This is a post about what I do at home while reading the newspaper and eating spicy eggs and rice on a Sunday morning. It involves listening to podcasts about crime and murder. If that last sentence left you with wide eyes and a face or terror… I know. It’s ok. More food on Thursday. Carry on and good day.
Now…
Do you want to talk to me about a murder mystery episode of 20/20 from 2002? We could. I could tell you all about the suspicious shoe prints in the slow leading out of the master bedroom’s patio door. I could tell you that the wife didn’t just disappear leaving her children. We could talk about how suspicious the husband’s 911 call was. We could speculate all night because I have THEORIES! I’ve thought about it a lot… likely too much.
Here’s the thing- you know that I have a mind for butter and sugar and biscuits and bacon. You get it. I’ve nailed home that point, rather relentlessly, for the past nine years. I also have a mind for true crime. It’s dark, y’all. Have you seen every episode of Forensic Files, too? It’s where you go when Law and Order Criminal Minds just isn’t cutting it. It’s real life stories of people and their people, the stories of times cut short and the insane circumstances that surround trying to catch the awful people who commit terrible crimes.
Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you’re deeply horrified by me. Maybe you’re confused and curious. I understand every range of emotion. If you’re like me. If you’re a murderino (listen to the My Favorite Murder podcast and you’ll understand), here are a list of some of my favorite true crime podcasts. Some are really well-produced stories, others are more casual (inappropriate word choice?) and conversational (again with the word choice…). BUT, if you’re like me you’ve likely binge-listened to all of these. In that case. What else are you listening to?
Just know that if you see me with headphones in my ears on a plane, I’m listening to a murder podcast, taking mental notes as to not get murdered myself, and I’m feeling deeply suspicious of the man sitting next to me because you neeeeever know until you know.
• My Favorite Murder If you’d like to dip your toe into the true crime genre, you might need a friend or two. Hilarious, easy to laugh, sharp and clever friends who make no qualms about their obsession for crime and murder. Meet Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff. Let them talk to you about crime and murder and life and cats. I recommend starting from the beginning and just letting it wash over you. Really… the only way (this is not a true statement) to not get murdered is to be VERY well-educated and well-researched about murder. Georgia and Karen understand this and that’s why we’re staying sexy and NOT getting murdered (for as long as we can help it).
• Accused Brought to us by the Cincinnati Inquirer, is this thoughtful and compelling telling of Elizabeth Andes who was found murdered in her Ohio apartment in 1978. The police immediately pointed their police-y fingers and her boyfriend, but two juries disagreed. What happened? What the heck happened? I cried at the end of this podcast, spoiler alert.
• In The Dark I found myself listening to this podcast in my headphones (I think they’re called earbuds now but I don’t know when that changed or how official it is) at Target, in the kitchen towel aisle, with my heads covering my face in horror… if that’s any indication of this supremely tragic 1989 kidnapping. It’s the story of Jacob Wetterling, his friends, his town, his family, and how the case was just solved late last year, 27 years after his disappearance.
• Stranglers Have you ever heard of the Boston Strangler? Follow up question: do you have any idea how strange that string of murders in the 1960’s was? There was more than one strangler, and my goodness it was hard to be a woman and stay alive in Boston between 1962 and 1964. I’m not even kidding.
• Crimetown Think: organized crime, political corruption, great accents, Providence Rhode Island. I listened to much of this podcast while our gardening one afternoon and when I emerged from my podcast immersion I had bizarre knowledge of very specific Rhode Island politics and a little bit of a mob mouth. No apologies.
Are you listening to Casefile and/or Sword and Scale? Thoughts? Feelings?
If you’re wondering how I sleep at night after these true crime benders…. the answer is: not great. Be like me / don’t be like me. (Story of my life.)
xo Joy
Crocs&Pot
Sword + Scale is a garbage fire.
joythebaker
As an update to this post – you’re not wrong.
Malia
Love Crimetown! I used to listen to casefile but stopped. Not a huge fan. I love Hollywood and Crime!! Also I highly recommend Real Crime Profile. But definitely go back and listen from the beginning. I like that they are advocates of the victims
mycurate
Murderinos on my favorite food blog?! Too good to be true!!
Call your dad you’re in a cult.
joythebaker
Called him.
Jack Luna
Hi Joy! I’ve been using your cookie recipes any time my own tooth whistle starts up. I find your write ups to be as enjoyable as your suggested baked goods, so thank you. Maybe you’ll enjoy my TC podcast Dark Topic as a way of me returning the favour. Cream cheese in the cookie dough Joy?? You a bad lady…
Stay Paranoid friend
Jack Luna
joythebaker
Thaaaank you!
Jeanatte
I absolutely loved Stranglers. I really loved Accused and In The Dark, too. I would suggest Someone Knows Something. I enjoyed both seasons, but season 2 was great! I would also suggest Undisclosed. While season 1 covered the same case as Serial season 1, it really took it to a whole new level. Additionally, season 2 was great. If anything, listen to season 2. Honorable mentions are Up and Vanished and Missing & Murdered. On the other spectrum if you want to know more about wrongful convictions, take a listen to Wrongful Conviction w/ Jason Flom.
I tried to listen to Casefile and Sword & Scale, but I just couldn’t get into them. I really tried, but meh. I just didn’t like it.
esianoyam3
Have you tried Hollywood and Crime? It delves into The Black Dahlia, as well as several other murders that occurred around the same time.
Francie
OMG I have finally found my fellow Murderinos! I have been getting into True Crime Garage now that i’m caught up on MFM. Breakdown just started a new season (Based out of Atlanta and a newspaper that escapes my mind). Their season 2 was fantastic – Death in a Hot Car, but hard at times as it was a small child that died.
Jill
There’s just something about cooking, baking and murder! I love listening to these podcasts while I cook. Two more of note are “Missing and Murdered” and “Hollywood and Crime” about the Black dahlia case. And for anyone looking to lighten it up afterwards, Mystery Show is my all time fav podcast.
Steph
I got hooked on this genre by Serial, season 1! So good!
Annie
True Crime Garage is pretty good!
Candace
I’ve been reading your blog for quite a while, long enough, I guess, that your marshmallows and chewy ginger chocolate chip cookies have become holiday favorites in my family. This post cracked me up because true crime and mystery novels and television (especially British ones) are a total guilty pleasure of mine (usually to people’s surprise and horror)! I live alone and often find myself pausing podcasts and shows so that I can double-check my locks and look behind my shower curtain; maybe scaredy cats shouldn’t be watching/listening to these things alone! Anyway, I wanted to recommend a couple of books, “A Very British Murder” and “The Art of the English Murder,” both written by Lucy Worsley. I’ve found them both to be addictively readable and entertaining; she essentially looks at both real and invented crime stories and talks about how we have become entertained by the macabre details of them. Thank you for all you do!
Kayla
If I could leave you with one suggested podcast to listen to, it would be Missing & Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams? It delves a bit into the horrific Native American history in Canada. Many murders of First Nation women have taken place on the west coast of Canada and way too many are still unsolved. This is one of them. It is sad and thought provoking and lingers in the back of your mind.
Ellen W
One of my favorites is Crime Writers On. They started discussing Serial and now do reviews of other crime podcasts and tv shows. Four hosts including a married couple that all live in New Hampshire and done fictional or true crime writing.
Megan Cooper
I am OBSESSED with Crimetown!! But, yeah — the things I found myself wanting to holler out the window in the car rider line at the kid’s school later in the day? The reason I cannot binge-listen!
Liz Hying
My weakness is Fox News channel. Whether it is for background noise or amusing polical choas, I am fascinated/addicted.
Lauren
I’m definitely a Casefile fan. And I relate to everything you said in this post! I tell myself it’s because my mom was a criminal prosecutor, and I overheard too many crazy stories growing up. But I suspect I’m just weird!
Rachel
Don’t worry – I’m as much as a junkie as you too!
I’m near the beginning of Sword & Scale at the moment. Some of the episodes have me utterly gripped, but some I think lose it a bit.
Meagan Marshall
I don’t know whether to love you or hate you now! I’ve tried listening to podcasts in the past but could never really get into them…then I read this post. I’ve listened to My Favorite Murder during every free second I’ve had for the last 2 days! Thank you! I think…
Jana
I LOVE Casefile. It’s probably my favorite after MFM. He’s so good at research and just gives you the facts. Love that one.
Erma
Totally subscribing to Crimetown. I recently moved near Providence. Strangely excited to hear it.
Diana Campeggio
I love My Favorite Murder! Have you listened to You Must Remember This? She has a whole series on Charles Manson and Hollywood that was GREAT.
xo, Diana
http://unusuallylovely.com
Jaimie Mackey
Sort of on the other end of the spectrum, but still relevant, is Wrongful Conviction. It’s by Jason Flom, one of the founders of the Innocence Project, and it’s interviews with people who spent decades in prison for crimes they didn’t commit. He goes over the crime itself, interviews the exonerated people about how they ended up being arrested and convicted of the crimes, and then talks to them about the process of getting out of prison. It will make you sort of sad about how many thousands of people are serving time when they’re completely innocent (some for 20+ years…!), but also give you hope when you hear about all of the amazing things these people are doing when they’re coming out of prison and how they survived the whole ordeal. He recently did an episode with Amanda Knox that 100% changed my opinion of her. Totally eye-opening, and a really interesting look into our (very flawed) judicial system.
Keri M
I second all the votes for Criminal. The most recent one about Wildin broke my heart. So many of them stick out as memorable- both the Melinda episodes, the one about the leper colony/prison, the one about the buddha. I still want to know how the La Brea Tar Pits case turned out!
Emily
I second whoever recommended All Killa No Filla! Similar to MFM. True Crime Garage is pretty good too which i haven’t seen mentioned here yet.
Trina
Yes! My Favorite Murder has recently become one of my favorites to listen to!! It’s hilarious and terrifying at the same time.
RK
True Crime Garage is really really good. My Favorite Murder was my “gateway” podcast into this genre but I look forward to new episodes of True Crime Garage just as much. You Must Remember This is also wonderful, as many others have mentioned. Sword and Scale is ok when I’ve run out of others to listen to but some episodes (esp. 911 calls) are too uncomfortable to listen to.
Kristen R.
You are definitely not alone!
Sword and Scale is the first podcast I really got hooked on, and I love it. The storytelling is done well, and I really like the tone of the series.
I listen to Casefile but find it can be a bit monotonous – It’s great for when I’m cooking simple stuff, but I lose track of it if I’m multi-tasking with really complicated projects.
Thanks for all the suggestions in this list. There are a few in here I haven’t listened to yet so I’ll have to check them out. Love the number of Murderinos out there who also love to cook!
Foodzu
Nice post. feeling so happy after reading this article.
Elizabeth
I have to second any of those who already recommended “Criminal.” It is much more nuanced than your typical true crime podcast and the stories are very original. One of my favorite semi-recent stories was about a woman who suffered from identity theft her whole adult life (Episode 51: Money Tree). That’s all I’m going to say because the episode was fascinating!
Tracy
I am so excited that you are also a murderino!
I have been listening to Liar City since the beginning and I loveeeeee it.
I can’t get down with Sword and Scale anymore. I was a Patreon subscriber but cancelled. Read the Reddit dedicated to the show and you’ll see why.
joythebaker
Yikes…
dana828
Oh man! When I was in grade school I remember finding a copy of Helter Skelter in my grandparents basement and reading it over and over again, even though I knew damn well I was WAY too young to be knowing about such things. I’ve been a true crime fan ever since. (I even went through an extended phase of wanting to be an FBI profiler, and read a ton of books by John Douglas and other law enforcement types). I love My Favorite Murder and Stranglers; now I need to check out the rest of your faves!
Liz
Casefiles is good, and I love all the ones you mentioned! Thinking Sideways has some true crime episodes and is generally pretty good. Lore is good for creepy and interesting with some true crime. (Don’t listen to episode 15 Unboxed before going to bed, seriously.)
Julie
This is awesome! I was just telling my husband about how you listen to crime podcasts and wondering which ones you listen to. He is into Casefile and Forensic Files… And that will keep him up some nights too. As usual, your writing is great! “We<re staying sexy and not getting murdered" lol
Lori
I absolutely devoured In The Dark. It was fascinating, and I can’t wait for the next season! I’m glad for your suggestions, and I’m going to try Accused!
Carrie
As if I didn’t love you already, this sealed the deal. I’ve listened to all of these except Strangers, which I’m now subscribed to. I attribute my love (affliction?) with this genre to being introduced to a kitschy series called “Medical Detectives” In 7th grade. Please tell me you’ve seen it? It’s horrible now, but it was really something else back in the 90s. And then in high school (junior or senior year) I read Vincent Bigliosi’s novel about the Mason murders and had to back off the genre a bit because that totally did a number on me! Now I’m totally hooked on true crime podcasts – they’re a gem :)
Stasha
I love that you’re a murderino too! SSDGM!!
Allison
I love all of those (except Accused, going to listen to tonight) I liked Casefile but stopped listening, too many podcasts! I like True Crime Garage but I was really annoyed by their overage of Mitrice Richardson and how they kept referring to her as well spoken and articulate, I hate when people talk about African Americans like that.Maybe once, in the context that she maybe had a psychotic break, and normally spoke “articulately” but she wasn’t when she went missing. I listened to some of S&C until I found out the host was a bit of a douche canoe, the S&C Reddit has all the details.
Also, please share the spicy rice and egg recipe!
joythebaker
I just read the reddit Sword and Scale madness and appreciated the multiple uses of the word douche canoe.
Traci D. Haley
I freaking LOVE true crime and podcasts! MFM is definitely a favorite – hello, fellow murderino! Try out True Crime Garage, Someone Knows Something, and the Breakdown podcast, especially the most recent season of Breakdown, which focused on a guy accused of deliberately leaving his child to die in a hot car. It was heartbreaking, but brought up so many interesting “I didn’t think of that!” moments. I started out the podcast thinking “Who would ever forget their kid in a car?” and left the podcast realizing that it could literally happen to anyone.
Jana H.
I occasionally listen to My Favorite Murder. Loved Serial. Tried Up and Vanished and a couple of others but I get bored with crime. haha I listen to a couple of paranormal docudrama’s…The Black Tapes and Tanis, to be specific. And then there’s This American Life which I listen to off and on. I also like Georgia and Allie’s Slumber Party sometimes. And I inexplicably listen to Dooce’s (Heather Armstrong) Manic Rambling Spiral even though I’m not a single parent or any kind of parent other than a furbaby parent. And also Young House Love Has a Podcast (Sherry and John Petersik of the Young House Love blog.) because although I gave up on have a fully decorated home of nice DIY’d things, they crack me up. :-D
I might give Accused and Stranglers a listen. I’m always on the look out for well done podcasts.
NIcole
Love this about you! A couple more to try: Undisclosed, Truth and Justice and Real Crime Profile (they just did a couple on Louisiana serial killers. Oh and two of the hosts work on Criminal Minds).
joythebaker
I think I worked my way through Undisclosed early on, and thank you for the other suggestions!
lizytishknits
Haven’t heard of any of these so thanks for the list! I got really hooked on Serial and Making a Murderer (Netflix) so I can imagine I’d like these. :)
Melissa @ Miso Crafty Knits
Yes, yes, YES to all of this!! I’m a big fan of MFM and can highly recommend Casefile – it’s a very no nonsense “here are the facts” podcast that’s well researched. Heck, I learned a lot of new things when he did one of my “hometown murders”. I liked the first few seasons of Sword & Scale but couldn’t handle the last season as I think he relies too much on audioclips to make up for his utter lack of research.
I also like True Crime Garage, and even though these were only 1 season consisting of maybe 8 episodes, I really liked Offshore, Phoebe’s Fall, and Missing & Murdered. :)
Stay sexy, and don’t get murdered!!
Kathleen O'Grady
Yes, I have watched every Forensic Files episode (twice) and almost all Dateline Mysteries (gotta love Keith Morrison) Web of Lies, Your worst Nightmare, 20/20 and many other shows on Discovery ID but, I DID NOT know about any of the podcasts that you listed above!!! Oh thank you so very much for sharing!!! I also have issues with bad dreams after watching all these horribly, gruesome shows…but I can’t and won’t stop.
joythebaker
Keith. Morrison.
Liz
Someone Knows Something is another good one! There are two seasons and each one follows a different cold case in Canada.
Susan Black
I’m a big fan of this genre also and two new favourites (along with many you’ve mentioned) are True Crime Garage – really thorough, often 2 parts per episode (an hour+ each- I like long podcasts), re-examinations of infamous and often still unsolved murders. Also Real Crime Profile
https://www.truecrimegarage.com // https://soundcloud.com/real-crime-profile
Amy Anderson
I love true crime too! You are not alone!
Felicia
Ten minutes of audio you might like, featuring stories from the former Assistant Toxicologist at the Cook County Coroner’s Office: https://noisemedium.com/2016/12/anatomy-of-a-life/
Amanda Rayburn
I love Casefile. Just one guy telling a story. It’s great until he has to say 1999 a million times in his Australian accent and I die inside.
Carolina Pescara
Hey, great article. Casefile and MFM are my faves! You should also listen to generation why, insight, and true crime garage. Great podcasts! Cheers
joythebaker
Thanks Carolina!
Stephannie
Someone Knows Something is a fantastic CBC-produced podcast!! Season 2 is totally addictive and great!
Lauren
This veers off True Crime genre, but “You Must Remember This” (a GREAT podcast that covers vintage Hollywood) had a series on Charles Manson and his connection to Hollywood. Truly fascinating. I have just started listening to it and am halfway through the series, I think I thought I knew the main points of the murders, but there are so many connections that the host is making to the time period and culture. Chilling.
Sabrina
I’m really into podcasts and I’m really into murder mysteries but I have yet to find a true crime podcast that I actually love aside from Serial (first season). Just downloaded the first episodes of Accused and In the Dark. Looking forward to seeing how/if I vibe with them.
InColderWeather
I didn’t know how obsessed I was with true crime until listening to My Favorite Murder. Sometimes I creep myself out with how excited when a new episode drops. I actually take the long route home just to finish listening. I now have my sister hooked as well.
Also Stranglers was amazing, and I can’t wait to give these others a listen!
Molly
I haven’t listened to season 1, but season 2 of Someone Knows Something is fantastic. It focuses on the disappearance of Sheryl Sheppard of Hamilton, ON. The host does a great job reinvestigating the case while staying objective-he really let’s the story tell itself.
Rachel {the avid appetite}
love all of these – MFM is a must listen every week! I also love Casefile, but sometimes when I find myself afraid to walk home from the train at night, I know it’s time to put it away for a while :) Some others to add to your list are Real Crime Profile and Wrongful Conviction!
Nicole
We have the same taste in podcasts. All of them! Sometimes Sword and Scale can be too much. I am trying to get Matt to write into MFM hometown as he lived in a murder suicide ghost house growing up. On another note Missing Richard Simmons is the best.
Ashlyn @ Pedantic Foodie
You just got me excited for house-cleaning day because now I know exactly what I’m going to be listening to. ??????
Shirra
I am addicted to Sword & Scale. Gripping and not for the faint of heart. I cannot miss an episode. I’ve listened to pretty much every podcast you listed and S&S is my favorite!!
Theadora
Up and Vanished!! I cannot recommend this podcast enough!! Start at the beginning – they’ve made some arrests (some say as a result of the podcast!!) and it’s sooooo satisfying to listen to the full investigation and get this payoff!!!
joythebaker
I’m super not into that one at all, oddly enough. :)
Jennifer
You need to listen to Up and Vanished!!!
Rita
Accused was so well done. As a mother I couldn’t make it though In the Dark. Sword and Scale, most of the time it’s just to much. The Vanished Podcast is a favorite because I feel like she gives a voice to the voiceless. She focuses on the missing who might not get big media attention. Up and Vanished about the Tera Grinstead disappearance had me at the jump simply because I’m from GA and have followed the case since the beginning. I have SO MANY opinions on that one. I could talk true crime for days!!
Abby @ Heart of a Baker
YES to My Favorite Murder!! Sara and I just saw them on Saturday and those ladies are so badass. I listened to Sword and Scale for a while, but the episodes get really dark and the guy who runs it is apparently a big creep/jerk, so I’m not supporting that noise. SSDGM!! xo
joythebaker
Feel you!
Allison
Such a great list. Thanks, for sharing!
If you haven’t already, you should try Criminal. They’re on the shorter side and each episode is about something different. It does have some of the gruesome stories, but it also has some really interesting ones like one about a woman who sold pot brownies in the 70’s, the first guy to master the pea and shell game, and an amazing story about two runaway slaves.
Jenny
I second this! Criminal is a really interesting, thoughtful look at different aspects of crime and criminals. I also like that they’re short for when you don’t want to commit to a lengthy listen.
Lore is a great one too. Mostly folklore, but some true crime, and in the context of why we believe in certain tales, and what our interpretations mean to us and how they reflect us culturally.
Sarah
joy! you also have to check out hollywood & crime. it’s REAL GOOD.
joythebaker
I’ve heard as much! I need to put this one on my list!
Loretta
I’m old school, having lived through the days of the Boston Strangler, Son of Sam, and the Central Park rapist. Very scary…but one does want to know some details so that you can be more aware of how NOT to put yourselves in those situations. I think the terrible truth for many of the victims, though, is you can’t always imagine who is crazy around you…that’s the scariest part..I guess being old school, I don’t know about watching these things on podcast-so can you tell me? Website? YouTube? Ordinarily, the gruesome details of the crimes are too much for me to handle; they tend to haunt me..but I absolutely love the mystery and love learning how to solve whodunit. Good morning everyone, especially JOY THE BAKER!
Meredith
Accused was SO GOOD! My money is on JR.
Christie
Yes! Criminal is so good! Also “Somebody Knows Something” which is about a little boy who disappeared in Ontario in the 70s. There’s a new-ish second season but I haven’t listened to it (yet!)
ShoesAndwine
Omg. You had me at murder. I am truly addicted at this point. My Favorite Murder is my favorite of course. I have been binging Stranglers and it is really freaking me out. Sword &Scale is very well done but can get dark. (Not a huge actually hearing 911 calls). Also highly recommend Casefile. Took me a couple listens to get used to the accent and sort of monotone voice, but I’ve grown to love it. Also love Someone Knows Something, Unsolved Murders, & new favorite, Hollywood & Crime.
joythebaker
hahahhaha! And I’m with you. I can’t deal with the 911 calls either.
Andrea
Also, is it weird that I re-listen to episodes of MFM to fall asleep at night? Alone in my ground floor apartment? No, that seems really normal.
Andrea
Love it! Stay sexy, don’t get murdered!
atjohnson3
Hollywood and Crime is a great one!
Natalie
I stopped listening to Sword & Scale after it was revealed that he was sending inappropriate messages to his female fans and plagiarized a whole episode from a Rolling Stone article. There has been a lot of shadiness around the creator. I really love MFM, Generation Why, Someone Knows Something and All Killa No Filla. I also recommend frequently The Last Podcast on the Left. They don’t just cover true crime, they also dip into conspiracy theories, cults, and other horrors. With their serial killer episodes (and honestly pretty much all their topics) they do insane amounts of research and are incredibly thorough. I will say their humor is not for everyone, they are incredibly vulgar (which I find to be hilarious) and definitely not PC but when it’s hosted by three dudes, two of which are comedians you wouldn’t expect less.
joythebaker
Thank you for the suggestions Natalie!
Suvi Lambson
Someone Knows Something season 2 is so great! I’ve been telling everyone about it.
Emily Rose
Sword and Scale is not my favorite—literally found it affecting my mood in a way I couldn’t shake. BUT I love true crime generally!
I really enjoyed Undisclosed. Their first season they dove into the Adnan Syed case, but more deeply from the legal ins and outs. Their second season they explored an interesting wrongful conviction in Georgia. I haven’t listened to any of the new season yet.
Criminal is also great—20-30 minute episodes on all things criminal. Some are bizarre crimes, some are from a victim’s perspective, etc.
Kristina
Serial (season 1) was my gateway podcast for this genre. (Before that I was all about Rescue 911 and 20/20 as a kid…) I’ve got the same line-up as you and I do like Sword & Scale, but I cannot listen to the episodes about pedophilia and child abuse — too too much. S&S is one of the darker ones, but he also covers cult killings/activity, which I am so fascinated by. And Georgia and Karen joke about not forcing anyone to listen to the 911 recordings, but sometimes they’re insanely entertaining.
It does feel weird to admit to enjoying this stuff in mixed company, but I think it is about educating yourself, ESPECIALLY as a woman. F*ck Politeness, yo.
Allison
I highly recommend Criminal from APM. It’s not all murder, it covers a lot of different types and aspects of crime, but the reporting is really good and she also does solid interviews. Worth a listen!
chaucees
Omg, have you heard for Criminal?! Another amazing true cime podcast. Check it out! It’s one of my favorites.
Ashley
I always knew I liked you and now I know why (besides the food, duh). I’ve listened to all the ones you recommended, but Crimetown was a definite favorite.
Try homecoming next. It’s made by the same team that does Crimetown, but it’s fiction. I didn’t think I’d like it, but it’s SO good. It has Ross from friends and the older chick from 40 year old virgin. It’s short and definitely worth a listen.
Also, a podcast about other podcast and all things true crime (they often recommend new things to watch/listen/read) is Crime Writers On.
Oh and Bowraville – it’s about 3 kids who went missing in Australia. Kind of gruesome and hard to listen to at times, but in the best way. You know what I mean.
Over and out.
Kate
I <3 Crime Writers On. Bowraville was so interesting and so frustrating! Lately I've enjoyed (maybe not the best word choice) Stranglers, about the Boston strangler(s).
I refuse to listen to My Favorite Murder because the hosts dismissed the Owl Theory as silly :D
Kale
Sword and Scale is okay, but sometimes I have to turn it off because it gets too ridiculous. He’s very into sensationalizing the crime while adamantly insisting that crime is not to be sensationalized.
One podcast I love that is not all glitz and glamour is Dan Zupansky’s True Murder: The Most Shocking True Crimes in History and the Authors that Wrote About Them. Perfectionism is not his style, which is what I love about him.
Meredith Wall
Sword and Scale is a great podcast – but some of the episodes get REALLY dark! I have had to skip over some of them. The creator/narrator does a great job on researching the cases though, and I usually think about them for days after listening. I recommend it to anyone who loves true crime!
sarah
Up until a few days ago I would not have been interested in this post. BUT. A friend recommended Up & Vanished and I’ve been binge listening all weekend. I’m hooked! I might have to check out another crime podcast next…though I do notice that I’m feeling more scared at being alone or in the dark, which is probably not something I need more of in my life!
Karianne
I second Up and Vanished, it’s so good.
Valerie
I love Up and Vanished! Highly recommend.
Wendy
The Charles Manson episodes of You Must Remember this are an amazing listen. Fascinating to hear about the music, and politics and climate at the time. It’s a great podcast in general.
Joanna Schuth
Heartily second this! I was *riveted*.
chetanddot
I love You Must Remember This and the Manson episodes were SO good.
Christina
HI Joy!!! MFM got me hooked and now I’m listening to most of those you posted. I have to say this… you will love Sword and Scale. But it is dark at times. Like -I’ve have to pull out my earbuds to keep from vomiting-dark. But well researched and soooo terrifyingly good. Listen… then go back to Georgia and Karen for some comic relief. Stay sexy!!
Matt
20/20, Dateline, Forensic Files… I could go on and on and on. LOVE THIS.
Amy
Ooo, I love this list – will definitely check these out. I am so morbidly curious about true crime – and I’m glad I’m not the only one! Have you ever tried All Killa No Filla? It sounds a little like My Favorite Murder based on your description – it’s deep dives into the lives of serial killer by two lady comedians with some rather hilarious asides. Definitely worth a listen!
Andrea
Oh Joy, you made me laugh out loud, “we’re staying sexy and NOT getting murdered”!
Perhaps I laughed so hard because I too understand how intriguing murder stories can be. However, I keep it light with fictionalized shows like “Elementary” and “Rizzoli and Isles”, otherwise I would never get to sleep at night.
francetaste
I used to be such an addict of mysteries (murder or not), but I did notice that I started sleeping much better when I swore off TV and the typical French lineup of U.S. cop shows (dubbed. nothing worse than lips not matching sound). Some of them are so sick, and I don’t mean that in the complimentary way. True murder stories would be even worse, because somebody really was that sick.
That said, I have long been a podcast addict (podcasts were a lifesaver when I moved out of NPR reception). I binge on economics and politics, which are horrors in a different way.