14 True Crime Podcasts That Will Surely Keep You Hooked
Published September 20, 2022
Can’t get enough of true crimes? You’ve come to the right place. From serial killer stories to unsolved mysteries and conspiracy theories, we chronicle the best true crime podcasts that will surely keep you hooked.
But before that, what do you think makes true-crime mysteries so interesting? Is it the fact that something so twisted and dark is happening in the same world that we live in? Or is it that a crime so vile is possibly happening right now in our very own communities? If you’re a true crime fanatic like me, I’d wager your answer will be all of the above.
It’s small wonder then that true crime podcasts are making a killing nowadays (pun intended!). Despite the morbid details, people everywhere are starting to get curious about the world of crime. If truth be told, the morbidity is what makes people drawn to the genre.
But with so many true crime podcasts popping up left and right nowadays, you can’t possibly listen to them all. At least, not without losing your sanity. To help you choose which one is worth adding to your playlist, below are some of the best true crime podcasts of today:
Best True Crime Podcasts Today
1. Serial
On top of our list is what Up and Vanished host, Payne Lindsey, has described as “the holy grail” of true-crime podcasts. Released in late 2014, Serial was intended to be a spin-off of This American Life. It mainly talks about different crimes worldwide, the flaws in investigating those crimes, and comparing the good guys and the bad guys.
Despite it’s popularity today, Serial was widely criticized when it was first launched. Nonetheless, there is no denying that Serial is a success and seems to be doing well independently.
Check it out here:
2. Criminal
Criminal was released months before Serial did, around nine months earlier. This podcast is one of the first and most successful podcasts in this genre. The show’s hosts and producers make it a point to expand true-crime stories as much as possible and dig out any underlying dirt there may be.
Expanding stories allow the audience to have a clearer understanding of the mechanics behind each crime. The primary factor that makes Criminal such a success is how the host, Phoebe Judge, can garner the audience’s attention and not let go until the end of the episode. Judge can hold the audience’s attention for that long as she makes it her job to be “perfectly present in the story”, as Patrick Hinds of True Crime Obsessed said.
Check it out here:
3. Up and Vanished
This podcast has a slightly different beginning to its success story. It began when host, Payne Lindsey, discussed a cold case he found on Google during his 20s and funded his show with his grandmother’s cookie business. The show did start on a rough patch, but eventually, it became a hit.
Up and Vanished started with Lindsey going through the town in Georgia where Tara Grinstead vanished in 2005. He brought the audience with him during his adventure to Georgia. At one point, he even crawled under a house with his microphone stuck to his body. That’s the type of dedication that brought this podcast to where it is today.
Because of this, Up and Vanished managed to shoot right up to the top of true-crime podcast ratings as Ryan Alexander Duke, the alleged killer of Grinstead, stepped forward and admitted his crimes. Duke later reveals that the reason for his confession was the podcast that prompted him to own up.
Check it out here:
4. Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo
Missing & Murdered talks about the mystery behind the disappearance of Cleo Nicotine Semaganis in the 1970s. This event took part in the horrific program Sixties Scoop, otherwise known as the act of taking indigenous children from their families and placed in foster homes or adoption centers. Cleo, at the time, was taken along with her four siblings but was the only one not to come back.
This series stands out as Walker discovers the truth about what happened to Cleo. CBC reporter and journalist Connie Walker take her audience along on her journey to finding out the details behind Cleo’s disappearance.
Check it out here:
5. Believed
Believed focuses primarily on the victims rather than the criminal. This podcast, hosted by Kate Wells and Lindsey Smith, tells the story of the victims of former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar.
In 2017, Nassar plead guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct and was consequently sentenced of up to 175 years in Michigan State Prison. This show documents the details behind the crimes he committed straight from the victims themselves.
As a voice for Nasar’s victims, Believed managed to climb to the top as one of the best true crime podcasts. Despite Nassar only admitting to seven cases of sexual abuse, the show was able to gather over 150 women to talk about their experiences. Wells and Smith also go deep into explaining how Nassar was even able to get away with his crimes in the first place.
Check it out here:
6. In The Dark
Launched in 2016, In the Dark managed to reach the legendary status of true-crime podcasts with their impact on the real world. What brought this podcast to the top during that time was the careful examination of the failure behind investigating Jacob Wetterling’s disappearance.
The series also uncovers the details and ample evidence of the alleged crime of Curtis Flowers, who was said to have committed four murders. In the Dark is one of the most reliable podcasts for this specific genre, as the team behind In the Dark relies greatly on shreds of evidence and data analysis.
Check it out here:
7. My Favorite Murder
Another fan favorite is the podcast of Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. This podcast is different from the others as the hosts inject humor while narrating true crime stories.
Kilgraff and Hardstark give off the vibe of two best friends casually talking about murder mysteries in their podcasts. As a result, My Favorite Murder has a more casual and fun approach to discussing true crimes, which may seem a bit odd to others.
Then again, it makes a perfect podcast for people who are die-hard fans of murder mysteries and true crimes as they feel they have someone they can relate to.
Check it out here:
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8. Dirty John
Dirty John is a groundbreaking series that follows the life of Debra Newell and John Meehanis. This podcast addresses domestic abuse and coercive control over others, allowing it to earn a lot of respect from audiences. It’s the first series to successfully transition from newspaper stories to podcasts, and eventually became a TV show.
Check it out here:
9. Bear Brook
The podcast, Bear Brook, goes behind the story of the four unidentified bodies found in two barrels in New Hampshire Park. Experts have been investigating this case for decades. Bear Brook goes deep into the details of an unknown serial killer who people have been curious to know about for a long time.
This true-crime podcast led the police to arrest the Golden State Killer in April of 2018. Since then, the podcast has been solving dozens of cold cases, making it one of the most respected true crime podcasts.
Check it out here:
10. Undisclosed
In Undisclosed, Rabia Chaudry started a partnership with a team of bloggers to analyze the case against Adnan Syed. The unlikely trio behind this podcast explores different aspects of the case, including police corruption, reward money, and misconduct.
While Serial has significantly contributed to unfolding Adnan Syed’s case, Undisclosed seemed to have contributed more. Undisclosed differs slightly as the podcast discusses the cases of people who were wrongfully convicted to address corruption in society’s justice system.
Check it out here:
11. Anatomy of Murder
As its name suggests, Anatomy of Murder is a weekly true crime podcast that examines controversial homicide cases in an effort to bring justice to the victims.
What sets this podcast apart and also the primary reason why it’s so popular is because it’s hosted by people with hands-on experience on true crime themselves. One of its hosts, Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi is a former homicide prosecutor. While her partner, Scott Weinberger, is a former Deputy Sheriff and Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist. Together, this powerful duo provides listeners with an insider’s perspective on homicide cases.
Each episode also includes interviews with the victim’s family members and law enforcement officers who worked on the case. This enables listeners to gain insight into the different perspectives of people involved in a homicide case.
Check it out here:
12. Crimetown
While most podcasts discuss one particular crime, the Crimetown podcast investigates the culture of crime itself by weaving together different related crimes. Each season, they feature one city and examine the factors that causes crime to proliferate in that city.
The podcast’s first season honed in on Providence, Rhode Island particularly on the crimes of Buddy Cianci, the city’s longest-serving mayor. For the second season, the show takes listeners on an inside investigation into the crime culture in Detroit and how it’s affecting the city’s residents.
Check it out here:
13. Mr. Ballen Podcast
This one is a personal favorite. With masterful storytelling and a penchant for dark and mysterious stories, John Allen (a.k.a. Mr. Ballen) takes listeners on a wild ride every episode.
As a former Navy Seal, Allen isn’t a stranger to morbid stuff. He served multiple tours and was even sent to Afghanistan where he nearly died in a grenade explosion. His foray into the world of true crime stories started on TikTok, then Youtube, eventually evolving into a podcast.
What catapulted this podcast to fame is that it doesn’t attempt to solve the crimes it features. Instead, Allen lays out the facts of the case like he was telling his listeners the latest celebrity gossip. He also has some very odd but entertaining ways of telling his listeners to subscribe and hit the like button.
Check it out here:
14. In The Dark
First released in September 2016, the In The Dark podcast now has 40 episodes spanning two seasons and one limited-run special report.
Though it discusses true-crime stories, the podcast mainly focuses on the behavior of the law enforcement personnel and prosecutors while investigating the case. It also shows how such behavior affected the outcome of the case as well as its impact on the accused, the victim, and their families.
Check it out here:
Final Thoughts
True crime is such a fascinating genre, isn’t it? Millions of mysteries worldwide are so alluring that people find movies, documentaries, and books that tell stories of actual crimes entertaining. It uncovers the dark side of the world, giving people a reality check on how hostile crimes can get.
Unfortunately, there are just not enough platforms to explore more true crimes and mystery stories. Hopefully, with this list of the best true crime podcasts, you can now go deeper into crime stories and learn more about the different crimes in the world.
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About The Author
Krizzia Paolyn is an SEO Specialist with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. It has always been her passion to share her voice, and at the same time, to encourage other people to speak up.
