Why do women love true crime so much?
Is there anything more relaxing after a long day of parenting than settling into the couch, grabbing a cup of tea, and breaking a thirty-year-old cold case? When thinking of ways to unwind, grisly murder doesn’t naturally come to mind, yet women consume true crime entertainment—whether by documentary, docuseries, or podcast—at greater rates than men, and moms are among the biggest fans. There are theories why.
Some experts believe women are drawn to true crime because the victims are often female. Some think consuming true crime media helps women understand the criminal mindset and acts as a primer on how not to become a victim. Whatever the reason, we’re obsessed. And with so much out there, there’s no shortage of true crime docuseries to dive into. If you’ve yet to join the true-crime-obsessed, here’s a list of series to get you started.
Bad Vegan
This story is so out there, you really need to see it to believe it. A celebrity restaurateur who rose to fame as the queen of vegan cuisine goes on the run from the law with a man who cons her out of millions by somehow convincing her he can make every dream come true—including making her beloved pitbull immortal. The couple steals millions from the food empire and two years later is found holed up in a Tennessee motel. Law enforcement found the couple by a charge made under the grifter’s real name—for a Domino’s pizza. This docuseries follows how it all happened, and you won’t be able to look away.
Where to stream: Netflix
The Case Against Adnan SyedÂ
This four-part documentary series explores the 1999 murder of 18-year-old Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed. The hugely popular “Serial” podcast brought the story to worldwide attention, and a few years after the podcast aired, Syed’s murder conviction was vacated, and he was released from prison after serving 20 years. HBO is producing a follow-up episode to the incredible unfolding of the story that will feature exclusive footage of Syed leading up to and following his release from prison. The investigation the filmmakers did in the original series was used as evidence in the hearing to release Syed—which makes this series even more compelling.
Where to stream: HBO Max
Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil HotelÂ
If you scare easily, do not watch this documentary. This is the most jarring footage to ever make the case for some sort of evil, not-of-this-earth presence we’ve ever seen. Crime Scene is a new documentary series that “deconstructs the mythology and mystery surrounding infamous locations in contemporary crime.” The case of the vanishing at the Cecil Hotel is its first installment.
“For nearly a century, the Cecil Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles has been linked to some of the city’s most notorious activity, from untimely deaths to housing serial killers,” the series recap explains. “In 2013, college student Elisa Lam was staying at the Cecil when she vanished, igniting a media frenzy and mobilizing a global community of internet sleuths eager to solve the case. Lam’s disappearance, the latest chapter in the hotel’s complex history, offers a chilling and captivating lens into one of LA’s most nefarious settings.” She walks into an elevator, then disappears. Maybe that doesn’t sound compelling, but trust us—the footage is chilling, and you won’t be able to watch it without jumping into the internet rabbit hole and attempting to figure out what the hell happened.Â
Where to stream: Netflix
Evil GeniusÂ
“In 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder capture the nation’s attention, and a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI,” reads the series description on Netflix’s Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist. But all of that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the twists and turns of this four part docuseries. Add a small town beauty queen turned criminal mastermind and the criminal case that came to be known as the “pizza bomber heist”—and you are in for a true crime rabbit hole you’re not ready for.
Where to stream: NetflixÂ
Inventing AnnaÂ
Inventing Anna investigates the case of Anna Delvey, the Instagram-famous German heiress who quickly befriended key players in New York’s uber-rich social scene—and stole their money, too. The series was inspired by New York Magazine’s expose on the socialite—and poses the question, “Who the heck is Anna Delvey, and why was she able to trick so many people out of so much money?”
Where to stream: Netflix
Lula RichÂ
LuLaRoe founders DeAnne Brady and Mark Stidham convinced thousands of women to buy into their pyramid scheme. They got rich while bankrupting those women they claimed to liberate with their products—predominantly poorly made leggings with questionable patterns. LulaRich is a four-part true crime docuseries that chronicles the unraveling of LuLaRoe; once known for their buttery soft leggings—now known for their terrible manipulation, questionable selling tactics, and ultimate demise.
Where to stream: Amazon PrimeÂ
Making a MurdererÂ
Making a Murderer tells the story of Steven Avery, a man from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, who served 18 years in prison after a wrongful conviction for sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen. He was later charged with and convicted of the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. It also tells the story of Avery’s nephew Brendan Dassey, who was accused and convicted as an accessory in the murder of Halbach. The series follows Avery’s arrest and conviction and his subsequent exoneration and release, then delves into the civil lawsuit he filed against Manitowoc County. There is so much going on here, you have to see it to believe it.
Where to stream: Netflix
Murdaugh Murders – A Southern ScandalÂ
Alex Murdaugh’s face has been all over the news lately, convicted last week of the murder of his wife and son and sentenced to life in prison. The Murdaughs were at one time considered one of South Carolina’s most prominent families, until the death of teenager Mallory Beach in a drunken boating accident started to scrape at the veneer of the family’s facade and reveal the darkness underneath. Paul Murdaugh—the alleged driver of the boat—and his mother Maggie were found brutally murdered in 2021, and “a century of corruption, power, and cover-ups in the Low Country” was brought to light. The three-part series focuses on first-hand accounts from people on the boat and people who have never spoken about the crash or double homicide until now.
Where to stream: Netflix
Night Stalker – The Hunt for a Serial KillerÂ
If you lived in California in the eighties, you were in perpetual fear of “The Night Stalker.” In the summer of 1985, a series of murders and sexual assaults were discovered, which at first seemed disconnected. The victims ranged in age from six to 82—and came from different backgrounds and neighborhoods. They were men, women, and children, and all came from different socio-economic backgrounds. “Racing against the clock to stop this nocturnal monster were a young detective named Gil Carrillo from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the legendary homicide investigator Frank Salerno,” reads Netflix’s description of the series. “As they worked tirelessly to solve the case, the media hounded their tracks, and panic gripped California.” The true crime docuseries is told through chilling first-person interviews and includes archival footage that lets viewers see how it felt to be alive and terrified at the time of The Night Stalker murders.
Where to stream: Netflix
Our FatherÂ
Jacoba Ballard was an only child, conceived via donor sperm. Her dream of having siblings led her to take one of those at-home DNA tests to see if there were any out there. The test led her to discover seven half-brothers and sisters, which raised red flags for all involved. The siblings started investigating their family tree, which landed them on a shocking discovery: the family’s fertility doctor was using his sperm to inseminate his patients—without their knowledge or consent.
Where to stream: Netflix
Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah LawrenceÂ
In the fall of 2010, a group of sophomores were living in a typical college group residence; messy, laid back, and with lots of hanging out and partying. One of the students, Talia Ray, invited her dad to sleep on their couch after he was released from prison—Lawrence Ray, who the kids called “Larry.” That alone seems totally weird and off-putting, but it didn’t strike the kids as odd at the time. Larry made them dinners and entertained them with (false)tales of his time working as a government agent. The series delves into the psychology of manipulation, in the course of explaining how one man was able to extort, abuse, and manipulate a group of college students in a small New York town. Ray was convicted on federal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and extortion in 2022.
Where to stream: Hulu
Waco: American Apocalypse
In 1993, cult leader David Koresh faced off against the federal government in a 51-day siege that shook the American public. The conflict began with the biggest gunfight on American soil since the Civil War and ended in a fiery inferno—caught on live TV. It was the biggest news story in the world at the time, and viewers were hooked. In line with the 30th anniversary of the tragedy, Netflix is releasing the true crime docuseries on March 22, with unearthed footage and interviews with several people close to the case.
Ted Bundy, Falling for a KillerÂ
Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer with the boy-next-door looks, is still one of the most captivating serial killer stories, ever. In Ted Bundy, Falling for a Killer, filmmakers talk to Bundy’s long-term girlfriend, her daughter, and other survivors—reframing the story of one of the most feared men and grisly serial killers from a female perspective.
Where to stream: Amazon Prime
The Way DownÂ
Christian diet guru Gwen Shamblin Lara founded the Remnant Fellowship Church in 1999. She died with her husband and son-in-law in 2021 when her private Cessna crashed into Percy Priest Lake near Smyrna, Tennessee, shortly after takeoff. Four church leaders were with the family and were also killed in the crash. The fellowship taught its members to “turn away from the love of food and toward the love of God”—so it’s essentially a church based on dieting, which is the weirdest thing ever. The series details the truth behind Lara’s very carefully curated image and delves into the controversial practices of the church.
Where to stream: HBO MaxÂ
