In Serial episode 3 , "Misdemeanor, Meet Mr. Lawsuit," Sarah looks into the issue of how the police interact with the African-American population in their communities. A large topic writ small through the story of one arrest in a hallway. Which one of the crime writers says this is the best single episode of Serial ever? Then the panel discuss the new CBC podcast Uncover: Escaping NXIVM . The distinctive Canadian presentation style takes on an alleged sex cult. (Want to skip to our spoiler-free ...
Oct 01, 2018•1 hr 19 min
Get ready for the best discussion and analysis of the Serial podcast . Sarah Koenig is back for season 3 (finally!) - Along with Emmanuel Dzotsi, Sarah gives us a year in the life of the Cleveland Justice Center. For episode one, "A Bar Fight Walks into the Justice Center," the crime writers discuss whether the lesson is about prosecutorial discretion...or about race? In episode two, "You've Got Some Gauls," we can't even with Judge Gaul. But does he have a point? (Spoiler alert - he does not.) ...
Sep 24, 2018•1 hr 19 min
Weekly episodes of "Crime Writers On" have returned! And so has " Serial !" For season 3, Sarah K and Co. will look at the justice system from the inside: embedding themselves in a criminal courthouse in Cleveland. Note: for the duration of Serial's run, episodes of CWO will drop on Mondays instead of Fridays. Netflix’s hit crime show " Ozark " is back with a second season. The drama starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney combines white collar crime and redneck gothic. Is it as good as its debu...
Sep 13, 2018•1 hr 12 min
Wow, we've got more true crime than you can shake a stick at! This time out we talk about Kim Kardashian's new-found love of "Serial," the latest court filings in Adnan Syed's appeal, and the Facebook meltdown over " My Favorite Murder ." The panel give first takes and final thoughts on shows like " Sharp Objects ," " Up and Vanished ," and " Fatal Voyage ." And there's cool stuff to look forward to with TV debuts of " My Dad Wrote a Porno " and " American Vandal " season two. TO AVOID SPOILERS ...
Aug 31, 2018•1 hr 22 min
In the world of true crime updates, Irish authorities have issued a new report on police conduct in the West Cork case. Speaking of podcasts from Audible, what's happened to their podcast division? Rebecca gives a plug for her new project, Bear Brook , which will be debuting from NHPR next month. Also, has horror author Joe Hill solved the 1974 mystery of the "Woman in the Dunes" by watching "Jaws"? Speaking of Joe Hill, his father (Stephen King) has a new show on Hulu. Castle Rock is the creepy...
Aug 16, 2018•1 hr 12 min
On our off week, the Crime Writers got together face-to-face for the first time in ages. We're back with lots to talk about. This includes the latest " In the Dark "-related court filings in the Curtis Flowers case, the passing of a troubled ex-prosecutor featured in "The Staircase," and one of the panelists gets called for jury duty. We go globetrotting on the new Netflix series, " Dark Tourist ." Journalist David Farrier, who wowed us with his documentary “Tickled,” shows us some of the most b...
Aug 03, 2018•1 hr 15 min
While Toby broadcasts from a beautiful island lake house, the rest of the panel sweats it out to bring you another episode of Crime Writers On with a brand new logo! There are true crime updates galore: We talk about the MD Court of Appeals granting cert in the continuing post-conviction struggles of Serial's Adnan Syed. Curtis Flower's mother passed away and we reflect on the meaning of injustice within injustice. Plus, the "estate" of John McLemore is suing "S-town" for violating his privacy. ...
Jul 20, 2018•1 hr 30 min
Kevin is recording in his underwear and Stephen King has come to live at Lara's house. It must be time for the summer edition of Crime Writers On. In the first part of the podcast we'll review The RFK Tapes from the team behind Crimetown. Robert Kennedy was assassinated at point blank range in a room full of people...so why do some believe there was another shooter? We're not buying the conspiracy, but the tale isn't so bad. FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF THE RFK TAPES, FAST-FOWARD TO 33:12. The...
Jul 06, 2018•1 hr 23 min
Is In The Dark a better podcast than Serial season one? Or would it not even exist were it not for Serial? The Crime Writers take on that debate as we check in with the latest installment of In The Dark's investigation into the investigation that left Curtiss Flowers stranded on death row. Plus, Adnan Syed gets a new timeline for a legal decision, Brendan Dassey's case maybe gets a SCOTUS look, and in the biggest crime of all, Rebecca and Kevin make jokes about their sex life. Also, Toby WINS th...
Jun 22, 2018•1 hr 17 min
What a bad week for Lara. First she loses the chowder contest, then she had to listen to that enraging interview with DA Doug Evans from " In the Dark " (of which Rebecca genuinely worried for Lara's health). Everyone has thoughts about a proposed "S-town" movie . And Kevin makes some Canadian friends. The panel runs up and down " The Staircase 's" three new episodes. The original true crime doc about Michael Peterson was a seminal work. Does this final coda contain the same power? TO HEAR OUR S...
Jun 15, 2018•1 hr 24 min
Lara hits the roof after hearing the latest installment of " In the Dark ." We knew the court was rough on the defendant - but the jurors too?! Kevin gives a plug for the June 8-9 Toronto True Crime Film Festival. He'll be there Saturday for a panel discussion. More at torontotruecrimefilmfestival.com . Toby gets another chance to roll his eyes about "The Staircase" owl theory . Rebecca leads the discussion on Killing Eve . An American-bred Brit goes from desk jockey to head of a secret unit tra...
Jun 08, 2018•1 hr 13 min
More paper pasted this week in the Adnan Syed case. The defense has filed its conditional cross-petition . It basically says, "Hey state supreme court, don't take this case. But if you do, we got some stuff over here we want to talk about." This week's " In the Dark " buries the needle on the Brickter-scale. Listen how Cookie's story crumbles. The crime writers break out the leotards and sweatbands for the hot hot-yoga docu-pod " 30 for 30: Bikram ." Julia Lowrey Henderson tells the rise of Bikr...
Jun 01, 2018•1 hr 12 min
Could it be? Could the next Baltimore State's Attorney be willing to drop charges against Adnan Syed? Well..he's gotta win first. How about them Handmaids - the feel-bad tv show of the year? Lara's Rage-o-meter buries the needle when she hears this week's episode of In the Dark (oh Cookie!), TO SKIP OUR TALK ABOUT "IN THE DARK," JUMP AHEAD TO 29:50. Then from Australia we’ll review “ The Teacher’s Pet ”: a podcast about a professional athlete, his missing wife, and his teenage lover. Does this c...
May 25, 2018•1 hr 4 min
There are TWO true crime updates this week in the Adnan Syed case. First, prosecutors have decided to ask Maryland's highest court to review the previous rulings granting Adnan a new trial. Second, HBO has announced a documentary about the case is in the works. They promise new information and the first interviews with Adnan since "Serial." We discuss episode four of " In the Dark ." Something's fishy about those jailhouse confessions, and Lara's head might explode. Speaking of confessions, Kevi...
May 18, 2018•1 hr 15 min
This week the Crime Writers look at the second season of " In the Dark " from APM Reports. Madeline Baron and her team investigate the case of Curtis Flowers, a man who’s been tried six times for the same crime. Is the sophomore season of the Peabody Award winning pod delivering the goods? TO JUMP TO THE SPOILER-FREE REVIEW, FAST-FORWARD TO 1:00:00. Kevin announces his appearance at the Toronto True Crime Film Festival June 8-9, Lara gets a fan mail slap down, and Toby gets sexually harassed. In...
May 11, 2018•1 hr 14 min
Lara makes her triumphant return, promising to bring her A game. We give an update on the COSA appeal in favor of Adnan Syed: why the next 15 days are important. Speaking of triumphant returns, John David Booter is back with season two of Done Disappeared . It seems crimes against water fowl are more common than John David Booter realized. (With John David Booter.) Plus, a fake astronaut claps back on The Habitat, the podcast from Gimlet we reviewed last week. Next, we take a close look at the N...
May 04, 2018•1 hr 4 min
Lara picked the wrong week to go on vacation... The panel gives their reaction to the capture of the alleged Golden State Killer. Did Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark play a role in the arrest or is it too soon to tell? Rebecca provides Toby an abridged update on Death In Ice Valley . Then the team offers their first impressions of season two of HBO's " Westworld ." The main event: Gimlet’s new hit podcast The Habitat . This series follows six volunteers simulating a Mars mission by ...
Apr 27, 2018•1 hr 11 min
Internet fame is bestowed upon one of the crime writers (thanks to The Daily podcast and interpretive dancing). News from West Cork ...Ian Bailey is going to have to pay a lot of money. And the panel wants to know more about what a "taint team" is. The crime writers give their first impressions of a new podcast collaboration from the BBC World Service and NRK called, “ Death in Ice Valley .” The colder the rain, the colder the case. Masterpiece on PBS is now airing the limited British crime seri...
Apr 20, 2018•1 hr 7 min
This episode Toby announces the title and guest panel for his next Patreon book club podcast (name of podcast still TBD). The Peabody Award nominations are out, and true crime is well represented. And Rebecca reveals her new (sort of) friendship with Alison Sweeney from Days of Our Lives and The Biggest Loser, who turns out to be a HUGE fan of true crime podcasts. The panel talks about the new A&E series “ Marcia Clark Investigates the First 48 .” This new show (and companion podcast) is a m...
Apr 13, 2018•1 hr 17 min
This episode we breakdown the recent COSA decision affirming Adnan Syed's right to a new trial. Kevin asks Undisclosed 's Colin Miller (aka Legal Siri) about how the winning and losing arguments were flipped, Adnan's chances on bail, and the local politics infused into the appeals process. Toby talks about his new Patreon-exclusive book club podcast . He, Rebecca, Rabia Chaudry, and Patrick Hines discussed Michelle McNamara's I'll be Gone in the Dark . Also, there's some news about the TV adapta...
Apr 06, 2018•1 hr 34 min
We said we had to win the whole damn thing - and we did! THANKS TO LISTENERS LIKE YOU we won Podcast Madness , vanquishing This American Life in the championship bracket. Now we take a victory lap! We return to normal programming with news from the Dirty John TV show. Plus, there's a "cheeky" news story out of Albuquerque that must win all the awards. "Wild Wild Country" is the topic of a wild wild panel discussion. It's the Netflix documentary about the times, town, and troubles created by a gr...
Mar 30, 2018•1 hr 15 min
IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP! Crime Writers On is facing off against This American Life for a chance to win DiscoverPods's PODCAST MADNESS. We are one win away from SHOCKING THE WORLD! Let's get it done: vote now at discoverpods.com . The panel tackles quite a bit this week: more " Staircase " episodes coming, the " Black Tapes " fake out, a scathing review in Slate on "Atlanta Monster," books that stay with us, and a special announcement for our Patreon supporters (it involves Toby). Moving on, season t...
Mar 23, 2018•1 hr 20 min
This episode the panel blitzes through a bunch of topics. Who knew Stormy Daniels was an accomplished equestrian ? That $500m lottery winner gets to remain anonymous . Why did Claire Foy (Queen Elizabeth) get paid less than Matt Smith (Prince Philip) on "The Crown"? Toby finished Atlanta Monster and has some further thoughts. Did OJ Simpson really confess on that Fox special...or did he REALLY confess? And what's on the Scientology TV Network tonight? Then the crime writers talk about the new Ne...
Mar 16, 2018•1 hr 13 min
The panel talks about updates from " The Pope's Long Con " and " Mommy Dead & Dearest ." We listen to a profanity-laden rant from " Crime in Sports " about self-important podcasters. And we talk about the gripping new book, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark , published posthumously after crime writer Michelle McNamara's tragic 2016 death. Our main event: " McMafia ," the new organized crime series from BBC and AMC. This good-guy-dragged-in-bad-deeds tale is expensive and extravagant, but will audienc...
Mar 09, 2018•1 hr 6 min
Before we take a week off for school vacation (thank you, children) we'll circle back to some important True Crime Updates. The election to fill the statehouse seat of the late Danny Ray Johnson, subject of the "The Pope's Long Con," was this week...and it wasn't even close. "Making a Murderer"'s Branden Dassey has asked SCOTUS for a Writ of Cert (we'll explain what that means). The headliner for this show is the rock'n'roll-themed " Disgraceland ." No interviews. No investigations. No audio tap...
Feb 23, 2018•1 hr 10 min
This week we ponder the problems of winning $550 million in the lottery and keeping a low profile. We get a love letter from Ireland and circle back to " West Cork " with a spoiler-full discussion about the prime suspect. IF YOU STILL WANT TO REMAIN SPOILER-FREE ON WEST CORK, SKIP AHEAD TO 33:16. Then we'll have an up-close look at " Mosaic ," Stephen Soderbergh's multi-platform storytelling experience. The six-part HBO limited series deals with the murder of a famous children’s book writer. Whi...
Feb 16, 2018•1 hr 16 min
Not even a blizzard can stop the Crime Writers from their appointed rounds (though it may crackle the connection once in a while). We get skeeved out by the latest accusations of "Making a Murderer" defense-lawyer-now-judge Len Kachinsky (cue your own cat noises). There's a notable cameo in "Sword & Scale." And we toss around our thoughts on the Onion's new true crime parody podcast, " A Very Fatal Murder ." Does a send up of the crime podcast world seem like it's about three months too late...
Feb 09, 2018•1 hr 6 min
A Done Disappeared encore, Slow Burn’s next story, The Walk’s big idea, and an Alienist review The Crime Writers take on a trio of True Crime Podcast Updates as Slow Burn wraps up season one and teases a *fantastic* follow-up, Dirty John lands a scripted series, and our best friend John David Booter tries to raise funds ( click here to help him !) for a second season in which he’ll appropriate all things 1980’s. Then, our take on The Walk , the hit podcast from Panoply. This show is trying to do...
Feb 02, 2018•1 hr 5 min
This week we unveil the new name for Studio C (it's a mouthful), learn Toby's actually the nice one, and get freaked out by what this drug can make you do in your sleep. The Crime Writers eat some humble pie and admit they were too quick to dismiss one of America's most underappreciated media figures last week - Keith Morrison from Dateline NBC. Some special podcasters will join the discussion - and you can find their awesome show A Date With Dateline right here. The main focus shifts to the new...
Jan 25, 2018•1 hr 13 min
It was one of 2017's biggest podcasts. Now the tale of " Dirty John " gets the treatment from Dateline NBC . Does a 42 minute TV episode add anything to a story already told over five hours in podcast form? Maybe just some pictures of how hunky John Meehan really was. The main event: we breakdown the first installments in " Atlanta Monster ," the new podcast from Payne Lindsey's Tenderfoot TV and HowStuffWorks. This look back at the 1980s Atlanta child murders is billed as "an investigative podc...
Jan 19, 2018•1 hr 24 min
