True crime podcasts are still alive and well, friends. That is terrible terminology to align with true crime podcasts considering they are usually about MURDERS, but here we are. I did it.
We’ve noticed you guys kinda like true crime podcasts. Some might say you are all a bit obsessed. To which we say – welcome to the damn club. Why do you think we were one of the first websites to write about the now-insanely-popular Dirty John? Because we are sad losers who spend all our spare time in podcast holes staring at the wall. And it pays off for YOU, ‘cos now you can benefit from all our binge-listening.
Here’s what we’ve loved of late. Quick note: if you’re a deep, hardcore true crime podcast fan chances are you’re well across a lot of these. We tried to include some well-loved ones for true crime newbies, as well as some more obscure podcasts for die-hards.
SERIAL
Okay, are you even a true crime fan if you haven’t heard Serial, season one? It’s debatable – but just in case you’re not across, this should be your first point of call. While it wasn’t the first of its genre by any means, it was the first to go gangbusters globally. Why? Because it was so excellently produced by Sarah Koenig – who had already proved her outstanding knack for chronicling real-life stories on This American Life.
“Sarah’s passion, curiosity and commitment to uncover the truth was goddamn infectious. I was ready to fly over to Baltimore and start investigating Hae Min Lee‘s murder myself.” – Josie, Head of Editorial.
TRACE
This Aussie podcast, produced by ABC Radio, chronicles the case of Maria James – a mother of two who was stabbed to death in the back of her Melbourne bookshop in 1980. Her killer was never found, but this podcast – and the expert level of investigative reporting – ended up raising some serious questions.
“It’s the closest to an Australian Serial, in my opinion.” – Chloe, Strategy & Response Lead.
IN THE DARK
This lesser-known podcast is absolutely worth a listen if the investigation of a crime is your thing. It centres around the abduction of Jacob Wetterling in the 80’s – a kid from a small town in rural Minnesota. The investigation took 27 years, and this podcast looks at the reason why it took so damn long to track down the killer.
“This podcast got me through a monster 2 day drive from Noosa to Sydney last summer. I was on the edge of my seat, literally yelling at the radio as truth-bombs dropped over the episodes.” – Melissa, Senior Style Editor.
CASEFILE
Call this the underdog of true crime podcasts – the minimally produced, all-Aussie team is led by an anonymous host with the most ocker Aussie accent ever. Each episode covers one true crime murder case extensively, from the crime through the investigation. On occasion, they’ll run a several-episode series if the case is super deep. First-time listeners – don’t be put off by the no-frills style. The research and attention to detail is phenomenal – there’s a reason it’s loved dearly by podcast listeners and consistently remains in the upper end of the iTunes Top Charts.
“It’s literally my whole life. My favourite day of the week is Sunday because that’s the day each the new ep comes out.” – Caitlin, Advertising & Partnerships Manager.
SBS TRUE STORIES, SEASON 3
SBS’ True Stories podcast in general is fantastic, but for true crime purposes it’s Season 3 to get onto immediately. Telling the story of Adelaide‘s gay-hate murders of the 70’s – 90’s, it’s a harrowing 5-part account of violence against the LGBTIQ community, and was listed as one of iTunes ‘Best Podcasts of 2015’ – which is huge considering it was up against podcasts from all around the globe.
“Given the current political climate regarding the marriage equality plebiscite, this is frankly imperative listening for all Australians.” – James, Deputy Editor.
BOWRAVILLE
Produced by The Australian, Bowraville is a gripping 5-part series focusing on the Bowraville serial killings. Three indigenous children were murdered within five months in the small town of Bowraville, QLD – and they all lived on the same street. Walkley award-winning investigative journalist Dan Box heads up the series (the podcast actually won 4 Walkleys), and the questions raised by the podcast led to someone (we won’t say who) being charged with the crimes.
“I was so hooked on Bowraville, I listened to it straight from 7pm at night through to 2am.” – Matt, Tech Editor.
MY FAVOURITE MURDER
Don’t write MFM (as Murderinos, their fanbase, coin it) off as a comedy show – hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark looooove true crime, and once they met at a party and worked out they shared the same slightly-unhinged level of interest in it, decided to turn that into a casual chat style podcast. Initial episodes were simply based around each host bringing a true crime case for a chat – these days there’s everything from themed episodes to wrap-ups of ‘hometown murders’ their fans send in. Both ladies are wickedly funny, but never cross the disrespect line with victims or cases, and always come with a solid amount of research. It’s literally like listening to your most hilarious friends talk about your favourite topic at a house party.
“I can’t believe it took me so long to get into MFM. Karen and Georgia are so funny I’m often silent-laughing on the train to work.” – Courtney, Multimedia & News Writer.
BLACK HANDS
This NZ produced podcast centres on a grisly 1994 murder which saw five family members shot and killed in their home. The only survivor? David Bain, one of the sons. It’s a bizarre and mysterious crime case that’s spawned plenty of internet chat, and each episode reveals more background to the murders that makes you question your conviction over who committed them.
“I had never heard of this case before, which is insane now that I’ve listened to the podcast – it’s completely all-consuming.” – Sean, Native Content Strategist.
UP AND VANISHED
Another podcast that literally helped solve a cold case, this investigative series looks at the disappearance of Tara Grinstead, a high school teacher and former beauty queen from Georgia, USA. It was an 11 year cold case when Payne Lindsey started investigating, and within six months of the first episode going live, a tip was provided to police which led to an arrest and charge over the disappearance. Some of the promotion around the podcast – they do live tours and have merch – can feel a bit ick given it’s about a murder, but the actual content is excellent.
“I ended up so fascinated by how new information was turning up in this case, I started googling cold cases in Australia – maybe I can solve one?” – Chantelle, Native Content Producer.
