Mumbai: The adrenaline rush as the mystery unfolds, and the heart pulsations propelling as the drama extends are some of the joys a true crime fan can explore. Crime dramas have been popular since the advent of black-and-white cinema, this genre keeps evolving to encompass a diverse range of plots from murder mysteries to organised crime and the dark underbelly of society. Here are the top picks of ‘True Crime’ podcasts and audiobooks on Audible.
Written by: Vice Media Asia Pacific; Narrated by: Parthshri Arora
Explore the dark realities of cricket in India and delve into the sport's underbelly, from match-fixing to doping, in the explosive Audible podcast ‘The Dark Side of Cricket’ this IPL season with lesser-known facts about what goes on beyond the pitch. In this gripping podcast, host Parthshri Arora engages in thought-provoking discussions with various stakeholders to uncover the controversies and disparities that lurk beneath the surface of this revered sport, treated as a religion in India, where cricketers are often associated with gods, but controversies and challenges persist.
Written by: Vice Media Asia Pacific; Narrated by: Neha Dixit
Usually, the word love is synonymous with the sweetest, warmest emotions, but what if love could be grueling, troublesome, and horrific? In the explosive VICE original podcast ‘The Dark Side of Love’ on Audible, take a deep dive into the grim realities of some of the most shocking love stories in the country. Honor killings in the name of love, domestic Violence, extortion, acid attacks, and moral policing, name the romantic oddity and this podcast encompasses all of it.
Written by: Ayeesha Menon; Narrated by: Full cast, Prerna Chawal, Anand Tiwari
Undercover Mumbai, A BBC Radio Full-Cast Drama revolves around the life of Alia Khan, a tough, determined female cop struggling to make her mark in a male-dominated world. As she strives to fight crime and corruption, Alia must also fight the endemic sexism of the police force as she joins forces with patronizing and chauvinist male colleagues. The first series in the crime drama is centered around the death of a glamour model in a five-star hotel, Alia Khan investigates a rescued baby, a missing husband, a child prostitution ring, and strange goings-on at a psychiatric hospital. As the trail is set for Bollywood’s leading heart-throb - a murder, a political scandal, and a mystery unfolds. In series two, she is paired with an incompetent Inspector Rana Shinde to investigate a serial killer operating from the rooftop of a hotel, and in series three Alia goes undercover when suspicions are raised about a young woman’s death Nyla Ansari. These fast-paced crime thrillers written by Ayeesha Menon will have you biting your nails and keep you on your feet throughout.
Written by: A J Wills; Narrated by: Andy Cresswell, Penny Andrews
Ten-year-old Annie Warren has not found her way home after school, her parents Cathy and Kit are frantic with worry as the hopes to find her alive are fading fast. The possibility of their only child, who came as a miracle to them being abducted, harrowed them into fear. The police were short on leads and their house was under siege by the news-hungry press. Yannick Kellor, an ambitious TV news reporter finds this case and an opportunity to turn his career around and develops an interest to solve the puzzle and find Annie alive. As he uncovers the mystery, his biggest suspects are none other than the parents Cathy and Kit.
Written by: Nidhi Upadhyay; Narrated by: Aishwarya Singh
Natasha, Riya, Anjali, and Katherine were three musketeers inseparable in college until their adventurous night began with a bottle of whiskey and a game of Ouija that resulted in the death of their less preferred friend Sania. The friends vowed to stay mum on the crazy happenings of the night forever and had kept their friendship and guilt dormant for the last 20 years. Eventually, a mysterious person starts to threaten them to reveal the truth that only Sania knew leaving the girls perplexed whether it is a ghost of Sania seeking to avenge her death. That Night is a dark, twisted tale of friendship and betrayal that draws you in and confounds you at every turn.
Written by: Harry Houdini; Narrated by: Amy J Johnson
In his book, published in 1906, the master showman Harry Houdini informs and amuses his audiences with stories and interviews "exposing" the methods undertaken by criminals to perform crimes, Although his intentions remain to amuse people, he safeguards the public by informing them and inculcates hesitancy into those tempted into a life of crime. Which of these stories is fact or fiction? As even his autobiography contains snippets that are false. Enjoy learning about the early versions of spam mail while speculating which other historical criminal techniques are real, as Houdini reveals The Right Way To Do Wrong.
Written by: David Baldacci; Narrated by: Corey Carthew, Lisa Flanagan
Simply Lies is an intense thriller with killer twists featuring Mickey Gibson, a former New Jersey detective, from the number one bestselling author David Baldacci. Nothing is as it seems in this mystery involving former Jersey City detective and single mother of two, Mickey Gibson visits the house of a notorious arms dealer at the request of her colleague Arlene Robinson only to find that the arms dealer never existed and discovers the body of a man in a secret room. Now begins a cat-and-mouse showdown between hardened ex-cop, Mickey, and a woman with sociopathic tendencies who has no name and a mysterious past. In order for Mickey to stop her, she must first discover her true identity and what damaged her all those years ago.
