49: Prophetic Dreams pt.1: Little Red Lie

Apr 17, 2024

3 min read

Updated: May 1, 2025

In this chilling episode, Maia Warner and Grant Thomas dig into the twisted tale of Maria Martin—a young woman whose secret romance ended in betrayal, murder, and a shallow grave beneath the floorboards of a crumbling Suffolk barn. Set in 1827 and powered by prophetic dreams, shady love letters, and a suspiciously well-timed disappearance, this true crime saga has it all: scandal, séance vibes, and a stepmother with psychic accuracy. From the trial that captivated England to the grotesque public displays that followed William Corder’s execution, we’re serving up courtroom drama, creepy details, and a haunting reminder that sometimes your gut (or your dreams) knows more than the law. Join us as Maia explains a Little Red Lie and the Red Barn Murder.

Chapters/Key takeaways to listen for

[00:00:00] Catch-Up
[00:18:58] Little Red Lie
[00:25:00] First Secret Romance: A four-year courtship with tenant-farmer
[00:31:00] Second Chance … Sort Of: Enter Peter Matthew, another clandestine affair, reliable child-support checks
[00:36:28] Foxy Returns: “The Fox” comes home from London
[00:55:30] Dreams & Discovery: Vivid nightmares of a murder in the Red Barn
[01:08:54] London Arrest: William’s capture at his new wife Mary Moore’s boarding house
[01:19:10] Sensational Trial: Nine charges from shooting to forgery
[01:36:28] Public Execution & Dissection: August 11, 1828 hanging before thousands
[02:10:10] Aftermath & Souvenir Mania: The Red Barn burns in 1847

Images Referenced:

The Red Barn - Public Domain (Owlcation)

Illustration of Maria Marten - Public Domain (Owlcation)	Illustration of William Corder - Library of Congress
The Title of the Book about the Trial - Public Domain	William's "Lonely Hearts" Advertisement - Public Domain
The Iconic Response to William's Ad - Public Domain (both photos above)	William's Execution - Public Domain (Owlcation)

The Book Bound in William's Skin - Wikimedia Commons

Quotes

"She's going to this barn to basically run away with a man. Yep, maybe that's not love" - Grant Thomas
“Men will literally freeze to death before they support their ex-girlfriends.” - Grant Thomas
"Men will literally do whatever this was instead of going to therapy" - Maia Warner
"Men will literally murder someone instead of communicate" - Maia Warner

Connect with Us

Love a good laugh? Stay in the loop with the Well, I Laughed Podcast! Hit up wellilaughed.com for all the fun, throw some love our way on Patreon at https://patreon.com/WellILaughedPodcast, and send us your wildest listener stories at wellilaughedpod@gmail.com—because let’s be real, we know you’ve got some!