Em’s Top Five True Crime Podcast Recommendations
As a connoisseur of true crime content, I face a glut of media to choose from. Podcasts are my most frequent means of consumption, but there are dozens or even hundreds of choices to listen to while I’m working out, cleaning the house, or cooking dinner. After a decade of listening, I can definitively say that most of it is utter garbage. But I have developed a pretty solid rotation of quality shows, so I thought I’d break down my top five for anyone who might be interested but overwhelmed, wondering where to start. I’ll give a description of the show and recommend an episode for each.
5. Sinisterhood, hosted by Heather McKinney and Christie Wallace
Sinisterhood is a well-researched show hosted by two friends who met doing improve shows in the Dallas area. Like several on this list, Sinisterhood is often funny and lighthearted – though never inappropriately or disrespectfully so. The show mostly focuses on current cases, but like most others on this list, they venture into stories other than murder (examples are dives into “The Backrooms” and Randonautica). Host Heather is an attorney; it is nice to have her expertise in that regard, because many true-crime shows frustrate those of us with legal backgrounds with their inaccuracies with regard to the law.
Epi recommendation: Ep 331, 3/9/2022 – The Murder of Ellen Greenberg
4. Last Podcast on the Left, hosted by Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson
LPOTL is probably one of the most well-researched, interesting, and in-depth shows out there. They do not focus solely on crime stories; they also cover UFOs, cults, dark history, and a fair amount of paranormal phenomena. Some topics are explored so thoroughly that they require 2, 3, or even 4 episodes of an hour-plus each. I would actually like to rate this show higher on my list, but I can’t. LPOTL is also a comedy podcast, as many true crime podcasts are, but their humor very often crosses the line into the inappropriate and tasteless. While I would not go so far as to accuse them of being disrespectful to victims of crime, they sometimes need to approach some topics with a bit more gravitas.
Epi recommendation: Ep 300-304, January 2018: Jim Jones and the Jonestown Massacre (WARNING: This one is disturbing AF. Also, if you are easily offended, or just offended by things that are generally offensive, don’t listen to this or any other LPOTL episode. If you have interest in the macabre and a dark sense of humor, proceed.)
3. My Favorite Murder, hosted by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff
For a while, this was far and away my favorite. I even went to a live show (which is a thing many podcasts do- go on tour and record their show in front of live audiences.) MFM became a huge success and the number one podcast on Apple’s podcast app because of the hosts’ conversational, self-deprecating, and open style. The built up a huge fandom of so-called “Murderinos”, spawning spinoff Facebook fan communities (I am a member in good standing of the Lawyerinos FB group.) Like the others on this list, the show’s focus is not always on murder. Karen in particular likes to present stories of disasters, natural and otherwise, and Georgia will occasionally talk about a lesser-known historical figure, like 1940s LA crime reporter Aggie Underwood. While I still love the show and listen every week, I have to admit they have fallen off quite a bit. Sometimes the stories feel phoned-in and they come off bored with the whole thing. I will continue to listen, though, because they really do feel like old friends.
Epi recommendation: Ep 105, 1/25/2018, Proclensity (The murder of Christa Worthington and the case of Typhoid Mary)
2. Generation Why, hosted by Aaron Habel and Justin Evans
My list could not be complete with the OG true crime podcast, Generation Why. Gen Why is one of the oldest and longest running true crime podcast and the first one I listened to regularly. Hosted by two Kansas City based friends, Gen Why has covered all the well known cases and now focuses more on smaller, lesser known stories, a niche that is needed in the genre. This is in keeping with their victim-centered focus, putting out information on cases that never make national news. In addition to occasional episodes on paranormal topics, they also often cover wrongful conviction and missing persons cases.
Epi recommendation: Ep 276, 4/1/2018: Lost Girls of Panama
1. Buried Bones, hosted by Kate Winkler-Dawson and Paul Holes
My current favorite, in no small part due to the expertise of the hosts. Kate is a journalist and professor who has specialized in true crime throughout her career. She has written several non-fiction books covering historical true crime cases. Her co-host, Paul Holes, is a rockstar in the world of true crime because of his role in using genetic genealogy to catch the Golden State Killer. On Buried Bones, Kate presents Paul with an older case – anywhere from the 1970s to back in the 1600s- and Paul gives his thoughts from a modern investigator’s standpoint. The show is impeccably researched thanks to Kate’s journalistic background, and Paul’s insights often raise fascinating questions, and possible answers to old, unsolved cases.
Epi recommendation: Eps 25 and 26, March 22 and 29 2023: The Woman in the Well Parts 1 and 2
Honorable Mention:
CASEFILE – another well-researched show with a deep catalogue, with an anonymous host with a delightful Australian accent. Unlike my top five, there is no witty banter on this one; just straight up good storytelling. Try episode 12, from March 2016, the story of Katherine Knight. Not for the squeamish.
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In sum, I listen to a lot of dark and sad stuff, so I like the interjection of humor or lighthearted chat to break up the bad. I also want the background and the facts, not just the salacious rumors. Unfortunately, because of the genre’s popularity, there is a lot of junk out there. I will occasionally try a few episodes of a new show, but these are the few I keep coming back to. If you decide to listen to any of them, I’d love to know what you think. And please share if you have another standout you think should be on a “best of” list!
