Reviews

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 ‘21 was playing with you I believe and didn’t think you’d actually use it. It’s like amateur hour production wise. Very distracting. Don’t you edit these episodes? I’m up till June ‘22 and you’re still using them. For the love, stop it.

I don’t 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 aren’t smart enough to look around and see what is going on in the world around you and question what’s going on then maybe you shouldn’t be investigating and reporting things that aren’t facts

One of the true crime greats. Been listening since the beginning so I won’t 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 ‘storytelling’ 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.

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.

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.

I’ve been listing to this podcast for years and it’s 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 can’t believe I’ve never reviewed this podcast!! I was actually an original OTCP OG… and I’m SO old that I had to ask what an OG was ….🫤🤪😂. Cam patiently answered my question and explained what it meant😁😂. I’m a longtime listener of podcasts and THIS was one of my firsts 🫢. I LOVE these ladies🧡

Very exciting!

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 “WHAT” but are left wondering “WHY?” There’s never an excuse but contributing factors are important for education and hopefully, prevention of crime.

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.

Highly recommend!

Perfect storytelling, and no vocal fry! For whatever reason, vf has started to make listening to various podcasters almost impossible for me—can’t quite figure out why, but there you have it. This podcaster has a voice that’s easy to listen to and an appropriately straightforward delivery that emphasizes the story and not the storyteller. Well done!

I love this podcast and I adore Esther (even if she’s 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. reviews…. you can tell she’s reading from a script, duh… 99% of podcasts are scripted. Give this podcast a listen, I think you’ll find the quality of content more than makes up for the lack of inflection in her speech.

You had asked the question, “was there even Target Stores in 1980?” Yes, there Target Stores in the ‘80s and even in the ‘70s! Target was a fabulous store in its early years! Way better than it is today.

I love when you tell the stories. Not so much when you have guests. Your research is amazing! Lorena is amazing!!

I’m addicted to the genre, and this show is fast becoming my favorite, right up there with “Case Files” and “Sword & Scale.” As with the other standout podcasts, it’s the quality of the writing that makes for compelling listening. A good tale, well-crafted beats impromptu commentary every time. I’ll be all caught up soon, and I don’t 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 wrote this a while back, but it’s still valid! You’re now talking with someone about an axe murderer; PLEASE STOP bringing people in for “conversations”. It looks like a great topic today but you just said you have a guest and my heart sank. I don’t want to be mean, but nobody wants to hear your chit chat. I’m gonna listen for another 5 minutes, but I’m already thumbing through “Swindled” bonus episodes I might have missed. I’m just listening to your interview with ? about Kemper that I think came out over Christmas, and I’ve 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 don’t 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!!! I’m listening as I write this and you’re not giving this dude a chance to speak!!! Just an observation, no offense intended. Wow, I wrote that last Christmas and didn’t remember to send it, and my complaint is still the same. I’m listening to the episode on the “Red Hot Chili Peppers” and you are using your “conversational” style….which is necessary when you’re interviewing somebody, but without a guest it’s just you “talking” to the audience and it’s 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 you’re just scanning and “winging” 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 you’re 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 I’m 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. That’s all you have to do.

Excellent stories and interviews. Love the narrated ones and especially enjoy the smart interviews. Most recently the author of “Death by Talons” was fantastic. Thank you for your great work, Esther!

I really enjoyed the last 2 episodes (270 & 271). I thought the podcast was back on track after all of the interviews at the end of last year…but sadly there is now another interview episode. I wish the podcast would go back to its original style with Esther’s storytelling and mini-analysis of the criminal at the end, which was great. Please, no more interview episodes!

Giving five stars because this is still a great podcast. But it’s no longer one I listen to often, because the frequency of ads is unbearable unless I have my phone in hand. Make that bag for sure— she puts in work and does an amazing job, and that should be compensated. Still, there has to be a way to tone it down, to be more in line with other podcasts. The episode I’m listening to now has an ad break almost every five minutes. That’s too much.

I love the show but 15 mins into a 30 min episode and I’ve already heard 3 ad breaks. 2 of which were at least 1.5 mins long. It’s crazy!

I love your podcast! I would recommend writing down your interview questions before talking to someone, like Donovan. The stuttering and struggling to formulate your questions is cringey.

Thank you so much for covering her story! She was my cousin and it was such a awful tragedy we all went through. You did her and my family justice 👏🏼

Her voice and tone really pull you in!!!

This show is wonderful!

Really enjoy your authenticity. Your show gets better and better. Thank you for so many hours it entertainment

I’m just listening to your interview with ? about Kemper that I think came out over Christmas, and I’ve 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 don’t 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!!! I’m listening as I write this and you’re not giving this dude a chance to speak!!! Just an observation, no offense intended. Wow, I wrote that last Christmas and didn’t remember to send it, and my complaint is still the same. I’m listening to the episode on the “Red Hot Chili Peppers” and you are using your “conversational” style….which is necessary when you’re interviewing somebody, but without a guest it’s just you “talking” to the audience and it’s 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 you’re just scanning and “winging” 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 you’re 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 I’m 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. That’s all you have to do.

Esther sounds great - always did but now is top of game.

I like this show but the ad breaks are out of control. Can you set up an Apple Subscription thing with ad free? I hate Patreon's set up but I would be more than happy to pay for ad free if it was in Apple. Other podcasts have done it like Generation Why and I wish everyone would.

Love this show and the host is amazing!