Really interesting podcast. I enjoyed every episode.

I couldn’t wait to hear this story .. Rita is a. Interesting character and was so flamboyant but the narrator voice was weird and she sounded bored and uninterested so it did not generate interest on what is such a colorful story … I gave up

I am 20 min into season three, and it is hard to focus on the story because the narrator’s has a weird cadence. I honestly thought it was a reboot or something. I enjoyed the previous seasons, but I’m not sure I’m going to make it through this one. Please don’t use her again, at least not without fixing the issue.

The plot was great. I listened because I’ve traveled through Dixon, IL. However, 8 episodes was too many and the narrator was often difficult to listen to.

Season 3 has enough content to make a great 2-episode podcast. Unfortunately, they stretched it out to 8 episodes. It’s full of fluff about horses and homecoming court, but doesn’t delve into the actual crime until around episode 5. I gave up.

This is a great podcast, and narratively speaking, the story is phenomenal and well researched. Someone needs to work with the narrator on her voice cadence. She elongates the last word of every sentence in a way that is unnatural and extremely difficult to listen to. This is a classic example of a great show, that is well produced, but that just needs a little more refining in its presentation.

This is one of the best documentary podcasts I have ever listened to, and I say that as someone who did radio documentaries for a living in the 80s and 90s. Everything about this podcast just works, the way these intricate complicated stories are woven together, the attention to historical detail and cultural nuance, the writing and editing, the thoughtful and entertaining interviews with the colorful cast of characters involved, the production values, even the music was great. This is really stellar work and I hated for it to end!

This had to be one of the best seasons I’ve ever listened to. It’s like being there. I’ve never experienced that before. Great story , research , and great story telling ! The host (s) begin and draw you in , never imagined where this went. I had to binge every episode. Great work !

Accurate portrayal of weed world and life on the hill. Been there done that. Tweakers with knives. People not getting paid for the work they do. Being trapped on the mountain. Feeling a general sense of unease as harvest season approaches. LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST. Sam, 10/10 my dude.

Terrible narration on Crooked City. Her voice is like an uncomfortable robot. The story is interesting but can’t listen because of her voice.

This was a engaging podcast as the host tries to find the truth behind a robbery and murder under circumstances where there might be many truths or just a lot of lies.

Love this podacast

John is HILARIOUS!!! Love this dude!! He needs his own podcast. I bet he has some wild stories!!

Very interesting story but it was so hard to keep listening. Sorry to say but the narrators voice is just not it.

3 seasons , 3 great stories !

Can’t listen to Dixon, IL anymore - didn’t get past first episode. The narrator is awful. Very distinct and annoying cadence that’s very distracting and makes it impossible for me to focus on the story. Sorry.

Very well done podcast. Interesting from the get go and super easy to binge. I listened in an entire day.

This story has everything you could want, not to mention 15 episodes & after everyone you hear you can’t wait to hear more. They did an amazing job, in full detail they explained everything & everyone involved. Great job!!

Listened to the whole thing over the course of a weekend!

I haven’t even gotten through the first episode so maybe this isn’t a fair rating but, while I’m interested in the story, I’m finding her voice incredibly distracting and annoying. Elongating the end of every word almost like it’s a question…

The Youngstown story was so interesting! I hated when it ended! Loved how the story was organized & told! Very captivating!

I’m having a hard time listening to the actual story because I’m so focused on the way the host speaks! She seems to drag the end of her words. Ughhhhh:

Here’s the perfect example of what could be an interesting story expanded to be boring. The main interest point of true crime, the embezzlement, is buried in a way to detailed exploration of the woman’s interest in horses. I was bored by the second episode

I’m so sad for the town, people and all of the families that have been so hurt by what Rita’s massive theft. I’m shocked she stole so much. She never had a moment when she felt guilty for destroying an entire town and so many lives. It is one of the most profound examples of a Psychopath. She would have murdered people to prevent getting caught.

Rita and I were both the same age, grew up in similar families with similar interests (music, sports, horses)—but I was on the West Coast. I was also in 4-H, started out with a pony about the same age, graduated to a “grade” Quarter Horse, but ended up with an Appaloosa (that was a “second class” breed compared to Quarters at that time) in high school. There was a girl (only child with wealthy parents) in my 4-H club who always won the ribbons & trophies and I felt second class to her — the competition in our club was intense. I, too, wanted acceptance from my other highly skilled equestrian girlfriends and thought winning would get me into “their gold level” club—including winning at top level equestrian competitions—I clearly identified with Rita in this story. However, by my senior year of high school after only riding in a few local higher-level non-4-H horse competitions, I QUICKLY realized my time and hard-earned allowance/hard jobs put into the horse shows wasn’t worth the “cheap” trophies/ribbons I was focused on. If Rita felt all of her horses, trophies, ranches, etc would bring her happiness and self-worth, what a scandalous way she went fulfill this desperate need. As a horse enthusiast, thanks for mentioning the various horse shows, number of horses she took with her, honors she won—I recognized the significance of them. Excellent reporting and excellent narrator. PS — how did Rita get the “new last name” of Crundwell from her maiden name? Was there another scam in that relationship?

I highly recommend this amazing true crime story. I couldn't wait for each Monday to hear the next episode. Great production and narration. Hope Season 4 comes quick! Denbo Fischer

This is a pretty horrific story that was produced in a palliative way. The unfolding of the events by you was well organized and to the point. I listen to a lot of podcasts, I think you are among my favorite now.

This is a crazy story. Alexa Burke does a good job exploring the context of Rita Crundwell and what would lead her to do what she did. I appreciated the different perspectives and the delightful storytelling.

Crooked City, Dixon, IL stands out as a captivating podcast, and credit goes to the host's exceptional storytelling skills. Her thoroughness and dedication to staying true to the narrative make each episode a compelling journey through the twists and turns of this small town story. A must-listen for anyone who appreciates a well-crafted and immersive storytelling experience. It’s a town anyone could see themselves living in, and I’m excited to keep hearing the townspeople’s testimonies.

Season One I am A.D.D. I will tell a story and go down so many rabbit holes even i forget what the original story was about. I have always enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean !!! Season 2 Don’t know who produced this season. Nowhere near the quality of 1 and 3. Episode 2 and I’m out. Season 3 I listened to this season first. Definitely the best of the 3.

Absorbing story, well researched and written with great use of natural sound and interviews. Loved the announcer. She brought the story to life. She has a great way of bringing out the essence of Rita’s on-going deception and its impact from her sources. If you’re interested in being entertained by an unexpected criminal enterprise, I would strongly recommend this podcast.

I don’t understand why the deep dive into horse exhibitions was warranted. This awful person wrecked a historic city’s finances to gobble up highly valued animals. It’s as if the story changed from True Crime to an Equestrian podcast.

How come the producer ms burge something is not on credits below. The story is good about city managers and mayors through 15 yrs of a treasurer stealing. As usual these guys had one cushy job and left everything to crewel. BUT the narrator has got to go

Is there no producer or director to tell the woman doing the voiceover to stop the absolutely bizarre, annoying way she elongates and stresses the ends of her words?! Had to stop listening.

I liked it just fine. Defense worth a listen. Hey Bigriverfarm. Way to give away the ending bro.

I was at Rita’s farm for a production sale…driving in I asked my friend where Rita got all her money. No one really knew…inheritance, or she owned a bunch of cell phone towers were some of the stories. This podcast gives a good portrayal I what I saw — Rita was very personable, had the BEST horses, and won everything. She duped everyone in the city and QH land. Very glad the city eventually got its money back. Ridiculous that she was released way before her sentence was up.

Seems like an ad break every 5 minutes - plus the overly long intro and too-long wrap up leading to maybe 12 minutes of content per episode.

I live in Illinois and watched this story unfold. I love the podcast but that horse picture is of I believe a jumper, not a quarter horse. A mistake that makes you look bad.

I would love to give this a five star review because the content is great, but the narrators distracting cadence makes it difficult to listen to in season three. I don’t understand why the narrator is speaking that way during the narrations because it doesn’t sound like that how she normally speaks that way when she’s interviewing people.

Rita Cromwell’s greed was disgusting, but there is something so funny about a town full of people calling her criminal and unethical while exposing their city pride for Ronald Reagan. The man was complicit in the deaths of thousands of people while breaking laws and breaking our political system to benefit himself and his Uber wealthy friends. Rita was terrible, but Reagan was a special kind of grotesque.

Binged all 3 seasons. Very fascinating stories, each in their own way. The show is very well produced and organized. The Youngstown season really needed a cast of characters flow chart for visual reference because there were so many people! Can’t wait for future seasons.

LOVE seasons 1 and 3 especially, the stories are captivating and unique. Awesome narratives - I couldn’t wait to get back to each episode. Highly recommend!!

Really enjoyed the first two seasons. Wanted badly to listen to season 3 but the way the narrator spoke made it unlistenable. She draws out words in a performative and overly dramatic way with a sprinkle of vocal fry. I found it grating and obnoxious. I tried several times but couldn’t continue. I wish they could have just read the copy in way that a normal human being would speak. It was a completely foreign sounding. The first time in 10 years of listening to podcasts that the hosts performance overwhelmed the content for me.

Great story. Well written. Man, it is very hard to listen to this seasons host. She has a cadence to her words that is just not appealing to my ears, said with love.

Interesting story and well told but the narrator has this strange lilt to her voice where she holds the last syllable of every sentence too long making it increasingly irritating to listen to.

Horse show person here who was witness to her rise to Queen status in the horse show world. The picture of the horse on the front is not right - it appears to be an entirely different discipline than she was even famous gor. It should be Good I Will Be who sold for $775k at the dispersal sale. Tons of photos of him online. This instantly turns a horse person off- which is a BIG part of who would want to listen. Hope this is helpful.

I really enjoyed the first 3 episodes - I live in Illinois and remember when this all happened. However, I refuse to subscribe to yet another podcast channel to listen to the rest. Maybe I’ll go back and listen in a year or two if they become free. If I remember it.

Halfway through episode one of season 3, it’s a tough listen, story might be great but can we get a narrator with just a little enthusiasm in her voice.

Season one has been great so far! Learning about the Mob from mob members has been very interesting!

The season 3 narrator is horrific. Her narration actually makes me angry and even I admit that’s not a reasonable response. But it does.