Among my guilty pleasures (no pun intended) the occasional true-crime documentary or podcast ranks right up there. Clearly, I’m not alone, as there are streaming channels that have entire sections devoted to true crime documentaries and series. The trend also continues in the world of podcasts where there is a long list of pods that focus on different aspects of true crime stories (serial killers, white-collar crime, scams, cults, famous heists, etc.) It can be a bit overwhelming, so if you’re new to true crime podcasts here are 5 fun ones to consider adding to your library.
Crime Junkie
The Crime Junkie podcast delivers a new episode every week, where the 2 co-hosts (Ashley Flowers and Brit) feature a specific case. They discuss everything from disappearances, mysterious deaths, and murders. Each episode runs around 45-60 minutes, allowing for a relatively decent dive into the details of the cases - some of which are closed and others remain unsolved. They often deliver updates to past shows, when arrests are made or other key information comes to light. It’s a serious show and can cover some disturbing cases, but the hosts keep it lively and entertaining. You can find the Crime Junkie podcast on various platforms, including Apple and Spotify.
Red Collar
This podcast focuses on a specific type of case, so-called red-collar crimes. A red-collar crime describes what often starts off as a white-collar crime, but ends in murder. The show is hosted by Catherine Townsend who delves into the details of the crimes (all of which are closed) and the possible motivations that turn a con-artist or more typical white-collar criminal into a murderer. Some of these cases can be disturbing, but they don’t dwell too much on the gory details. The show is available on various platforms, including Apple and Spotify.
My Favorite Murder
This is probably the most popular true-crime podcast on any platform. That may be because the hosts (Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark) are not just fans of true-crime, but also comedians. So, every show includes a bit of back and forth comedy banter between the hosts along with a dive into one or two big cases. Many of the episodes are recorded in front of live audiences as they tour around the U.S. Episodes come out bi-weekly and tend to run over an hour, due to the mix of comedy before the cases are discussed. This show is popular enough that they have their own following of Murderinos (true-crime fans) and can be found on Apple and Spotify among other platforms.
Serial
This is one of the most famous true crime and investigative journalism podcasts. Narrated by journalist, Sarah Koenig, the show takes a true deep dive into specific cases, with a season devoted to each case. The podcast has won a Peabody Award for innovative storytelling. It is also possibly the most downloaded podcast in the world with over 340 million downloads. The format lends itself to a longer listen over time or a long binge if you want to catch up on past seasons. But, the production quality is outstanding and the stories unfold in fascinating ways. Serial is available on all major podcast platforms.
CounterClock
This is another deeper journalistic dive into specific cases over entire seasons giving narrator and investigative journalist, Delia D’Ambra, the chance to explore the ins and outs of cases that may be far more complicated than they seem at first glance. Cases may still be unsolved or someone may have been convicted - correctly or wrongly. But, in each case, there is definitely some mystery left to consider.
