10 Best Murder Mystery Podcasts
Lately, America’s favorite villain seems to be the murderer. TV shows reveal the lives of serial killers, and documentaries explore the psychology of criminal deviance. There are even subscription boxes that let you play detective. If you’re one of the true-crime junkies who has seen it all and still wants more, maybe it’s time to try murder mystery podcasts!
Murder mystery podcasts offer listeners a fresh way to consume the chilling, fascinating tales we love to fear. Some engage their audiences with a deep dive into the trail detectives followed to solve the most fascinating cases of modern times. Others give listeners a chance to ask themselves whodunnit… Whether you love to play to the detective or crave understanding the world’s most criminal, here’s a list of the 10 best murder mystery podcasts, so you never run out of creepy crime stories.
Our Picks for the 10 Best Murder Mystery Podcasts
Up and Vanished
Up and Vanished is hosted by Atlanta filmmaker, Payne Lindsey, who dives into the cases of missing people. In season one, Lindsey researched and interviewed the people of Ocilla, Georgia, where Tara Grinstead went missing in 2005 and eventually became a cold case. When the podcast became popular, people started remembering the case, and new leads and stories arose. Two people were finally arrested with the help of Up and Vanished, and more seasons were made tackling five new cold cases.
Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Podbean. Check out their network, Tenderfoot, and all of the other podcasts they produce, such as Atlanta Monster.
Criminal
Tagging itself as a collector of “stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle,” Criminal is a podcast of all things crime – not just murder. Phoebe Judge is the host of the podcast, which the San Francisco Chronicle calls “the NPR of podcasts.”
Going beyond the crime itself, the podcast delves into the lives of the people involved, setting it apart from others and making it one of the most popular podcasts in the world. Join Judge as she explores murder mysteries and various crimes throughout time, taking the podcast all over the country to interview people, sometimes hosting live shows.
Episodes come out twice a month – always on Fridays. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, RSS, and Stitcher.
My Favorite Murder
Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff bring horror and comedy together in this true-crime podcast that you won’t be able to stop bingeing. My Favorite Murder has not only broken podcast records but also sparked a devoted fan base called the “Murderinos.” Each show, the hosts cover a different true crime story. The murders are from all over the world throughout all of time. They also produce “minisodes” where fans can send in their creepy and crazy stories of murders in their hometown. Georgia and Karen read the hometown stories and give their opinions about them -hilariously and fascinatingly.
Episodes come out weekly and can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Player FM.
Last Podcast on the Left
Last Podcast on the Left blends true crime, paranormal, and all things weird with some humor. Hosts Henry Zebrowski, Ben Kissel, and Marcus Parks cover everything from werewolves and hauntings to Jim Jones’ Jonestown and even war crimes. They retell truly insane stories from the past and present, but you won’t get too scared because their dark humor keeps things from getting too heavy.
Check out their 300+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Castbox.
Sword and Scale
Sword and Scale is a bit of a darker podcast that uncovers the underworld of true crime without glossing it up. Host Mike Boudet tackles various stories of criminal activity and goes inside the minds of the people who commit them. They also talk about how the criminal justice system deals with these crimes and the actions they take. The podcast plays interviews, 911 calls, and even court testimonies throughout the episode, so you get the full story.
You can listen to Sword and Scale on their website, Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Castbox.
True Crime Garage
True Crime Garage is a story-driven podcast hosted by two friends, Nic and The Captain, as they sit in their garage, talk crime, and drink beer. They look into old and new cases, sharing their extensive research and offering some new perspectives. And they discuss everything from the Shaker Heights murders and JonBenet Ramsey to the Oakland County Child Killer.
You can listen to these stories on Spotify, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, and Castbox.
Most Notorious
Most Notorious was created by author Erik Rivenes. A lover of true crime and history, Rivenes brings these two passions together in the Most Notorious podcast. He interviews experts and historians who give the audience more context and facts about these crimes in history than most people could find themselves. Indulge in episodes about the Salem Witch Trials, Lizzie Borden, various gangsters along with their infamous crimes, and so much more.
Check out Most Notorious on Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, YouTube, and Castbox.
Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia
You’ve likely heard of the Black Dahlia murder, the horrendous and unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short in 1947. The murder remains one of America’s most infamous unsolved crimes even over 70 years later. Root of Evil dives into the case, examining the Hodel family and, more specifically, George Hodel. Many people believe this man was the killer. And it doesn’t stop there.
Sisters Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile not only host the show but are the great-granddaughters of George. They bring attention to family secrets and the reasons why even they believe George Hodel committed this heinous crime.
Explore the Hodel family history and its terrifying secrets by listening to the podcast on Stitcher, Spotify, RSS Feed, Castbox, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and more.
Man in the Window
Man in the Window follows the crimes of the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, who was finally caught in 2018 after 44 years of investigation. Pulitzer Prize winner, Paige St. John, uncovers never before revealed details of DeAngelo and his crimes in each of the episodes. Throughout the podcast, she explores how he got away with so many murders. St. John also goes into how we can stop people who are like him in the future.
Listen to the podcast brought to us by Wondery and LA Times on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo
With Missing & Murdered, CBC reporter Connie Walker wanted to create something to expose the oppression of Indigenous people in Canada. Walker gives us many history lessons throughout this podcast as she explores what exactly happened to Cleo Nicotine Semaganis. Cleo was a young girl who was taken from her Saskatchewan Cree family by government welfare groups in the 1970s. What makes this podcast really stand out is that Walker actually solves what happened to Cleo.
Take a listen to the interviews, history lessons, and the stories of Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo on RSS Feed, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts.
Have you listened to any of these murder mystery podcasts? Let us know about your favorites and if we’ve missed any! We’d love to hear your opinions, questions, and comments. Leave us a comment below!
Alyson Pittman is a contributing writer for WBD and a JR marketing associate for Excite Creative Studios, an Atlanta-based creative agency.
Alyson graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Bachelors of Business Administration and a concentration in Marketing. She was in multiple organizations at KSU where she held leadership positions. As a part of the Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority, Alyson held the Social Coordinator position and planned/promoted large events.
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