True crime podcasting has evolved far beyond simple retellings of 'what happened', now incorporating psychology, multiple perspectives and social analysis. With production values rising and audiences becoming communities of 'audio sleuths', the genre offers gripping, real-life stories that can be forensically examined.
One key trend is male narcissism, exploring men who lie, cheat and manipulate. Women make up the majority of true crime listeners, and shows like 'I am Not Nicholas' and 'The First Wife' delve into chronic deception. 'The First Wife' is an Audible series that tells the story of coercive predator John Meehan's first marriage, from the creators of 'Dirty John'.
Family secrets are another popular subgenre, though podcast expert Kevin Flynn warns that not every family drama warrants a series. New Audible series 'Foul Play' investigates whether England goalkeeper Gordon Banks was poisoned during the 1970 World Cup, presented by Gabriel Gatehouse and Banks' grandson Ed Jervis.
Anatomy of an investigation podcasts focus on the process of criminal inquiries rather than neat conclusions. 'Deepest Dive: The Search for MH370' revisits unanswered questions about the 2014 disappearance of flight MH370, while 'Solving the Black Dahlia' re-examines the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, with a former CIA agent inspired to solve the cold case.
Prestige fraud is another captivating area, featuring grifters and impostors. Upcoming series 'SPLBERG' details how a man in his 20s claimed to be the 14-year-old nephew of Steven Spielberg, written by former Hollywood executive Charlie Webster.
