Best Serial Podcasts (2024)

1
In the Dark season 3 (eps 6-9) 1:00:49

20m ago1:00:49

1:00:49

When we last listened to season three of “In the Dark,” Madeleine Baran had collected signatures from the families of the Haditha victims, hoping to obtain secret photographs of the massacre. In the final episodes of the season, the team gives the pictures to an analyst who says the images are clear evidence of a war crime. Military prosecutors eve…

1
The Perfect Couple 45:58

3d ago45:58

45:58

Hours before a wedding at the Winbury’s Nantucket estate, the maid of honor’s body washes ashore. Investigators believe the death was no accident. All the family members are now suspects in the case. They include man-of-leisure Tag Winbury, his high-strung wife and mystery novelist Greer, and their three sons: cash strapped Thomas, adolescent Will,…

1
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder 48:35

7d ago48:35

48:35

Secondary school student Pippa Fitz-Amobi selects a controversial topic for an extra credit project. She wants to re-investigate the murder/suicide that rocked her sleepy English village five years earlier. She’s not convinced popular teen Andie Bell was killed by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, and Pip enlists his brother to help her. Pip grills Andie’s…

1
Noble 46:34

10d ago46:34

46:34

Working off a tip, investigators in a small Georgia town made a gruesome discovery at Tri-State Crematory. Bodies that were supposed to be cremated were instead dumped around the business’s property. The deceased numbered in the hundreds and had been left to rot for years. Owner Brent Marsh was charged with several crimes. Meanwhile, loved ones fel…

1
Drowning Creek 40:45

14d ago40:45

40:45

In 2007, 18-year-old Justin Gaines left an Atlanta-area nightclub, got into a black car and disappeared. Seven years later, Dylan Glass told police he took part in Justin’s murder at an after-hours party and his mother helped clean it up. He was never charged and later recanted his statement. Over the years, tips about Justin’s fate and his whereab…

1
Introducing: Toby Ball's RIP CURRENT 4:51

15d ago4:51

4:51

California, September 1975. Within a span of 17 days and less than 90 miles, two women, working separately, tried to assassinate the president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford. These are the only two times we know of that a woman has tried to assassinate an American president. The first, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, was already infamous as a promi…

1
Backfired: The Vaping Wars 48:40

17d ago48:40

48:40

A pair of Stanford students turned their senior project on making a new kind of clean e-cigarette into the multi-billion dollar company known as JUUL. But a product envisioned as a way to give adults an alternative to smoking soon contributed to a new epidemic of teens getting hooked on nicotine. Though public outrage, bad press, and legislative ac…

1
The Thing About Pam 30:31

21d ago30:31

30:31

For the first time, network TV’s biggest true crime personality brings his signature style to podcasting. We’ll rewind to our September 30, 2019 review of the quirky classic from Dateline NBC, “The Thing About Pam,” with a "Date with Dateline" cameo appearance. Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For excl…

1
In the Dark: Season 3 (eps 1-5) 54:44

24d ago54:44

54:44

An Iraqi lawyer reaches out to an American investigative journalist about a massacre that killed family members and others in his hometown. In 2005, after an IED attack on their convoy, US Marines stormed a village and executed 24 men, women, and children. The servicemen claimed they were returning fire from insurgents, but the evidence collected -…

1
The Night Of 43:38

28d ago43:38

43:38

A man awakes to find his one-night stand has been murdered. Can a down-on-his-luck lawyer win his freedom? We’ll go back to our July 22, 2016 review of HBO’s Emmy award winning “The Night Of." Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sign up for our newslett…

1
Daughters 50:05

1M ago50:05

50:05

A group of young girls prepare for a special Daddy-Daughter dance with their incarcerated fathers at a Washington, D.C. jail. For most, it’s the only time they’ll be able to touch or hug their dads until they’ve completed their sentences. The inmates must first complete a course on the meaning of fatherhood and contemplate their relationships with …

1
Killing Eve 28:50

1M ago28:50

28:50

An intelligence analyst and a cunning assassin play a sexy game of cat and mouse. We’ll do a classic rewind to our June 8, 2018 review of BBC America’s “Killing Eve” starring Emmy winners Sandra Oh and Jody Comer. Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sig…

1
The Mystery Hour with Rabia Chaudry is available NOW! 44:24

1M ago44:24

44:24

Mystery Hour sees Rabia Chaudry partner up with award-winning, long-running suspense magazines. Ellery Queen's and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazines are working with Chaudry as she dives into and narrates contemporary crime-fiction stories evocative of the Master of Suspense. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, or click on the links be…

1
The Confessions of Anthony Raimondi 50:26

1M ago50:26

50:26

As he nears the end of his life, an aging hitman makes a confession to podcast host Marc Smerling. In 1978, he traveled to Rome to help the Italian mafia assassinate Pope John Paul I to cover up wrongdoings by the Vatican bank. Anthony Raimondi says he got into organized crime because his father was a ruthless mob enforcer. Instead of going to pris…

1
Don't F**k with Cats 39:13

1M ago39:13

39:13

Who’s ready for a “number two”? America’s favorite true crime teenagers return to investigate who is the Turd Burglar. We’ll go back to Oct 7, 2018 for a classic rewind to our review of the Peabody Award-winning comedy series “American Vandal" season 2. Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For exclusive po…

1
Teen Torture, Inc. 48:03

2M ago48:03

48:03

Their parents think they need tough love to get off drugs or improve their behavior. That’s how many adolescents wind up in a facility for so-called troubled teens. Billed as schools or camps, staff members often use violence to maintain discipline or mete out punishment. For decades, these programs resulted in physical and sexual abuse, deaths, lo…

1
Wind of Change 33:28

2M ago33:28

33:28

Was a cold war rock song actually a piece of CIA propaganda? We’ll rewind the cassette to our May 25, 2020 review of "Wind of Change " from Spotify, Pineapple Street, and Crooked Media, with host Patrick Radden Keefe. Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.…

1
Lost Hills: Dark Canyon 43:48

2M ago43:48

43:48

In 2009, after her release from the LA County Sheriff’s Department on a minor arrest, Mitrice Richardson walked into the night and vanished. Her naked, mummified body was discovered months later in a remote Malibu Canyon creek bed. Authorities said the cause and manner of her death were undetermined. Mitrice’s family accused the department of botch…

1
Homecoming 27:12

2M ago27:12

27:12

A therapist discovers the mysterious clinic where she works is treating war vets by erasing their memories. We’ll go back to our Dec 30, 2016 review of Gimlet’s “Homecoming” starring Catherine Keener and Oscar Isaac. Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. …

1
Hysterical 49:42

2M ago49:42

49:42

In 2011, more than a dozen high school girls in Le Roy, New York began displaying Tourette-like twitches and tics. Health officials could not find a physical or environmental cause for the symptoms, and believed the teens were suffering from conversion disorder. But some rejected the implication their illness was all in their heads, insisting a med…

1
Class Action Park 24:29

2M ago24:29

24:29

It was a water park focused on crazy rides and little concern for safety...and Rebecca has the scars to prove it. We’ll return to our Sept 21, 2020 review of “Class Action Park.” Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sign up for our newsletter at crimewri…

1
Deep Cover: The Nameless Man 45:51

2M ago45:51

45:51

While conducting a routine firearms background check, a federal agent hears a rumor about Thomas Gibison that dated back to high school. He’d bragged that he and a friend shot a Black man to earn a skinhead spider web tattoo. Investigators get accomplice Craig Peterson to confirm 15 years earlier they killed a random pedestrian in Philadelphia. But…

1
Mindhunter 45:08

2M ago45:08

45:08

A pair of FBI agents teams with a researcher to interview the most dangerous serial killers to create a new investigative tool: criminal profiling. We’ll revisit our Oct 27, 2017 review of Netflix’s “Mindhunter” Donate to Kevin's Walk-a-Mile: ERAS fundraiser for the Crisis Center of Ctr NH. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sign …

1
Murder on Music Row 49:38

2M ago49:38

49:38

In 1989, 23-year-old Kevin Hughes was killed when he was ambushed by a gunman along Nashville’s famous Music Row. Hughes had been troubled that the country music record chart he worked for was accepting money under the table to manipulate the rankings of up-and-coming artists. Hughes’s opposition to the dirty practice put him in the crosshairs of p…

1
Tell Them You Love Me 44:12

3M ago44:12

44:12

After seeing a report about facilitated communication, a student of professor Anna Stubblefield asked if she could help his disabled brother. With support for his arm and hand, Derrick Johnson could type on a small keyboard. With Stubblefield’s assistance, the nonverbal man could express a wide range of thought, feelings, and academic promise. Over…

1
The Letter: Ripple Effect 44:08

3M ago44:08

44:08

In 1982, restaurant manager Michael Moore shot accountant Jordan Rasmussen, then laundry van driver Buddy Booth who discovered the body. Though he escaped the firing squad, Moore sought advice from the sentencing board on how he might someday win his release from prison. The murders left gaping holes in the lives of the victims’ families, but when …

1
Hear Me 27:47

3M ago27:47

27:47

The Undisclosed Team presents a preview of the Season 15 Premiere episode of Truth & Justice with Bob Ruff. Bob is investigating a case that was sent to him by Rabia when life circumstances wouldn’t allow her to fully investigate the case herself. In this preview you’ll hear a collage of segments from the full episode, which can be listened to in i…

1
Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs 41:53

3M ago41:53

41:53

As California’s gay community began flourishing in the 1970s, a conservative politician pushed through a statewide ballot question: should gay and lesbian teachers be banned from California schools? State Senator John Briggs told voters children were at risk of molestation and indoctrination in the classroom. Though their political influence was sm…

1
White Devil 48:06

3M ago48:06

48:06

In May 2021, Belize police superintendent Henry Jammott was shot in the head with his own service weapon. Investigators arrested socialite Jasmine Hartin, who claimed the gun accidentally fired while Jammott was teaching her to handle it. Many in Belize assumed Hartin would get special consideration because her common-law husband was the son of Bri…

1
Dead Man Running 44:00

3M ago44:00

44:00

In 2019, authorities in California searched the sea for Scottish tourist Kim Avis, who was last seen going for a swim. BBC journalist Myles Bonnar remembered Avis as an eccentric street vendor from his hometown. But American police believed Avis faked his disappearance to avoid criminal prosecution for sexual assault back in Scotland. An internatio…

1
Ren Faire 48:45

3M ago48:45

48:45

For fifty years, George Coulam has owned the Texas Renaissance Faire, which he runs with an iron fist. Seeking to fill his remaining years with romance, the 86-year-old is considering selling the faire. His earnest general manager Jeff Baldwin believes “King George” will someday pass the reigns to him. For reasons unclear, the mercurial owner sours…

1
Broomgate: A Curling Scandal 48:09

3M ago48:09

48:09

In 2015, the gentlemanly world of professional curling was rocked by a new breakthrough. A team debuted the Hardline broom, one whose brushes were incredibly effective at guiding the gliding rock across the ice to the target with astonishing precision. Opponents bristled, claiming the Hardline broom provided an unfair advantage. Then a competing ma…

1
Fallen Angels 45:27

3M ago45:27

45:27

Workers discover a young woman has overdosed in a hotel room filled with drugs and a video camera, but the police never take any action against the older man who was with her. After getting a tip, LA Times investigative reporter Paul Pringle learns the man is Doctor Carmen Puliafito, the dean of USC’s medical school, who’s been living a secret life…

1
Pretendians 43:02

4M ago43:02

43:02

What do some of the most prominent Indigenous celebrities, politicians, and cultural leaders have in common? They’re not actually affiliated with the tribes they claim to have ties with. More and more so-called “pretendians” are being unmasked, accused of fabricating their native heritage. Some fake their ancestry to accumulate power, reshape their…

1
Under the Bridge 46:34

4M ago46:34

46:34

Writer Rebecca Godfrey returns to her parents’ home in Vancouver to develop a book about local teens in a foster home. One of the troubled girls she focuses on is soon connected to the disappearance of her frenemy, Reena Virk, last seen fleeing a group of teens who chased her from a party. When Reena’s body is discovered, Rebecca inserts herself in…

1
She Has a Name 43:16

4M ago43:16

43:16

Two decades ago, reporter Tonya Mosley got an unexpected phone call from a man claiming to be her nephew by a half-sister she never knew about. Antonio Wiley said his mom vanished in Detroit in the 1980s when he was just 14-years-old. When Anita Wiley’s body was identified in 2020, Tonya and Antonio teamed up to retrace her life and examine why she…

1
The Jinx - Part Two 46:47

4M ago46:47

46:47

Behind the scenes, years before Robert Durst’s hot mic murder confession made it to air, investigators in the Susan Berman case had been reviewing evidence uncovered by the producers of “The Jinx.” And as America grew transfixed with the 2015 TV series, the man connected to three high-profile crimes felt the heat. Once the millionaire fugitive was …

1
Power 44:28

4M ago44:28

44:28

How did America law enforcement get to its present state of near-unaccountability? An examination of its history shows policing has its origins in running slave patrols, displacing indigenous tribes, and coercing organized labor. Once used as a tool by the powerful to maintain social order and protect their personal property, modern police have bec…

1
What's up with the Karen Read Case? (A Boston Globe/Say More crossover!) 31:39

4M ago31:39

31:39

Why is (almost) everyone talking about the Karen Read case? If you've also been wondering, you're in luck. Rebecca was asked to dive into it for the Boston Globe's Say More podcast, and on this special crossover edition of Crime Writers On, we're thrilled to share that episode. Rebecca chats with host Shirley Leung and courts reporter Sean Cotter a…

1
Bodkin 41:23

4M ago41:23

41:23

A hardscrabble journalist is reassigned to help an American podcaster investigate a cold case in a remote Irish village. After twenty years, Bodkin is set to resume its annual Samhain celebration - a tradition that was canceled after three people disappeared the night of the pagan festival. While host Gilbert Power focuses primarily on the human in…

1
S04 - Ep. 9: This Is the Weirdness 1:02:08

4M ago1:02:08

1:02:08

The criminal case against the men accused of planning the Sept. 11 attacks is the one aspect of Guantánamo that would seem to make sense – until you start watching it.By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
Baby Reindeer 44:35

4M ago44:35

44:35

Donnie Dunn, an aspiring stand-up comedian, extends a courtesy to a distraught pub customer. Martha Scott becomes a friend and a regular at the bar, but her fixation on Donnie starts crossing boundaries. He tries to push away, but a spurned Martha begins an unrelenting stalking campaign which upends his life. The stress of the stalking triggers rep…

1
Witnessed: 19 Days 42:37

4M ago42:37

42:37

Police in Austin, Texas had no clue as to who was behind a package bomb that killed a homeowner in March 2018. Ten days later, when two more devices exploded in the city, investigators knew they were dealing with a serial bomber. With each new attack, the devices were more sophisticated. But authorities caught a break when bombs found at a FedEx fa…

1
S04 - Ep. 8: Two Ledgers 1:00:37

4M ago1:00:37

1:00:37

Majid Khan spent years locked away in CIA black sites. What would he tell the world when he finally got the chance to speak?By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
Ripley 39:10

4M ago39:10

39:10

Grifter Thomas Ripley is hired by a wealthy businessman to convince his prodigal son to return from his extended holiday in Italy. But instead he ingratiates himself with Dickie Greenleaf and shares in his host’s life of luxury. Once he overstays his welcome, Ripley hatches a plan to get rid of Dickie and assume his playboy identity. Instead of Eas…

1
Shane and Sally 40:28

5M ago40:28

40:28

In 1988, three months after going missing from a lake in San Angelo, Texas, the bodies of teenagers Shane Stewart and Sally McNelly were discovered - the pair had been shot. Among those in their friend group were a collection of self-styled occultists, and evidence of satanic rituals was found near the park where they vanished. Evidence suggested t…

1
Presenting Proof: Murder at the Warehouse 46:05

4M ago46:05

46:05

Enjoy this special presentation of Proof: Murder at the Warehouse, a podcast from Undisclosed’s very own Susan Simpson. PROOF: Murder at the Warehouse takes Susan Simpson and Jacinda Davis to Manteca, CA where they reinvestigate the murder of 18-year-old Renee Ramos. On June 5, 2000, Ramos’ body was found buried under a pile of debris inside the sh…

1
S04 - Ep. 7: The Forever Reporter 1:02:24

4M ago1:02:24

1:02:24

One reporter has been covering Guantánamo since the day the prison opened. The military would like her to go home now.By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
Hello, John Doe 43:31

5M ago43:31

43:31

Among the missing persons cases online sleuth Todd Matthews followed were that of two boys from the same family who vanished 25 years apart. He was shocked to receive a call from a man who thought he might be Phillip Steven Brandenburg, the baby who went missing in 1974. Todd determined Steve Patterson was indeed the John Doe they’d been searching …

1
Serial season 4 51:57

5M ago51:57

51:57

In 2014, Sarah Koenig and Dana Chivvis traveled to Guantánamo Bay hoping to find the untold stories about the infamous military prison. They found many friendly soldiers willing to repeat Army talking points, but no one willing to be candid about life at the detention center. A decade later, the pair reached out to those people, many who had left t…

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