True-crime podcasts that will make you want to lock your doors at night

In light of the tightened Covid restrictions, we are once again confined to working from home, and this new influx of time at home heralds the dreadful threat of boredom.

While cooking, online travelling , and self-pampering are the tried-and-tested ways to spend lockdown, those looking for something more novel should consider getting into true crime. If documentaries aren’t for you, these 10 true-crime podcasts are sure to tide you through your boredom.

The Murder Squad

Hosted by a retired cold-case detective, Paul Holes, and true crime journalist, Billy Jensen, The Murder Squad is a weekly interactive podcast that reopens cold cases.

Attempting to solve the cases using investigative methods that range from traditional detective methodology to advanced forensic technology, Holes and Jensen’s work on the podcast has led to the capture and conviction of James Curtis Clanton, who murdered 21-year-old Helene Pruszynski in 1980. Listeners are invited to become amateur sleuths as they listen along and are encouraged to send in their theories and tips.

The Murder Squad is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Dr. Death

Dr. Death is not for the faint of heart. Produced by Wondery and hosted by Laura Beil, an independent journalist specializing in medicine, health policy, and science, Dr. Death focuses on egregious medical malpractices.

It currently has two completed seasons, each focused on a different doctor whose medical practices have come under scrutiny due to unusual amounts of deaths and grievous harm found in the wake of a visit to their office. Almost too close for comfort, this podcast will certainly give you pause the next time you’re headed to the doctor’s office.

Dr. Death is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Serial

Owned by The New York Times and hosted by Sarah Koenig, Serial is one of the most prolific and groundbreaking true crime podcasts out there. Awarded the Peabody Award (2015) for innovative retellings of long-form nonfiction narratives, Serial is often credited as the inspiration for numerous popular crime podcasts, including a few in this list.

Each season deep-dives into an intriguing case. Season 1 is highly recommended and investigates the murder of an 18-year-old Korean girl in 1999.

Serial is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and YouTube.

Criminal

One of the first true crime podcasts to appeal to a mainstream audience, Criminal is well-paced and objective. Radio host Phoebe Judge takes listeners through a series of different topics related to true crime, bringing the discussion beyond the case, and featuring the perspective of the criminal, the victims, and everyone in between.

Insightful and sometimes even profound, Criminal reframes our views on crime and the way it affects us. With over a hundred different episodes, Mrs. Sherlock Holmes — which covers the journey of a female detective determined to find a missing girl in 1917 — is a good entry point to Criminal.

Criminal is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

Bear Brook

Unfolding like a horror movie, Bear Brook covers the decades-long investigation around four Jane Does (unidentified male bodies) found in a pair of barrels in a wooded park.

The podcast follows the numerous investigators, both amateur and professional, as they spend over 20 years doggedly following the complex web of leads and clues to a previously unknown serial killer. The podcast itself contributed to the investigation, resulting in revelations that led to real-life developments.

Bear Brook is available on Apple Podcasts.

ALSO READ: Real-life murder sets podcast record

My Favourite Murder

My Favourite Murder is a refreshing take on true crime, integrating the traditional comedian chat show format with the otherwise grim world of investigation. Hosted by comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, My Favourite Murder has built a loyal cult following for its silly and almost irreverent approach to homicide.

The second episode is one to look out for as it covers three talkshow-worthy cases —  the infamous ‘Ken and Barbie’ killers Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, the assassinations of President Kennedy, and the murder of Kirsten Costa.

My Favourite Murder is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Missing and Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams?

Produced by CBC News and hosted by Cree journalist Connie Walker, Missing & Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams? is an eight-part podcast is a genre bender.

A true crime series, a history of indigenous life in Canada, and a deeply felt personal narrative all at once, the series focuses on the missing and murdered indigenous women and children in Canada. Spurred by a shocking and unexpected tip, the first season unearths new witnesses and potential suspects in the cold case of a young Indigenous woman murdered in British Columbia in 1989.

Missing & Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams? is available on Apple Podcasts and Youtube.

In The Dark

Confidently hosted by Madeleine Baran , the investigative journalism in In The Dark is second to none. In particular, Season 2 chronicles the story of Curtis Flowers, a Mississippi man who was tried six times for four murders that the prosectors are convinced he committed.

However, the podcast unravels an abundant amount of evidence that suggests egregious prosecutorial misconduct in Flower’s charges. In light of the revelations made in In the Dark, Flower’s latest conviction has been overturned and he is now a free man.

In The Dark is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

The Shrink Next Door

Written and hosted by veteran journalist, Joe Nocera after seven years of exhaustive investigative work, The Drink Next Door is a six-part series that unveils the criminal transgressions of Nocera’s psychiatrist neighbour, Issac Herschkopf.

Behind his extravagant parties and celebrity clientele lies the sinister intent to advantage of and isolated his vulnerable patients. This podcast is a story about power, control and turning to the wrong person for help.

The Shrink Next Door is available on Apple Podcasts.

ALSO READ: Why Gemma Chan-backed podcast on murder of Vincent Chin was pulled, and the storm it unleashed

This article was first published in City Nomads.