The Silver Linings Handbook
Jayson Blair
Show overview
The Silver Linings Handbook has been publishing since 2023, and across the 3 years since has built a catalogue of 250 episodes, alongside 37 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 270 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a weekly cadence.
Episodes typically run an hour to ninety minutes — most land between 54 min and 1h 19m — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language True Crime show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 4 days ago, with 19 episodes already out so far this year. Published by Jayson Blair.
From the publisher
Life has many layers. Whether it's true crime, the media spotlight, mental health, religion or any other part of a person’s journey, there are so many deeper truths underneath the surface. To truly understand them, you need to peel back those layers to find the depth, beauty, joy, suffering and struggles that become the silver linings. Join Jayson Blair each week for interesting conversations with interesting people from all walks of life.Artwork by Hannah Hill.https://www.instagram.com/serious_moonlite/?hl=enProduction by Alyssa Miller.https://www.instagram.com/alyssarenee.co/?hl=en
Latest Episodes
View all 250 episodes203. Profiling the Disappearance of Ashley Loring Heavyrunner with Julia Cowley, Part 1
202. Why Transitions Are So Hard with Victoria Grady
201. Internal Affairs with Marlon Marrache, Part 2
200. Internal Affairs with Marlon Marrache, Part 1
199. Bouncing Back with Julie Barth
198. Addiction, Inc. with Emily Dufton
Emily Dufton joins me to talk about how the death of her high school friend after 15 years of escalating opioid use led her on a journey to uncover the origins of the American opioid crisis and our failure to treat patients. She traces those roots back to the well‑intentioned but misguided efforts of the Nixon Administration in the 1970s, the punitive turn of the Reagan‑era War on Drugs, and the policies that followed. Emily also connects these policy choices to the rise of pharmaceutical profiteering—from Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, to other drug manufacturers who have collectively paid more than $60 billion in fines and civil penalties for practices that, in many ways, helped start the fire and then attempted to sell the hose.To read Emily’s book, Addiction, Inc.:Addiction, Inc.: Medication-Assisted Treatment and America’s Forgotten War on Drugs, DuftonContact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
197. Geographic Profiling with Doug MacGregor, Part 2
Geographic Profiler Doug MacGregor returns to conclude our conversation about the art and science of geographic profiling — and the blend of criminology, behavioral science, mapping technology and temporal data he uses to help prioritize suspects in criminal investigations.To find out more about Doug's work:IRIS Investigative StrategiesContact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
196. Geographic Profiling with Doug MacGregor, Part 1
I talk with Doug MacGregor about his background as a geographic profiler and the blend of criminology, behavioral science, mapping technology and temporal data he uses to help prioritize suspects in criminal investigations.To find out more about Doug's work:IRIS Investigative StrategiesContact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
195. The Colonial Parkway Murders Secrets with Bill Thomas, Part 3
Bill Thomas and I conclude our conversation on the latest developments in the Colonial Parkways Murders. Bill walks us through the patterns, dead ends and new leads.Listen to part 1 of this series here.Listen to part 2 of this series here.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
194. The Colonial Parkway Murders Secrets with Bill Thomas, Part 2
In this episode, Bill Thomas, the brother of Colonial Parkway murder victim Cathy Thomas, and I continue our discussion on the cases. We revisit how Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. became a major but mishandled suspect after the 1988 disappearance of Keith Call and Cassandra Hailey, whose abandoned car coincided with reports of a man in a distinctive, waterman‑rigged pickup confronting couples while posing as law enforcement. His work on the water gave him plausible access to remote roads, docks, and peninsulas without attracting attention.Bill walks through the FBI’s early search of Wilmer Sr.’s home and truck—where agents found weapons and restraints—yet he was released after polygraphs. Only years after his death in 2017 did manual DNA comparisons revive the case, ultimately linking him to multiple murders, including Cathy and Becky Dowski. We also introduce Liberty Security, a small local company with repeated proximity to several victims and their families, and its owner, Ron Little— one reason Wilmer Sr.’s identification does not close the cases. The episode reframes the pattern of violence as a broader set of “Peninsula Murders,” shaped by waterways, jurisdictional seams, and Wilmer Sr.’s ability to move fluidly between them.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
193. The Colonial Parkway Murders Secrets with Bill Thomas, Part 1
In this episode, Bill Thomas, the brother of Colonial Parkways murder victim Cathy Thomas, and I examine the series of homicides that occurred in Virginia between 1986 and 1989. The case began in 1986, when Bill’s sister, Cathy, and her girlfriend were found dead in Cathy’s Honda Civic just off the Colonial Parkway. For more than three decades, the murders remained unsolved.That shifted in 2024, when a Northern Neck waterman, Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., was linked to two of the Colonial Parkway cases—and to several additional homicides across Virginia’s three peninsulas, including some not previously connected to the series. Then, in January, more than 39 years after Cathy’s death, Bill learned that her killing had been formally tied to Wilmer Sr.Even with this development, Bill’s search for answers continues—particularly how Wilmer Sr., once on the FBI’s radar and ruled out early on, was able to continue killing. His investigation now reaches beyond the crimes themselves to the failures that allowed them to continue.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
192. Cancer and the Meaning and Mechanics of Suffering with Ellie Taylor
Ellie Taylor was a young mother when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Ellie, the host of the Version of Events podcast, joins me to discuss the physical and emotional toll of treatment and the meaning and the mechanics of suffering. Ellie and I shared a profound friendship with the late Jessica Olive Cash, and we discuss how pain strips us down to our truest selves and how it opens the door, as it did with Jessica and us, to belonging, compassion and community.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
191. Inside Special Victims Units with Roger Canaff
For most people, “SVU” is a television franchise. For Roger Canaff, it was real life. The former Special Victims prosecutor for the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office, the Alexandria, Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the New York Attorney General and the military takes us inside the world of handling cases involving sexual assault, child abuse, and other crimes against the most vulnerable. He explains how Special Victims investigations and prosecutions actually work— the emotional toll, the quiet victories that rarely make headlines, and the societal and structural challenges that make this work so complex.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
190. Sabrina Schnoor: The Trial, the Truth and a Mother's Grief with Stacia Schnoor, Part 2
In the second half of our conversation, Stacia Schnoor walks us through the courtroom battle that followed Sabrina’s death — the evidence, the testimony and the moments that forced her to relive the worst day of her life. She speaks candidly about the weight of the trial, the community’s response, and the complicated mix of relief and heartbreak that comes with a verdict. This episode captures the inadequacy of what justice looks like after unimaginable loss and how a mother keeps fighting to protect her daughter’s story long after the headlines fade.Find out more about Stacia's work:SavageMother (@savagemothers) | TikTokContact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
189. Sabrina Schnoor: The Trial, the Truth and a Mother's Grief with Stacia Schnoor, Part 1
The day of Monday, May 29, 2023, seemed to be filled with apprehension and anticipation for Sabrina Schnoor. After talking to friends who warned her against it, she decided to meet with her ex-boyfriend one last time before he headed off to prison. A day later, she was found dead on railroad tracks underneath a highway bridge in Owatonna, Minnesota. Sabrina's mother, Stacia, who joins us on this episode, shares the story of who she was, the life she was building and the trial that shook this community 65 miles south of Minneapolis.Find out more about Stacia's work:SavageMother (@savagemothers) | TikTokContact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
188. When Love Turns Into a Lie with Heather Rovet
What happens when the person you trust most is the one quietly rewriting your reality? Toronto real estate broker Heather Rovet joins me to expose the romance scam that shattered her world—an emotional maze of manipulation, false promises and meticulously crafted lies.By the time the truth surfaced, Heather learned she wasn’t his only target. This man had deceived successful women across Canada. And the most devastating part? This wasn’t even his first time. He had already been caught once before.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
187. Unbroken Against the Odds with Adriene Caldwell, Part 2
Adriene Caldwell returns to continue to share the pivotal moments that shaped her path and the unexpected resilience that emerged when the odds were stacked against her. After facing homelessness, a broken family and abuse, she turned those pressures that broke her into strengths. In the second and final part of our conversation, we continue to discuss what helped her become unbroken.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
186. Unbroken Against the Odds with Adriene Caldwell, Part 1
Adriene Caldwell shares the pivotal moments that shaped her path and the unexpected resilience that emerged when the odds were stacked against her. After facing homelessness, a broken family and abuse, she turned those pressures that broke her into strengths. In the first part of our conversation, we discuss what helped her become unbroken.To preorder Adrienne's book:The Book | Unbroken: Life Outside the LinesContact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
185. The Unsolved Death of Jessica Lloyd with Brittany Lloyd
Jessica Lloyd's husband called 911 to say she was having a "mental break" but did not know that six minutes later, a neighbor called to say they just heard a woman scream, "My husband is trying to kill me." By the time police arrived, Jessica was found dead, floating face-down in a canal near her Coral Springs, Florida home. Her sister, Brittany Lloyd, joins me to discuss her family's search for answers about what happened that August night and what truths she has learned — in the hardest way imaginable — about the crisis of domestic violence.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
184. End of the Year Wrap Up
In this special year‑end episode, I reflect on a year of stories that pushed us to confront grief, resilience, injustice and hope. Through conversations with families, survivors, advocates, scholars, and listeners, 2025 revealed how much we still have to learn about compassion, courage and the hidden struggles shaping people’s lives. This episode looks back at the moments that challenged us, changed us and reminded us why these stories matter— and what they can teach us as we head into a new year.Contact me at [email protected] out the Silver Linings Handbook website at:https://silverliningshandbook.com/Check out our Patreon to support the show at:https://www.patreon.com/thesilverliningshandbookJoin our Facebook Group at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361159947820623Visit the Silver Linings Handbook store to support the podcast at:https://www.bonfire.com/store/the-silver-linings-handbook-podcast-storeVisit The True Crime Times Substack at:https://truecrimemessenger.substack.comThe Silver Linings Handbook podcast is a part of the ART19 network. ART19 is a subsidiary of Wondery and Amazon Music.See the Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and the California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.