Love the story but totally in disbelief by the family not trying harder. I don’t care about it being different times. If some one you day live goes missing act on it! The brother is a police for Christ sakes smh family dropped the ball can’t blame it all on the police,

This is an interesting and often enraging story. So many suspicious circumstances were not looked into decades ago when they should have been. However, the podcast is very repetitive and could have probably been condensed to fewer episodes.

Not “great” writing and is repetitive for sure. The family and friends of Lynn make me absolutely baffled that they took no actions on her behalf until pressed by the producer of this podcast. A remarkable failure of the police department and school system as well. I’m greatful a stranger cared enough to tell her story.

This podcast is well-done but it spends way too much time droning on and on about the same basic facts. I know that true crime podcasts are a great way to deep-dive but this is way excessive. That said I think this is the most outrageous teacher/student crime incident ever. This story needed to be told. And it is told well. Just expect a lot of repetition.

I am a true crime podcast junkie, however I am super sensitive to extra wet mouth noises and have diagnosed misophonia. Hedley’s thick, sticky voice had so many extra wet tongue noises while he spoke I could barely get through an episode. I made it to three before I just couldn’t handle it any more. Needs better sound editing and he needs to back away from the mic when he speaks to get rid of the thick, sticky moving tongue noises he makes when talking. Wish I could have made it farther.

I have listened to a ton of podcasts. When I saw the “repetitive” reviews, I ignored them and assumed they didn’t like going into great detail on a subject. I was wrong. The first roughly 10 episodes all keep repeating the same barebones information, and adds nothing new. I can usually look past a little repetition but this was unbearable. I skipped to the last 2 episodes for the resolution. Kudos for putting the spotlight on an obviously corrupt case. But… this is not a top podcast experience like so many people suggest. This should have been 4 episodes, which includes the resolution.

This story is as fascinating as it is awful. Sadly, it is completely ruined by hands down the worst writing in podcasting history. It is totally disjointed and the writer fails completely at trying to forge a cohesive narrative. The narration is dull and boring making the whole podcast utter garbage. It’s a shame because the story is really really interesting but is completely and totally ruined by the writer and narrator.

These voice recordings of folks on the phone are so mumbled and heavily accented- I normally do not have a hard time with understanding deep accents but the muffled bits just make words unclear ! We need some accents - I’m only on the first episode- I’ll come back to review ! Thanks

Not very succinctly done. Lots of repetitive information per episode

this podcast was fantastically well researched but incredibly repetitive and drawn out

Wow, I’m so happy for Lyn’s family. What a relief and well done to this podcast for making this happen.

Great work on the investigation. I’m incredulous that Lynne’s “friends” did nothing after her disappearance. So disappointing.

I very much enjoyed this podcast. The narration is well done, and I like how detailed the host gets making sure many people are interviewed. My complaint, as many others have mentioned, is how incredibly repetitive the episodes can get. You hear the same info and stories repeated over and over and over. This could have easily been an 8-episode show and still gotten its point and all the information across. Still though, I’d listen to this podcast again.

In terms of investigative journalism leading to an arrest you can’t ask for more. The host clearly researched well and found witnesses and people to provide background at an impressive level. Really well done. From a production standpoint it is super long; interviews should be edited down, aggressively at times. The Q&A style makes episodes so long and hard to follow. There is a lot of repetition. Lastly, at some point the narrative should shift from tragedy to trying to solve the puzzle. There is a harkening back to the tragedy and emotions associated with it in every episode. I’m not sure that is necessary.

This is the most repetitive and redundant podcast I have ever listened to. The content is fascinating, but this would be so much better if condensed to 6 episodes. I also find the voice of the narrator unsuitable for a podcast. Listening in the car, his voice just does not carry and I have to turn the volume way out. Improve the sound quality and make it shorter!!

This podcast is very careless in its treatment of grooming and sexual abuse. The host frequently describes Joanne and her teacher Chris’s relationship, which began when Joanne was 15 and Chris was 32, in romantic terms. Sex between the two of them when she was 15 is not identified as rape. Most unconscionable is the host repeated musings about Joanne’s level of culpability in the death of Lynette. It also very much needs editing, as other have mentioned.

Really??? WHY would you do that? Story is interesting…all the players are there…and somebody needed to give poor Lyn a chance at Justice because her friends and family failed her out the gate…BUT…we aren’t stupid! ALL of this could have been 8 episodes instead of 63…well, you know what I mean! It’s just insulting really!

This has been a fantastic story and my heart goes out to the family. Congratulations to all resources involved in bringing this man to justice.

Fascinating multifaceted story that is still playing out. Stars are the 80s Aussie northern beach community, the local celebrity factor, the school system failures, the police and the court system over time. All of which failed Lyn Dawson. Justice may yet be served for her and many others damaged along the way by the systems/people that failed them. This murderino gives 5 stars.

It was a good podcast, I did not abandon it however it is the same information over and over again at times. I am glad the story got the attention it deserved and that’s what is most important!

I am on episode 8 and I hear the same story and the same interviews over and over again. So very boring. It takes one cadaver dog to check the area and unearthed what is hidden beneath. Believe me, we got the message she was killed in the first episode already

It is clear journalists are successfully bringing Justice to so many people around the World! Thank You

I’m on episode 4 and have heard the same information over and over. So bored I’m just going to move on to another podcast. Too bad tho because what little I learned about this murder is really sad.

I’ve never written a podcast review before but felt compelled after seeing some of the negative reviews and having a decidedly different opinion. Yes, this show is terribly long and some facts are repeated; but if you’re listening, you would recognize that the reason for that is the concurrent developments in the case itself. This is not just a true crime story-telling podcast (though I enjoy those a lot, too), this is investigative journalism. Thomas *must* repeat facts and add content to his episodes in order to incorporate the new information and developments that arise between each episode publication. There’s simply no way around the duration without having all materials laid out to organize at the outset of recording. I think Hedley Thomas did an incredible job at maintaining a coherent story given the wealth of new materials uncovered via his investigations. Now, as far as the actual content goes, Im FUMING! I do wish more attention was given to the fact that Chris targeted Joann for her vulnerability. While I certainly don’t agree with all of her decisions, I must say that it’s difficult for me to believe that she had enough “know-better” about Chris and his actions to be held responsible for her actions/words or lack thereof with regard to his involvement in Lynn’s disappearance. She was not only very young, but she was also traumatized in her home and again by Chris’s very pursuit of her even BEFORE their relationship began. Science has proven time and time again that the traumatized brain, especially when the damage is done at a young age, does not function the way that a non-traumatized brain does. He could truly do no wrong in her eyes and it would not surprise me if she involuntarily blocked out any thoughts to the contrary until it became a matter of her own survival. Also, Marilyn Dawson is a very fishy character in all of this. Ok that’s all for my rant today

I’m so glad this woman and her family finally have the attention of the police and that more evidence has been produced. I listened to everyone episode that was published and will listen to any more updates. That said, the repetitiveness is difficult to tolerate. So much information is repeated over and over that it makes the story droll on when it could have been told so much more engagingly.

I found myself shouting about the absolute audacity of the original police investigation. Actually, there was no investigation!!! Even after so many red flags. The whole case was so sad, and frustrating. What her family went through for so many years is a crime in and of itself. Great investigative reporting!!!

I agree with many who say this could substantially have been reduced. Honestly, after the second episode I skipped to 16.

Hedley Thomas is a fantastic journalist.

The host had an obvious problem here: once the wife disappears and the babysitter moves in, there is simply not much story to tell. Nothing else happens. So, we get endless interviews with people who were outraged by the whole situation. Yes, I get it. It is outrageous. But hearing the thoughts the couple’s paperboy is not illuminating. This could have been a tight 1-hour podcast.

This podcast has made all the difference!

A responsible, loving mother of two, doting wife, good employee, is all of a sudden gone - days later a high school girl moves in - and no one takes action. Incredible.

Interesting story that I’ll want to know the trial outcome of, but by episode 16 you’ve heard the same story 3 or 4 times.

How gullible are you lady???

Justice served! Of course Chris Dawson did it! 40 years too late- police should be ashamed of themselves!

The story and investigation are interesting but I was constantly rewinding to try to understand garbled, static-riddled phone interviews, trying to recall who was who in relation to whom, etc. and fast forwarding through repetitive information. Production value, editing and sound really made this almost impossible to listen to. This could have been an 8 episoder with better sound. Also: the systemic abuses of power by men running education, law enforcement, government as well as the cult of sports celebrity, make this podcast infuriating for reasons unrelated to production. The host does little to challenge institutional misogyny, sexism, male entitlement and sexual predation that together make possible this one single murder and it’s bungled “investigation.”

Kudos to the podcast for getting this story back on the public eye, but it’s not a great listen. I dropped out after 3 episodes. They badly needed to edit this down and the production wasn’t great: loads of garbled phone interviews, very repetitive. When they’re already recycling stuff in the first 3 episodes you know it’s bloated. But my main issue is how the host talked about the teenager who was groomed and sexually abused by her teacher as though she was HIS GIRLFRIEND, and implying she shared some guilt in Lyns disappearance. That is unacceptable.

This is hands-down the best podcast I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to and I cannot hardly wait for more of Hedley Thomas! Update: after having seen other reviews here I wanted to post an update on my former review. It still stands that this is my favorite podcast of all time. But I have to agree with everyone else who thinks Joanne knew more, MUCH MORE, than she lets on. Even at 16, she must’ve know what Chris had done. Only after having lived with him for years does she come forward, only after the relationship had broken down. Only after she was no longer in love with this man does she realize that murder is wrong. It’s really hard to understand that. Nevertheless, I think it’s important to remind others that unless you’ve walked that path yourself can you judge her for how she behaved. We also have to remember that she was just a child herself with no real support system in place to catch her if she left this man, who by that point she probably knew enough to be afraid of. I feel for her. But more than that, poor, poor Lyn. Wherever you are, I hope you’re at peace now.

I listened to several episodes over the course of an eight hour car ride. While the reporting and interviews were solid, I thought that some of the information was getting rehashed over and over. It also felt like the timeline jumped around a bit making it harder to follow.

A intriguing and disturbing story. Production value above average; a good podcast but certainly not the best I’ve listened. Most rattling though is both a historic and current national crisis for Australian women. Australia appears numb to violence against women. From an outside perspective, it’s shocking and frightening how easy Australian men AND WOMEN, turn a blind eye to an epidemic of domestic abuse. The current Australian Prime Minister, the representative government, and the Australian people as a whole need a renewed and brutal national recognition of how accepted and hidden domestic violence against women remains unchanged. It’s shocking how many current Australian new outlets have regular, ongoing stories about the unchanging , overwhelming misogynistic Australian culture which culturally ignores and ultimately drives a national human rights crisis for women. Australia and Australians are extraordinary. I hope this podcast and successful murder charges against Chris Dawson, reawaken an awareness how culturally destructive unchecked violence against women has plagued Australia for too long.

It is not necessary to drag out the story over so many episodes!

I’m loving this podcast but it’s kind of repetitive and I also think that Joann fully knew what was going on! How could she not?! She was living in the house with Lynettes husband while Lynette was still there! So when she disappeared she didn’t know what happened?! Bulls$!&! That’s just my opinion.

Coulda been 8-10 episodes. It was hard to follow since it was so long and didn’t follow a timeline, but as most crime series are it was interesting.

I was introduced to the true crime podcast scene with this podcast. I was instantly hooked and have listened to as many as possible over the past 2+ years. While there have been several other amazing podcasts, the Teachers Pet is and always has been #1. Hedley Thomas is the best storyteller and interviewer - his compassion for the victim and their families combined with his professionalism and style of journalism makes his reporting next level. I highly recommend Shandee’s Story and The Night Driver as well for more of Hedley’s top notch work. I can only hope he continues releasing more true crime podcasts because he is the best!

I don’t think her body is on the property. If it was he would have never had moved. Or it was there and then he moved it before he sold the house. Same as the Kristin Smart case. No Matter how hackled and hated they were in that town they never moved.

Poorly done. Slow and repetitive . Info could’ve been condensed into 2 episodes max

This should have been 3 episodes. The repetition of facts and interviews were infuriating at times, as were endless phone calls with ppl who knew the family just giving opinions. After a couple of episodes I started skipping around to try and get to a place where new information would be, only to find nothing. I ended up having to start skipping entire episodes, and by the end of the last episode there are still no answers or new information. So it was essentially 12 hours of listening to phone calls of how people felt about her disappearance.

fascinating story, but painfully repetititve production. with some solid editing, this could have been an excellent listen. like a few other crime podcasts, the fact that the accused engaged in other reprehensible behavior was used as a justification for a murder charge. the episode with the psychic was completely ridiculous.

I am grateful that the reporter brought this to light, however I agree that the story could have been told just as well in one third as many episodes. Way too much repetition and redundancy. I am relieved that hopefully justice is being sought in this case. I am SHOCKED at how Sydney in the 80s is like the Middle Ages - men are free to rape and pillage and everyone around them turns a blind eye. This poor woman. It’s shocking that NO ONE put any pressure on the police to solve this crime. It’s hard to fathom.

This could have been six episodes. I have heard the same thing told so many times. It got old.

This podcast was incredible. I was so angry at Marilyn (Paul’s wife) judging Lyn for “not fighting for her husband” when he was a child molester. And in comparing their lives, she acted like she was so much better than Lyn. I am outraged that so many people are doing protecting Chris. Marilyn acts all high and mighty, wanting Lyn to fight while simultaneously allowing Jo to stay with her. Marilyn is classic victim blaming. This story was very well written. I couldn’t help but completely immerse myself with this case.