True crime podcasts are insanely popular with listeners, but there are so many options to choose from that picking out the next one to subscribe to can be overwhelming.
We’ve narrowed down the list to the eight best true crime podcasts that we’ve listened to in the last few years. Subscribe and get hooked to one of these chillingly-twisted tales.
Down the Hill: The Delphi Murders
On February 14, 2017, the small town of Delphi, Indiana, was shaken to its core when the bodies of two young girls, 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams, were discovered near a local hiking path, just a day after they had vanished.
An audio recording released by the authorities, thought to be from the male perpetrator, chillingly contained just three spoken words: “down the hill.” In this podcast, the hosts explore the heart-wrenching saga that still casts a shadow over Indiana.
Unraveled: Long Island Serial Killer
“Diving Deep into the Heart of Mystery: The Long Island Serial Killer Saga” swings the spotlight back on one of the most perplexing unsolved serial murder cases in the annals of American crime. A full decade has elapsed since the grim discovery of eleven victims along the shores of Long Island.
Amidst a saga of police misconduct and obfuscations extending to the upper echelons of Suffolk County’s administration, co-hosts Alexis Linkletter and Billy Jensen plunge back into the decade-old investigation. They aim to unearth the veiled narrative explaining the ongoing enigma surrounding this unsolved case.
MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
John Allen, famously known as MrBallen online, dives deep into mysteries that remain unresolved on his weekly show. After surviving a life-threatening incident in Afghanistan, he developed a passion for narrating true crime tales, focusing on serial murderers and bizarre vanishings.
His approach is straight forward and factual, but the descriptions of the events are not for the squeamish.
Bear Brook
Back in ’85, Bear Brook State Park in New Hampshire turned into a chilling crime scene with the discovery of two murder victims stuffed into barrels. Fast forward to 2000, and history repeats itself with two more victims found under eerily similar conditions. Dive into this gripping podcast where Jason Moon takes you on a rollercoaster ride tracing the enigmatic Bear Brook murders that stretched from coast to coast, eventually tying back to a serial killer whose reign of terror lasted for years.
The Shrink Next Door
A peculiar story unfolds under the guidance of the compelling host Joe Nocera, a journalist for the New York Times who took it upon himself to investigate after the sudden vanishing of his psychotherapist neighbor, Ike Herschkopf.
“The Shrink Next Door” explores the dark side of therapy gone awry. The podcast is filled with numerous twists and shocks, making it as riveting as it is spine-chilling.
The Apology Line
Imagine dialing a number to whisper your apologies into the void, with no one else the wiser. For a decade and a half, such a phone line existed in Manhattan, offering solace and anonymity.
This podcast dives into the saga of this unique hotline and Allan Bridge, the man behind it, who was engulfed by the world he created. Known only as “Mr. Apology,” his story unfolds.
Callers in their thousands reached out, admitting to everything from petty theft to grave betrayals, drug trafficking to homicide. Realizing the weight of these confessions, Mr. Apology knew he couldn’t remain a passive listener. Action was imperative, even at the cost of it all.
Your Own Backyard
Narrated by Chris Lambert, the journalist behind the mic, “Your Own Backyard” is a riveting documentary podcast series that dives deep into the mysterious vanishing of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart in 1996. Since its launch in 2019, Lambert’s detailed and considerate narration has sparked renewed interest in a case that had gone cold for over two decades, playing a pivotal role in the eventual conviction of Paul Flores—identified as the perpetrator in Smart’s murder—earlier this year.
Bone Valley
Back in ’87, Michelle Schofield, just 18, was discovered dead in Florida. Fast forward two years, and it’s her husband, Leo, taking the fall for her murder.
But here’s where it twists – fingerprints at the crime scene later matched Jeremy Scott, a guy with a rap sheet that screams trouble, including armed robbery and assault.
Over the span of nine episodes, Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker dive deep into Leo’s quest for exoneration, bringing to light fresh evidence that pins Scott to a series of chilling murders.
