The Karen & Ellen Letters

Latest Episodes:

Retrospective 5: Kelly and The Pandemic Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

In Retrospective 5, Josh discusses how a family loss created massive life changes during the creation of TCB season 2. And how the pandemic and Kelly Cochran led to some massive podcast changes, gambles, and fears.
10th Anniversary Retreat
https://www.bothand.fyi/event-details-registration/ten-year-anniversary-celebration
TROVA TRIP to Slovenia
https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/slovenia/slovenia-with-josh-hallmark-jun-2027
TROVA TRIP to Galápagos Islands
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027
TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026
PATREON
www.patreon.com/studiobothand
SPONSORS
• Coveron: Coveron.com/TCB with code TCB for 20% off (for the first 100 users).
• Boll & Branch: BollAndBranch.com/truecrimebs for 20% off.
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns.
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp.com/TCB for 10% off your first month.
• Schedule35: Schedule35.co with promo code TCBS for 15% off your first order.

Retrospective 4: Voices Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

In Retrospective 4, Josh discusses how massive life changes coalesced with the creation of the first season of TCB. How he isolated himself entirely to both heal and get into the head-spaces of the people he'd spent so much time researching and writing about. Plus, what went into creating the season one finale.
10th Anniversary Retreat
https://www.bothand.fyi/event-details-registration/ten-year-anniversary-celebration
TROVA TRIP to Galápagos Islands
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027
TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026
SPONSORS
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns with code TCBS.
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp.com/TCB for 10% off your first month.
• Schedule35: Schedule35.co with promo code TCBS for 15% off your first order.

Retrospective 3: Darkness Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

In Retrospective 3, Josh discusses how 24 harrowing hours changed his life and the course of True Crime Bullsh**. He discusses how an incident re-shaped his vision for the first episode of the podcast, and his view on true crime and its darkness. Plus, the impact of that first episode on listeners, and the impact of those listeners on Josh.
10th Anniversary Retreat
https://www.bothand.fyi/event-details-registration/ten-year-anniversary-celebration
TROVA TRIP to Galápagos Islands
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027
TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026
SPONSORS
• Boll & Branch: BollAndBranch.com/truecrimebs for 20% off.
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns with code TCBS.

Retrospective 2: Investigations Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

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 working on TCB, he learned about investigations and their repercussions.
This is parts one and two of The Karen & Ellen Letters, Josh's first full-fledged investigation.
10th Anniversary Retreat
https://www.bothand.fyi/event-details-registration/ten-year-anniversary-celebration
TROVA TRIP to Galápagos Islands
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027
TROVA TRIP to Costa Rica
https://trovatrip.com/trip/central-america/costa-rica/costa-rica-with-josh-hallmark-nov-2026
Cast:
Sara Stapleton as Karen
Sara Kitcher as Ellen
Jeff Powell as Mark
Matt Peelen as Rob
SPONSORS
• Boll & Branch: BollAndBranch.com/truecrimebs for 20% off.
• Quince: Quince.com/TCBS for free shipping and 356-day returns with code TCBS.
• Schedule35: Schedule35.co with promo code TCBS for 15% off your first order.

Retrospective 1: The Ignition Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

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 investigating Israel Keyes, some hilarious and terrifying stories from the road, and some really vulnerable and personal stories.
We start our first retrospective at, duh, the beginning. Josh shares how both his podcasting journey and Keyes obsession began. He discusses his time in Seattle and on the Olympic Peninsula, how he ended up on the East Coast, his first deep-dive investigation (not Keyes) and how that led to his second (Keyes).
And this kicks off an early episode of his very first show, Our Americana, entitled Van Life.
TROVA TRIP to The Galapagos Islands:
https://trovatrip.com/trip/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-with-josh-hallmark-jan-2027

0210. Go Be Free Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

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

Music by:

Podington Bear
Twin Sister
Maria Taylor
Roseanne Cash
Chris Zabriskie

0209. Sunrise/Sunset Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

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 Himself

Music by:

Podington Bear
Beach Party Hula Island
Sara Stapleton
Evgeny Grinko
Radical Face

0208. Two Sweet Sand Pigs Mar 06, 2024

Show notes

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 Himself

Music by:

Podington Bear
Beach Party Hula Island
Sara Stapleton
Evgeny Grinko
Radical Face

0207. The Big Guy Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

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 Corwin
The Do

0206. Bestselling Feline Author Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

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
Chris Zabriskie
Samuel Corwin
Lia Ices

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