The Karen & Ellen Letters

Retrospective 2 takes us to the origin of the investigation; where Josh's interest in storytelling evolved into his obsession of needing to know everything. And it started in a surprising place: a bound book of correspondence between two teenage girls and their landlord. What started as comedic found writing, became a mystery that people could not let go. And as Josh made his way through it, while...

To celebrate 10 years in podcasting, we're spending the summer going back in time and both highlighting key episodes and telling the stories behind them; you’ll get new behind-the-scenes information about what was happening in life, in various investigations, and in the world that impacted these important episodes and their podcasts. You’ll learn how Josh started podcasting, how he started investi...

Truth is a tricky thing. Three girls lived in a cottage once. They are both everywhere and nowhere in these versions of the Truth. Starring: Lori Snyder as Dot Adrienne Hardison as Helena Matt Peelen as Rob Sara Stapleton as Herself/Karen Sara Kitcher as Ellen Jeff Powell as Mark Josh Hallmark as Himself Megan Chaney Walker as Josh Hallmark as Mark as Ellen as A girl who lived in a cottage once Mu...

The results are in. Mark moves on. Crochet Pants looks back. A life is celebrated. A birthday is celebrated. Aloha Karen watches the sunrise. Starring: Lori Snyder as Dot Adrienne Hardison as Helena Matt Peelen as Aloha Rob Sara Stapleton as Herself/Karen Crochet Pants/Aloha Karen Jeff Powell as Mark Ryan Connelly as Christopher Matt Valletta as Darren Chris Braaten as Reporter Josh Hallmark as Hi...

The results are in. Mark moves on. Crochet Pants looks back. A life is celebrated. A birthday is celebrated. Aloha Karen watches the sunrise. Starring: Lori Snyder as Dot Adrienne Hardison as Helena Matt Peelen as Aloha Rob Sara Stapleton as Herself/Karen Crochet Pants/Aloha Karen Jeff Powell as Mark Ryan Connelly as Christopher Matt Valletta as Darren Chris Braaten as Reporter Josh Hallmark as Hi...

We touch base with David. Dot & Helena look at "pics." Patty tells a friend about her wedding. Josh finds something at the bottom of a rabbit hole. Starring: Chris Braaten as Rod Downey Chris Green as David Lori Snyder as Dot Adrienne Hardison as Helena Holly Hall as Patricia Sara Beth Poole as Ellen Sara Stapleton as Herself/Karen Josh Hallmark as Himself Music by: Podington Bear Mele Samuel...

Helena gets upset with the news. Ellen has her eye on a cat painting. Josh can't believe his eyes. Darren spills the beans. Thanksgiving is celebrated on opposite ends of the country. Starring: Adrienne Hardison as Helena Josh Hallmark as Himself Sara Beth Poole as Ellen Sara Stapleton as Herself/Karen Matt Valletta as Darren Holly Hall as Patricia Music by: Podington Bear Titus 12 Gary & John...

Dot tells Helena about her daughter's wedding. Josh and Sara try to sort out several possible Karens. Email Karen returns. Crochet Pants enters the fold. And Ellen catches another mouse. Starring: Lori Snyder as Dot Adrienne Hardison as Helena Sara Stapleton as Karen/Herself Josh Hallmark as Himself Denise Page as Rosie Sara Beth Poole as Ellen Music by: Podington Bear Muddy Waters Aurelie

Helena fondly remembers Dot's daughter and her friend. The girls return from vacation. Ellen continues to struggle with geography. Josh reaches out to an old friend. Starring: • Sara Stapleton as Herself/Karen • Chris Green as Email Man • Adrienne Hardison as Helena • Jeff Powell as Mark • Sara Beth Kitcher as Ellen • Matt Peelen as Rob • Josh Hallmark as Himself Music by: • Podington Bear • Herma...

There's something oddly familiar, but strangely foreign about this. But what does it all mean, Leslie? Leslie? Starring: • Chris Green as David • Josh Hallmark as Himself • Lori Anyder as Dot • Deana Marie as Karen • Cory Saceaux as Rob • Steven Pappas as Mark • Donna Hume as Ellen • Sara Stapleton as Herself • Holly Hall as Patricia Music by: • Podington Bear • Grandma Pat • Ivy

Helena reconnects with an old friend. Someone is having a really bad day. Ellen wants free firewood. Ants! Ellen leaves something behind. Josh finds something alarming. Where's Leslie? Starring: • Adrienne Hardison as Helena • Cindy Hall as ??????? • Jeff Powell as Mark • Sara Stapleton as Karen/Herself • Sara Beth Poole as Ellen • Alyse Braaten as Leslie • Chris Green as David • Josh Hallmark as...

Dot loses her dog. Mark gets scolded. Karen spies on her neighbors. Someone is up to something. Josh tries to reconcile timelines. Ellen catches a mouse. Starring: • Lori Snyder as Dot • Nina Innsted as Bonnie • Jeff Powell as Mark • Sara Stapleton as Karen/Herself • Sara Beth Poole as Ellen • Alyse Braaten as Leslie • Chris Green as David • Josh Hallmark as Himself Music by: • Podington Bear • Ma...

Catch up on all things Studio BOTH/AND for the month of February (and beyond). This month's news: • New tours and events • Unsafe Spaces update • The Karen & Ellen Letters update • True Crime Bullsh** update • New projects • Our Americana update • Studio BOTH/AND Launch Party follow-up in The Berkshires this October • What's happening on Patreon this month Links: • True Crime Podcast Festival...

What (and when) is Ellen doing with all these mice? What are Mark and Bonnie up to? What did Josh and Sara find? Who's baking ham from the internet? The Big D???? Season 2 will take you out of California, across multiple timelines, to new voices and witnesses, and answer most of your old questions plus some new ones. The answers start pouring in on February 6.

The season finale. Season 2 begins on January 29. The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence Narrated and produced by: Josh Hallmark Starring: Sara Stapleton, Sara Kitcher, Jeff Powell, Matt Peelen, Chris Green, Vicki Russell, Megan Chaney-Walker, Eric Schmidt, Paul Csomo, and Zoe Marshall-Rashid This is a Studio BOTH/AND production: bothand.fyi For an ad-free experience: patreon.com/s...

In 1989: Ellen has concerns, Karen & Rob are at their wit's end, and Mark mourns a loss. In 2012: Things get meta. The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence Narrated and produced by: Josh Hallmark Starring: Sara Stapleton, Sara Kitcher, Jeff Powell, and Matt Peelen This is a Studio BOTH/AND production: bothand.fyi For an ad-free experience: patreon.com/studiobothand Music by: Lee...

Unsafe Spaces is an investigative, serialized true crime podcast that explores the crimes that take place in the places we’re supposed to feel safest. In Season One: Tampa’s Missing Men, I explore how two different missing persons cases, reported on the same day, opened a Pandora’s Box of unreported assaults, cold missing persons cases, ignored rapes, and unsolved murders within Florida’s gay comm...

The train goes off the tracks. The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence. Narrated and produced by: Josh Hallmark. Starring: Sara Stapleton, Sara Kitcher, Jeff Powell, Matt Peelen, and Chris Braaten This is a Studio BOTH/AND production: truecrimebullshit.com / bothand.fyi For an ad-free experience: patreon.com/studiobothand Music by: Idokay Lee Rosevere Everything Digital Battleground...

In 2012, the Josh struggles with the joy vs. the reality of the letters. In 1988, Karen honeymoons, Ellen prepares to move out, and Mark sends the girls what's left of their deposit. In 2017, people have questions about Ellen. The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence. Narrated and produced by: Josh Hallmark. Starring: Sara Stapleton, Sara Kitcher, Jeff Powell, and Chris Braaten This...

WARNING: This contains general spoilers about the scope of the Karen & Ellen Letters story. We talk around how the investigation ends, without giving away exact or detailed information. Stephanie Sabin is a writer for WYDaily.com. More than that, she's a dear friend. And The Karen & Ellen Letters played a very significant role in both Stephanie's career and our friendship. Stephanie was a...

In 2006, Josh begins to find evidence that three of the letter-writers actually exist. In 1988, the girls celebrate a milestone, Karen and Mark find themselves at an impasse, and Mark finds joy in an unlikely place. The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence. Narrated and produced by: Josh Hallmark. Starring: Sara Stapleton, Sara Kitcher, Jeff Powell, and Benjamin Watkins. This is a St...

WARNING: This contains mild general spoilers about the scope of the Karen & Ellen Letters story. We talk around how the investigation ends, without giving away exact or detailed information. Charlie Worroll (Crimelines; Crimelines and Consequences) has history with The Karen & Ellen Letters going back to its days as a blog (c. 2012). Years later, we met through podcasting. In the inaugural...

In 2005, Josh begins trying to authenticate the letters. In 1987, Karen and Ellen struggle with math and jurisdiction; Ellen is upset by a commercial; and Karen tells Mark about her boyfriend. Mark begins to lose his cool. The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence. Narrated and produced by: Josh Hallmark. Starring: Sara Stapleton, Sara Beth Kitcher, and Jeff Powell. This is a Studio B...

In 2005, Josh is gifted a stack of strange letters. In 1987, Karen and Ellen move into their very first apartment and immediately begin terrorizing their landlord. And so we begin to unravel a decade-long mystery with a single question: Can these letters actually be real? The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence. Narrated and produced by: Josh Hallmark. Starring: Sara Stapleton, Sara...

The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondance between two teenage girls and their landlord, over a three year period, from the 1980s. This podcast is the reading of those letters and a re-telling of the host's journey to authenticate them. The girls are demanding at best, the landlord is tired and impatient, the journey is the perfect blend of comedy, mystery, and cognitive dissonance. Th...