqueens on Instagram. And follow Cheryl @cheryldragqueen and Nikki Druce @nikkimacabrelondon.
For sponsorship, press or collaboration enquiries please email killerscultsqueens@gmail.com
If you have been affected by any of the themes in this episode, please consider contacting the following resources:
The Samaritans helpline: 116 123
Confidential Emotional Support Line: 01708 765200
Hope Not Hate: 020 7952 1181
Exit UK: 0800 999 1945
Safeline national male survivor helpline: 0808 800 5005
Sexual Assault Support Line: 01708 765200
Sane mental health line: 0300 304 7000
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