Sirens | A Southern True Crime Podcast

In this episode, I'm joined by Kathy Reichs, one of the most respected voices in forensic science and crime fiction. A practicing forensic anthropologist and the author behind the Temperance Brennan series (Bones), Reichs brings a rare dual perspective—working real cases involving unidentified remains while also translating that science into compelling narrative.Our conversation moves beyond pop-culture portrayals of forensic work and into the reality of what bones can—and cannot—tell us. We talk about skeletal trauma, time since death, identification challenges, and the responsibility that comes with speaking for the dead. Reichs also reflects on how her real-world experience shapes her fiction, the limits of forensic certainty, and why patience and restraint matter as much as expertise in death investigations.This is a grounded, thoughtful discussion about science, truth, and storytelling—centered not on spectacle, but on accountability, accuracy, and the lives behind the evidence.Kathy Reichs is a board-certified forensic anthropologist who has worked on hundreds of cases involving unidentified human remains. She is also the bestselling author of the Temperance Brennan series, which inspired the television show Bones. Reichs is known for her insistence on scientific accuracy, ethical storytelling, and victim-centered work—both in the lab and on the page. You can get her book here, or wherever you get your books.Mentioned in this episode:Get Allegedly Today!Find Allegedly at your favorite online retailer or library app today!

In this episode of Sirens, I’m joined by Rachel Corbett, journalist, academic, and author of The Monsters We Make, for a deeply thoughtful conversation about crime, memory, and the stories we tell ourselves about evil.Rachel shares how her own childhood experiences—and the moments that shaped her understanding of violence and fear—ultimately led her down the path of researching crime, criminal behavior, and the FBI’s approach to criminal profiling. What began as personal curiosity evolved into years of research that challenge some of the most widely accepted assumptions in true crime.We talk in depth about The Monsters We Make, including what inspired the book, how personal history intersects with academic inquiry, and why criminal profiling may not be the reliable investigative tool pop culture has led us to believe. Rachel breaks down how profiling gained its reputation, where it has fallen short, and why its perceived success often looks very different when examined closely.This episode explores the tension between storytelling and science—and asks hard questions about how myths are created, repeated, and cemented in both law enforcement and media.Find more about Rachel at https://www.rachel-corbett.com/.Mentioned in this episode:Allegedly: POCOGet Allegedly: True Crime From Pontotoc County, OK today. Available in paperback, hardback, and ebook from any major store, including library apps.

Hosted by Raven RollinsTulsa’s infamous Hex House wasn’t just a haunted legend—it was real. Beneath the surface of an ordinary duplex at 10 East 21st Street lay a story of control, psychological manipulation, and hidden abuse that gripped the city in the 1940s. Two women were found living in a cold, dark basement—isolated, exploited, and convinced they were earning salvation under the direction of a woman named Carol Ann Smith.In this episode, Raven unearths the true history behind the Hex House. It’s a story of power, belief, and the dangerous ways devotion can be twisted.Mentioned in this episode:Get Allegedly Today!Find Allegedly at your favorite online retailer or library app today!

In this episode, I sit down with brothers Brian and Cameron Santana, co-authors of A Murder on Campus: The Professor, The Cop, and North Carolina’s Most Notorious Cold Case. We talk about the brutal, unsolved 1973 murder of Virginia Marie Olson, a 19-year-old college student whose body was discovered near the campus of UNC-Asheville.Over 50 years, the case would haunt three generations of investigators and the entire Asheville community, marked by dead ends, disturbing parallels, and whispers of notorious suspects. Brian, a veteran cop, and Cameron, a college professor, teamed up to tell this story with a rare blend of insider insight and narrative depth.Get the book here: https://amzn.to/4l06pYtListen to Santana True Crime wherever you get your podcasts.Advocacy. Investigation. Education. Storytelling.If you appreciate what I do, here are a few ways to support Sirens and help true crime stories reach more ears:Rate, review, and share my podcast!Find Raven's books at www.RavenRollins.com Follow Sirens on Social Media https://my.link.gallery/thesirenspodcast 🎬 Binge your next obsession on Paramount+ — Try it FREE with our link! https://paramountplus.qflm.net/c/3437665/2089315/3065 Mentioned in this episode:Get Allegedly Today!Find Allegedly at your favorite online retailer or library app today!

In this episode, I sit down with filmmaker and composer Dan Brown Jr., the creator of the true crime documentary Girl Forgotten: What Happened to Brianna Wells? and founder of Crime Sonics.On December 29, 2014, 17-year-old Brianna Wells was found murdered and abandoned in a South Phoenix alley. Nearly a decade later, her case remains unsolved and largely forgotten—until now.Dan shares the emotional and investigative journey behind Girl Forgotten, a film four years in the making that follows grassroots advocate Gina as she digs into Brianna’s story, uncovers disturbing truths, and exposes failures within the system. From police missteps to media silence, this documentary challenges how we treat missing and murdered girls—especially when their stories are inconvenient.We talk about the filmmaking process, the importance of storytelling through music, the emotional toll true crime creation can take, and how original music—including the haunting theme “Raise Cain”—brings Brianna’s voice back to the forefront.Follow the film at www.girlforgottenfilm.com.Learn more about Dan and the music of Crime Sonics at www.crimesonics.com.Advocacy. Investigation. Education. Storytelling.If you appreciate what I do, here are a few ways to support Sirens and help true crime stories reach more ears:Rate, review, and share my podcast!Find Raven's books at www.RavenRollins.com Follow Sirens on Social Media https://my.link.gallery/thesirenspodcast 🎬 Binge your next obsession on Paramount+ — Try it FREE with our link! https://paramountplus.qflm.net/c/3437665/2089315/3065 Mentioned in this episode:Get Allegedly Today!Find Allegedly at your favorite online retailer or library app today!