Last week, I was on a road trip with my best friend and her family. Upon loading all our luggage into the car, they immediately started playing a podcast called "Serial."

As an avid music lover, my first thought in the car is to crank up the tunes, not listen to a podcast. After getting over my initial surprise, I started to become absorbed in this story. Three hours later when we reached our destination, I didn't want to turn it off.

"Serial" is a podcast produced by WBEZ Chicago and hosted by Sarah Koenig of "This American Life." Once a cult-favorite, "Serial" is making listening to podcasts mainstream.

The first season tackles the twists and turns of the conviction of Adnan Syed for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Although 17 at the time of arrest, Syed is currently serving a life sentence. The big question is did he really do it? If not Adnan, then who?

As a fan of crime and detective shows and stories, I am practically glued to the stereo. The vast expanse of sources questioned by Sarah Koenig adds a different layer to each episode. A former journalist for the "Baltimore Sun", Koenig does an amazing job digging for answers where police did not dare to look. Also, the "Serial" staff is mainly made up of women, the producer, production and operations manager and executive producer are all women, which is pretty awesome. The whole team weaves the storyline so wonderfully, it leaves me frustrated and begging for answers I won't get.

While there is plenty of presentation of actual evidence, the story is emotional. Hearing the perspectives of family and friends are extremely touching, knowing that what happened was real. A teenage girl was murdered and everyone around her was irreversibly changed. However, what is the most saddening is that cases like these happen every day.

Adding to this is the question of Adnan's innocence. He has been in jail for the past 16 years serving for a crime that he may, or may not have committed. Listening to his perspective questions our ability to judge, and how we can't trust another person's memories or even our own. Listening to the interviews of multiple people connected to Hae Min Lee and Adnan Syed reveals how everyone interprets things differently.

What's more, "Serial" shines a light on the flawed American judicial system. Koenig reveals how Adnan's attorney did not interview a woman who could have given Adnan a clear alibi. After the case, Adan's attorney was eventually disbarred. Also, the fact that Adnan is a Pakistani-American and the victim was Asian-American brings the issue of race in the American criminal justice system. The podcast tackles issues such as high school relationships, immigrant families and what it means to be "innocent until proven guilty".

Probably the best part of "Serial" is that the episodes are only 30 minutes. Guess what? It's completely free; just look it up on iTunes. Car, plane or train, I have my headphones in listening to this complex and gripping story unfold.

The most exciting news is that it was just revealed that Adnan's case is up for re-trial. Hopefully presenting new evidence, Adnan will be proven innocent. Again, Adnan's previous lawyer failed to call up a witness who could have given him an alibi. This alibi may be what his current lawyer calls a "last chance for freedom".

We will have to wait and see how this re-trial unfolds in the coming months and wonder who actually committed the crime? While everyone is binge-watching this summer, I'll be binge-listening.