Crime Writers On...

Oh no! We went there! The Crime Writers discuss the controversial Netflix doc "Amanda Knox." Why are we still intrigued by the murder case? Does any of the evidence add up? Is the motive believable? Is Knox herself credible? As she says, "Either I am a psychopath in sheep's clothing or I am you." Rebecca and Kevin welcome back Dr. Elizabeth Yardley to explain why the British have such a different...

Every couple of weeks, other podcast comes along and seems like the heir to "Serial." Few live up to the anticipation. Is it possible that the Cincinnati Enquirer's "Accused" podcast has replicated the secret sauce: a truly compelling murder mystery and the transparent, obsessive reporting which goes into the story? It sure is. Rebecca talks with Amber Hunt and Amanda Rossman about their year-long...

The Crime Writers take on what's good - and what's not so good - about the The Case of JonBenet, the four-hour CBS special featuring profilers Jim Clemente and Laura Richards and an all-star cast of forensic investigators. We talk about the case, the show's WTF moments (THEY BUILT THE HOUSE??), and dive deep into the potential defamation of Burke Ramsey, who is (in the experts' opinions) a leading...

Now that the crime writers are all back in their closet studios after their awesome live show, they tackle the newest high-quality true crime podcast, "In the Dark." It's like "Someone Knows Something"... if someone actually knew something.   Rebecca begins by talking with Madeleine Baran, APM Reports journalist and host of "In The Dark." They chat about Madeleine's year-long investigation on what...

Yup, the Crime Writers went all in with a live show taping - there was even a real-life audience there to hear it! We talked about our summer book club pick, Laura Lippman's Wilde Lake. Toby also read an epic items list, we answered audience questions. A couple of notes: - Special thanks to the Hatbox Theatre in Concord, NH - Rebecca talks to author Laura Lippman from the 8:08 mark to about 21:00...

We heard you missed us. But hey, we're back! After a semi-vacation over the summer, the crime writers are back weekly to talk about all things criminal - in real life and in pop culture. News on the Steven Avery case continues to break. The new lawyer for the "Making a Murderer" subject has filed a petition to have evidence re-tested using the most modern (and most expensive) analysis cu...

Another episode, another questionable murder conviction vacated. The panel reacts to the news that a federal magistrate has vacated the conviction of Brendan Dassey, the accused accomplice in the Steven Avery "Making a Murderer" documentary. Although the public went nuts over what many perceived to be a coerced confession, it was something else the detectives did to the intellectually-ch...

Just for fans of our show, here's a trailer for our spinoff, in which Kevin will talk with Rebecca and a special guest about their obsession with Law & Order, and break down the true crime cases behind ripped-from-the-headlines episodes of Law & Order, SVU, and Criminal Intent Click here to get the Crime Writers On After Show, plus more exclusive content, on Patreon.: https://patreon.com/p...

Well, it took more than one try, but the Crime Writers are getting it done with a well-rehearsed discussion on Netflix's newest breakout hit, "Stranger Things." It's like Stephen King and Steven Spielberg had a baby that was eight-episodes long. (Almost) no spoilers...except that it's freakin' awesome. We also debut a brand new segment: the TRUE CRIME ROUND-UP! We've got the latest on th...

It's been more than ten days. What's the latest on whether the state will appeal Judge Welch's decision to vacate Adnan Syed's conviction? "The Night Of" is sure to be "the show of the summer." This moody, unsettling murder mystery is everything that "True Detective, Season 2" was not. The Crime Writers talk about what makes this show stand out, whether the cops are p...

Ever since Sarah talked to Asia the world wondered whether she was the key to getting Adnan Syed a new trial. In the end, it was a single sentence in a pile of thousands of documents. The result is in. Judge Welch has ruled Adnan's Sixth Amendment rights were violated and he'll get a new trial...if it ever gets that far. The Crime Writers pull apart the decision and discuss where the case may go f...

Rebecca and Kevin give their quick thoughts on the breaking news of Adnan's Syed's being granted a new trial. We'll be talking about the case in our episode dropping July 9th, so we're asking you to send your questions, comments, and thoughts in an email or a voice memo to crimewriterson@gmail.com. You can learn how to send a voice memo on the blog section of our website, http://www.crimewriterson...

We've spent a lot of time with the boob tube (ahem) so far this summer. This episode, the Crime Writers take out their ear buds and tune in to some of the season's most talked about television. The Adnan Syed case finally gets the prime-time treatment on Investigation Discovery. For crime fans who can't figure out how to download a podcast, or those who only know the tale from hearing it at the wa...

Who thought we'd see Serial reborn in a podcast about the internet? Reply All's Sruthi Pinnamaneni brings us a four-part story about an inmate, his blog, the shifty characters associated with his crime, a flimsy evidence and nutty trial, and then - woah! - that final jailhouse interview! It's the podcast that has everyone asking, "Who the eff is King Diamond?" In this episode, we'll hear...

Why the heck would mega TV and movie star Jon Cryer agree to be on our little podcast? Because he's a fan, dammit! It also turns out that he's a HUGE fan of true crime, including many of the podcasts we've talked about, like Serial and Undisclosed. But does the artist formerly known as Duckie qualify as a crime writer? YES! (Sort of.) He's got a hilarious memoir, So That Happened, in which he expl...

This week, the panel talks about Bowraville, the true crime podcast created by The Australian newspaper. (Scroll down to listen!) Rebecca also connects with Dan Box, the Brit-turned-Aussie who reported the story, and asks, why is your newspaper being called the "unlikely hero" of this never-solved serial murder case? (A hint...it has a little something to do with Rupert Murdoch!) Also, w...

When news broke last week that Bowe Bergdahl's legal team had scored a victory in his case, we weren't sure we understood exactly what happened. So, Kevin reached out to our trusty military legal eagle James Weirick for a quick run-down. As a bonus, we get confirmation that Weirick is, in fact, the manliest man to ever man-up. Also, the PBS documentary Peace Officer hooked us in but also left us w...

Just when we were getting ready to see how Justin Ross Harris's trial in the baby-in-the-hot-car homicide would play out, a twist no one saw coming. This means an unexpected hiatus for the "Breakdown" podcast and questions about media influence on the justice system. We get to know Dr. Elizabeth Yardley, a criminologist at Birmingham City University in England. She's studied how Serial f...

Kevin and Rebecca are joined by two very special guests to discuss Law & Order: "Original Recipe," AKA, the first series in the juggernaut franchise that's been on the air for nearly three decades. The panel talks about what makes Law & Order so compelling, their favorite characters, the weird writing tropes of the Law & Order universe, and a lightning round that pits Jerry O...

The crime writers respond to a listener's very British rant about the critical nature of endings in a good story, talk about what TV shows totally failed at the end, and settle a long-term marital dispute that's been tearing Kevin and Rebecca apart. Plus, the Crime of the Week delves in to Australia's long national nightmare and reveals that there's a killer living with one of the panel! Watch out...

The Crime Writers talk about another true crime podcast, Someone Knows Something, the Canadian-crafted cold case show that's holding firm on the charts. Rebecca also checks in with the show's creator and host, David Ridgen. Also, we talk about the kerfluffle over Asia McClain's book announcement, find out what celebrity Toby most resembles and ask him, "Why oh why did you leave your sister ha...

The Crime Writers welcome very special guest Lt. Col (R) James Weirick on board to talk about the art of storytelling, and whether Serial delivered on the big promises it made in season 2. We also take apart the storycraft behind The People Vs. OJ Simpson, and how the cast, the plot frame, and even the casting of Ross as Robert Kardashian affected that show's arc. Plus, we listen to some pithy lis...

After eleven episodes, Sarah and team tapped out of season two. In "Present for Duty," the Serial squad does some solid enterprise reporting into whether anyone was actually killed or wounded in efforts to recover Bowe. While saving judgement on the season as a whole until next week, the panel breaks down the series finale. Did Ken Wolf's declaration make a difference in the minds of tho...

It's yet another a super long episode! (Sorry about that.) But hey, at least there are t-shirts you guys can buy. Here's the link to those. For civilians, is there something about Serial Season 2 that neither we nor Sarah fundamentally get? Rebecca and Kevin have a talk with JAG Lt Col James Weirick (ret), one of the hosts of the Task and Purpose Radio podcast. Weirick shares his take on Bowe, how...

The Crime Writers dissect almost every aspect of Serial, Season 2, Episode 10, "Thorny Politics." It gets so deep that Rebecca feels the need to include extra out-takes for comic relief. Plus, Kevin explains what a "news fixer" is and makes a better-than-last-week transition into our ads, Rebecca asks whether or not public radio reporters are SO committed to journalistic neutra...