Listener Reviews

I personally don’t love overly chatty true crime podcasters or ones that make jokes or comedy out of crime. Esther is enjoyable to listen to while weaving great research and storytelling. She gives enough pertinent detail to draw you in, but stays on topic.

I started listening to this pod cast to learn about the Cecil Hotel, was pleasantly surprised to learn there were 3 parts to it. Since then I have binged more episodes. I love true crime and mystery. Esther Ludlow is an awesome researcher and storyteller. Her voice is very calming which is great for my quarantine anxiety. I usually listen with a hot cup of tea while I tend to my succulents. Great for background ambience when you’re working on projects like sketching or crocheting. Thank you for your dedication to podding and concise ability to do research and to tell and relay the story in a prolific way. -Prince

Clear and concise, pleasant voice to listen to and NO off-topic ramblings irrelevant to the subject at hand.

I have just finished listen to all your podcast!! You do great and in-depth podcast. I listen for about 5 hours a day at work. It helps make it through the day !!!! Keep up the great work. Now I on to “Taco about True Crime “ Thanks Anna Bates

I love Once Upon a Crime true crime podcasts! She provides all the facts & her own opinion on rare occasions. Great podcasts!!! Thank you for saving my sanity during a pandemic & the election cycle 🥰

I’m a true crime fanatic and am subscribed to nearly every major true crime podcast, never missing an episode and this is one of my favorites. Esther is a great storyteller who covers cases I haven’t heard before and includes a ton of interesting information.

I've been listening for over two years, and heard many other true crime podcasts. Esther's is probably the most consistent, most sincere, and best researched. I rely on it most for my true crime fix. She strikes a good balance between friendly/interesting and factual. Also representing as a WOC in a pretty white dominated genre. Love your work Esther!! Big fan ❤️❤️

I just discovered this Podcast! I’m starting from the first episodes and working my way through! Great job! Love it!

In Tilll Death Do Is Part, you mentioned the movie Urban Cowboy. John Travolta was in the movie, but Debra Winger played his girlfriend/wife, whose nickname was Sissy.

Hi. On today’s episode you mentioned Durban Cowboy. In error you stated Sissy Spacek costarred with John Travolta. Actually Debra Winger was the costar.

Great podcasts. Well researched. Nice person too. One of my top three.

I appreciate this podcast for its sincerity and unbiased presentation of cases. Many of the cases discussed are ones that I have never heard of before listening. The host is on point, and articulate. If you want a no-nonsense true crime podcast that does not bombard you with f-bombs or off-topic personal rants, you may like this one.

Great podcast. I’m donating on patreon so I can get more!

Love that I haven’t heard of all of these cases and can’t wait to work my way through the back Eps!

Love this podcast and the fan page is so much fun

I love this podcast!!

Love the stories, but please modify the language to “has a disability” instead of using the “r word”

This is a fantastic narrative podcast! Esther is a wonderful, thoughtful storyteller. The top shelf she covers in the form of mini-series are broad-ranging and interesting. There is something for everyone. I love the way Esther presents the stories, especially when she adds interesting extra detail, offers her take on circumstances, and my favorite is the occasional sarcastic remark. He voice is soothing and so even- like an audiobook. Simply the best!

Finally had a chance to listen to the Aileen Wournos deep dive from January. That was amazing!! I’ve heard that story many times but never with that much detail. This was already one of my favorite pods but now I like it even more.

This podcast is a good podcast its more of a audio book type of podcast there one host and it’s just her talking about the topic there’s no banter or chemistry with a second host so it’s not what I look for in a podcast but very well researched and executed good topics it’s worth a listen

Few episodes in and I’m addicted. Quickly becoming one of my favorites

I don’t like podcasts that get “chit chatty”. I just want an amazing voice with well researched facts woven in to a story type monologue. Esther hits all those! Excellent podcast.

Idk why but I can’t access Crime Machine- the podcast you recommened 😩

Once Upon A Crime is my favorite podcast, true crime-related or otherwise. Host Esther Ludlow is a great storyteller, she does her research, and the focus is on the narrative, not comedy (but when she does throw in a one-liner, it's gold). People have noted that it sounds like she's reading a script, and that's true. But I much prefer her level of preparation to someone who just wings it but doesn't get their facts right.