Simply the Bess

I listen to a lot of True Crime podcasts (okay, a lot of podcasts in general), and I often get asked about my favorites. I have seen the usual lists, and I too love My Favorite Murder, Up and Vanished, In the Dark, Casefile, and Generation Why (and also the now-defunct Thinking Sideways). But there are several of my favorites that I don’t often see on lists, so I’m here to shout them out for all of the things they’re doing that make them stand out from the crowd. In no particular order, here they are:

CRIME JUNKIE: Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat are best friends who are just really great researchers and storytellers. This is my one and only Patreon podcast, because I find that I wanted more. Specifically, I am a fan of how they tell even the stories I know in ways that make me hear them anew, with a careful balance of facts and speculation. Stay tuned for their “pruppet of the month” feature in which they share stories of adopted dogs once a month, which they generally can’t get through without getting choked up. 

ACCUSED: This is the only podcast on this list not actively making episodes, but the two seasons that exist are so good that I had to include it. (Supposedly Season Three is in the works, and I remain subscribed and hopeful.) Each season is a deep dive into a single case led by Cincinnati Inquirer reporter Amber Hunt. Real journalists can be some of the best stars of the podcast world, and Hunt is a great example of this. The production value is great, as is the research, and Hunt does a beautiful job of telling a long-form story in a way that hold together and keeps your interest.

REAL CRIME PROFILE: It always surprises me that RCP isn’t on more lists. With a victim-centered approach and hosts with serious credentials, this podcast responds to famous cases as they are portrayed in the media, with the real-life profilers who host the podcast, Jim Clemente (former FBI profiler and NY Prosecutor) and Laura Richards (former New Scotland Yard and head of the Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service), breaking down what assumptions are true and false when it comes to crime. Third host Lisa Zambetti serves as the resident non-expert who keeps the conversations grounded in a realm that non-profilers can understand. I have learned so much from this one, and it’s given me an entirely new way of thinking about cases I thought I really understood.

SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING: The Canadian Broadcasting Service does a really wonderful job with true crime, but this is my absolute favorite of their podcasts. Each season takes a deep look at a different case, with a bonus for the most polite reporters around. I am very impressed at how host David Ridgen manages to ask incredibly difficult questions in such a friendly way, and he often gets amazing results from doing so. Each and every season is excellent and I look forward to the next.

SMALL TOWN DICKS: I can never figure out if this is the worst or best name for a podcast, but I do know that it’s excellent. Actor-hosts Yeardley Smith (voice of Lisa Simpson) and Zibby Allen are friends with identical twin detectives Dan and Dave, who work in “Smalltown, USA.” Their anonymity allows them to share the details of their most memorable cases, with names and relationships changed, complete with 911 calls, interview tapes, and other primary sources. They also invite their detective friends to share, and the result is a really fascinating portrait of a crime without excessive concentration on each participant’s backstory. Instead of being obsessed with trying to figure out a specific crime, this podcast shows you how detectives make sense of what they find when they come upon a scene you wouldn’t hear about from a national news source.