It’s not just the Dahmer story though, true crime generates a lot of interest and a lot of watchers/listeners across the world. There’s just something about trying to get to the bottom of these unthinkable stories, understand the minds of the criminal, or the exact events of the crimes that seem so unfathomable to begin with! Well, I’m here to further indulge the true-crime fanatics among us! My commute to work consists of listening to a true crime audiobook or podcast, whilst most of my friends are no doubt happily singing along to the radio… I’m not sure why I do it to myself, but now I can pass the baton so that you can get stuck into some more crime stories, be it unsolved murders or the deconstructing of huge crime events in history. The story is told first-hand by FBI agent brothers, Jim Clemente (former FBI behavioral profiler) and Tim Clemente (former FBI counterterrorism expert), who share the details of the behavioral, forensic, and electronic analysis vital to cracking the case, along with truly harrowing accounts from victims and family members of those deceased. The podcast even included accounts from those who knew the perpetrators best. The result? A real inside look into the DC sniper investigation and the devastating events and impact of such terrifying crimes. I love it because it’s a podcast with a bit of intelligence, plus it gives us all the more reason to swoon over Fincher’s fantastic series. This eight-part podcast digs into the mystery as everyone in town becomes a suspect, including Tom’s family, friends, the local sheriff, and an investigator. What’s really interesting in this show is the effort into exploring the killer’s youth background and how it doesn’t shy away from the graphic details. You’ll find yourself immersed in the stories of the world, too, from the Icelandic Axe murderer to South African serial killers. Did the guy in the devil mask or bank robber outfit do it? A decade later, Shaer and Benson return to the scene of the crime to uncover what happened, speaking with the partygoers and telling the story of mislaid justice, race, and policing. Journalist Dave Cullen revisits the notorious killing spree of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and the 1999 Columbine High School massacre with the idea of trying to explain how the two boys ended up on the wrong path and why they acted with such disgusting violence. Cullen demonstrates the difficulty in understanding or untangling a shooting spree, how mass tragedies are catapulted into the news and sometimes made worse by media misinformation, and pulls in lots of stories from those who knew the perpetrators beforehand, or those who had been impacted after the events. The audiobook is way more layered and even more tragic to listen to than you could imagine, especially when we learn of the conclusion behind the ‘whys.’ From episodes on the murder in the House of Gucci to a missing 13-year-old girl who tells her friends she was meeting someone at the local Dairy Queen, all the way to a Valentine’s day murder… there are too many grisly stories to count! The audiobook is a really interesting listen as it recounts the events from multiple points of view, from the policy to the community and judicial system. The series features unheard interviews with family members, police officers, and government officials, as well as friends and others affected by the murders. It’s an incredibly detailed listen which goes deep into the victim’s stories. What makes Serial even more interesting is that they recently brought out another episode that focuses again on Adnan after a huge development in his conviction after years of imprisonment. The show delves into the Bible John murders, an investigation which became one of Scotland’s biggest ever manhunts. The unsolved case began in 1968 when a young woman was murdered after a night of dancing in Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom, the first victim in a series of three killings. For over 10 years, an elusive rapist turned murderer committed 50 sexual assaults and 10 sadistic murders in Northern California, before disappearing and eluding capture by multiple police forces. Thirty years later, McNamara delves into the case, reviewing police reports, interviewing victims, and embedding herself into the online communities surrounding the case, all in the pursuit of truth. What’s even more interesting about this podcast is the controversy that’s come along with it thanks to the surviving victims coming out and saying that Kim Kardashian never even called them. Safe to say it’s going to be really interesting to see this one unfold… The witty podcast quickly became a fan favorite for the true crime listeners, but it has recently faced some backlash over the hosts’ comments on the death of Queen Elizabeth II (you can see this in the number of negative reviews and comments under the podcast lately). The story is a shocking listen and heartbreaking too, but you’ll have to get over the feeling that they have gone slightly overboard with the production elements as opposed to some of the cleaner true crime listens. Be warned, there’s a lot of laughing! At nearly 27 hours long, the audiobook version is as gripping as it could get, going through the forensic details, and witness reports to the arrest and trial of the killers without losing your attention. From well-known stories of Hang Lee, the Long Island Serial Killer, the Cleveland Strangler, and Madeleine McCann, to the less widely known stories such as the Setagaya family murders, there’s sure to be a topic that will pique your interest and inner detective.
