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 👏🏼
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.
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.
I love your show very much but this episode you’re just talking over your guest so much its frustrating to listen to. I really wanted to hear from him more. I’m feeling it’s excitement on your end but it’s so distracting waiting for you to give him an opportunity to talk.
Esther is thorough, intelligent, fair, and best of all, warm. Listening to this podcast can feel like sitting with a dear friend. Very professional.
I love this podcast! I have been listening to this for years. It’s my #1! This podcasts inspires me to make my own 3-4 page books. You guys should definitely listen.
I’ve been listening to this podcast for years. The host has such a soothing voice. Always keeps the pace. Straight to the point information. Just overall one of my favorite podcasts. So happy to have an elite true crime podcast done by a woman.
I enjoy this podcast but the UK acid attack episode has like 30 seconds of content in the first 10 minutes and 9:30 of ads. A little too much.
Thank you for making this podcast it remains one of my top favorites! Ik you've changed things up recently but I still love your stories / storytelling. You're doing awesome :D Please keep having fun and trying out new things ❤️
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.
I’ve been listening to this show for probably 2 years or more. I think it’s done very well, and well researched. While I wish the host would not talk quite so animated, I can deal with that. What i am really not sure about is the recent change to add dramatic sounds to the episodes (doors slamming, car noises, water running). But they are randomly placed. This does not help draw me in (I can only speak for myself), but I find it distracting and annoying especially when listening with headphones. If I want a dramatic podcast I will choose that. I’ll give it a bit longer but might have to stop listening.
Love the cases, but the narrator switches from (a very good) standard factual style to a very informal personal style. Esther, please stop with your personal stories and stick to the case. This week’s podcast was especially difficult to listen to. I hope this style isn’t the new norm :(
Love this show but the new sound effects are super distracting and take away from the storytelling
Love this podcast but please just stop with the bebt peni ads . I just can’t.
Great podcast I am binging it today! But I do have a couple of requests, cases that I haven’t seen a single podcast on and really deserve the attention a podcast gives to a specific case. The first one is Couty Alexander and Christa Baker. They were married in early March 2008 four months later Christa is pregnant and is shot to death. There is so much about this case that begs to be explored! Both families of the bride and groom were very very religious the couple was not allowed to touch. Their first kiss ever was at their wedding. Christa is the only daughter of a Baptist minister, yet she wears a borrowed dress for her wedding??? Couty wants to be a youth pastor, and he is an EMT… yet he kills LIVE TURTLES FOR TARGET PRACTICE?!? Red flag anyone?The only thing I have seen about this is an episode of the television show, happily never after and a very short chapter in an audiobook called “till death do us part”. Please consider looking into this case! The other case involves a British gentleman named Michael Telling, and a lady from California named Monika Zumsteg. They meet and fall in love and get married -he is fabulously wealthy and it is a true Cinderella story except that just a year after they are married Moonika disappears and is found months later WITH OUT HER HEAD…There is a book about this case that is absolutely fabulous, it is called “irresistible impulse” by Robert Lindsay and details everything that happened. The hardest part is the way the court system in England worked and what happened to a very wealthy man who committed a terrible murder.And the way an innocent murder victim was scandalized her reputation in ruins. Both of these would make fabulous podcasts and as far as I know you would be the first ones to have them…June is coming up again and I hope you are planning to do another until death do us part series! That last one was just amazing!
Seriously my favorite podcast! The way she covers the stories is very detailed, I love how she chooses a theme and continues it for a few episodes. This has me looking forward to the next episode every week. Also she is from where I’m from! The Bay Area (San Jose), I love hearing stories about where I was born and raised. It also allows me to know where some of the stories take place. Highly recommend this podcast!
The stories are very interesting but the host’s mispronunciation of words and grammatical mistakes drive me crazy. Podcasters should know how to speak properly, but too many don’t. It’s so sad.
I love the style and story telling elements of this podcast. It is my absolute favorite true crime podcast and I suggest it to all of my friends! Every week I’m waiting for the next episode; I’m about to cave and purchase the Patreon subscription just for more. Download today! :)
Very informative show. Sometimes she does go into too much detail & gets a bit long, but overall it’s a good show. Has a nice voice too. What I really don’t like is how she gives the exact address of the serial killers or whomever she is talking about or where things happened. Who cares? I’m sure if the houses were sold, I’m sure new owners don’t like tourists bothering them if they know the exact address. I don’t think we need to know that. Just my opinion. Otherwise this is a much better show in that she doesn’t laugh or make fun of the seriousness of the crime. I hate shows that do that! Thankfully she doesn’t. Just do discovered those show, so I’m a few years behind. Great show.