The Debutante

Now, with a Stunning Bonus Episode!

De: Jon Ronson

Narrado por: Jon Ronson

This is the story of a Tulsa debutante who, as a result of a series of unlikely and often very bad life choices she made in the '90s, found herself in the midst of one of the most terrible crimes ever to take place in America.

Thirty years ago, award-winning journalist Jon Ronson stumbled on the mystery of Carol Howe-a charismatic, wealthy former debutante turned white supremacist spokeswoman turned undercover informant. In 1995, Carol was spying on Oklahoma's neo-Nazis for the government just when Timothy McVeigh blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.

Ever since then, Carol has haunted the imaginations of survivors and investigators because of a rumor that had begun to swirl: If her information had only been listened to, she could have prevented the worst domestic terrorist attack in US history.

The question mystified Ronson. In The Debutante, he embarks on an investigative journey to seek the truth about the woman who grew up in a world of privilege and opportunity and whose teenage rebellion spiraled out of control, leading her to extreme radicalization.

The Debutante takes a closer look at Carol's world, where truth is shrouded and seldom guaranteed. Rare court tapes, diary entries, undercover ATF surveillance audio, and interviews with those who crossed paths with Carol depict a complex woman whose motivations have been hypothesized about for decades. With curiosity and insight at the forefront of his work, Ronson delivers a new perspective on the extraordinary story of Carol Howe.

Now The Stunning Conclusion To The Debutante

In 1996 Carol wrote to her parents, “In my new life, I will have to be very average to avoid suspicion.” Then she vanished from the world. Until January 2025, when Jon Ronson received an extraordinary message from a woman who said she was Carol’s neighbor. As a result of the devastating information in the message, Jon travelled to the small town in Tennessee where Carol had been living under an assumed name to meet those closest to her. In this brand new epilogue, they share for the first time incredible stories that paint a much fuller picture of Carol, from her childhood to her final days.

©2019 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2023 Audible Originals, LLC.

Various voices, each at a different volume!

I had to keep adjusting the volume. Some of the contributors were annoyingly loud. Jarring even.
The basic premise? Timothy McVey was just a patsy, not the mastermind of the Oklahoma bombing.

If you lived through this you need to listen

What a wild ride throughout this whole thing. The twists that happen in the investigation and the need for the government to close the case have left more questions than answers!

Very intriguing…had no idea about this woman!

Very well produced…I wanted more! How about one on what she’s doing now? I would find it interesting to learn if she has “really” changed…and how.

Very interesting untold story

Never have I heard of this information before. Seems to be a reason why. Must read in my opinion

Interesting and Informative

Interesting and informative. I highly recommend. This is serious investigative reporting. Unfortunately, it also brings back another sad day in American history.

Loved

Anything Jon Ronson puts out there is worth listening to. While the ending wasn’t what I was expecting, that makes it all the more interesting.

Jon Ronson does it again!

I love how Jon's signature writing style, narration, and investigative journalism leads him to such interesting and complex places. I admire his ability to follow the facts, taking care not to overstate or jump ahead of his findings (or so it seems), while using his experience with the radio/audio genre to create a storytelling adventure I never want to put down.

The Interviews

The research and interviews are amazing. They really give you a lot to think about and makes you wonder how and why people think the way they do. Good information.

Well done!

Quite a life’s work of investigation. I liked his statement at the end about (paraphrasing) how lies mixed in with truth is exactly how conspiracy theories can start and fester and cause mayhem.

Amazing story!!

The story and narrator were great. I learned so much about the 1996 Oklahoma Bombing that I never knew before.