We’re here, and we’re feeling exceptionally weird.
Though the days have been warm, the nights have been cool, and I’ve allowed myself to start trickling in the seasonal horror movies. I started with the Blair Witch Project the other night, and will be working my way through The Conjuring universe movies over the next few weeks. Speaking of? ‘Twas announced this week that the Rhode Island farmhouse that inspired the original The Conjuring is going up for auction this October after default and foreclosure.
Yeah, that house. Turns out, even spectral real estate can fall on hard times. If we needed a new office, we might make some considerations.
What We Wrote
We’ve been working on our own ghost stories in our fictional series, Accounts Vary. This week, we dropped the first two chapters of Crooked Walls. When Eva moves into her dream Victorian, she expects creaky floors and drafty windows. What she doesn’t expect is a Zillow listing that flips her house backwards, Sanborn maps that erase it entirely, and a century of census records that can’t keep ages straight. Join the unfolding mystery.
Next week, all subscribers will receive Sh*tistics: the Accidental CSAM Edition.
explores why expert and law enforcement testimony in CSAM cases matters, how language shapes how juries see guilt, innocence, and the child victims themselves. This post went out to paid subscribers early and can be unlocked today.Available and more than ready for your eyes is the fifth instalment in Commonwealth v. Russ.
carries on through her signature historical investigation to bring us into the life of prosecutor Joseph C. Pelletier, who might be the first elected district attorney to be removed from office, and or the first owner of the Boston Red Sox. Go forth and enjoy.What Justin Recommends
Podcast | The Science of Ghosts and Ghost Hunting. The Why Files - One of my favourite YouTube channels and podcasts that features a shit-talking goldfish named Hecklefish and creepy stories of conspiracies, cryptids and the paranormal.
Book | When Innocence is Not Enough by Thomas Dybdahl - With all of the hot-pop media podcasts jabbering about “Brady violations”, this book will give you the gut-twisting, infuriating, actual, legal background to what that means — and so much more. Dybdahl is a former public defender, an incredibly well-respected academic and just an incredibly good writer. One of my top legal/history/non-fiction books I’ve read in a long time. Go get it.
One of Ours | A Strange Love Game - Due to the neurospicy, labyrinthine nature of this multi-part series, we do find ourselves sending it to people for a variety of reasons. It’s a lil Fall potpourri of topics rolled into one story. Now, almost a year old, it’s still a fun one to revisit. Don’t worry, we’ve got our crosshairs set on other ARGs too. Stay tuned.
Documentary | Leap of Faith - William Friedkin on the Exorcist - A very personal retelling of William Friedkin’s path to making the Exorcist, and some of the astonishing methods the filmmaker used to get performances out of the actors. I learned so much about this movie and the people who wrote and created it from this documentary. A must-watch for horror fans.
That’s your survival kit for the next couple of days. Of course, you could also just stare out the window, contemplate your life choices, and nap aggressively. Either way, when you’re done, we’ll still be here.
Your Bullshit Hunting Crew