Listener Reviews
One of e favs
Good show. Selections and focus in storytelling is outstanding. One of a kind really so - I tend to respect the variety, whether I leaned towards it or against it because the digs are gold. Guest episodes nicely dispersed though it would be nice to hear more from guests when they are present as part of the change. I had one favorite true crime show for many years. This may be now two.
Love/d this show
Iâm not taking stars away for the five introductions to what is coming, but never an episode! Weâre all waiting because we love you. No more trailer no more promises. Where is the show? 6/29??? I donât want a preview or introduction every day Iâve until it comes out. Iâm loyal, one announcement, one preview, SHOW!!!! No more commercials âon a whatâs to come. Pleeease đđŒIâm not trying be rude but iâm not listening to an announcement with a 1000 commercials.
Missing the pod!
Itâs been about 4 months since the last episode posted- wondering when itâs coming back!
One of my faves butâŠ
I donât love the new format of 6 or 7 brief episodes dribbled out over several weeks. Iâd rather have one long episode once a month. A 24 minute episode with ad breaks isnât keeping me engaged. Iâve been a listener for a long time and Iâm hoping that this isnât the new format going forward. Pretty sure Iâll start saving up the episodes, only to eventually forget about it altogether.
Thanks Esther
I really like what you are adding to the podcast world. I am a Californian like you. Most pod creators seem to be from other states and dont cover California crime too much.Isn't that incredible... luv ya
Exactly what you want in a true crime show
No banter, no unbiased opinions. Just the true crimes cases told from beginning to end. Lotâs of great information and facts I havenât heard in other true crime podcasts.
Hopefully âsound effectsâ are eliminated
Love the podcast. Great content, research and some unique stories. I started from the beginning and am working up to present day releases. Whoever got you a sound effects machine for Christmas in â21 was playing with you I believe and didnât think youâd actually use it. Itâs like amateur hour production wise. Very distracting. Donât you edit these episodes? Iâm up till June â22 and youâre still using them. For the love, stop it.
The Politics of Murder
I donât understand how people who claim to do research keep repeating the same nonsense of what happened January 6 . There were no ARMED Trump supporters attacking the capitol. Yes there were some windows busted out but that was encouraged by under cover federal officers and most of the people were left into the building and toured around by police officers. If you arenât smart enough to look around and see what is going on in the world around you and question whatâs going on then maybe you shouldnât be investigating and reporting things that arenât facts
Love Narration & Research, Not a Fan of Ads & Interviews
One of the true crime greats. Been listening since the beginning so I wonât downvote. Great narration and unique cases show detail to research. I unfollowed awhile ago bc it seems like the show was going through something with lots of interviews and reruns. If its an interview show, then do that. If its an episodic âstorytellingâ show, then pick that lane. The ads are obnoxious and crazy loud. I understand ads are a necessary evil, but please integrate ads in a more palatable manner. Looking forward to hearing new cases.
your efforts are appreciated. You've upped your game
I really like what you are adding to the podcast world. I am a Californian like you. Most pod creators seem to be from other states and dont cover California crime too much.
Enjoyable
Found this podcast thru TikTok. Esther is easy to listen to & does a great job of telling the story. This will a regular for me.
Great podcast
Iâve been listing to this podcast for years and itâs a great true crime podcast. Ester has a straightforward approach and just keeps you interested. Her research is meticulous, and the storytelling is impeccable.
?!
I canât believe Iâve never reviewed this podcast!! I was actually an original OTCP OG⊠and Iâm SO old that I had to ask what an OG was âŠ.đ«€đ€Șđ. Cam patiently answered my question and explained what it meantđđ. Iâm a longtime listener of podcasts and THIS was one of my firsts đ«ą. I LOVE these ladiesđ§Ą
Top true crime podcast
I just added this podcast to the handful of true crime ones I follow. The host has a fantastic voice and I love her storytelling format. Her background in Psychology adds some much needed educated analysis (vs baseless speculation and tangents) to the true crime canon. We often hear the âWHATâ but are left wondering âWHY?â Thereâs never an excuse but contributing factors are important for education and hopefully, prevention of crime.
Great Show
I love you story telling. Great facts. I appreciate the work you do to bring us these stories. Also, the opening music just draws you in.
Great Storyteller
Perfect storytelling, and no vocal fry! For whatever reason, vf has started to make listening to various podcasters almost impossible for meâcanât quite figure out why, but there you have it. This podcaster has a voice thatâs easy to listen to and an appropriately straightforward delivery that emphasizes the story and not the storyteller. Well done!
Love Love LOVE!
I love this podcast and I adore Esther (even if sheâs only a voice through my phone). She puts a lot of work & research in for these episodes and it shows. I appreciate her thoroughness, a lot of podcasts only regurgitate easily found news articles. Her background in counseling/psychology is a huge bonus as it allows her to provide added insight. About some of the neg. reviewsâŠ. you can tell sheâs reading from a script, duh⊠99% of podcasts are scripted. Give this podcast a listen, I think youâll find the quality of content more than makes up for the lack of inflection in her speech.
July 24, 2023 Love Triangle
You had asked the question, âwas there even Target Stores in 1980?â Yes, there Target Stores in the â80s and even in the â70s! Target was a fabulous store in its early years! Way better than it is today.
I love your stories.
I love when you tell the stories. Not so much when you have guests. Your research is amazing! Lorena is amazing!!
Canât get enough
Iâm addicted to the genre, and this show is fast becoming my favorite, right up there with âCase Filesâ and âSword & Scale.â As with the other standout podcasts, itâs the quality of the writing that makes for compelling listening. A good tale, well-crafted beats impromptu commentary every time. Iâll be all caught up soon, and I donât look forward to that time! Update: like some other fans here, I find the episodes that involve interviewing guests to be uninteresting. I skip those. I prefer when you stick to actual cases and employ your excellent writing ability to present the story.
I love your show and your voice and your insightâŠhoweverâŠ
I wrote this a while back, but itâs still valid! Youâre now talking with someone about an axe murderer; PLEASE STOP bringing people in for âconversationsâ. It looks like a great topic today but you just said you have a guest and my heart sank. I donât want to be mean, but nobody wants to hear your chit chat. Iâm gonna listen for another 5 minutes, but Iâm already thumbing through âSwindledâ bonus episodes I might have missed. Iâm just listening to your interview with ? about Kemper that I think came out over Christmas, and Iâve noticed this before; you have a tendency to talk over your interviewee and it feels awkward and embarrassing. Slow down!! We know you conduct deep research, but let the guest get a word in! You donât have to prove to him that you read his book by repeating it back to him! I get the conversational format, but take a breath!!! Iâm listening as I write this and youâre not giving this dude a chance to speak!!! Just an observation, no offense intended. Wow, I wrote that last Christmas and didnât remember to send it, and my complaint is still the same. Iâm listening to the episode on the âRed Hot Chili Peppersâ and you are using your âconversationalâ styleâŠ.which is necessary when youâre interviewing somebody, but without a guest itâs just you âtalkingâ to the audience and itâs awful. Your podcast is a scripted show, and I like it. I like the way you write, and your voice is pleasant, but this feels like you have made a bullet-pointed list and youâre just scanning and âwingingâ it. I too can talk about a crime for an hour with Wikipedia in my lap; I listen to this because the research is good and you are a great story-teller, but you are not a natural interviewer and youâre not very good at it and considering the usual caliber I have come to expect from this podcast, the disaster you are sharing right now feels stultified, lazy, and Iâm about to turn it off; it is painful to listen to. And I have listened to EVERY SINGLE episode, so I think my opinion is valid. Please write a script based on your research, and read it. Thatâs all you have to do.
Very good storytelling, unique podcast
Excellent stories and interviews. Love the narrated ones and especially enjoy the smart interviews. Most recently the author of âDeath by Talonsâ was fantastic. Thank you for your great work, Esther!