From Serial to Shit Town, commuters across the world have become morbidly fascinated by true crime podcasts over the past couple of years.
Needless to say, the obsession continues to grow. Have a look on the iTunes charts, and you'll find hundreds of real crime stories that retell gruesome cases, open up sorrowful mysteries and analyse cold-as-ice killers.
Here are eight that deserve your time...
1 | In The Dark
An investigative podcast from the group APM Reports, each series of 'In The Dark' shines a light on one particular investigation. The first season looked at the 1989 abduction of Jacob Wetterling in St. Joseph, Minnesota , which remained a mystery for nearly 27 years, and the Stearns County Sheriff's Office's failure to properly investigate and follows leads. Season 2 is set to be released soon.
2 | All Killa No Filla
British comedians Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard dedicate their podcast to a shared passion: serial killers. Each episode focuses on one murderer, from Rose West to Aileen Wuornos, with some being broken into three episodes to cover their extensive crimes. The pair somehow manage to bring lightness to some truly dark and horrific stories, and raise interesting questions too.
3 | The Vanished
Focusing on the true stories of people who have gone missing, Marissa Jones speaks to loved ones who still hold out hope they might be reunited. A heartbreaking series featuring brain-scratching mysteries, such as the 25-year-old who went missing while house-sitting for her parents, and the 28-year-old who walked into the woods never to be found again, despite his belongings being scattered around the town.
4 | Small Town Murder
Comedians Jimmie Whisman and James Pietragallo host this surprisingly funny look through the history of small town crimes in America. From a tale of revenge in Sun Valley, Nevada to the neighbourhood cannibal of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the episodes are lighter than they have any right to be.
5 | True Crime Garage
Two hosts gather in their garage and try to shed some light on the cold case of the week, with interesting insights and thorough research. They even draw attention to small, unpublicised cases and encourage people to tip off the police should they have any information that might be relevant.
6 | Real Crime Profile
Former FBI profiler Jim Clemente, former New Scotland Yard worker Laura Richards and casting director for CBS's Criminal Minds Lisa Zambetti profile the psychological behaviour of people involved with real criminal cases. One episode features people surrounding the Steven Avery case made famous in Making a Murderer.
7 | Stranglers
A deep dive into the case of the Boston strangler who, over a period of nearly two years, terrorised the city by committing at least 13 crimes of sexual assault and murder. Although Massachusetts handyman Albert DeSalvoi pleaded guilty and did time, many doubts remain over whether he was really the killer. 'Stranglers' investigates the reporters, police and witnesses involved to find buried clues in the case.
8 | Criminal
This fortnightly podcast produced in Durham, North Carolina, comes with a string of plaudits and awards. Each episode focuses on the wider sociological lessons we can learn from specific crimes, with rigorous journalistic standards and independent reporting.
