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Gauri Vij profile image Gauri Vij Published on
10 bone-chilling true crime podcasts you can’t miss

Evocative, mysterious and intriguing–these audio documentaries investigate criminal acts with vivid attention to detail

One of my most favourite TV series to watch during the pandemic was Only Murders in the Building, seamlessly combining comedy and mystery. Three endearing protagonists united by their love for true crime podcasts try to solve a murder in their building, The Arconia, a fictional landmark in affluent Upper West, New York City. Steve Martin plays Charles-Haden Savage, a retired actor; Martin Short is Oliver Putnam, an impoverished Broadway director; and the mysterious Selena Gomez plays Mabel Mora–three of them muddle along, making us laugh out loud many times over. The show’s 10 episodes are a complete hoot owing to the fabulous chemistry between the actors, the myriad complications and their endeavour to record their very own true crime podcast. While we can’t wait for the second season to be released in June, here’s a round-up of 10 true crime podcasts you need to tune into.

Death in Ice ValleyThis is a hit show that involves espionage, multiple identities, secret codes, gold teeth, and forensic science. Two broadcasters–the BBC World Service and the Norwegian NRK, bring together their journalism, podcast expertise and digital technology to unravel a mystery. Investigative journalists Marit Higraff from NRK and the BBC's Neil McCarthy join forces in a complex journey to connect the dots behind the Isdal Woman’s true identity. Their two-year-long investigation into the mystery surrounding the life and death of an unknown woman whose burned body was found in western Norway in 1970, at the height of the Cold War, has been downloaded/streamed more than four million times since its launch in 2018. A stunning, original podcast with meticulous storytelling.Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Gaana, JioSavaan

Death in Ice Valley

This is a hit show that involves espionage, multiple identities, secret codes, gold teeth, and forensic science. Two broadcasters–the BBC World Service and the Norwegian NRK, bring together their journalism, podcast expertise and digital technology to unravel a mystery. Investigative journalists Marit Higraff from NRK and the BBC's Neil McCarthy join forces in a complex journey to connect the dots behind the Isdal Woman’s true identity. Their two-year-long investigation into the mystery surrounding the life and death of an unknown woman whose burned body was found in western Norway in 1970, at the height of the Cold War, has been downloaded/streamed more than four million times since its launch in 2018. A stunning, original podcast with meticulous storytelling.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Gaana, JioSavaan

SerialThe OG of true crime podcasts was launched in 2014 with Sarah Koenig investigating one case over several episodes in each season. The first season investigated the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, from Baltimore County, the second season is about Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, an American Army soldier who was held for five years by the Taliban, and then charged with desertion. The third season explores cases within the Justice Centre Complex in the Cleveland area. Serial triggered off the immersive, long-form audio storytelling format that has only gained popularity. It was cited by the Peabody Awards for “its innovations of form and its compelling, drilling account of how guilt, truth, and reality are decided.”Simply unmissable.Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Pandora

Serial

The OG of true crime podcasts was launched in 2014 with Sarah Koenig investigating one case over several episodes in each season. The first season investigated the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, from Baltimore County, the second season is about Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, an American Army soldier who was held for five years by the Taliban, and then charged with desertion. The third season explores cases within the Justice Centre Complex in the Cleveland area. Serial triggered off the immersive, long-form audio storytelling format that has only gained popularity. It was cited by the Peabody Awards for “its innovations of form and its compelling, drilling account of how guilt, truth, and reality are decided.”

Simply unmissable.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Pandora

Dr. DeathThe most frightening part of the medical malpractice show, Dr. Death’s season one, is how Christopher Duntsch managed to get away with so many gruesome errors. In an interview with The Rolling Stone, Dr. Death host and medical journalist Laura Beil has called it “a complete system breakdown on every level.” Beil takes you through a surgical nightmare charting Duntsch’s unbelievable progress through Dallas’s medical scene and all of the moments when he could, and should, have been held accountable for botched surgeries and malpractice. Two other seasons also hosted by Beil followed this one with the Duntsch one being made into a TV show as well.Chilling and sure to frighten you of the scalpel forever.Listen on: Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Dr. Death

The most frightening part of the medical malpractice show, Dr. Death’s season one, is how Christopher Duntsch managed to get away with so many gruesome errors. In an interview with The Rolling Stone, Dr. Death host and medical journalist Laura Beil has called it “a complete system breakdown on every level.” Beil takes you through a surgical nightmare charting Duntsch’s unbelievable progress through Dallas’s medical scene and all of the moments when he could, and should, have been held accountable for botched surgeries and malpractice. Two other seasons also hosted by Beil followed this one with the Duntsch one being made into a TV show as well.

Chilling and sure to frighten you of the scalpel forever.

Listen on: Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts and Spotify


The Shrink Next DoorA psychological thriller that began with former New York Times journalist and podcast host Joe Nocera’s curiosity being piqued about his celebrity psychiatrist neighbour, Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf and the man who ran his errands, Marty Markowitz. That the errand man turns out to be the actual owner of the mansion next door to Nocera, leads to a gripping tale of true crime that isn’t the usual murder or kidnapping. Instead, it is an outrageous picture of power and control between a therapist and patient. Through six episodes, Marty, and more of Ike's patients, tell us the story which has also been made into a show on Apple TV starring Paul Rudd and Will Ferrel.A cautionary tale, if there was any.Listen on: Audible, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify

The Shrink Next Door

A psychological thriller that began with former New York Times journalist and podcast host Joe Nocera’s curiosity being piqued about his celebrity psychiatrist neighbour, Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf and the man who ran his errands, Marty Markowitz. That the errand man turns out to be the actual owner of the mansion next door to Nocera, leads to a gripping tale of true crime that isn’t the usual murder or kidnapping. Instead, it is an outrageous picture of power and control between a therapist and patient. Through six episodes, Marty, and more of Ike's patients, tell us the story which has also been made into a show on Apple TV starring Paul Rudd and Will Ferrel.

A cautionary tale, if there was any.

Listen on:

Audible, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify

SuspectThe unsolved murder of Arpana Jinaga, who was killed the night of a Halloween party at her Redmond, Washington, apartment complex in 2008 is taken up by Matthew Shaer and Eric Benson and Natalia Winkelman. Described as a whodunit, the investigation depends on circumstantial and DNA evidence because of the lack of witnesses. Shaer studies the misuse of touch DNA in forensic analysis and painstakingly analyses the details by re-creating the party scene, the investigation and the trial. Suspect raises crucial questions about police procedure, DNA analysis and confirmation bias.A complex tale of race, the police and forensic science.Listen on: Audible, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Suspect

The unsolved murder of Arpana Jinaga, who was killed the night of a Halloween party at her Redmond, Washington, apartment complex in 2008 is taken up by Matthew Shaer and Eric Benson and Natalia Winkelman. Described as a whodunit, the investigation depends on circumstantial and DNA evidence because of the lack of witnesses. Shaer studies the misuse of touch DNA in forensic analysis and painstakingly analyses the details by re-creating the party scene, the investigation and the trial. Suspect raises crucial questions about police procedure, DNA analysis and confirmation bias.

A complex tale of race, the police and forensic science.

Listen on:

Audible, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

The DropoutThe story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos and a tale of fame and ambition gone wrong. ABC News correspondent Rebecca Jarvis, takes listeners on a journey that includes a multi-year investigation. How did the ‘world’s youngest self-made female billionaire’ lose it all? How did the woman once dubbed “the next Steve Jobs,” find herself facing criminal charges—to which she pleaded not guilty—and up to decades in prison? How did Theranos’s technology, meant to revolutionise healthcare, put millions at risk? This is another podcast that eventually went the OTT way, with a limited series starring Amanda Seyfried and Naveen Andrews.A riveting tale of misplaced ambition.Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

The Dropout

The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos and a tale of fame and ambition gone wrong. ABC News correspondent Rebecca Jarvis, takes listeners on a journey that includes a multi-year investigation. How did the ‘world’s youngest self-made female billionaire’ lose it all? How did the woman once dubbed “the next Steve Jobs,” find herself facing criminal charges—to which she pleaded not guilty—and up to decades in prison? How did Theranos’s technology, meant to revolutionise healthcare, put millions at risk? This is another podcast that eventually went the OTT way, with a limited series starring Amanda Seyfried and Naveen Andrews.

A riveting tale of misplaced ambition.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.

Missing & Murdered - Finding CleoAlberta Williams or Cleo, a young indigenous girl, was taken from her family when she was six years old and adopted in the United States in the 1970s. Her family believes she was raped and murdered when trying to hitchhike back home to Saskatchewan, Canada. The mystery of where Cleo ended up has never been solved. CBC news investigative reporter Connie Walker tries to find out what really happened to Cleo in a podcast series which spans two seasons and 18 episodes.A difficult but important story.Listen on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Stitcher

Missing & Murdered - Finding Cleo

Alberta Williams or Cleo, a young indigenous girl, was taken from her family when she was six years old and adopted in the United States in the 1970s. Her family believes she was raped and murdered when trying to hitchhike back home to Saskatchewan, Canada. The mystery of where Cleo ended up has never been solved. CBC news investigative reporter Connie Walker tries to find out what really happened to Cleo in a podcast series which spans two seasons and 18 episodes.

A difficult but important story.

Listen on:

Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Stitcher

The Missing CryptoqueenThe hunt for Dr Ruja Ignatova–the person responsible for a multi-billion pound cryptocurrency scam–is hosted by Jamie Bartlett who digs into the story of OneCoin cryptocurrency launched in 2014. Ignatova was the public face of the company, a captivating leader and glamorous crypto-evangelist.As a company, OneCoin grew fast with thousands of people investing their cash under the impression they were early adopters in a lucrative new investment opportunity (between £89-96 million in the United Kingdom alone). Except it was a multi-level marketing scam. In 2017, Ignatova simply disappeared with the money.A tale of herd mentality, greed and deceit.Listen on: BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

The Missing Cryptoqueen

The hunt for Dr Ruja Ignatova–the person responsible for a multi-billion pound cryptocurrency scam–is hosted by Jamie Bartlett who digs into the story of OneCoin cryptocurrency launched in 2014. Ignatova was the public face of the company, a captivating leader and glamorous crypto-evangelist.As a company, OneCoin grew fast with thousands of people investing their cash under the impression they were early adopters in a lucrative new investment opportunity (between £89-96 million in the United Kingdom alone). Except it was a multi-level marketing scam. In 2017, Ignatova simply disappeared with the money.

A tale of herd mentality, greed and deceit.

Listen on: BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

My Favourite MurderComedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark host this hugely popular podcast for true crime junkies who want a barrel of laughs along with some blood and gore. The show’s devoted listeners are known as “murderinos,” and have made it one of the podcast world’s biggest hits, leading to a live show and a book: Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered. Kilgariff and Hardstark move effortlessly from gruesome killings to personal anecdotes to inside jokes and indignant screeds informed by their own brand of feminism.A funny, sincere, self-deprecating, irreverent listen.Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer

My Favourite Murder

Comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark host this hugely popular podcast for true crime junkies who want a barrel of laughs along with some blood and gore. The show’s devoted listeners are known as “murderinos,” and have made it one of the podcast world’s biggest hits, leading to a live show and a book: Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered. Kilgariff and Hardstark move effortlessly from gruesome killings to personal anecdotes to inside jokes and indignant screeds informed by their own brand of feminism.

A funny, sincere, self-deprecating, irreverent listen.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer

CasefileStarted by an Australian man who wants to stay anonymous, in 2016, this is a show that has researched over a 100 true crimes. Affectionately known as “Casey” to fans–the host began with the Wanda Beach Murders. From there on, he went on to cover several cases from around the world–including The North Hollywood Shootout, Lindsay Buziak, and Katherine Knight–creating a signature style. Casey chooses to remain incognito to ensure the focus of the show remains on the victims and survivors.A well-researched and sensitively presented listen.Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music

Casefile

Started by an Australian man who wants to stay anonymous, in 2016, this is a show that has researched over a 100 true crimes. Affectionately known as “Casey” to fans–the host began with the Wanda Beach Murders. From there on, he went on to cover several cases from around the world–including The North Hollywood Shootout, Lindsay Buziak, and Katherine Knight–creating a signature style. Casey chooses to remain incognito to ensure the focus of the show remains on the victims and survivors.

A well-researched and sensitively presented listen.

Listen on:

Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music

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