Jay Heintz

Dark Woods

With a fictional twist to the true crime genre, the dark woods podcast does a great job of entertaining the listener without the added need of a screen so that you can listen anywhere at any time. This podcast follows the lives of a divorced couple who, after the murder of a young volunteer, must put aside their differences to find the truth about the death in their state park. At first it seems like a cruel accident, but throughout the series that ruling becomes doubtful. Though I would put a content warning on this podcast because it involves death, I think most high schoolers will be able to enjoy it. The show is also heavily inspired by many real crimes that happen in California’s state forests, which makes it that much better. 

Gruesome

One of my favorite podcasts in the true crime genre, the Gruesome podcast is unique because one of the hosts was actually kidnapped as a child and she has a firsthand perspective when covering the crimes. The hosts also do an amazing job of discussing the details of the crimes thoroughly and bringing awareness to the cases and victims they cover. 

Case 63

Case 63 is another fiction podcast about paranoia and the paranormal. With a recent second season, this show is gaining even more popularity. The first season follows a man who is trying to convince a psychiatrist interviewing him that he is a time traveler. He has come to warn her of the end of the world, and day after day she begins to be convinced by him. 

Cancelled

The Cancelled podcast is a great podcast for the drama lover inside all of us. Hosted by Tana Mongeau and Brooke Schofield, this podcast covers most big celebrity scandals, with sprinklings of their own entertaining stories. The hosts also try to be very transparent with their rise to stardom and living in the spotlight.