South Carolina

Amber Fulmer: Welcome y’all to the Direct Examination Podcast! I’m Amber Fulmer.

Joseph Bias: And I’m Joseph Bias. For once, we are missing Dane, not Amber!

Amber Fulmer: Dane is M.I.A. today, but we know he isn’t found in a ditch somewhere!

Joseph Bias: That’s right! How are you doing, Amber?

Amber Fulmer: I am catching up on sleep! We had a very sick baby over the weekend. Evie had her first ear infection, and when you read a thermometer at 10:00 PM on a Friday and it says 104.7, panic sets in! But she is doing much better now.

Joseph Bias: Speaking of babies, we have huge news for our listeners regarding our missing co-host!

Amber Fulmer: Yes! Since I recently expelled a child from my body (laughs), I have the honor of announcing that Dane Phillips and his wife Julia are expecting another baby girl this fall!

Joseph Bias: Congratulations to Dane and Julia! That is fantastic news. Now, touching briefly on legal updates, the Supreme Court’s current operational order regarding trial courts and family courts expires June 12th, and we are waiting to see what Chief Justice Beatty issues next regarding jury trials and court proceedings.

Amber Fulmer: In addition, as Joseph mentioned last episode, we are deeply mindful of the national movement and protests regarding police brutality and racial justice following the murder of George Floyd. We are planning a dedicated episode soon to bring on experts and discuss these critical issues thoroughly.

Joseph Bias: Absolutely. Today, to give our listeners a helpful mental break, we are bringing on two very special guests to talk books and summer reading! Joining us are Brindy McNair—who produces our podcast behind the scenes—and Karson Terry, co-hosts of the That’s Lit podcast! Welcome, Brindy and Karson!

Brindy McNair: Thanks for having us!

Karson Terry: Hi everybody!

Joseph Bias: For anyone who hasn’t listened to That’s Lit, tell our audience what your show is about.

Karson Terry: We are essentially a virtual book club. We read trending books, fiction, non-fiction, and true crime, and break them down so that even if you didn’t have time to read the book yourself, you can listen to our episode and feel completely informed!

Amber Fulmer: As attorneys, we spend all day reading case law, pleadings, and discovery on computer screens, so having curated book recommendations is a lifesaver! I’ve brought a list of legal and true-crime classics, but let me turn it over to the That’s Lit crew first!

Brindy McNair: My first recommendation is a non-fiction true-crime masterpiece: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou. It details Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos, which claimed to run hundreds of blood tests from a single prick of blood. The machine never worked, she defrauded investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars, and the audacity of the deception is mind-blowing!

Karson Terry: My first pick is Normal People by Sally Rooney. It’s a short, beautifully written Irish novel about two young people navigating friendship, intimacy, and class dynamics from high school into college. It was recently adapted into a fantastic Hulu series. Just a warning: the ending leaves you feeling a very specific, complicated way!

Brindy McNair: My second pick is The Less People Know About Us by Axton Betz-Hamilton. It’s a jaw-dropping true-crime memoir about a woman who suffered severe identity theft starting in her early teens, only to discover decades later that the perpetrator who ruined her credit was her own mother!

Karson Terry: Next is Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson. It’s a novel following three female cadets at West Point, tracking their cadet years through deployment, marriage, and personal loss. It’s deeply researched, emotional, and offers an incredible look at female friendship in the military.

Brindy McNair: My third pick is Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Written as a letter to his teenage son, it explores what it means to inhabit a Black body in America, systemic racism, and historical trauma. It is one of the most vital, beautifully written books of our time.

Karson Terry: My next recommendation is Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. Set in Shaker Heights, Ohio, it explores family secrets, motherhood, and weight of expectations when an enigmatic artist and her daughter move into a picture-perfect suburban community. It was also adapted into the Hulu miniseries starring Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon.

Brindy McNair: Next is a YA fantasy powerhouse: Children of Blood and Bone (and its sequel, Children of Virtue and Vengeance) by Tomi Adeyemi. It’s a West African-inspired magic system dealing with oppression, monarchy, and fighting back against tyranny. Think Black Panther meets Harry Potter.

Karson Terry: My final pick is Writers & Lovers by Lily King. It follows a 31-year-old aspiring writer in 1990s Boston struggling with student debt, the recent death of her mother, waiting tables, and navigating a love triangle between two very different men. It’s funny, vulnerable, and captures the creative struggle perfectly.

Amber Fulmer: Those are incredible picks! Here are my top legal and trial picks for anyone wanting great courtroom drama or legal history:

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (and do not read Go Set a Watchman!).

2. Until Proven Innocent by Stuart Taylor Jr. and KC Johnson (a damning look at prosecutorial misconduct in the Duke Lacrosse case).

3. Helter Skelter and Outrage by Vincent Bugliosi (prosecutor accounts of the Manson and O.J. Simpson trials).

4. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson and The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton (essential memoirs on death row defense and exoneration).

5. Flameout by James Blackburn (a former high-profile lawyer’s candid memoir on addiction, disbarment, and prison).

6. Runaway Jury by John Grisham and Lincoln’s Last Trial by Dan Abrams.

Joseph Bias: And to close out, here is my 1-minute 3-book sports and pop-culture blitz:

1. The Jordan Rules by Sam Smith (the explosive insider account of Michael Jordan and the 1990–91 Chicago Bulls).

2. The Dream Team by Jack McCallum (the definitive history of the 1992 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball team).

3. Movies (And Other Things) by Shea Serrano (hilarious, brilliant pop-culture essays analyzing iconic cinema).

Amber Fulmer: Look at Joseph giving us three sports books in under sixty seconds! (laughs)

Joseph Bias: I know what I like! (laughs) Brindy and Karson, thank you both so much for joining us! Where can people find your podcast and social media?

Karson Terry: You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen by searching That’s Lit Podcast, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @thatslitpodcast!

Joseph Bias: Follow us on Twitter and Facebook @SCLawPod, follow Amber @RedJudicata, Dane @SCCrimLawyer, and Joseph @JosephPBias. Leave us a five-star review, stay safe, and we’ll see y’all next week!