Very interesting couldn’t stop listening had to see what was going to happen next.

I loved Season 7 so much that I didn’t want it to end. One reviewer aptly states, “everyone gets a little dirty.” I really want a televised docuseries! It was 5 stars, hands down. That was the first season I listened to of this podcast, and based on the strength of that one, I’ve tried to listen to other seasons. I had to abandon all of them, except for Denise, which I’d give 1.5 stars (billed as true crime, but morphed into something else - I actually think it would have been more engaging if the case had been told inversely, starting with the last episode as the premiere episode…that would have made for a richer more in depth, thought provoking study of the case, rather than just impatiently slogging through boring phone calls each episode to get to the resolution). Please find a way to return to the magic of season 7. It’s so frustrating to know you’re capable of doing it, yet keep making mediocre, unsatisfying seasons.

Great characters, crazy story, and good host. Listened to the whole thing at once. Makes you think about how far our understanding of a woman’s capacity to commit violent crimes has come and how people really can skirt by just because they’re pretty!

Enjoyed this season and the thoughtful storytelling

Episode 4 & 5 are reversed in the lineup. Otherwise interesting story told with detail.

The narrator. Can only say. A few syllables. At a time. Once you. Hear it. You cannot. Unhear it.

This is a really interesting story told through a poorly written and melodramatically voiced manner. I cringed throughout at the narration’s poor grammar and trite cliches.

A few are good but most are narrated with “whispery” voices and ANNOYING BACKGROUND MUSIC. So annoying

Denise didn’t come home

Around the third episode I checked to see if anyone created a summary of the people involved. At some point the number of women’s names were coming at me so fast, I had no idea who was who. Maybe this is just a me problem. I think a line or two reminding you of who’s who would have been helpful for those who weren’t taking notes while listening. Perhaps starting the story by introducing Tara Lee first would have been better. Good story, but the story telling needed to be workshopped a bit more.

It was a good show that was interesting and well produced. However the practice of charging the listener to finish the last two episodes of the story is just ridiculous. There’s ads through the entirety of the podcast already so i find it super distasteful to then charge at the very end. Unfollowed.

Denise‘s case and the way it is shared is beyond phenomenal. More than anything, the way the story ends up being a revelation about mental health was the journey through the grieving process through the eyes of her sister, is breathtaking. Coming from a mental health therapist, there are so many important and underlying messages about grief, mental health, and the importance of human connection. I have rarely ever left podcast reviews, but this absolutely deserves one. Well done.

Worst story ever of the people involved black people are the worse liers in the world glass is so dumb

If you're looking for a deep-dive exposé on the private adoption industry with comparisons to foster care and alternative systems, this isn't the podcast for you. However, if you're interested in a compelling, well-structured chronicle of one shady broker and the families impacted by her actions, this podcast delivers. The storytelling is engaging, unraveling each layer of the scheme in a way that keeps you hooked. The narrative unfolds with just the right balance of detail and suspense, making it both informative and immersive. While it doesn’t provide a broad systemic analysis, it excels at spotlighting the human cost of one broker’s deception. A gripping and well-produced listen!

It’s good this was exposed and exposing unethical adoption “agencies”. However, the greatest victims are the birth parents and the children. Tara clearly pushed them to adoption without proper counseling and did not give them the supports they needed or connect them to supports. With proper counseling and support they may have chosen to parent. Instead they were robbed, lied to, degraded and coerced. Their experience is barely touched on and only represented through the eyes of the prospective adoptive parents.

Amazing job. Well done and well told.

This is buying and selling babies. Shame on the buyers and the sellers.

Episode 3 features an ad for an online game, that seem to be a verité recording of false starts and mistakes. Extremely unprofessional presentation that should have been edited and cleaned up. Disappointing.

A moving podcast with many layers to consider. While compelling, it could have gone deeper—examining more why families turn to private adoption, exploring another adoption agency’s challenges, and even speaking to the complexities of the foster care system and its role in placing children for foster and adoptive homes.

Show is okay. Not worth listening to with all the ads.

It’s a great story, and I understand commercials allow content creation, and also, they want to push you to be a subscriber. HOWEVER 7-10 minutes of content at a time with 5 minute commercial breaks in between (and these are only 30 minute episodes!) makes it really hard to become involved in the story. So, not great if you’re not willing to pay money for it.

It’s a well produced podcast and the story is fascinating, but the way this program speaks about adoption is a bit tone deaf in some regards. This could have been a really big opportunity on discussing the ethical pitfalls of private adoption as a whole.

Loved this podcast and the stories included. Such an emotional journey for these families. Episode 7 was 😭👏🏽

I was a little surprised by some of the antiquated language used in this podcast, such as “gave up” and “gotcha day”. These are terms largely abandoned in the adoption community due to the impact on those in the adoption triad. Still, I felt it was an important listen and hope it continues to shine a light on the gaping holes in adoption systems.

This was a very moving season filled with many deeply emotional moments. I binged it in less than 24 hours. My heart goes out to everyone who was affected by Tara Lee’s actions.

As an adopted child who has a relationship with my biological parents, I was beyond disgusted that any human being is capable of playing with people’s lives the way Tara Lee did. Adoption is a lifelong emotional experience for all members of the adoption, triad, (birth, mothers, adoptive parents, adoptees.) I hope this vile woman suffers the same excruciating pain, for the rest of her miserable life, that she gave all of these innocent men and women who just wanted a family. Shame on her. Overall, the podcast was excellent, however, I would have liked to have learned more about Tara’s life/origin story, because I can’t imagine what factors could contribute to becoming such a disgusting human being.

Thank you for shining light on this horrific situation. I’d be interested to know how many other people waiting to adopt have experienced something like this.

I’m blown away…amazing real life experience of emotional pain. And Sarah… God Bless and the families… every single one who shared and those who couldn’t. You are so brave whether silence or vocal. I don’t know how I can continue to be shocked by this level of evil as it’s literally all around us in so many ways…yet this is so multi-layered and to be done by a person who knows the experience of becoming a Mother /Parent… it’s glaring that she is an extreme narcissist / sociopath aka ZERO EMOTION / EMPATHY.

Highly recommend. The last episode will elicit emotion even if you don’t mean for it to.

Moving, riveting, so sad and well narrated story.

What an exceptional, authentic work. Anthony, you became part of the story. Your devotion to the truth revealed all the complexities, the layers involved in tragedy - even the juxtaposition of devastation and transformation. You brought Denise to life and honored your friend Karen. You went far above and beyond in this one & I feel connected. That is more than I expect from a podcast. Thank you❤️

Quite enjoyable but then they fell into the Megan Markle bashing and I’m sick of it.

This story had a lot of potential but holy cow the daughter’s dramatics is hard to listen to. It is painstakingly apparent she has meticulously thought out and planned every. single. word she says to be dramatic and exaggerated that I can’t help but find her have manipulative motives. I really appreciate how each season is unique to its hosts. It’s unfortunate this season (8) takes away from the overall series.

Great story and season. I wish Ashley wasn’t included, she seemed very fake and add no value.

Why is it so many hosts of podcasts insist on telling eberyone about themselves. We dont care

Guy takes money obviously because he doesn’t wanna work that’s what came through but you use his daughter so now she has to make it like the greatest guy in the world when clearly he didn’t take care of his family. He ran into a huge debt, no life insurance. He lied about who he was, and kept everything secret (finances,health, identity) making the stepdad out to be some horrible person is unconscionable, you have zero proof besides some vague memory of his old best friend.

Had to stop. Couldn’t finish it. Ashley wants to be dramatic, but she was so scripted and exaggerated. She shouldn’t have been on the podcast. Or, as one persons suggested, interview her for a single episode. Just can’t continue to listen.

Denise Didn’t Come Home is so thoughtful, authentic, haunting and somehow healing. Incredible work.

I appreciated everything about season 11. I could listen to the host all day. The story was intriguing, it pulled you in and kept you there. I wish there were more episodes. My condolences to the family, I hope this podcast helped them.

Super sucky to get all the way to episode 6 just to find out I can’t find out the ending unless I pay to subscribe… so no closure here.

are completely ruined for me. But great podcast 😭

It’s not dramatically overblown yet keeps you intrigued.

Proof positive for that evil lurks in those who portray themselves as pure and caring. Beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing!

In listening to this Podcast, I felt like I was supposed to believe that every career criminal is a victim just because they’re black and every law enforcement official is a white devil just because they’re white. I’m pretty over this fake narrative. There’s bad people of every color and profession so stop making it racism. That hand has been way overplayed.

If you like shows with a twist this one is for you. I don’t like the other shows here but this one made want to pay for the access to binge every episode!

The show has no payoff. She just gets away with it. Wasted time. Cone on Sony.

A reason I find this story compelling is the difficulty the legal system finds itself in in bringing cult leaders to justice, given how hard it is to prosecute someone for psychological manipulation that can lead to their followers doing harmful things to themselves and others.

This stupid show keeps playing every time I enter my car and they make it impossible to remove from my phone, I want to punch the narrator and which ever apple employee makes it impossible to remove

Like a harlequin romance of crime/mystery genre. Pumped up drama from narrator to fluff the banal story.

Although I’m a binge premium member, I’m not able to binge these episodes all at once and have to wait each week like a commoner.