Crime Writers On...True Crime Review

In February 1978, the car of five men with either mental health or intellectual disabilities was discovered on a high mountain road, far away from their anticipated destination. By the summer it became clear where the group had gone, but what happened to them in those months remains a troubling mystery.

The seven-episode podcast “Yuba County Five” from Mopac Audio recalls the missing persons case that still haunts Northern California. It asks the question of why the men took the detour and whether someone with bad intentions sent them into the wilderness to meet their fate.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "YUBA COUNTY FIVE" BEGIN AROUND MINUTE 19:00

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In 1984, a man shot four Black teens who approached him in a subway car, then vanished into the station. Reflecting New Yorkers’ growing anxiety about crime, the shooter was hailed by residents and the media as “The Subway Vigilante.” The unknown suspect was Bernie Goetz, who told investigators his unrelenting fear of city life fueled his actions. But as a more accurate portrait of the events emerged, a heated debate began whether his use of force was appropriate. And the case became a Rorschach test on crime, race, and justice that continues to resonate.

Exclusively on Audible and slated soon for full release, “Fiasco: Vigilante” is the latest installment in the series by host Leon Neyfakh. It features interviews with witnesses, reporters, lawyers, and victims’ family members all touched by the infamous Bernie Goetz case. It also recounts the external factors that shaped public attitudes about the shooting that turned Goetz from populous hero to a cautionary tale of violent paranoia.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "FIASCO: VIGILANTE" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 14 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE.

In Crime of the Week: graduation part-ly.

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In 2003, a pair of teenage boys emerged from the woods around Vernon, British Columbia. They claimed to have lived their lives in the wilderness with no contact with civilization. As the town rallied behind them, the so-called “Bush Boys of B.C.” attracted international media attention - as well as the suspicions of the Mounties who wanted to know their true identities. From Campside Media, season three of Chameleon: “Wild Boys” looks back at the strange tale that gripped two nations.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "WILD BOYS" GO TO THE APPROX. 38:00 MINUTE MARK

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The Cliftons have not seen their mother in years. She ran off with David, the boyfriend who controlled her money and her life. What’s his connection to Rob, a supposed MI-5 agent who in 1996 took a trio of college kids into hiding, claiming they’d been targeted by IRA assassins?

From Netflix, “The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Con Man” looks back at the exploits of Robert Freegard - accused of controlling, conning, and fleecing several women. Told largely by his victims, the docuseries also looks at the present day and asks whether he’s up to his old tricks.

FOR OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "THE PUPPET MASTER," GO TO MINUTE 34:00

In Crime of the Week: a clean getaway.

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In 2014, Sarah Koenig and Dana Chivvis traveled to Guantánamo Bay hoping to find the untold stories about the infamous military prison. They found many friendly soldiers willing to repeat Army talking points, but no one willing to be candid about life at the detention center.

A decade later, the pair reached out to those people, many who had left the military and were now willing to go on the record. Many remembered Gitmo as a plum wartime assignment in sunny Cuba, filled with strong drinks and sexy personnel. Others have slowly come to terms with what the mission was and the role they played in it. Koenig also spoke with former prisoners, some with little or no connection to the Taliban or Al Qaeda when they were detained.

In season four of “Serial,” Koenig and Chivvis drift away from the podcast format it popularized ten years ago, telling a variety of stories week-to-week about Guantánamo Bay from the people who were there. Instead of a deep investigation into policies and procedures at Gitmo, the hosts seek personal, unexplored stories from more than 100 of those on the ground. The podcast promises an oral history of the military detention center long cloaked in mystery and infamy.

OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF SEASON 4 OF "SERIAL" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE

In Crime of the Week: distill my heart.

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