Starlee Kine.
It’s an unusual name. When you first hear her speak it you can almost imagine that she herself is made up of an impossible white light pushing back against the dark abyss. Then you hear her weave her story in a digressive, conversational style that belies the complexity of the form as much as it makes for simple and easy listening. She has the kind of voice that you can fall in love with. The kind of voice that keeps you enthralled and could just as easily lull you to sleep in a storm.
You can find Starlee Kine on iTunes in Podcasts on Mystery Show by Gimlet Media and there are not enough superlatives available in the English language to express how much I love this show.
The premise is so simple: each episode Starlee Kine solves a real world mystery, but not the kind solved by police or in the movies. Starlee’s mysteries are small, personal mysteries. The first six episodes and their descriptions look like this.
Case #1 Video Store
This is the one that got me hooked. A woman rents a video from a video store which seems to be a going concern. The next day, when she goes back to return the video, the store is gone.
Case #2 Britney
If this episode doesn’t tug at your heart strings a little…well there’s not much hope. A writer finds a picture of Britney Spears holding her book – a book that no one seems to have ever bought.
Case #3 Belt Buckle
Easily my favourite episode with the best stories. A young boy finds a belt buckle and decades later decides he would like to return it to the owner.
Case #4 Vanity Plate
Spotting a controversial statement on a vanity plate takes Starlee to L.A.
Case #5 Source Code
Just how tall is Jake Gyllenhaal?
Case #6 Kotter
A Welcome Back Kotter fan visiting the Smithsonian discovers something weird about the Welcome Back Kotter lunch box and asks Starlee to find out why Barbarino and Juan appear to be fighting.
If the only aspect of the stories was solving the mystery you might be forgiven for thinking that there doesn’t seem to be much there. That’s not the case.
Starlee Kine is a consummate storyteller who digresses with relentless and unapologetic ease. Every avenue of her investigations is a source for more storytelling which she accomplishes by asking questions, listening to answers, and making observations. Each episode charms,enchants and leaves the listener wanting more. Mystery Show is a must listen to podcast and best of all it’s free.