Drama series aside, there’s nothing quite as suspenseful as a real-life whodunnit being streamed directly into your ears. Whether you’re at the office, on the tube or running errands, true crime podcasts have made it easier than ever for you to channel your inner detective thanks to a selection of hosts creating countless series’ delving into criminal cases of times gone by. From mysterious clues in cold cases to exciting red herrings, here are the best true crime podcasts to download during Halloween month. 

Crime Junkie

Hosted by crime-obsessed (as the name suggests) friends Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat, the subject of this podcast changes every week, ranging from cold cases dating back to the early 20th Century to more recent convictions. Podcasts are categorised into Murdered, Captured, Missing and Mysterious Death, and range from 20 minutes to over an hour in length. It’s not all fun and games either; the most recent episode highlights how the podcast has a real impact on cases, as two listeners were inspired to prove a defendant’s innocence after learning about the 1981 murder of Father Patrick Ryan and the subsequent conviction of James Reyos on a 2021 episode. 

Visit crimejunkiepodcast.com

The Dropout

The gritty true story of Elizabeth Holmes – an American biotechnology entrepreneur who was convicted of fraud in connection to her blood-testing company, Theranos – has been retold many times, however, none quite stand up to the standards of ABC News podcast, The Dropout. Having since become a mind-boggling TV series of the same name starring Amanda Seyfried, the podcast is hosted by ABC News chief correspondent Rebecca Jarvis who takes listeners on a journey through this shocking investigation, from when Holmes was charged three years ago to her trial in 2022. Episodes include exclusive interviews with former employees, investors, and patients of Theranos, as well as the never-before-aired deposition testimony of Holmes herself. 

Visit abcaudio.com

My Favourite Murder

Those looking for a more light-hearted albeit morbid fun should download My Favourite Murder. The biweekly podcast is helmed by comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark who dissect cases they just can’t get their heads around, and also share hometown crime stories from friends and listeners. Since its launch in 2016, famous subjects have included The Pink Panthers and the Highway Killer, as well as covering important events in history such as the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. The 700-episode podcast is still going strong, and if you like something you can really sink your teeth into, this is for you. 

Visit myfavouritemurder.com

Morbid: A True Crime Podcast

An autopsy technician and a hair stylist dive into the spooky histories and other horrors of hundreds of crimes in Morbid. With a passion for true crime backed up with thorough research, each hour-long episode looks at tales of times gone by, with some cases dating back to 1848. Recent subjects include the 1961 abduction of Betty and Barney Hill in New Hampshire, as well as the Highgate Vampire, a case that triggered a moral panic in London in 1970 over stories of vampires and ghosts and featured in the British press for years. This is the perfect podcast for Halloween month. 

Visit wondery.com

Redhanded

Winners of the British Podcast Awards three years in a row, Redhanded is hosted by actor-cum-teacher Hannah Maguire and economics graduate Suruthi Bala. The duo met while they were travelling, and soon discovered their mutual interest in true crime and so Redhanded was born. Since 2017, this 400-episode-strong podcast has covered a bit of everything in hour-long segments on serial killers, cults and bizarre whodunnits. Plus, fans get an extra dose in the form of the ShortHand micro-episodes which focus on historical, creepy events and figures that are worth a closer examination. 

Visit redhandedpodcast.com

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