There’s nothing I love more as a crime writer than listening to True Crime podcasts. I’ve been obsessed with true crime and all that encompasses for a long time, and the recent rise in popularity has seen an increase of podcasts available.
Why true crime?
I think we’re all a little intrigued into the human psyche. What drives someone to commit heinous crimes? What were they thinking? Why did they do it? Personally, for me it’s not just about the act. It’s about the resulting investigation, the forensics, the hunt for the perpetrator, the evidence, the court case..
Why true crime podcasts?
For inspiration mainly, and to keep me company! Writing is such a solitary profession, and I have listened to some of the podcasts I recommend for a such a long time that I positively look forward to new episodes so will set myself up for the day with a brew and have them playing in the background whilst I write. It’s like having friends round for a cuppa!
I mentioned inspiration, and I don’t mean plagiarism! Sometimes I have an idea for a story or a twist in the plot of a book and I think “that’s too far fetched” but when you listen to some of the stories it’s absolutely apparent that truth can be stranger than fiction.
Also, I sometimes struggle to find the right word, phrase or description and often the podcast host will trigger an ‘A Ha’ moment that sets me on the right path.
So here are three of my ultimate favourites, ones that I go back to time and again.
Take a listen and let me know what you think over on Twitter @catherineyaffe.
1. The True Crime Enthusiast
Paul, the host of this fabulous podcast has managed to create something that is very well researched and covers the lesser known crimes throughout the UK. His delivery is excellent, he often shares his own opinion, has a dry sense of humour and throws in the odd snarky comment which literally makes me lol. One of the important factors for me when listening to true crime is that the perpetrator isn’t glorified, and that we remember the victims and the families. Paul has great empathy, and shows huge respect to everyone involved, delivering the facts without the fluff.
2. UK True Crime (Every Tuesday)
Adam’s show has been around for quite a while and each episode is short (approx 40 mins at most) and very well researched. Adam’s delivery is direct, with the occasional personal comment thrown in, not to mention the pop trivia quiz at the beginning. Adam tends to cover a variety of cases, not just death and murder (a recent episode covered a dodgy dentist!) which makes it varied and an interesting listen. By keeping the length short they are ideal company when you’re on your commute (wearing headphones of course!). Adam has recently branched out into live events which I hope to attend in the near future.
3. It’s Murder Up North
It takes some guts to launch a brand new True Crime podcast in a genre that has seen a massive rise in popularity in recent times but that didn’t stop Jenny from producing It’s Murder Up North. As the name suggests, it focuses on murder and crime in the North of England. Jenny is clearly passionate about each case she covers and this shows in the research. Still a relative fledgling but I have high hopes for this podcast. I think Jenny has created a niche for her podcast which is so important to make it stand out.
Final Word
These are just a few of the podcasts that I tune into on a weekly basis, I know there are many more out there, much of them being corporate and linked to TV shows, best selling authors, criminal psychologists etc but for me I much prefer the independent.
Researching every episode, recording and producing a podcast takes time, dedication and a level of commitment that can equate to a full time job and most of the indies have full time jobs as well. Even though there’s an opportunity for podcasters to earn money through advertising and Patreon it really isn’t enough to cover costs (I know this from experience!)
So let’s hear it for the independent True Crime Podcasters out there, they definitely deserve more recognition!
Other ways you can help support independent true crime podcasters;
- Join their Patreon
- Follow on Twitter and re-tweet, comment and start discussions
- Like their Facebook page / group and comment, share posts
- Write reviews on the sites that host their podcasts (iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher etc)
- Buy their books and merch (if available)
- Tell your friends about them (word of mouth is so powerful)
