Crime Writers On...True Crime Review

He was a notorious undertaker accused of misdeeds against the dearly departed. Did he also commit crimes against the living? We’ll talk about “The Mortician” from HBO Documentary Films.

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2025

A group of middle aged women are wooed online by a handsome guy, only to be bilked for thousands and thousands of dollars. Then they come face-to-face with the man and demand answers. We’ll talk about “Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam.”

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2025

New homes along Arizona’s mountain preserve are set ablaze. Is it the work of eco-terrorism - or something more personal? We’ll talk about the podcast “The Arsonist Next Door.”

Transcribed - Published: 9 June 2025

He set a high bar for low behavior, with a television show known for its crass sensationalism. But he was often of two minds about what he did for a living and who he wanted to be. We’ll talk about the Audible Original podcast “Final Thoughts: Jerry Springer” from Leon Neyfakh.

Transcribed - Published: 5 June 2025

Inmates at a maximum security prison attempt to give back to society by stitching customized blankets for foster children. We’ll talk about the Oscar-winning short documentary “The Quilters.”

Transcribed - Published: 2 June 2025

After his release from prison, “Suave” Gonzalez tries to navigate life on parole and his longtime friendship with a journalist. We’ll talk about season two of “Suave.”

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2025

A woman and her father are accused of beating her husband to death. They say it was self-defense - authorities say it was staged. We’ll talk about the Netflix documentary film “A Deadly American Marriage.”

Transcribed - Published: 26 May 2025

A band of British thieves plan the world’s biggest robbery: a quarter-billion dollar diamond on display inside a public arena. We’ll talk about the Netflix series “The Diamond Heist.”

Transcribed - Published: 22 May 2025

A journalist tries to evaluate whether a source on a sensitive story is reliable. What he finds is a more interesting story. We’ll talk about the Audible Original podcast “Not a Very Good Murderer” from Ronan Farrow.

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2025

After working to free an innocent man for the murder of his wife, a journalist turns his attention to the plight of the real killer. Gilbert King returns for season two of “Bone Valley.”

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2025

The daughter of a serial killer is recruited to solve his final murder and free an innocent man from death row. We’ll talk about “Happy Face” on Showtime.

Transcribed - Published: 12 May 2025

He thought his relationship with his pretty teacher was a teenage fantasy come true. Years later he realized what it actually was: sexual abuse. We’ll talk about the podcast “Lucky Boy” from Tortoise Media.

Transcribed - Published: 8 May 2025

A family suspects the little girl with dwarfism they adopted is really a woman impersonating a child. But who is the one running a con? Inspired by a curious case, we’ll talk about the Hulu series “Good American Family.”

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2025

He was one of hip hop’s biggest artists and producers, and his annual celebrity party was a can’t-miss event. But authorities say what happened after the parties was a crime. We’ll review “Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy” from 20/20 and ABC Audio.

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025

She was a glamorous influencer who convinced her followers to leave Brazil and join her in the US - only to sell them into sexual slavery. We’ll talk about the new season of the Wondery podcast “Guru: Don’t Cross Kat.”

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

A pair of gay con men work their way up from financial scams to murder. We’ll review the podcast “True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers.”

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

An eccentric detective tries to solve the murder of an usher in the living quarters of the White House. We’ll talk about the Netflix comedy-mystery series “The Residence.”

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

Police are allowed to get around standard procedures by saying one thing: their info came from a confidential informant. But those claims also can lead to abuses and fabrications. We’ll look into the corrupting influence of CIs on one Massachusetts community in the podcast “Spotlight: Snitch City” from The Boston Globe.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

For years, police searched for who was dumping bodies on NY’s Gilgo Beach. How did they nab a suspect - and how did he evade detection for so long? We’ll talk about the Netflix series “Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer.”

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025

His caretakers thought he was in a coma, but he was alert the whole time. What did they say to him when they thought he couldn’t hear them? We’ll discuss the podcast “Blink.”

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

A new crop of troubled tourists travel to Thailand to confront sex, privilege, and death. We’ll talk about season three of HBO’s “The White Lotus.”

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2025

A cop patrols Philadelphia's mean streets looking for a serial killer…and her missing sister. We’ll talk about the crime series “Long Bright River” on Peacock.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2025

Years ago he was a mob hitman. His son talks to him about his exploits…and his regrets. We’ll talk about the podcast “Crook County” from Tenderfoot TV.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2025

It’s the most thought-provoking question of the Charles Manson case: how did he convince his followers to kill on his behalf? Did he get help from LSD and a secret government program? We’ll talk about the documentary “CHAOS: The Manson Murders” from Netflix.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

A teen is accused of murdering a classmate. How does the crime affect his community and family - and their understanding of his struggles. We’ll talk about the series “Adolescence” from Netflix.

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2025

One was a YouTube mom praised for her parenting skills. The other was a life coach who promoted family values. Then - they were arrested for aggravated child abuse. We’ll talk about the Hulu docuseries “Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke.”

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

A con artist swindled Hollywood’s wealthy for hundreds of thousands of dollars, until he tried to bamboozle a former model selling tomato sauce. We’ll talk about “Once Upon a Con” from iHeartPodcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2025

A young woman’s life falls apart when she’s harassed on her phone and online. Is her professional mentor behind it? We’ll review the podcast “Stalked” from BBC Sounds.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

A serial killer took to his grave the secrets of the many bodies buried on his property. Decades later investigators want to know: did he have help? We’ll review the series “The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer.”

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2025

A woman is accused of stabbing her stepdaughter to death in a bathtub. But no physical evidence of her involvement can be found. Do police have the wrong person? We’ll talk about the podcast “Murder on Songbird Road.”

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2025

Hot on the heels of ABC's adaptation of the story, we're revisiting our 2013 review of the podcast "Scamanda."

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

She won praise, love, and lots of money from supporters touched by her battle with terminal cancer. But she was never sick. We’ll talk about ABC’s take on the hit podcast “Scamanda.”

Transcribed - Published: 3 March 2025

An unidentified body is pulled from the English Channel. How is the case tied to the hunt for one of Interpol’s most-wanted fugitives? We’ll talk about “Uncover: Sea of Lies” from CBC Podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

A young travel vlogger vanishes during a cross-country trip and her boyfriend won’t talk to police. The case sparks a national obsession. We’ll talk about the Netflix documentary series “American Murder: Gabby Petito.”

Transcribed - Published: 24 February 2025

French authorities say a mild-mannered professor now living in Ottawa was behind a 1980 bombing of a synagog. But Canadian officials aren’t so sure. We’ll talk about the podcast series “The Copernic Affair” from Canadaland.

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2025

They were the most violent organized crime operation in the Lone Star State. How did authorities topple the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas? We’ll talk about “The Takedown: American Aryans” on Max.

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2025

The man who executed IRA informers was a double agent for the British. Why did authorities turn a blind eye while he executed Irish informants to protect his own cover? We’ll talk about the podcast “Stakeknife” from BBC Sounds.

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

A podcast host investigates what role his mother’s boyfriend played in a 1995 murder - and whether it’s connected to a self-styled Satanic cult. We’ll review “Lords of Death” from Tenderfoot TV.

Transcribed - Published: 10 February 2025

A mommy vlogger’s YouTube channel took off when she documented the adoption of a boy from China. But viewers became alarmed when the child abruptly disappeared from her videos. We’ll talk about the HBO Original series “An Update on Our Family.”

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2025

Years after a woman was drugged and abducted by a mysterious doctor, she confronts her trauma by going back to the room she was held captive in. We’ll talk about the documentary “The Bunker” from Viaplay.

Transcribed - Published: 3 February 2025

An employee is gunned down after hours at a Bismarck liquor store. Who was responsible for the deadly holdup? We’ll review the latest podcast from “Dakota Spotlight: Homicide at House of Bottles.”

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

A Northern Irish doctor was known for his care of elderly patients - and for winding up in their wills. Was he responsible for more than a hundred deaths? We’ll talk about the podcast “Assume Nothing: A Deadly Diagnosis” from BBC Radio Ulster.

Transcribed - Published: 27 January 2025

A spiritual leader’s followers continue to die after putting her in their wills. We’ll talk about the podcast “Scary Terri” from Sony Music Entertainment.

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2025

When a mob hitman leaves witness protection and moves to Arizona, his son launches a drug ring, crossing horns with a pill pusher from Liverpool. We’ll talk about the Max Original documentary “Sons of Ecstasy.”

Transcribed - Published: 20 January 2025

A team of scientists and activists attempt to return the captive orca from “Free Willy” to the ocean, but doing so isn’t as easy as in the movies. We’ll discuss the podcast “The Good Whale” from Serial Productions and The New York Times.

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2025

Missing money, a meddling neighbor, a curious cop, and another vanished husband. Are the Garveys up to it again? We’ll discuss season two of Apple TV+’s “Bad Sisters.”

Transcribed - Published: 13 January 2025

A series of calamities befall a couple awaiting the birth of their twins. Is it bad luck - or something else? We’ll review the podcast “The Unborn.”

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2025

A Scotland Yard detective returns to her native Jamaica to confront her past and solve a missing persons case. We’ll talk about the HBO crime series “Get Millie Black.”

Transcribed - Published: 6 January 2025

This year, the small screen brought us deliciously wicked characters, in-depth documentaries, and several shows where truth itself was left for interpretation. We’ll each give our list for the Best TV of 2024.

Transcribed - Published: 2 January 2025

Hard hitting investigations, historical reconsiderations, whodunnits, and a bit of hysteria - there was something for everyone in our top ten lists. We’ll reveal the best podcasts of 2024.

Transcribed - Published: 30 December 2024