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Inside the Dark World of Romance Scammers
An Austin author’s new novel delves deep into the scammer networks that exploit the vulnerable and the lovelorn.
Lise Olsen
Lise Olsen is a Houston-based investigations editor at the Texas Observer. Lise has investigated many twisted Texas tales, including crooked judges, an unjust execution, massive environmental disasters, myriad cases of corporate and public corruption, and unsolved serial killings. Her reports in three states over 20 years contributed to the prosecutions of a former congressman and a federal judge, inspired laws and reforms, helped solve cold cases, restored names to unidentified murder victims, and freed dozens of wrongfully held prisoners. She is the author of The Scientist and the Serial Killer.
Articles by Lise Olsen
The Bats of Bracken
As many as 20 million of the winged mammals gather at one Texas Hill Country cave, creating one of nature’s most jaw-dropping displays.
A Queer Texan Retraces Steinbeck’s 10,000-mile trip
Austin author and essayist Lauren Hough serves up a monster of a tale about traveling with a dog named Woody Guthrie on a road trip across America.
The Troubling Disappearance of ‘El Gallito’
A Rio Grande Valley murder case was botched and evidence lost by local police and by Texas Rangers. Will anyone ever be held responsible?
A Black Cowboy Museum, Rebooted
With diversity and history under attack in Texas, Fort Bend County leaders are bucking trends to back the expansion of a museum featuring Black cowboy culture.
Leaving His Mark On Houston’s Inprint
Rich Levy, the man behind the Bayou City’s prestigious reading series and the brains behind Inprint, an unusual literary nonprofit, is retiring.
Ex-Con Congressman Attempts a Texas Comeback
Steve Stockman, the felonious GOP politician, wants to return to Washington with a bid for a newly gerrymandered Houston-area district.
The High Cost of Targeting International Students in Texas
The Trump administration’s bans and airport detentions are derailing the academic dreams of students who carry out important research—and sometimes pay hefty tuition—to attend Texas institutions.
Pitted Against Waste
East Texans are uniting to fight oil waste pits in bucolic areas near the Louisiana line—all run by an operator who’s been cited for dozens of violations, and a worker’s death.
Black Bookstore Owners, Government Spies, and Murder
Authors bring new insights to complex stories in nonfiction featured at the 2025 Texas Book Festival.