KPCC's "Serial" Season 1 finale and debrief at the Crawford Family Forum

A lively conversation on the complex legal, ethical and journalistic issues raised by the podcast Serial was held on December 18, 2014 at KPCC's Crawford Family Forum, following a communal listen to the final episode of the series. Topics of discussion at the packed event included the discomfort some audience members felt in experiencing the story of a young woman's murder as entertainment, troubling aspects about the legal case against Adnan Syed and the bizarre plea deal offered to Jay Wilds, and the impact of semi-moderated internet sleuthing on the real people impacted by the case.  From left to right are attorney Alan Jackson (Partner with Brown White & Newhouse LLP and former Assistant Head Deputy District Attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office), attorney Lisa Kang (Alternate Public Defender for Los Angeles County), moderators Kristen Muller (KPCC managing editor of news) and Sanden Totten (science reporter) and crime historian and novelist Kim Cooper (Esotouric /The Kept Girl).

Holiday gifts... on the noir side

Stumped for what to give the true crime and mystery lover in your life?

Perhaps a personalized, autographed copy of The Kept Girl, Kim Cooper's critically-acclaimed novel of 1929 Los Angeles featuring the young Raymond Chandler on the trail of a cult of murderous angel worshippers, would fit the bill. The book is just $14.99 (plus shipping + tax, where applicable), or $24.99 for the deluxe edition in silver-foiled Art Deco wraps.

There's also The Raymond Chandler Map of Los Angeles, which is the perfect size to slip into a stocking or into a holiday card envelope, and which author Kim Cooper can inscribe on request. The map is $10 postpaid in the US, $14 elsewhere.

And for those visiting or lucky enough to live in Los Angeles, there's a seasonal sale on gift certificates for Esotouric's award-winning bus adventures, each of them hosted or co-hosted by author Kim Cooper.

To order your holiday gifts and ensure quick shipment before the holidays, just make a list of what you'd like, and email to reserve.  

Raymond Chandler's Secret

When I hopped the fence from true crime to historical fiction, I couldn't anticipate that my background research would uncover a completely unknown musical comedy libretto by Raymond Chandler that shatters the familiar narratives of his late-life literary career and legendary marriage. But I am so, so grateful that it did.

In The Guardian, Sarah Weinman shares the story of my discovery of the comic operetta The Princess and the Pedlar, and why the Chandler Estate would rather you didn't know about it. If you'd like to help me stage this remarkable show in Los Angeles, please click here.