Sometimes, there’s nothing better than an excellent mind-bending mystery story.
A story that will creep its way into your mind and leave you questioning at every turn as more and more of the tale is revealed.
One of the best ways to access fantastic mystery stories is through some of the incredible mystery podcasts found across the internet.
But there are quite a lot of them, so how should you know which ones are most worthy of your time?
If you’re looking for a perfect mystery podcast, look no further than the following list.
I have gone through and found some of the absolute best ones for your listening pleasure. Read on below to get started!
Table of Contents
Serial
Unlike most podcast series, Serial is instead dedicated to telling one continuous storyline across the season.
Each episode delves further and further into the mystery until you get a clear picture of the whole story.
This format initially makes the series appear somewhat daunting, as it requires a considerable time investment.
But with mystery stories this good and this engaging, the time flies by, and before you know it, you’ve binged the whole season!
The format also allows the story to unfold slowly and naturally without rushing through any of the details.
So you can get a much clearer and more detailed picture of the crime, which is much more deeply satisfying.
It helps to make you feel involved at every step in the investigation, which gives the show a slightly creepy vibe as the crime becomes more evident.
It keeps you on your toes, as some frequent twists and turns will have your mind bending all over!
The show is hosted by Sarah Koenig, a highly awarded American journalist and radio personality.
She is the perfect host as her voice is ideally suited to telling such creepy stories.
But she also has an excellent knowledge of storytelling and how to make every moment of a story truly hit as it should.
As well as being immensely engaging to listen to, it’s also worth mentioning that the Serial website is stunning to look at.
The website is incredibly easy to navigate, so you can always find the episode you are looking for and listen directly on the website.
And when you do find the episode you are looking for; the audio will be accompanied by an incredible visual that perfectly sets the mood for everything discussed.
They are making the show not just a treat for the ears but also the eyes.
I really cannot recommend this series enough, and if its many broadcasting awards aren’t enough to convince you that you are in good hands, I’m not sure what will!
My Favorite Murder
Mystery podcasts are amongst the most popular in the entire medium.
Another genre commonly draws thousands of streams regularly: comedy podcasts.
Many shows attempt to bridge the gap between mystery and crime podcasts and comedy podcasts.
But few seem to do it with the same success as My Favorite Murder.
This fascinating and hilarious podcast is hosted by comedians Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark.
These two can perfectly recount the events of the central mystery in each episode while injecting plenty of humor in a completely natural way.
There is a legion of dedicated fans of this series, affectionately named the ‘Murderinos,’ and it is incredibly easy to see why.
In a way, by exploring some of the hosts’ favorite murders, the show is a dissection of why we find murder stories so fascinating and even entertaining.
The two hosts have such great chemistry and energy that it is hard not to be drawn into the show’s energy and join in with the laughs.
And you can bet that every mystery explored on the show is thoroughly engaging and will have you on the edge of your seat throughout.
The show is so beloved amongst fans that it has even spawned numerous live shows that tour the country.
The two hosts bring their immensely witty style of comedy across the US and directly to their loyal fans.
My Favorite Murder is a genuinely engaging mystery podcast that spares no expense and neglects no detail of every story they explore.
So you can get the chilling experience of a good mystery with plenty of belly laughs sprinkled in throughout!
The Last Podcast On The Left
They take a cue directly from the cult classic film The Last House On The Left.
This fantastic mystery podcast is great if you want some profoundly unsettling and creepy stories that will fill your body with chills.
And to make the deal even sweeter, this show is not limited to murder stories but also covers things such as UFO sightings, conspiracy theories, cryptids, and the occult.
This makes every episode truly spine-tingling, and you’ll always come away from every single episode feeling adequately chilled!
The show is hosted by three guys who are longtime friends.
Ben Kissel is a celebrated comedian; Marcus Parks, who serves as the head researcher and producer for the show; and Henry Zebrowski, a comedian and an actor.
While each episode does tackle a chilling mystery caper, the show is still delightful and often very comedic.
This makes it effortless and relaxing listening despite its subject matter.
The chemistry between the excellent hosts is palpable in every episode, and you can tell that they are long-time friends.
Their sense of humor is perfect for the show, and they each complement one another’s humor perfectly.
The show occasionally brings on guest stars to join in the fun and bring their own spooky mystery stories while also getting in a joke or two with the hosts.
Audience involvement is also a big part of this show, as the hosts also read fan-made creepypastas and ghost stories.
Some will chill you to your bones, while others will undoubtedly get you laughing.
This is an excellent series that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Listen on lastpodcastontheleft
Up And Vanished
Some of the creepiest mysteries are those that involve missing persons.
We would ordinarily think it would be rather tricky to disappear, especially considering our society’s interconnectedness.
How could it be possible to disappear without a trace, especially when plenty of people know you?
This makes missing person cases so profoundly fascinating and what makes Up And Vanished easily one of the best mystery podcasts on the web.
Much like Serial, this series also follows season-long storylines concerning specific mysteries so that every single season has something new to offer.
The seasonal format also means that you get a complete picture of the murder, making the show all the more satisfying.
Up And Vanished keeps you engaged throughout as if you were involved in helping to decrypt the mystery itself.
The first season of the series concerns the disappearance of Tara Grinstead, a young woman who suddenly disappeared without a trace despite her life being very good.
She had recently earned a master’s degree in education and even planning to pursue a doctorate.
The circumstances behind her disappearance are very frightening and suspect, which makes every single episode of the season extremely engaging.
One thing that makes Up And Vanished so genuinely engrossing is its host, Payne Lindsey.
Lindsey is a director and a documentary filmmaker, making him perfect for documenting every side of the story and presenting it in an engaging and entertaining form.
Payne Lindsey also visits the locations of the disappearances himself, such as the hometowns of missing persons, to directly interview the people that knew them.
This gives it a great sense of validity and further helps you feel engrossed and involved in unraveling the mystery.
These firsthand accounts of the mysteries help make them much more precise and give the show a personal edge that makes it easy to listen to.
Lindsey’s dedication to his craft has led to one of the best mystery podcasts I have ever heard!
Someone Knows Something
David Ridgen leads the charge with this truly chilling and unsettling podcast series.
David is an award-winning filmmaker who has long investigated complex cases and characterful stories.
David is also known for playing around beautifully with the narrative form to achieve yet unseen stories that will have you amazed.
In Someone Knows Something, David takes us through some of the most disturbing true crime stories.
Each season concerns a different story of disappearances and murders, but the general narrative hook is that at least one person involved with the case knows something that no one else knows.
This narrative hook helps to keep you effortlessly on edge throughout the entire run time of every season and will have you feeling creeped out throughout.
It also helps to involve you in the case further, as you will quickly be wondering who is involved in the case and how they are involved.
Each season of the series features a unique story, and each one is equally terrifying and fascinating.
One season involves the disappearance of five-year-old Adrien McNaughton, who suddenly disappeared while on a fishing trip with his family.
This is an ongoing mystery that has never been solved and is a dark cloud that still haunts the area to this day.
Another case involves the murder by the Ku Klux Klan of two innocent black teenagers whose bodies were pulled from the Mississippi River in 1964.
This truly horrifying story serves as a grim reminder of humanity’s very dark past.
There is a reason that critics and mystery podcast fans so highly acclaim this series.
It is well-realized and put together thanks to David Ridgen’s storytelling chops and his ability to make a story out of anything.
I adore this series and its ability to get my mind-bending and heart racing. You owe it to yourself to check it out.
Criminal
With a name like that, you know this show doesn’t mess around and doesn’t hold anything back. Criminal is amongst one of the best crime podcasts ever made.
It has a somber and matter-of-fact tone but is never dull and is constantly engaging from moment to moment.
The series is hosted by Phoebe Judge and has been going from 2014 onward and continues to draw in legions of loyal listeners successfully.
And fans enjoy tuning in to hear about some of the wildest criminal cases of all time.
There are many episodes of the series, each covering a different crime, often with different circumstances.
One episode might focus on the wrongful killing of a black man at the hands of police officers, and then another episode may focus on a ransom offer for a father that has been kidnapped.
This format helps to make the series very easy to dip in and out of, as each episode covers a different crime.
You know that every time you tune in, you’ll be hearing about a crazy crime case that will have your mind-boggling at how such things are done.
You don’t need to worry about having any prior knowledge of these crimes either, as each episode is self-contained, and you won’t miss a thing if you haven’t heard of them before.
This makes the series very accessible, which is probably how it has built up such a massive loyal following.
The series is very easy to tune into, and you’ll quickly find yourself binging multiple episodes in one go. Before you know it, you’ll have listened to the whole series in just a few hours.
If you’re looking for something to listen to when you want to get lost in a world of crime, Criminal should definitely be on your list.
The show has won countless podcasting awards and has long been considered one of the best in the business.
Casefile
Casefile is a genuinely enigmatic true crime and mystery podcast from an Australian host who remains completely anonymous.
No one is precisely sure who hosts the show, and this brings its own intrigue, which explains how it has remained prevalent since it started in 2016.
The series is concerned with documenting cold cases and unsolved murders.
This gives it a striking edge that makes it quite unsettling and creepy in a way that is unparalleled by any other crime and mystery podcast.
The series is also heavily scripted, with events explored in chronological order, which makes each episode highly engaging from end to end.
Some exceptional storytelling is on display in this show, which truly makes it stand out.
Unlike usual podcasts, which feature multiple hosts discussing a particular topic, this series instead sounds like listening to an engaging audiobook.
The difference is that it is available entirely for free.
The series is also very well acclaimed and has won many awards, so you know that you are definitely in good hands.
The series has garnered quite a lot of its praise due to its intertextual nature.
The show uses interviews and public announcement recordings to help to give the show a firm and interesting audio texture.
