The best true crime audiobooks for your inner detective

Known today as the Golden State Killer, a mysterious serial rapist and murderer terrorized California for more than a decade between 1974 and 1986 and then seemingly disappeared, eluding police and detectives—and denying his victims and their families any semblance of justice. Thirty years later, true crime journalist Michelle McNamara picked up the case on her own to try and put the pieces together. The result is a detailed journal of her dogged obsession with uncovering the identity of a violent offender who had been allowed to roam free. McNamara tragically passed away while in the middle of her investigation, just two years before the subject of her research was finally identified and charged. With expert narration by Gabra Zackman, an introduction by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, and a touching afterword by McNamara’s husband Patton Oswalt, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is an exceedingly human portrait of the pursuit of truth.

In December 1972, Jean McConville, a mother of 10, was dragged out of her home in Northern Ireland with her children clutching at her legs. Her family would never lay eyes on her again—until, that is, her bones washed up on a beach in 2003. Author and New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe weaves the story of McConville’s disappearance with the larger context of the bitter conflicts that plagued Ireland throughout the latter half of the 20th century. The result is a mesmerizing tale set against the backdrop of The Troubles, a seemingly endless era of violence, terrorism, and rebellion that raged in Ireland. In his natural Irish brogue, Matthew Blaney lends an additional layer to the audio, immersing you in a world brimming with every scale of horror imaginable—from individual murders to bombs that brought entire communities to their knees.

Through the eyes of award-winning journalist John Carreyrou and presented in the commanding, engaging tenor of Audie Award winner Will Damron, Bad Blood gives listeners an inside look at the rise and fall of notoriously fraudulent medical tech company Theranos. At its peak, the biotech start-up was valued at $10 billion with power-hitters like Henry Kissinger and General James Mattis serving on its board. A Stanford dropout in her early 20s, founder Elizabeth Holmes was widely considered to be a technological wunderkind, claiming she would transform not just the medical industry but also the world by making blood tests easier and more efficient. There was only one problem: the technology didn’t work. Bad Blood tells the story of how agencies and regulatory bodies turned a blind eye to the biggest corporate fraud case since Enron—an astonishing tale of a scam layered with greed, manipulation, and recklessness.

Hall of Fame narrator Scott Brick (dubbed the man with a golden voice) brings an expertly executed narration, rich with intelligence and sensitivity, to this utterly captivating story you won’t be able to pause. In the masterwork that cemented him as a literary icon, Truman Capote tells the chilling story of the vicious murder of a quiet, good-natured family of four in rural Kansas. In November 1959, the Clutter family was killed by a series of shotgun blasts. It was the kind of murder often linked to a robbery—but there was little cash and few valuables in the family farmhouse. Baffled by this startling, seemingly senseless act of violence, local law enforcement was plunged into a furious scramble to uncover a motive. Each event leading up to and following the crime is painstakingly described, leaving you completely breathless right up to the killers’ identification and capture. Capote’s book, based on thousands of interviews with locals, investigators, and the perpetrator themselves, took more than six years to complete—and each vivid detail and line of dialogue showcases the immense consideration and compassion the author poured into his work.

In the roaring ‘20s, the Osage Nation was home to the richest people per capita in the world, thanks to huge stores of oil beneath their land in Oklahoma. Suddenly, the Osage began dying off, one by one, without explanation. When outsiders were called in to investigate, they too met mysterious ends. As the death toll climbed into the dozens and repeated investigations were bungled, J. Edgar Hoover, the director of the newly established FBI, exasperatedly called in a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to unravel the mystery. What they uncovered would amount to one of the most frightening conspiracies the United States had ever seen. Adding to this masterpiece of research and storytelling, three excellent narrators—2013 Narrator of the Year Will Patton, theater and television veteran Ann Marie Lee, and classically trained actor Danny Campbell—trade off to tell this gripping tale of greed, racism, and murder in sections, underscoring each new element of evidence as it’s revealed.

For a headline-dominating crime story that completely captured the nation's attention when it happened in 2002, there was surprisingly little information on the DC Sniper investigation—until this comprehensive audio documentary came along. Using thorough reporting, victim interviews, and firsthand accounts from the lead FBI investigators on the case (including agents and brothers Jim and Tim Clemente), Call Me God exposes the seams at which our judicial infrastructure breaks down, while elevating the moments of heroism and triumph where both tireless work and a little good luck can deliver justice. Harrowing and immediate, Call Me God is a documentary that feels like an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but with very real-life stakes.

Serving as the basis for the celebrated Netflix series of the same name, Mindhunter is a look into what it takes to catch some of the world’s most sadistic serial killers and criminals—including Charles Manson, Seattle’s Green River Killer, Ted Bundy, and Ed Gein. Author John E. Douglas is a former FBI agent who spent 25 years in the FBI’s Investigative Support Unit using psychological profiling to uncover insights into the motives and methods of these notorious offenders. This listen is a must-hear for all true crime aficionados as it offers a genuine glimpse into how the most chilling criminals of all time are identified, tracked, apprehended, and charged. When paired with staccato, beat-cop-style narration from Richard M. Davidson, Douglas’s recollections of a life hunting for the most notorious men in history is absolutely engrossing.

A podcast-turned-cultural-phenomenon, Serial was the must-listen event of 2014, having been downloaded more than 80 million times in less than two years. It told the story of Adnan Syed, a young man who was arrested and charged—perhaps erroneously—for the 1999 murder of his ex-girlfriend. Now, hear the story as never before from Rabia Chaudry, an attorney and family friend who first jumpstarted a new investigation and trial for Syed. Despite a jury’s conclusion, Chaudry maintains that Adnan was wrongfully convicted—and claims she has the evidence to prove it. Sharing letters from Syed’s time in prison and illuminating key details missed during the trial, this inside look at a case that gripped national attention combines true crime with an in-depth look at our criminal justice system. Fervent and articulate, Chaudry narrates her own unflinching work with unforgettable candor.

When Ann Rule met coworker Ted Bundy in 1971, they became fast friends, chatting over shared lunches. Over the next two years, their bond continued to develop, and Rule warmly regarded him as kind and empathetic. Rule had no inkling that Bundy was quickly and quietly taking his place as one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. As a charming and handsome young man studying to be an attorney, he managed to evade suspicion for nearly five years until he had murdered more than 35 women. Actress and veteran narrator Lorelei King gives what one Audible listener called an effortless performance as she enlivens each pang of emotion throughout Rule’s pained recollections. The Stranger Beside Me is one of the most terrifying selections on this list, as both an in-depth look at the details of the Bundy murders and as a testament to how one man’s magnetism helped him masquerade as an upstanding citizen while he carried out some of the most vicious acts imaginable.

As a summer intern at a law firm in Louisiana, Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich works to defend those accused of murder. A child of two lawyers, she is committed to justice, her beliefs firm; for one, she is decidedly anti-capital punishment. But when she is put on a case regarding the atrocities of child murderer Ricky Langley, Marzano-Lesnevich begins to waver—in her gut, all she wants is for this man to be punished to the ends of the law. But as more is unearthed about the traumas of Langley’s past, a more human side of the man dubbed a monster begins to take shape. As the author’s own experiences with child abuse begin to overlap with the case she’s been assigned, she is forced to confront the painful memories she has tried desperately to leave in the past. Narrating her own story, Marzano-Lesnevich’s confessional performance of how she grapples with the logistical, emotional, and ethical snarls in the Langley case make this a can’t-miss, compelling listen.

Just two days before Christmas 1996, Sophie Toscan du Plantier, a French television producer on holiday in Ireland, was brutally bludgeoned to death outside her home. The crime sent shockwaves through the small, tight-knit town of Schull, a coastal village in County Cork, a normally peaceful province that rarely, if ever, saw an act of violence. As the investigation unfolded, one question persisted: Who would want to kill Sophie, a complete stranger to most of the townspeople? Listen in as hosts Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde take a deep dive into the du Plantier murder and the ceaseless hunt for answers. What makes this breathtakingly atmospheric listen so special is the haunting sound design as well as the intimate participation of the case’s main suspect, an English journalist who maintains he was framed—but who many in West Cork are convinced got away with murder.

Considered one of the foremost entries in the true crime canon, Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter sheds light on one of the nation’s most darkly fascinating cases: the cold-blooded homicides carried out by the Manson family. In the summer of 1969, a group of young men and women entered the house of actress-model Sharon Tate under the orders of cult leader Charles Manson and barbarically murdered all five inhabitants, then killed two more the next day. A savagely cruel and senseless crime committed in star-studded Beverly Crest, the story drew massive media attention and became a national obsession. Also narrated by acclaimed voice artist Scott Brick, Helter Skelter provides an expert perspective on the case (Bugliosi was the prosecutor), from the bizarre twists in both the crime and the trial to the sinister ways Manson mindlessly selected his victims.

This riveting nonfiction book is shelved as YA, but it's an excellent choice for adults as well. 57 Bus tells the true story of two teens in Oakland, CA, who happen to ride the same bus, when one of them assaults the other in a random, horrible hate crime. More than just retelling what happened, the author explores with compassion the complexities of the world in which these young people grow up and that ultimately enabled the crime: their struggles with issues of gender, race, equality, and social justice. If you are drawn to true crime to try to make the world a better place, to move forward and make meaning from terrible events, or to enhance your empathy toward the the plight of others, this insightful and ultimately hopeful book is the listen for you.

The world was stunned when Chanel Miller revealed her identity as the woman who was sexually assaulted by Stanford swimmer Brock Turner in 2015. Known then as Emily Doe, she delivered a powerful victim impact statement that was published online the next day. Chanel’s words resonated so deeply that they were read more than 11 million times, including on the floor of Congress. In her hauntingly lovely memoir, she offers an intimate first-person account of surviving not only rape, but the justice system’s tragic failures in handling sexual assault cases. Her vital story is all the more powerful when heard in her own voice.

In this story, the basis for Spike Lee’s Academy Award-winning film BlacKkKlansman, author Ron Stallworth shares what it was like to be the first Black detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department—a position that gave him the opportunity to take a shot at dismantling a violent, white supremacist stronghold. Posing over the phone as a white man looking to join the Ku Klux Klan, Stallworth is soon invited to join the cause and preserve the nation’s heritage. Seizing an opportunity to infiltrate the nation’s largest domestic terrorist group, Stallworth hatches a plan to send his white partner to stand in as him. This insider story, narrated by the author himself, paints a stunning picture of a divided America, the absurdities that accompany racism, and the phenomenal heroes with the courage to fight back.

This vulnerable, hilarious, and heartwarming listen shares never-before-heard stories from the hosts of the wildly popular podcast, My Favorite Murder. Stepping beyond their usual discussions on violence and death, Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark let down their guard as they recount their personal stories of depression, addiction, anxiety, and eating disorders—in addition to getting candid about the experiences that shaped their careers. Expanding on their own expertise as two of the most recognized and beloved voices in the true crime world, these co-hosts and co-authors share some thoughts on the cultural, social, and emotional impacts of the crime-as-entertainment business…all while advocating for the importance of staying safe in an often perilous world. Told with ferocious earnestness and an enormous amount of love, this is a must-hear for Murderinos and first-time listeners alike.

Journalist Tom O'Neill's Chaos is one of the best and battiest cult investigations we've ever heard. Like many people, O'Neill got interested in the Manson murders, in which seven people in Los Angeles (including then-pregnant actress Sharon Tate) were brutally killed by the young followers of a trippy ex-con named Charles Manson. Unlike most people, O'Neill remained transfixed for more than two decades by the story of the Manson Family, whose tentacles seemed to creep toward ever-more explosive revelations in American history. Chaos follows O'Neill's obsessive research into the case's many alternate theories, and with Kevin Stillwell's riveting narration, you'll willingly fall down every last rabbit hole, no matter how dark and deep.