Crime Writers On...True Crime Review

TV producer Jodi Tovay caught a standup comedy set in Scotland that took a dark and captivating turn. Interwoven with his earnest jokes, comedian Edd Hedges told the terrifying story of how a killer struck his neighborhood - then attempted to get into his house. Years later Tovay convinced Hedges to further explore the crime that continued to haunt him. And as she learned more about what happened that night in 2015, and Hedge's place in it, she wondered how much of the entertainer's story is based in truth.From Tenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts comes “Wisecrack.” Listeners hear Hedges tell his story of mirth and murder live on stage, before the pair dig deeper into the causes behind the violence his family escaped from. With its “Baby Reindeer” echos, the series explores unreliable memories, criminal behavior, and lingering trauma. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "WISECRACK" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. Click here to donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile in Their Shoes event to benefit NH's Thrive Survivor Support Center.For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While studying in Italy, Amanda Knox and her boyfriend are arrested for the brutal murder of her British roommate. Although they convicted another man for killing Meredith Kercher, authorities also try Knox - relying on a coerced confession and compromised DNA evidence. She finds herself cartooned and slut-shamed in a Kafkaesque legal system. Despite an eventual acquittal, Knox remains vilified in the tabloids and pursued by prosecutors. Unable to fully clear her name and restart her life in America, she returns to Italy to confront the man who refuses to believe her innocence.Hulu's dramatic series “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” stars Grace Van Patten. Co-written by Knox and told largely from her point of view, the series recounts the many turns in the sensational case. It depicts its protagonist as powerless to control the events around her and her quest to reclaim her own narrative. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE TWISTED TALE OF AMANDA KNOX" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: horse collar. Click here to donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile in Their Shoes event to benefit NH's Thrive Survivor Support Center.For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

True crime fan Lizz Melgar Rose found herself in the middle of her own case. In 2012, her father Jim was murdered in his Texas home while her mother Sandy was tied up and left in a closet wedged shut by a chair. But Sandy Melgar's inability to recall details of the home invasion made police suspicious. Lizz claimed investigators never pursued other leads, including evidence of a burglary, choosing instead to believe Sandy tied her own hands behind her back and staged the crime scene. Even with no motive or evidence linking her to the brutal stabbing, prosecutors charged her with murder.iHeartPodcasts and BBC Studios present “Hands Tied.” Host Maggie Robinson Katz explores the theory that a middle-aged woman with epilepsy and arthritis could stab her husband 30 times, stay spotless, then bind herself in a closet locked from the outside. The podcast also follows Lizz's fight to prove her mother's innocence.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "HANDS TIED" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 15 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. Click here to donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile in Their Shoes event to benefit NH's Thrive Survivor Support Center.For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ashley and Albert Debelbot had just put their newborn McKenzy to bed for the first time, but hours later rushed the infant back to the hospital after finding a bump on her forehead. When she died, police concluded the parents harmed her and charged them with murder. Facing an overzealous prosecutor, a partial judge, and ineffective defense attorneys, the Debelbots spent twelve years in prison trying to clear their names. But a new legal team uncovered evidence suggesting McKenzy died from a prenatal injury, not a beating.Season 11 of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's investigative series “Breakdown: Three Days in May” looks into the Debelbots' complicated case. Hosts Bill Rankin and Tamara Stevens recount the investigative rush-to-judgment, the flawed trial, and the evidence pointing to a medical cause of the baby's death—not a criminal one.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "BREAKDOWN: THREE DAYS IN MAY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THIS EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: going nuts! Click here to donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile in Their Shoes event to benefit NH's Thrive Survivor Support Center.For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

He left his child in the backseat of a hot car. He said it was a tragic accident - the police said it was a calculated murder. We'll go back to our  May 7, 2016 discussion of “Breakdown: Death in a Hot Car" from host Bill Rankin and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Click here to donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile in Their Shoes event to benefit NH's Thrive Survivor Support Center.For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A group of pensioners at a British retirement village have an unusual hobby: they gather weekly to ponder cold cases. But when its co-owner is murdered in the midst of a business dispute over closing the Cooper Chase facility, the elderly sleuths insert themselves in the mystery. With a mix of senior citizen charm and a lifetime of hidden expertise, the Thursday Murder Club digs into the shady backgrounds and dodgy business associates of the retirement community's remaining owners. As the bodies pile up, these armchair detectives find themselves in real-world peril as they get closer to solving the mystery. Based on the hit book series, “The Thursday Murder Club” stars Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Ben Kingsley.  It brings the cozy murder trope into a quiet retirement village where the unlikely sleuths chase down a killer—and remind the world that experience, friendship, and love never grow old.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: I ain't saying she a gold digger™ For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many feared their lives would be forever altered after New Years 2000. For some, it was - just not in the ways they thought. We'll go back to our Dec 10, 2018 review of “Headlong: Surviving Y2K” from Dan Taberski.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "HEADLONG: SURVIVING Y2K" BEGIN IN THE FINAL SIX MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thirteen-year-old Lauryn thought the cruel texts about her and her boyfriend were just another case of teenage cyberbullying. But the messages didn't stop. They escalated, becoming more vicious, graphic, and relentless. Everyone had a theory. Parents blamed classmates. Teachers suspected students. Police hit dead ends. Then a digital breadcrumb buried deep in the texts exposed the last person anyone expected.From Netflix and the director of “Abducted in Plain Sight” comes “Unknown Number: A High School Catfish,” a chilling dive into digital deception. Teen victims, shattered families, and stunned investigators retrace the damage. We also hear from the catfish, allowing the audience to draw their own conclusions about their actions and motives.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "UNKNOWN NUMBER" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: A Dark Knight's sleep. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Three neighbors put their true crime fandom to the test in a real life mystery. But they won't solve just any crime…only murders in the building. We go back to our September 6, 2021 review of season one of the Hulu classic starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selina Gomez, "Only Murders in the Building."OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING" BEGIN IN THE FINAL SEVEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

At a Chicago hospital, labor-and-delivery nurse Clara Hochhäuser prepared to give birth to her own set of twins. But during her Caesarian section, her epidural never kicked in, subjecting her to feel the pain of the entire procedure. Despite her cries of agony, her own colleagues downplayed her suffering as routine discomfort. The incident forced an obstetric anesthetist to realize Clara's experience was not uncommon. Not only do the pain medications fail in a significant number of C-sections, but doctors often dismiss patients' complaints as anxiety or over-reactions. It set her on a crusade to change the way her profession perceives and addresses women's pain. In season two of “The Retrievals” from Serial Productions and The New York Times, host Susan Burton explores the under-reported horror of unmedicated C-sections and exposing how institutional neglect and cultural silence continue to shape the way women experience birth. It also follows the quest for systemic change in medical attitudes and procedures for dealing with women's pain.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE RETRIEVALS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: Don't play it again, Sam. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

He forced a standoff with the federal government over grazing rights, then gave the world a peek into his follower's radical vision for America. We'll revisit our August 3, 2018 review of season 1 of Bundyville from Longreads, Oregon Public Broadcasting and host Leah Sottile. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "BUNDYVILLE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In 1991, four teenage girls were found murdered inside a frozen yogurt store in Austin, Texas. The building had been set on fire, and the crime scene was compromised by the blaze. With no clear motive and little physical evidence, investigators struggled to make sense of what had happened. Years later, after coercive police interviews, a group of men pointed fingers at each other about the crime. Though their stories didn't completely match, two were convicted and one of them sent to death row. But their convictions were overturned, and new DNA evidence pointed to an unknown suspect. The case remains unresolved, leaving investigators and relatives to wonder what went wrong.From HBO Documentary Films comes “The Yogurt Shop Murders.” The series digs into the twists and turns of the homicide investigation. It also spends considerable time exploring the emotional toll the case has had on the accused, the grieving family members, and the detectives trying to get justice.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE YOGURT SHOP MURDERS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: well done. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

A Chicago accountant flees to the backwoods to launder money and pay his debt to a Mexican drug cartel. We'll revisit our August 18, 2017 review of season one of the crime-thriller classic “Ozark.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "OZARK" BEGIN IN THE FINAL FOUR MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Leaving their troubled past in New England behind, Sophie O'Neil's family moves to Texas, where she's invited into a friend circle of rich wives. The bougie ladies enjoy couture fashion, boozy brunches, and shooting rifles in the woods. Sophie's connection to group leader Margo Banks grows intense, stirring something more than friendship. As Margo's oil magnate husband plans to run for governor, the sheriff is dealing with two violent crimes. Sophie's secret life becomes entwined in a murder investigation. As the walls close in, Sophie finds she's not the only one willing to hide their secrets.The buzzy Netflix series “The Hunting Wives” stars Brittany Snow, Malin Åkerman, and Dermot Mulroney. It attempts to mix scandal, suspense, and obsession, all while serving up soapy mystery and plenty of skin.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE HUNTING WIVES" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. In Crime of the Week: whole lotta faking goin' on. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

A journalist investigates an unsolved murder along Canada's infamous Highway of Tears…and sheds light on an overlooked epidemic of violence against Indigenous women. We're going back to our December 2, 2016 review of the CBC's groundbreaking podcast “Missing and Murdered” with host Connie Walker.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "MISSING AND MURDERED" BEGIN IN THE FINAL FOUR MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Fire investigator Dave Gudsen is assigned a new partner to help capture two arsonists. One has been setting fires with milk jugs filled with gasoline and grease. The other has been taunting officials with a delayed-ignition device that's burning grocery stores. Dave draws on his experience to write a novel about a heroic arson investigator with unusual insight into his suspect's mind. To Detective Michelle Calderone, the book reads more like a confession. She begins to wonder whether her partner's uncanny ability to pinpoint these fires' origins is because he's been setting them himself.Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett star in the Apple TV+ series “Smoke,” inspired by the podcast “Firebug.” The show also features Greg Kinnear, John Leguizamo, and Anna Chlumsky. As Dave closes in on the other arsonist he's hunting, Michelle secretly collects evidence to learn whether the smoke surrounding her partner will lead to actual fire.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SMOKE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: milkin' it. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

She raised millions of dollars to build a machine that could conduct dozens of diagnostic tests from a single drop of blood…but it was all a lie. We'll return to our Feb 11, 2019 review of the biotech-con podcast “The Dropout.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE DROPOUT" BEGIN IN THE FINAL FOUR MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In the 1990s, Teen Mania Ministries aimed to compete with pop culture influences and reach Christian youth with rock concert-like worship events and international mission trips. The program became a pipeline for the Honor Academy, a religious education facility built on a curriculum of fundamentalist beliefs and unquestioning obedience. Founder Ron Luce aligned his group with conservative political organizations looking to create the next generation of evangelical Americans.  But his program would soon take on a militaristic tone, putting teens through brutal boot camps, glorifying martyrdom, and building an army of actual cultural warriors.“Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War” is season two of the hit series on Prime Video. Producers pivot away from the drama around reality TV family the Duggars and focus on the rise and fall of Teen Mania. It features alumni recounting how their membership went from joyful engagement to physical and spiritual abuse.  It also shows how the youth program fits into a larger political crusade to reshape the nation according to fundamentalist Christian values.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE: A TEENAGE HOLY WAR" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: fresh, baked pizza. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

He was a colorful showman who ran a sketchy zoo filled with big cats. She was the animal activist dogged by murder rumors who wanted to shut him down. That's when Joe tried to have Carole killed. We'll revisit our March 30, 2020 review of the series that changed pandemic television habits: Netflix's “Tiger King.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "TIGER KING" BEGIN IN THE FINAL SIX MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In 1995, morning TV anchor Jodi Huisentruit was abducted from the parking lot of her Mason City, Iowa apartment. Among those the police questioned was her friend John Vansice who said she'd been at his home watching a videotape of the surprise party he recently threw for her. After a TV show in 2022 highlighted the mystery, Jodi's best friend said the sketch of a suspect looked like her ex-husband, who'd also been fixated on Jodi. A cold case detective refocused his investigation on Brad Millerbernd, even searching a plot of land where the victim could have been buried.The three-part series from ABC News Studios “Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit,” now on Hulu, follows an investigator as he examines four potential suspects, including a serial rapist and a serial killer. Instead of re-hashing the past investigation, viewers follow Detective Terrance Prochaska as he picks up the fresh lead, interrogates a new suspect, and sends cadaver dogs to a potential burial site.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "HER LAST BROADCAST" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: caught like a mouse. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

A Mississippi man sits on death row for decades after being tried six times for a quadruple murder. But an investigative team uncovers evidence he didn't do it. We'll go back to our May 11, 2018 review of probably the best true crime podcast of all time: season two of “In the Dark.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "IN THE DARK" BEGIN IN THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Devon DeWitt ventures to a seaside estate to collect her estranged sister, now the indispensable personal assistant to an idiosyncratic socialite. She finds Simone has changed her image, and her presence on the island threatens to upend the new persona Simone has crafted. Devon disrupts plans for Kiki Kell's annual summer gala, pleading with Simone to return home and care for their ill father. But she finds Kiki's influence on her sister and the island's high-society ladies strangely cult-like, and rumors swirl about why the billionaire's first wife is unaccounted for.The Netflix comedy-drama “Sirens” features Emmy nominee Meghann Fahy, Julianne Moore, and Kevin Bacon. Filled with lavish settings and costuming, the tone of the series veers from farcical to deeply dark as the story explores themes of class, power, and trauma.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SIRENS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: pain in the grass. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

A punk rocker is shot in 1982, then his body disappears. A journalist explores whether their mother's claims of a cover-up are true. We'll go back to our April 15, 2019 review of the classic podcast series “The Ballad of Billy Balls.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE BALLAD OF BILLY BALLS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL SIX MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

When teenage Abbi finds herself pregnant, her parents pressure her to go to a maternity home run by Liberty University. There, she's promised free medical care, college tuition, and counseling on whether to keep her baby or give it up for adoption to a Christian family. But once at the facility, Abbi feels controlled and cut off from her boyfriend - and starts reconsidering her adoption plans. She finds that in the Liberty Godparent Home, keeping her baby is not an offered choice.The Wondery podcast “Liberty Lost” tells the story of women who sought help for their unplanned pregnancies, only to feel coerced into adoptions. Journalist T.J. Raphael explores the resurgence of religious-based maternity homes in a post-Roe world, whether laws there are being broken, and the emotional toll on young mothers and fathers told God believes they don't deserve to be parents. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "LIBERTY LOST" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: snakes on a plane. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Investigative reporters journey into the darkest part of the dark web in pursuit of a child pornographer. We'll go back to our November 25, 2019 review of “Hunting Warhead” from CBC Podcasts and Norwegian newspaper VG.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "HUNTING WARHEAD" BEGIN IN THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

The 1991 trans culture documentary “Paris is Burning” featured Venus Xtravaganza, a vogue performer who was murdered before the film premiered. Decades later, the Pellagatti family embark on a journey to solve her death while learning more about the way she lived her life.  Her brothers take up the unfinished business of legally changing Venus's name and closing her cold case. But are they ready to hear that their loving acceptance of their sister might have been far too late for her. Now on Netflix, the documentary film “I'm Your Venus” explores the themes of trans visibility, chosen family, and loss. It follows the Pellagattis as they try to get justice and acceptance for their lost sister. It also features her ballroom family - the House of Xtravaganza - as they seek recognition for the trailblazing performer they called their own.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "I'M YOUR VENUS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 15 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Who's ready for a “number two”? America's favorite true crime teenagers return to investigate who is the Turd Burglar? We'll go back to October 7, 2018 for a classic rewind to our review of season two to the Peabody Award-winning comedy series “American Vandal.”OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "AMERICAN VANDAL" SEASON TWO BEGIN IN THE FINAL FIVE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Max travels from the Philippines to Thailand to take a high-paying job at a casino. But when he arrives, he's instead taken to a camp in the jungles of Myanmar and put to work in a call center running phone scams across the globe. His sister Charlie learns the only way to get him home is also to work for the syndicate.  In order to meet Max's quota, his brother joins the labor camp while Charlie tricks new recruits into the scam factory. With the hope of rescue slim, they're left with few options to win Max's freedom - either negotiate an impossible financial settlement or flee from armed guards into the wilderness. The Wondery podcast “Scam Factory” takes us inside the most dangerous call center in the world. Host Denise Chan tells Charlie's story of high-stakes fraud and moral dilemmas. It also features interviews with her victims conned into forced labor. It asks the question: how far would you go to save a loved one?OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SCAM FACTORY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: Scooby-Doo, where are  you? For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In 1989, Canadian serial killer Clifford Olson initiated contact with two journalists, sparking a series of recorded phone calls. Peter Worthington and Arlene Bynon aimed to unravel the psychology of a man who not only murdered eleven children but also persuaded the government to pay him $100,000 in exchange for the locations of their bodies. Suspecting there may be more unidentified victims in the US and Canada, the reporters spent years secretly talking with Olson, learning his M.O. and picking apart his inconsistencies. They learned he was charming, confident, and even from behind bars he was dangerous.“Calls from a Killer” is the latest season from CBC's “Uncover.” Worthington's grandson teams with Bynon to rewind the secret tapes and revisit their investigation into Olson. In addition to interviews with investigators and his victims' loved ones, the podcast leans heavily on Bynon's recordings of her conversations with the serial killer.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "UNCOVER: CALLS FROM A KILLER" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In the 80s and 90s, athletes on the Ohio State wrestling team said Doctor Richard Strauss fondled them during physical exams and insinuated himself into their showers. His behavior seemed common knowledge among players and coaches, and the few complaints that were made were brushed aside by the school. Decades later, former athletes from different sports came forward with allegations of Strauss's abuse. University officials claimed to take the scandal seriously, but have tried to limit their liability. And victims remain frustrated that a powerful congressman, who had been an assistant coach, now says he was unaware the team doctor was a predator.The HBO Original documentary “Surviving Ohio State” looks at the case of Doctor Richard Strauss and how he was able to prey on students with impunity for years. It shows the ways The Ohio State University brushed aside concerns then, and how it downplays the impact today. It also focuses on efforts to get answers from firebrand politician Jim Jordan about what he really knew.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SURVIVING OHIO STATE" IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: Double trouble. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

When Ty'Rique Riley died after a brief stay in the Dauphin County Prison, his family blamed guards who beat and pepper sprayed him with a bag over his head. But the county coroner, best known for his embellished true crime TV show, declared the 29-year-old's death a routine medical incident. It was just the latest in a string of inmate deaths at the jail for which neither guards nor medical staff had been held accountable. As investigative journalists turned up the heat on county officials, outsiders ran for elective office with promises of reform. Both met stiff resistance from a system built on protecting a brutal status-quo.From Wondery and Penn Live comes the podcast “Death County, PA.” Host Josh Vaughn recounts his multi-year investigation into the prison and those who ran it with an iron hand. It also profiles the unlikely citizens who campaigned to change conditions inside the state's most notorious corrections facility.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "DEATH COUNTY, PA" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 12 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Crusading magazine publisher Chloe Taylor discovers her husband Adam murdered on the floor of their Hamptons beach house. As suspicion turns to their teenage son Ethan, Chloe is reunited with her troubled sister Nicky, who has spent years battling addiction. But their family secret is revealed: before Chloe married Adam, he was married to Nicky and Ethan is her biological son. Is the murder related to Chloe's online stalker, Adam's legal work with a shadowy syndicate, or something more personal?Based on the bestselling book, Jessica Beil and Elizabeth Banks team up in “The Better Sister” from Prime. The estranged siblings attempt to navigate their family drama and personal demons to solve the case and exonerate the child they both consider their own.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE BETTER SISTER" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: rocky road. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Returning to the Edinburgh police after surviving a shooting, detective Carl Morck reluctantly takes a new assignment: re-investigate cold cases. He takes up the search for a homicide prosecutor who four years earlier disappeared from a ferry while traveling with her non-verbal brother. With the help of other misfit investigators, Morck digs into Merritt Lingard's family, her enemies, her connections to a muckraking journalist and the powerful man she tried for murder. But the questions remain: is she alive, and if so, where would she be?Matthew Goode and Chloe Pirrie star in “Dept. Q” from Netflix. The nine episode series follows Morck's cold case investigation, his complicated home life, and the emotional fallout from his own shooting. Can this damaged detective locate the victim…and find himself in the process?OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "DEPT. Q" BEGIN IN THE FINAL EIGHT MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In the 1980s, David Sconce took over the family funeral home business and expanded it to offer crematory services. But questions were raised among industry rivals over how Sconce was able to cremate the amount of remains he did. Authorities learned Sconce was not only commingling bodies in the chamber, but also robbed families of their loved one's valuables - and worse. As the revelations came to light, attention shifted to how Sconce was said to deal with his competitors.The HBO Documentary Film “The Mortician” digs into the scandal that rocked the funeral home industry and shocked the public. It features interviews with Sconce, investigators, and grieving family members whose trust he betrayed.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE MORTICIAN" BEGIN IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: fake ID. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Three older women fell in love online with the same handsome man who popped up in their feeds. Using different names and cover stories, the Romeo scammed them for thousands of dollars, then disappeared. With broken hearts and empty pockets, the women scoured the internet looking for the man who ripped them off. But when they find him in Los Angeles they learn he's a victim of the scam too.From ABC News Studios and Anchor Entertainment, the three part series “Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam” is now streaming on Hulu. The show recounts the ways each of the women were charmed and cheated and their unlikely connection to an unsuspecting makeup artist. It also follows the pursuit of the international networks of swindlers who have literally written the book on this kind of scam.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "HEY BEAUTIFUL: ANATOMY OF A ROMANCE SCAM" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 9 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In 2000, a series of luxury homes built on the edge of a Phoenix mountain preserve were set ablaze. Graffiti left at the scene hinted that the fires were the work of eco-terrorists taking a stand against new construction and residential development. After a bombshell newspaper interview with the arsonist shook the investigation, police lured a potential suspect into a trap. He was known as an upstanding citizen, but cops enlisted the help of his best friend to get a confession.From Sony Music Entertainment and Novel Audio comes “The Arsonist Next Door.” “Emerald Triangle” host Sam Anderson talks to keep players in the 2000 hunt for the firebug. He also searches for the real motivation for the fires - one more personal than political.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE ARSONIST NEXT DOOR" BEGIN IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: trunk club. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Jerry Springer and his titular TV show became synonymous with trash entertainment, serving up daily episodes of sensational confrontations and bad behavior. But the host began his public life as a progressive local politician whose career was nearly derailed by a sex scandal. After a stint as a Cincinnati anchorman, Springer became one among a crowded field of new daytime talk shows. His program rose to the top, with its uniquely crude style of on-camera confrontations. Though it made him famous, Springer seemed indifferent to the show that bore his name…wishing to distance himself from its outlandish legacy and achieve something more positive.    In the Audible Original and Prologue Projects podcast series “Final Thoughts: Jerry Springer,” host Leon Neyfakh recounts Springer's unlikely journey from immigrant to politician to ring master in television's trashiest show. It takes a nuanced look at the man and whether his program created - or merely reflected - a corroding culture of misbehavior, spectacle, and cruelty.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "FINAL THOUGHTS: JERRY SPRINGER" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

At a maximum security prison in Licking, MO, a select group of inmates take part in a restorative justice program in which they make quilts for foster children. The incarcerated men work in a special sewing room, using donated material to make the intricate, customized blankets. In this quiet setting, the men support each other as they craft quilts of surprising artistry. Several say the project is more than an activity - it provides them an opportunity to atone for their crimes and give back to the community.Academy Award winner for Best Short Documentary, “The Quilters,” is now streaming on Netflix. The film takes us inside the South Central Corrections Center. We see the quilters take pride in their work and their contributions to children in need, all while processing their own struggles through the restorative power of art.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE QUILTERS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: hot spot. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Seven years after his release, former juvenile lifer David Luis “Suave” Gonzalez is thriving as an inmate advocate and emerging podcaster. But despite his successes, he struggles with his new reality of supervised freedom and time lost in prison.  Journalist Maria Hinojosa also attempts to balance her often-fraught relationship with a longtime friend who's also her interview subject.  Meanwhile, as Suave grows personally and professionally, he grapples with situations that could send him back to prison.After a Pulitzer Prize win for season one, Futuro Media's “Suave” returns for a second season. This time, Suave wrestles with the complexity of freedom and lifetime supervision, all while searching for love, success, and a renewed sense of identity. It also follows Maria's attempts to nurture Suave, though tensions about their connection grow.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SUAVE" SEASON TWO BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Jason Corbett was the widowed father of two young children when he began a relationship with his American au pair, Molly Martens. They moved from Ireland to North Carolina to start a new life. But it came to a violent end after Molly and her father killed Jason with a baseball bat and a brick, claiming self-defense. As authorities charged the pair with murder, the Corbett family said the attack was premeditated, accusing Molly of trying to obtain custody of Jason's kids. But when the Martens received a new trial, both sides said the true story of the marriage had yet to be revealed. The Netflix documentary film “A Deadly American Marriage” recounts the troubling 2015 case and its dueling narratives of who was the actual aggressor. It explores issues around domestic violence, unreliable testimony, and imperfect victims. It also focuses on Corbett's children, now teenagers living in Ireland, as they deal with their lingering trauma.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "A DEADLY AMERICAN MARRIAGE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: once, bitten. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In 2000, a group of career criminals known for their audacious heists gets recruited for what would be the biggest robbery in history. Lee Wenham and his crew draw up a plan to steal the world's largest diamond on display for the public at London's Millennium Dome.   As the thieves work out how to thwart guards, vaults, and impregnable glass, an elite police unit has been monitoring their plans. While the so-called Flying Squad has clocked elements of the bandits' scheme, it won't be until the day of the heist when they learn how it all fits together.Netflix's “The Diamond Heist” recounts the daring daylight caper to steal the 203-carat, £200-million Millennium Star. Produced by movie director Guy Ritchie, the three-part series is high on action film pace and style. We hear from both the cops and robbers involved, who tell their stories and take part in the re-enactments. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE DIAMOND HEIST" BEGIN IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

While writing his latest #MeToo-related story, Ronan Farrow reaches out to a wealthy and histrionic aging beauty queen who's made allegations against a powerful politician. As he tries to decide whether CeCe Doane is a credible source, he learns the woman is connected to a jewel heist, an arson, and murder attempts on two husbands. Intrigued by the colorful figure, Farrow switches his focus to CeCe's life story and the cold cases attached to her. What he discovers is a complicated woman shaped by drama of her own making, whose truths don't neatly fit with reality.From Audible Original and Neon Hum comes “Not a Very Good Murderer.” Farrow combines true crime and character study as he tries to learn what's real and what CeCe wants him to think is real. What begins as an exercise in journalistic due diligence turns into an exploration of nefarious deeds, substance abuse, family dysfunction, and political extremism.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "NOT A VERY GOOD MURDERER" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: roo'd awakening.  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

When Jeremy Scott confessed that he - and not Leo Schofield - murdered Michelle Schofield in 1987, the state of Florida refused to believe him. Journalist Gilbert King's quest to exonerate Leo drew him closer into Jeremy's background and the family who drifted away from him. Convinced the key to clearing Leo's name included proving Jeremy's involvement in a separate unsolved murder, King doubled down on his investigation, turning up new leads. But the effort brought King new understanding of the convict as he takes stock of his life and contemplates the consequences of his actions. In season two of the critically acclaimed podcast series “Bone Valley” from  Lava for Good and Signal Co. 1, King focuses on the man responsible for Leo's wrongful conviction and develops an unlikely connection. He also works as a kind of advocate for Jeremy, working to set the record straight about his many crimes and do right by the many people he's hurt - including Leo Schofield.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "BONE VALLEY" SEASON TWO BEGIN IN THE FINAL TEN MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

TV make-up artist Melissa Reed is trying to keep a family secret: her father is the infamous Happy Face Killer. But Keith Hunter Jesperson lures her back into his life with a startling confession: a man in Texas is about to be executed for a murder he committed.  Melissa and a TV producer look for evidence Jesperson killed Heather Richmond to exonerate her boyfriend, Elijah. While those around the Reed family grow increasingly fascinated by their ties to a serial killer, Melissa struggles with what the crimes of her father say about her.Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid star in “Happy Face” from Showtime and Paramount +. The series is inspired by the podcast of the same name, but takes its reimagined characters into a fictional murder mystery. It also attempts to make a statement about our attraction to true crime and the lingering trauma of victims and their families.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF SHOWTIME'S "HAPPY FACE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 9 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: I'm a sucker for you. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

When he was 14, “Gareth” began a sexual relationship with his attractive science teacher at his North London school. Students spread rumors and adults minimized the gravity of the relationship, saying Gareth had lived out every teen's fantasy of sleeping with an older woman. After struggling with his emotions and mental health for thirty-five years, Gareth came to realize Sally-Anne Bowen wasn't his girlfriend - she was his abuser. But his quest to get justice is hampered by those who don't view him as the victim of teen sexual abuse, but as a lucky boy.The four-part podcast “Lucky Boy” from Tortoise Media explores how the explicit encounters began, the consequences of their discovery, and Gareth's attempts to make sense of his life. Host Chloe Hadjimatheou searches for other victims of Bowen while asking why our perception of sexual abuse is different when the perpetrator is an alluring woman and the victim is an adolescent boy. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "LUCKY BOY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE PODCAST. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

The Barnett family agrees to a hasty adoption of a seven-year-old girl from Ukraine who has dwarfism and other disabilities. But her paperwork is suspiciously incomplete, and Kristine and Michael grow worried about Natalia Grace's menacing behavior. They come to a shocking conclusion: she's really an adult impersonating a child. After a court “re-ages” her, the Barnett's move Natalia into her own apartment where she seems ill-equipped to live on her own. Then a cop suspects the real scammers may be the Barnetts, who found an elaborate way to dump a special needs child they didn't want to care for.   Ellen Pompeo, Mark Duplass, and Imogen Faith Reid star in Hulu's “Good American Family,” inspired by the story behind the documentary “The Curious Case of Natalia Grace.” The scripted series shifts from quasi-horror film to emotional drama, leaving viewers to ponder the motives of who is lying about Natalia's true identity and the horrifying implications of that lie for the people involved. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "GOOD AMERICAN FAMILY" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: Baby, you can steal my car. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

The celebrity event of the year was the White Party, where stars would gather at the East Hampton mansion of hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. But when most of the crowd went home, others would stay for what Combs called the “freak-off,” a drug-fueled sex party secretly filmed for the musician's benefit. When his longtime girlfriend, the singer Cassie, sued him for rape, Diddy quickly settled the case. But details in the filings piqued the interest of authorities, who began to investigate whether his many private parties were consensual soirees or illegal sex trafficking.From 20/20 and ABC Audio comes “Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy.” Host Brian Buckmire recounts how Combs went from hip hop star to defendant. The six episodes is a prologue to the podcast's plans for twice a week episodes once Combs goes on trial for sex trafficking, kidnapping, bribery, and arson. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "BAD RAP" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

While living in Canada, Desirrê becomes a follower of Kat Torres, a fellow Brazilian and online life coach. The social media star says she has mystical powers and dispenses advice to her audience. But as Kat's influence over Desirrê grows, her friend Paty notices changes in her behavior. Years later, Paty learns Desirrê is among several women who've left their life behind to move to the US with Kat. And as the influencer's behavior grows more bizarre, she forces Desirrê and others around her into prostitution. Season two of the Wondery podcast “Guru: Don't Cross Kat” recounts the rise and fall of Kat Torres, from model to life coach to international sex trafficker. Brazilian journalist Chico Felitti updates his Portuguese language podcast on the case, interviewing people on two continents to explain how one glamorous influencer could go so far to control her followers.  OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "DON'T CROSS KAT" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: coming around the home stretch. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

Party boy Danny Garcia was a con artist who drained the bank accounts of his friends and lovers. Kaushal Niroula passed himself off as a member of the Nepalese royal family. Together they posed as bankers, art dealers, and real estate developers to dupe investors, each scam more outrageous than the last.  When the so-called “Gay Grifters” set their sights on Palm Springs socialite Cliff Lambert, they graduated from fraud to bloodshed. They drained Lambert's accounts and liquidated his property after killing him in his own home.“True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers” traces Niroula and Garcia's journey from con men to killers. Hosts Kim Kanter and Julie Golden recount their increasingly audacious swindles and the one crime they couldn't trick their way out of. OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "AMERICAN HUSTLERS" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

When the body of the chief usher is discovered in the living quarters of the White House during a state dinner, the responsibility of investigating the crime falls to the world's greatest detective. Cordelia Cupp orders that neither the staff nor the prestigious guests may leave the building until she uncovers who killed A.B. Wynter. The quirky sleuth soon discovers that nothing is as it seems. Shifting clues and peculiar evidence reveal that many of the staff he supervised, as well as members of the President's family he attended to, had reasons to want the prickly chief usher gone.Emmy winner Uzo Aduba, Randall Park, and Giancarlo Esposito star in Netflix's comedy murder mystery “The Residence.” Filled with offbeat characters and shifting timelines, this whodunnit invites viewers to untangle a web of secrets hidden behind the scenes in the Executive Mansion.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE RESIDENCE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 13 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.In Crime of the Week: fowl mouth. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.

In the war on drugs, police rely heavily on confidential informants, because citing a CI empowers them to use tactics with less oversight and fewer guardrails. But the practice is rife with abuse, allowing them to skirt civil liberties on the word of snitches who might not even exist.   The problem is pronounced in the historic fishing town of New Bedford, MA. Investigative reporters have identified many instances where cops used the CI system to make dubious arrests, rip off dealers, and avoid accountability. It found that one of the biggest users of these shady tactics has long evaded culpability - and today is the city's police chief.From The Boston Globe's vaunted investigative unit, “Spotlight: Snitch City” uncovers the murky world of informant-based law enforcement and its history in one community. Host Dugan Arnett talks to former New Bedford officers and CIs about misuse of the system. It also uncovers evidence of questionable behavior by Paul Oliveira, who built his career using snitches and is now head of the department.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "SPOTLIGHT: SNITCH CITY" IN THE FINAL NINE MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.  For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.