18 True Crime Podcasts to Fuel Your Inner Sleuth

Over the last 15 years, podcasts have become an increasingly vital part of culture, filling voids listeners didn’t even know they had. One of those voids? Coverage of true crime with a distinct voice.

True crime has become one of the most popular genres of podcasting, with heavy hitters like My Favorite Murder, Dirty John, and Sword and Scale leading the way. For those in search of a fresh listen, never fear. There's always a new case to crack—and we’ve got you covered.

Below are the best true crime podcasts you need to hear. These listens range from hilarious to devastatingly detailed. What's more, many of these true crime podcasts are ongoing projects, so you’re sure to have new episodes for your listening pleasure.

In the fall of 2018, Amanda Knox and SundanceTV launched a true crime podcast. The seven-episode series took a detailed look at the Jonestown Massacre and served as an audio companion to SundanceTV’s true crime docuseries, Jonestown: Terror in the Jungle. This year, Knox will continue her investigative work by delving into the cases featured on Sundance’s upcoming true crime programming. First up: The disturbing case of California cult leaders Tony and Susan Alamo.

Melissa Moore is an Emmy-nominated crime correspondent, best known as the host of LMN's Monster in My Family and for her appearances on the Dr. Oz Show. She’s also the daughter of Keith Hunter Jesperson, the notorious “Happy Face Killer” who murdered at least eight women in the 1990s. In this brave podcast series, Moore investigates the brutal crimes of her father and details what life is like living in the shadow of a serial killer.

Crimetown is a joint effort from Gimlet Media and the creators of HBO’s The Jinx, so you know it’s got to be good. Crimetown focuses on a different city’s criminal history each season—the first season focuses on Providence, Rhode Island during the years of Mayor Buddy Cianci, who served 21 years as mayor despite resigning twice due to felony convictions. Crimetown is perfect for people who loved The Departed, The Godfather, and other mob stories.

For fans of My Favorite Murder, this podcast is both hilarious and terrifying. The hosts of this particular podcast (Rachel Fairburn & Kiri Pritchard-McLean) are British, which has two advantages. One, they have great radio voices. Two, they shine a light on cases not often covered by their American counterparts. You’ll be sure to find episodes on stories you’ve never heard before.

For those who enjoy a dose of dark humor stirred into their true crime programming, this series is for you. Hosts Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks, and Henry Zebrowski discuss horrors both real and imagined on Last Podcast on the Left, from Jeffrey Dahmer and the Enfield Poltergeist to creepypastas and fringe conspiracies. Throughout, the trio deliver serious chills with riotous laughs.

White Wine True Crime · WWTC15: Witches Be Crazy

Comedians Kari Martin and Caitlin Cutt pair chilling true crime cases with a refreshing glass of Riesling in this podcast series. Discussions range from the unsolved Wonderland Murders and bizarre death of Elisa Lam to killer true crime programming like The Staircase and The Keepers. Pour yourself a glass and settle in for a frighteningly good listen.

Yes! I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks.

Care for a taste of true crime from the Great White North? Hosts Mike Browne and Scott Hemenway dive into Canada's creepier side in this podcast series that explores true crime, folklore, and all-around dark history from a distinctly Canadian perspective.

Years before he was a bestselling crime fiction writer, Michael Connelly worked as a crime reporter at the Los Angeles Times. In this thrilling new podcast series, the Blood Work author returns to his journalist roots and delves into the 30-year cold case murder of Jade Clark. Each episode explores a new piece to the unsolved slaying. As Connelly himself describes it, Murder Book “will tell it like it is from the front line of the justice system, exploring the stories of law officers who are relentless in their pursuit of justice and the truth.”

Court Junkie is another inside look at not just the crime, but also the system that processes and punishes crime. Host Jillian analyzes crimes that changed the way sentencing works as well as crimes where the wrong person may have been punished. The episode on the suicide of Conrad Roy is especially fascinating.

Crack one open and grab a seat in the garage. Each week, Nic and the Captain discuss true crime over cold bottles of beer. Topics range from international cases of murder and mayhem to small-town horror stories. As with My Favorite Murder or White Wine True Crime!, the hosts’ rapport is key to why True Crime Garage is such a darkly enjoyable listen—especially after Nic and the Captain put away a few.

Yes! I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks.

We’ve covered Payne Lindsey’s Up and Vanished before; the smash 2016 true crime podcast amassed a devoted listenership as it investigated the disappearance of Georgia school teacher Tara Grinstead, and according to Rolling Stone played an instrumental role in the 2017 arrest of a new suspect. Season two of Up and Vanished, released in August 2018, shines a light on another vanishing—this time, the 2016 disappearance of Colorado resident Kristal Anne Reisinger. Both seasons make for a powerful listen. And when you’re all caught up, check out Atlanta Monster—also created by Lindsey.

If you like your true crime podcasts straight up, without any of the distracting jokes or personal chatter, misconduct. is for you. Colleen and Eileen get right into the details of each case, supplying great insights alongside the terrifying facts.

For fans of historical true crime, Most Notorious! is a must listen. Each week, host Erik Rivenes and a special guest unearth a grisly case from the past. History’s dark headlines are certainly present; in prior episodes, Rivenes explores the Black Dahlia murder, the crimes of Belle Gunness, and the Axeman of New Orleans. Yet it’s the lesser-known crimes that make Most Notorious! shine—whether it’s the Witch of Delray case in 1931 Detroit or the Sausage Vat Murder of 1897 Chicago.

Love old Hollywood and glamour? Still obsessing over the Black Dahlia? Hollywood & Crime is the podcast for you. Hollywood & Crime offers up insight into the infamous crimes you already know about and unearths lesser-known cases that cast a dark shadow over the bright lights of La La Land.

Another podcast hailing from Great Britain, They Walk Among Us excels at finding and sharing the small details that contextualize any case, making each episode enthralling. The perfect listening length, They Walk Among Us episodes rarely overdo it with filler. Listen to their first episode here.

Part of the Parcast network, Serial Killers takes a novel approach to its true crime storytelling. Each week, hosts Greg Polcyn and Vanessa Richardson dive into a serial killer case via a scripted audiostory that weaves together immersive sound design and professional voice acting. The result is an engaging listening experience that brings true crime nightmares to life.

This Peabody-winning podcast from American Public Media is sure to satisfy the appetite of anyone craving just one more season of Serial. The first season followed the story of Jacob Wetterling, an 11 -year-old boy who was kidnapped in 1989. In September 2016, just before the show was meant to be released, Daniel Heinrich confessed to Jacob’s previously unsolved murder. Host Madeleine Baran rerecorded episodes of In the Dark to reflect this change. The second season, following the many trials, convictions, and over-turnings of said convictions of Curtis Flowers, is equally compelling.

Jennifer Keese disappeared from her apartment on January 24, 2006. The 24-year-old was never seen again. A boyfriend and ex-boyfriend, nearby construction workers, a coworker and others were all suspects at one point, yet the case remains unsolved. Unconcluded is a deep dive into a case that grows more complex and mysterious with each new discovery.

Featured photo courtesy of: Happy Face

True Crime Podcasts