Best Serial Podcasts (2024)

1
Homecoming 27:12

4h 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. New episodes of Crime Writers On every Monday this summer! For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sign up for our newsl…

1
Hysterical 49:42

14m 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

1h 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.” New episodes of Crime Writers On every Monday this summer! For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.…

1
Deep Cover: The Nameless Man 45:51

3h 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

2d 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” New episodes of Crime Writers On every Monday this summer! For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon. Sign up for our newsletter…

1
Murder on Music Row 49:38

5d 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

20d 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

12d 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

13d 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

16d 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

19d 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

23d 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

26d 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

1M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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
This Is the Weirdness 1:02:08

2M 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

2M 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

2M 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
Two Ledgers 1:00:37

2M 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

2M 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

3M 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

2M 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
The Forever Reporter 1:02:24

2M 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

2M 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

3M 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…

1
Part 2, Asymmetry 56:35

3M ago56:35

56:35

After the worst happens at Guantánamo, the warden tries to explain it to the outside world – and to himself.By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
JUSTICE, USA 46:08

3M ago46:08

46:08

After being booked, defendants in Nashville’s justice system must navigate a labyrinth of challenges. They include people whose mental illness gets them in trouble, an abuse survivor who finds herself both victim and defendant, a couple using jail as an opportunity to get clean from heroin, and teenagers facing life sentences for murder. There are …

1
Cover Up: The Anthrax Threat 47:27

3M ago47:27

47:27

With the nation already on edge after 9/11, envelopes containing deadly anthrax were mailed to journalists and politicians. It killed five postal workers and reporters, and sickened Congressional staffers. Government officials claimed these attacks originated overseas, and used the threat as justification for the invasion of Iraq. The FBI relied on…

1
The Big Chicken, Part 1 54:44

3M ago54:44

54:44

A new warden comes to Guantánamo and decides to make some changes. A prison’s a prison, he thinks. How hard could this be?By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
The Truth vs. Alex Jones 45:05

3M ago45:05

45:05

The 2012 murders of 20 school children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary shocked the nation and shattered their grieving families. But InfoWars host Alex Jones immediately unspooled a series of conspiracy theories accusing the parents of faking their kids’ deaths in an elaborate hoax. For years, the families were harassed by conspiracy theori…

1
Stolen: Trouble in Sweetwater 41:44

3M ago41:44

41:44

In June 2021, Ella Mae Begay vanished from her Sweetwater, Arizona home in the middle of the night. Preston Henry Tolth admitted to tribal police he stole the 62-year-old’s truck and beat her, but Ella Mae’s family pressured him to say where on the Navajo reservation he left her. A year later, 38-year-old Kristina Carrillo went missing from the Nav…

1
The Honeymooners 50:50

4M ago50:50

50:50

The case against a young airman gets even weirder when the government pulls in two fresh investigators. Part 2: A bride, an FBI agent, and a polygraph machine.By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
Murder 101 44:57

3M ago44:57

44:57

To engage his sociology students, Elizabethton High School teacher Alex Campbell created a unique lesson plan. The class would research a 1970s cold case known as the Redhead Murders. By semester's end, the students had created a profile of the possible serial killer. Six months after the class released their findings, the Tennessee Bureau of Inves…

1
S1 Ep4: Undisclosed: Crossover Edition 1:24:20

3M ago1:24:20

1:24:20

Check out the latest updates on Susan, Colin, Rabia, and news about Undisclosed, and then stay tuned for a special crossover episode of "Rabia and Ellyn Solve the Case"!By Undisclosed

1
Death and Other Details 54:11

3M ago54:11

54:11

Imogene Scott finds herself aboard a luxury cruise ship chartered by the Collier family. The guest list includes powerful friends, as well as Chinese investors interested in acquiring their clothing factory. But after setting sail, an obnoxious passenger is killed with a harpoon through his chest. Also on board is a figure from Imogene’s childhood:…

1
Ahmad the Iguana Feeder 1:00:49

3M ago1:00:49

1:00:49

An Arabic-speaking airman is sent to Guantánamo to translate, and soon finds himself at the center of a major scandal. Part 1: Suspicion swallows evidence.By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
CWO Classic: Slow Burn 31:32

3M ago31:32

31:32

It was the scandal that took down a President…but it didn’t happen all at once. The road to Watergate was paved over time with small turns and little-known stories that need to be heard. In this CWO Classic: we’ll revisit our December 8, 2017 review of the classic podcast “Slow Burn.” New episodes of Crime Writers On every Monday this summer! For e…

1
Beyond All Repair 47:40

4M ago47:40

47:40

After profiling lawyer Shane Correia years ago for her podcast, part of his story stuck with host Amory Sivertson. He grew up under the cloud that his sister Sophia had been arrested for murdering her mother-in-law. And it was his brother Sean who said he witnessed Sophia commit the crime. But something about the story bothered Sivertson. Did the s…

1
The Special Project 47:09

4M ago47:09

47:09

In 2002, an elite interrogation team secretly staged Guantánamo’s most elaborate intel operation — to try to get a single detainee to talk.By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
Poor Baby Raul 41:11

4M ago41:11

41:11

Maybe you have an idea in your head about what it was like to work at Guantánamo, one of the most notorious prisons in the world. Think again.By Serial Productions & The New York Times

1
CWO Classic: Gladiator 27:12

4M ago27:12

27:12

He went from NFL tight end to having three murder charges. Could his rags-to-riches-to-ruin story have been different? In this CWO Classic, we’ll revisit our October 29, 2018 review of "Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football, Inc." from Wondery and the Boston Globe Spotlight team. New episodes of Crime Writers On every Monday this summer! For excl…

1
Dissident at the Doorstep 45:43

4M ago45:43

45:43

Western news outlets became fascinated with Chen Guangcheng, a blind self-taught lawyer who advocated for human rights inside communist China. When Guangcheng escaped house arrest and fled to the US in 2012, he was held up as a symbol of freedom and democracy. But in the subsequent years, observers were puzzled when Guangcheng re-entered the public…

1
Trailer 2:22

4M ago2:22

2:22

From Serial Productions and The New York Times, Serial Season 4 is a history of Guantánamo told by people who lived through key moments in Guantánamo’s evolution, who know things the rest of us don’t about what it’s like to be caught inside an improvised justice system. Episodes 1 and 2 arrive Thursday, March 28.…

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