Mad Over Stories Team Diving into true crime podcasts for the first time can feel like walking into a conversation that’s been going for a decade. There are thousands of shows, and the loudest ones aren’t always the best place to begin. The trick is to start with the podcast that matches what you actually want out of the genre, whether that’s a gripping story, careful reporting, or good company for a long drive.
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Below are established, widely respected shows grouped by the kind of experience you’re after. Any of them is a safe on-ramp, and each does one thing especially well.
If you want one story, told like a novel
Serial
Serial is the show that turned true crime into a mainstream podcast phenomenon. Its 2014 first season, hosted by journalist Sarah Koenig as a spin-off of This American Life, reinvestigated the 1999 murder of a Baltimore high-school student and the conviction of Adnan Syed. It’s the classic starting point because it teaches you how a serialized investigation works, releasing the story one careful chapter at a time.
In the Dark
In the Dark, from APM Reports, is investigative journalism at its most rigorous. Its acclaimed second season spent a year examining the case of a Mississippi man tried six times for the same crime; the reporting fed into a case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Start here if you want to see how dogged, document-driven reporting can actually change an outcome.
If you want thorough, chronological detail
Casefile
Casefile is the show for listeners who want the facts laid out cleanly, in order, with no filler. Hosted anonymously by an Australian narrator since 2016, each case is meticulously researched and delivered chronologically, often across multiple episodes. There’s no banter and no speculation dressed up as fact, which makes it a reassuring entry point if you’re wary of sensationalism.
If you want craft over gore
Criminal
Criminal, hosted by Phoebe Judge since 2014, is proof that the genre can be quiet and humane. Episodes are short, beautifully produced, and range far beyond murder into stories about people who have done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in between. It’s the gentlest way in for anyone who finds heavier shows overwhelming.
If you want company and community
My Favorite Murder
My Favorite Murder, with hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, launched in 2016 and built one of the biggest fandoms in podcasting. The appeal isn’t polish, it’s the conversational, comedy-tinged tone and the enormous “Murderino” community around it. Come here if you want the feeling of talking through cases with friends rather than being lectured.
If you want a single case done deep
Your Own Backyard
Your Own Backyard, an independent show by Chris Lambert, focuses entirely on the 1996 disappearance of California college student Kristin Smart. It’s widely credited with helping renew public attention on the case before an arrest was finally made in 2021. It shows what a patient, single-case podcast can accomplish.
Bear Brook
Bear Brook, from New Hampshire Public Radio, tells the story of a decades-old cold case and how forensic genetic genealogy helped crack it. It’s a great bridge episode-set for beginners curious about how modern DNA science is reopening cases that once seemed hopeless.
If books are more your speed, our roundup of the best true crime books pairs well with any of these shows, and one memoir in particular is worth starting with.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark
McNamara's obsessive, empathetic hunt for the Golden State Killer set the template for a whole wave of podcasts. A perfect companion read for new listeners.
View on Amazon →Related Reading
Research Notes
- Pew Research Center
- Edison Research True Crime Consumer Report
- Google Trends Summergeist
- AP / Publishers Weekly best-seller list
Editorial note: Mad Over Stories prioritizes source-aware storytelling. For true crime and real-life topics, we avoid naming private individuals unnecessarily, distinguish confirmed facts from interpretation, and update articles when better information becomes available.
