Six True Crime Podcasts Telling Underrepresented Stories

True crime podcasts tend to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing. For avid listeners, the very best true crime podcasts create an escape from the day to day, and a reminder that whatever your personal problems are, they could always be worse. These podcasts certainly accomplish that, and each also provides an extra dimension to take the listener beyond the initial morbid details. From a mental health care perspective to underrepresented stories of marginalized communities, these podcasts are a must listen for any true-crime fan.

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Criminal

A classic that manages to both define and defy the true crime genre, Criminal explores the world of true crime with a nuanced, complex approach. The podcast's description, "Stories of people who have done wrong, been wronged, and/or gotten caught somewhere in the middle," points to the breadth and depth of host Phoebe Judge's reporting, telling complicated stories with a mesmerizing style. Criminal goes beyond the blood and gore to look at the systems underneath and focus on the people caught up along the way.

What Did You Do?!

​Hosted by two friends and mental health experts, What Did You Do?! brings a unique perspective to the true crime genre, exploring the connections between crime and social services/mental health care. And it's also a comedy podcast! What Did You Do?! ​will both entertain you and leave you with lots of food for thought.

Missing & Murdered

Connie Walker, the award-winning journalist behind Missing & Murdered, set out to create a podcast highlighting the systemic oppression of Canada's indigenous population, through the structure of a true crime series. The first season explores the unsolved murder of Alberta Williams in 1989. The second season, "Finding Cleo," dives into the story of a young Cree girl taken from her family in the 1970s as part of a decades-long government policy to forcibly separate indigenous children and put them into white families. Connie Walker, who is Cree herself, deftly explores the lasting aftereffects of this cultural genocide through the lens of one family's search for their missing sister.

Suspiria

​The majority of true crime podcasts center on crimes from North America, or the US in particular. Suspiria aims to bridge that gap, with Brazilian hosts Carol and Stephanie discussing crimes from Latin America that were formative for many Latinx communities, but remain relatively unknown by the rest of the world.

Affirmative murder

​In addition to being US-centric, most true crime podcasts also focus on white victims. Enter Affirmative Murder, the "podcast trying to bring equality to True Crime in its own weird way." Each week, friends Fran and Alvin tell each other the story of a murder involving people of color, covering historical cases, unsolved mysteries, and current events.

Scam Goddess

​Do you love the investigation and mystery of true crime podcasts, but could do without all the blood and death? Try Scam Goddess! Each week, host Laci Mosley explores fascinating fraud from history - and digs into modern day chicanery, too! With comedian guests on each episode, Scam Goddess delivers on its promised premise - "true fun crime!"