For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by true crime. The stories, the psychology, all of it. But when the podcast giving you this information is boring or hard to follow, you can lose interest in the case entirely. This is why I have scoured the internet to give you some of my favorite true crime podcasts, so you don’t have to waste your time searching for somewhere to get your true crime fix.
- Best Quick Podcast: The Deck
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While I personally enjoy a podcast between 45 minutes and an hour and a half, I recognize not everyone does. The Deck – hosted by Ashley Flowers– ranges from 10 minutes to about 40 minutes, meaning there is something for everyone! The Deck tells the stories of the victims whose faces have been put on decks of playing cards by law enforcement agencies and passed out in jails and prisons in hopes of getting information from inmates. These cases are all cold, however, so if an unsolved mystery isn’t your cup of tea, you might want to give this one a pass.
- Most Unique Stories: Rotten Mango
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Rotten Mango– hosted by Stephanie Soo– has been a go-to for me for quite a while now, and with them uploading Wednesdays and Sundays, I certainly have a bunch of content to look forward to each week. Rotten Mango runs on the longer side, with both normal episodes and “mini-sodes” so you really get a chance to get lost in the story. Although they cover some infamous cases, I love that a majority of their cases are from Asia and are less-widely covered in western media. Stephanie Soo also tells the stories with a very unique narrative perspective, and it is very easy to get invested.
- Most Lighthearted: Killer Queens
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If you like true crime but find yourself often bogged down by the solemness of a podcast while you’re getting ready for your day, I have the perfect recommendation for you: Killer Queens. Hosted by 90s-obsessed sisters Tori and Tyrella, this podcast mixes southern charm, wit and nostalgia into an exploration of disturbing true crime cases. You’d think it wouldn’t work, but it does. It really does.
- Best Hosts: True Crime Obsessed
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True Crime Obsessed is something I recommend to anyone even vaguely interested in true crime. Hosted by Gillian Pensavale and Patrick Hinds (yes, I just did their little name jingle in my head, and soon you will too), this true crime podcast has flare. They recap and explore the hottest new True Crime docs so that you don’t have to, and they recount them in an incredibly entertaining way. I’m not sure if it’s Patrick’s giggle, Gillian’s snark or just their banter together, this podcast has me laughing out loud every time I press play.
- Best Deep Dive: Crime Weekly
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If you prefer an incredibly thorough deep dive, join YouTuber Stephanie Harlowe and retired detective Derrick Levasseur in Crime Weekly as they explore headline and and less known cases. Averaging out at about 2 hours per episode, this one is for the hardcore listeners who prefer a slower pace podcast, but don’t get me wrong, it is still packed with a ton of information.
- Best Visuals: Usual Disclaimer
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One of my comfort listens has become Usual Disclaimer, hosted by British YouTuber Eleanor Neale. The podcast is actually the audio versions of many of her videos, which is why I included her in this particular category. The cases she covers are well researched and very well explained, she is able to interject some of her own knowledge and opinion without it taking over the facts or confusing the viewer. I also like how she provides many images of people and places involved, making it incredibly easy to follow along the story and distinguish different characters.
- Overall Favorite: Crime Junkie
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Well, well, well. We have arrived at what I consider to be my all-time-favorite true crime podcast: Crime Junkie. Since 2017, I have been listening to the calming yet inquisitive voices of Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawatt explore the nation’s most intense and interesting cases. They have often worked with survivors and victim’s families, as well as uploading “updates in cases” or “breaking news” episodes alongside their weekly Monday fill. This podcast has a brilliant balance of facts being approached with humanity and I cannot recommend this enough.
Though these didn’t quite make my list, I’d also like to mention:
- True Crime with Kendall Rae
- Murder, Mystery and Makeup
- Morbid
- Park Predators
- Dirty John
- Swindled
- Red Collar
Happy listening!