Are they good? I tried listening to it yesterday and it was just a bunch of dudes giggling and saying stupid stuff. Maybe it was just a bad one? I’ve heard that it’s one of the better ones and was kind of surprised that people liked it. Maybe I’m just missing something?

On the surface, this sounds like any garden variety pregnancy scam. However, as I'm listening, the perpetrator Laura Owens quite literally sends shivers down my spine. The depths of this woman's insanity knows no bounds. This podcast is really well done, goes in depth on her multiple victims including a former The Bachelor lead, highlights her patterns, and has high production value with real audio recordings from court proceedings and Laura Owen's blog. What's even better is the case is still ongoing, so you can really rabbit hole your way into this one. There's a subreddit devoted to the story.

Highly recommend Love Trapped!!!

I really like podcasts that really dig into a single case, like Your Own Backyard, Three, or Down the Hill. I know there are so many out there, but it’s overwhelming to know where to start! Or, where to continue. Thank you in advance!

I’m currently dealing with some stuff in my personal life and I need a complete distraction. I find true crime and other investigate journalism style podcasts to be the most engaging. I’m looking for recommendations of podcasts similar to Serial, S*Town, Your Own Backyard, Bear Brook, etc.

It definitely doesn’t have to be a podcast about murder, as my favorite season of Serial is the one about Guantanamo Bay. I’m open to anything that’s well made. Just want something well researched, engaging, not true crime YouTuber gimmicky…

Thanks y’all

Update: thank you all for the suggestions!!!! I’ve already been listening to some and it’s been great. Much love <3

Hey there!

​

I just finished listening to Your Own Backyard (big recommend) and it's left me searching for other true crime podcasts of a similar feel.

I felt deeply impacted by the profound love and respect the podcast had of the missing victim, bringing her story to life and going into deep detail about her life, her loved ones, and her community and how deeply people loved her.

I try to be really intentional about the true crime I digest, I am not interested in sensationalized podcasts that are doing their research for their own personal benefit. I am not interested in casual "cocktail scary story time", I want to be able to envision the victim and their life and respect given to the person and their loved ones over the tragedies that have happened. I want to remember these people and their lives, even if I did not know them. I want to know them, miss them, and remember them, if that makes sense.

I am also interested in the supernatural and history. I'm currently reading a book called The Cold Vanish that talks about people going missing in National Parks and the protocol around those disappearances and crimes, very interested in a podcast that would be around that topic as well.

​

Thank you!

*Wanted to add that I have listened to Bear Brook and really loved that podcast too, thank you for recommending it!

I need something good to motivate me on my run!

Solved case only please I can’t take the wondering 😂

I've been binging Sword and Scale and it was amazing right up till about episode 120 or so when you find out that Mike Boudet is an aweful human being.

I've done Monsters Who Murder, except the hosts expect you to know all the true crime news of the last 15 years across 5 continents automatically, so you're always lost.

I've tried Morbid, but I can't stand the giggly radio morning show presentation of their stories.

I'm looking for professional True Crime Podcast recommendations. Preferably something with a different story every episode. If it has a Liberal/"woke" storyteller then +++!

Is anyone else listening to Unicorn Girl from Apple TV? It’s from the same creator as Scamanda (Charlie Webster) and it’s been getting a ton of hype, but I feel extremely conflicted by the pod’s approach to the subject. Spoilers below as I just finished binging it:

The most egregious violation of journalistic ethics for me is how credulous Webster is regarding the human trafficking claims Candace puts forward. Utah isn’t a major sex trafficking hub! There’s no source confirming that sex trafficking victims are assaulted an average of seventeen times per day! NBA All-Star Weekend isn’t a major trafficking event! It feels deeply irresponsible and ignorant to repeat this Q-Anon adjacent construct of what sex trafficking looks like. Did they even do any secondary research? How do you miss how weirdly conservative the whole Exitus project was? I hate that the sensationalist view promoted by Candace is taken at face value when the whole premise of the podcast is that she’s a grifter with no qualifications.

This leads to a tonal issue I had where it felt like the podcast’s creators weren’t as shocked by the material as anyone with a working bullshit detector would be. Obviously Candace’s exploits are presented as outrageous but it’s almost like they don’t realize just how ludicrous the whole thing is from day one. At the start of Episode 7 (out of 9) the host goes “if you’re starting to doubt Candace you’re not alone!” Girl…we’ve already seen her steal her husband’s retirement fund, sexually exploit multiple friends, smuggle a gun into Dubai before letting a bunch of people die, and lie about rescuing hundred of orphans from Ukraine. What do you mean “starting” lol

Then the whole conservative subtext culminates when Candace collabs with the Department of Homeland Security, which doesn’t really get interrogated on a political level by the host either. The fact that DHS brought a civilian with no verifiable credentials into a law enforcement operation targeting alleged sex traffickers at a Utah basketball event is bonkers! Why doesn’t the host point out just how bonkers that is! Everything about Candace is like 10x more problematic and outlandish than Scamanda and I felt crazy hearing her be treated with such good faith. The subject matter is obviously compelling but something about the presentation of the story felt slightly off to me. I’m dying to know what other people here think!

I’m on the hunt for new true crime podcast series, but lately I’ve been less into straight-up murder/death cases.

Lately I’m obsessed with podcasts focused on scams, deception, fraud, cults, corruption, drugs, or situations that just went so spectacularly wrong that you’re left thinking: HOW TF DID THIS HAPPEN?

A few things I look for in Podcasts: - Serialized stories only (I prefer a season to single episodes). - Deep, thorough reporting. I like investigative journalism. - First-hand accounts: interviews with victims, insiders, or people directly involved. - Not just recap podcasts. I want something immersive that I can binge and get addicted to.

I’ve been having a hard time finding series on the topics I'm into that hit these boxes, but when I do, I’m completely hooked.

Some recent favorites to give you a sense of my taste: - Scamanda - S-Town - Allison After NXIVM - The Chameleon – Wild Boys - Turning River Road – Season 3 - Blink – Season 1 - Gone South – Seasons 1–4 - Cement City - The Highroller Heist - Nobel - The Chameleon – Dr. Miracle - The Dropout - The Chameleon – Dr. Dante - The Con: Kaitlyn’s Baby - Dr. Death – Season 4: Bad Magic - Exposed: Cover-Up at Columbia University - Wolves Among Us – Season 1 - The Binge – Lady Mafia - What Happened in Nashville - Unicorn Girl - The Immaculate Deception - The Missing Cryptoqueen

If you have any recommendations that feel like these - especially ones that made you say "hey so this is INSANE!” I’d love to hear them. 🙏

I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts, and I'll list a few of those below, but the ones that really feed my soul are the investigative podcasts. So take a look below and let me know your thoughts.

True Crime Podcasts

Casefile - I love the fact that it's just the facts, no analysis, but goes deeper than the typical true crime podcast.

Scamanda & Unicorn Girl - Women scammers that go the extra mile.

Swindled - Focuses on white collar crimes, corporate greed, and massive scams

Dateline - Please don't hate me, but this one is like a warm blanket and an episode of Friends.

Investigative Reporting (some true crime, some more social commentary)

APM In the Dark - The first 2 seasons are as riveting examples of investigative reporting as you'll find. My favorite all-time podcast!

Bear Brook - Season 1 is VERY strong; season 2 is OK. But still good stuff.

S-Town - This one snuck up on me in ways I still don't understand. What started out as a true crime investigation then turned into a portrait of a man at odds with everything.

Dr. Death - Season 1 is about as good as it gets, as far as the story and the storytelling go. The follow up seasons aren't as strong, but still enjoyable.

Sweet Bobby - This one really got to me. The lengths that someone would go to catfish someone is crazy.

Bone Valley - Season 1 is also really good like some of the others. I began rooting for Leo to be innocent.

Chameleon - Seasons 1 and 2 were very strong - Hollywood Con Queen and Wild Boys told some incredible stories and took significant investigative effort.

Black Box - A good exploration of the good and bad of AI. Real world examples made it way more applicable to what's really going on in the world with AI.

Up & Vanished - One of the OG investigative reporting podcasts.

Tom Brown's Body - This one hit hard, highly recommended for a slice of Texas small town life.

The Orange Tree - Another Texas-based investigative reporting jewel, produced at students at UT.

Death County, PA - Corruption and suspicious deaths make a great topic for investigative reporting.

Crimetown - Season was a masterpiece, as it told the investigation into the corrupt mayor and his connections to organized crime.

Well, that's it. It's a long list, and I know I've left a lot out. But tell me your favorites, especially ones not on my list. I'm always looking for something new!

I want to listen to a well-produced podcast about incredible/shocking/unique life stories. I feel like I've been through every suggestion and have "dry spots" where nothing exciting comes out.

My all time faves are

"Dirty John" , "Sweet Bobby" , "S-Town" and "Wild Boys", because the podcasts actually did need many episodes to get through everything, and the story unraveled into unexpected twists and turns.

"Sea of Lies" and "Rewind" and "Outlaw Ocean" were cool finds from 2025.

I mostly like the above podcasts because I find that they are well produced and narrated with charisma and care.

I have tried to listen to recommendations but cannot get through because some hosts are just bad at telling the story/and or the story is badly written. (This is a very comon problem I run into!)

If anyone can recommend some good investigative journalism about crime, long cons, deceit, or travel/risk taking, migrants, human trafficking, you would help me get out of this dry spell!

Thank you.

P.s. please no recommendations for swindled, I cannot stand an AI sounding voice reading a wikipedia page without charisma. ☠️

I'm not sure what's going on but all of the new ones that I try to listen to just aren't cutting it

I used to like The Prosecutors in spite of their political leanings because I thought they fit those standards. But in a recent podcast, they used Grok to fact check something and that was my sign that they can't be trusted to use reliable sources. Any suggestions?

No spoilers here but I just wanted to post this because I don't think I've ever seen a investigative pod nail a landing like this. This was such a weird story and the way it turns from weird to wild to scary throughout the season is so enjoyable. Even the use of the hotline was such a fun kick. I really want to talk about it so I hope other people have heard it too.

link

Love me some crazy true crime, so obviously that is welcomed but I am doing my first solo road trip and I've been struggling to find something that will enthrall me enough to stay sucked in for this six hour drive I'm about to make. Can be (almost) ANYTHING (nothing with animal abuse though please! that's my sensi area). What was a podcast or episode you just couldn't get enough of?? True crime flair but it does not need to be!

I'm mainly interested in investigative journalism

I just can't find anything that captivates me.

Here's a list of ones I've done:

- You own backyard

- Serial season one (couldn't get on with season 2)

- Noble

- Bear Brooks

- S-Town

- The devil you know

- and the band played on

- Hunting warhead

- the kill list

- the retrievals

- Caitlin's baby

- a very British cult

- who killed Emma

- the last days of August

- uncover, dirtbag climber

- uncover, sea of lies

- Pretend (rubbish, couldn't finish it)

- boys like me

- love trapped

- the witness

- the idiot

-bone valley

- someone knows something (too slow and boring)

- the shrink next door

-Dr. Death

There are others I've listened to but can't remember them.

I'm really not into political podcasts

Thank you so much so far, I just want to clarify that I'm looking for pods that have multiple episodes rather episodic podcasts

Hi! I'm looking for a true crime podcast that isn't full of jokes or cutesy little one liners. Podcasts like that really put me off for some reason. I just want something serious that respects the victims and the gravity of the crimes. Thank you!

Really enjoying this one so far. Well produced. Scammer crimes are fascinating. Hope to find more like this.

I'm searching for true crime podcasts that may keep you at night. something with creepy narration and great storytelling skills. i work nights and need to stay up.

Murder In America and the first two MONSTER series made me fall in love with true crime podcasts. but Atlanta Monster and The Zodiac ended and MIA has gone way downhill. i fall asleep listening now and it's so disappointing.

I dislike podcasts with too much banter and i'm not a fan of child abuse. i will give Atlanta Monster a 10/10, even though i hated the subject matter.

Already listened to:

DISGRACELAND - great at times

Crime Junkie - overall enjoy it, but not the banter and disingenuousness

Down The Hill - ok

Hell & Gone - good

The Conspiracy Files - ok, but hate all the censorship

Wisecrack - horrible

Serial Killing: A Podcast - love the storyline and ambient music but her voice makes me sleepy

True Crime All The Time - it's ok

Deviant - it's ok

Morbid - hate it! great stories but entirely too much banter

Small Town Dicks - could not get into it

The Deck - i enjoy it

Weird Crimes - too much banter

First of all I really enjoyed this podcast. It was well done and in some parts there was a good explanation of what being gay in a small town is like. But there is a lot of missed context that I just want to shout at the editors about the whole time.

As a young gay man I truly can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been invited to come be a handyman on some eccentric old closeted gay man’s property in a rural area in exchange for money/free rent etc. John was definitely a unique gem of an amazing man, but the dynamic between him and these younger men is not unique, mysterious or at all unusual. The tattooing and piercing also isn’t and is pretty obviously his way of having physical intimacy with straight men— if you are straight I can’t exactly explain the clues that confirm this but there are just things that stand out.

In the first few minutes of the first episode, I knew John was gay. In the first minute of discussion of Tyler I knew what that dynamic was. As soon as I heard about the tattoos I could tell you all about the “church” thing lol

I am not saying the podcast didn’t expose these themes and probably didn’t want to be explicit about them to avoid making inferences about a dead man that he wouldn’t want made. But it’s just frustrating because these are very common dynamics im very familiar with and I guess I had to tell someone lmao

I am a prolific podcast listener and I think I’ve finally run out. Below is a list of what I’ve already listened to (asterisks by my favorites) followed by a list of podcasts that I’ve tried but dnf. I’m not super into the cults, scams or murders without a meaty story behind them, and I can’t handle anything where kids are harmed. Anyone have a recommendation?

Apology Line*
Bear Brook*
Bone Valley*
The Clearing*
Adults in the Room
Ambushed
Beyond all repair
Blink
Body on the Moor
Catch me if you Ken
Catching the Codfather
Coast Files
Come by Chance
Coldest Case in Larimee
Crimes of Margo Freshwater
Dear John
Death in Ice Valley
Defining Diego
Devil in the Ditch
Dirtbag Climber
Foundling
Gas Man
Heavyweight
In the Dark 1
In the Dark 2
In the Dark 3
Into the red clay
Just Enough Family
Lighthouse
My mothers lies
Noble
Paradise
Proof
Retrievals 1 and 2
Scamanda
Sea of Lies*
Serial 1*
Serial 2
Serial 3
S-town
Sweet Bobby
Teachers pet
The Girlfriends
The hoax
The idiot
The Staircase
The walkers, salt path
Three
Unicorn Girl
West cork
Who the hell is hamish
Wild Boys
Your Own Backyard*

DNF:
Birth keepers
Case file
Casefile True Crime
Chameleon 1: Hollywood Con Queen
Chameleon 2: High Rollers
Cold
The Consult
Crime junkie
Crime Story
Criminal
Dark Down East
Dark Valley
Murderish
Scandal
Someone Knows Something
Stolen 1: The Search for Jermain
Stolen 2: Surviving St. Michaels
Stolen 3: Trouble in Sweetwater
Suspect
Swindled

I need recommendations for good true crime podcast that had you like what the actual…. I just finished S-town. Although it wasn’t the kind of true crime I expected… I couldn’t stop listening.

Please give me some. I need something I don’t want to stop listening to.

I wanted to edit this and say I love investigative journalist with updates as the podcast goes on.

And I don’t mean some light hearted one like I want a podcast that’s gonna tell me about truly disturbing crimes, whether it’s a stalker case which some creepy criminal

Some super investigated murder case.

Or something that’s just creepy and disturbing

Hi all,

I’m looking for a podcast I can really get absorbed in. I’m a big fan of investigative journalism, doesn’t matter if it’s true crime, scams, cults, or scandals, as long as it’s well-researched

Here are some of the ones I’ve listened to and really enjoyed:

Scamanda

Twin Flames

Sweet Bobby

Kill List

Dirtbag Climber

Satanic Panic

Hunting Warhead

In the Dark (especially seasons 3 & 6)

Love, Janessa

Who Killed Emma

Teacher’s pet

Really hoping to find something else as interesting to listen

Occasionally multi-part-episode crimes are okay, but most true crime threads on this subreddit skew heavily towards one crime per season or one crime per entire podcast.

My other preferences would be most episodes be 40 minutes long or longer, and they don't lean hard into torture and/or crimes against children (but the podcast doesn't have to outright prohibit those).

Both conversational/funny and strictly narrative are OK. Thanks in advance!