The Karen & Ellen Letters

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

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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

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

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

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