Breakdown: Three Days in May
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Bill Rankin and Tamara Hallerman re-examine a case where a rush to judgment, a flawed trial, and evidence pointing to a medical rather than criminal cause of a baby's death collided.
Podcasts Like Breakdown: Three Days in May
If you loved Breakdown: Three Days in May, here are the best podcasts to try next. Matched by case type, storytelling style, and community ratings from our database of Investigative, Wrongful Conviction, Medical Crime shows.
Why listeners love Breakdown: Three Days in May
A newspaper-podcast crossover applying real investigative rigour to a rush-to-judgment prosecution. With a binge factor of 8/10, it sits among the most compulsively listenable shows in the genre. It follows a serialized format — each season covers one case in depth, building suspense across episodes.
Binge Factor
8/10
Community-rated compulsive listenability
Format
Serialized
One story told across multiple episodes
Style
Journalistic, careful, revisionist
Presentation approach
Episode Length
35-45 min
Typical episode duration
Host Style
Dual host
Presentation format
Verdict
Good if rush-to-judgment prosecutions interest you
Our editorial rating
Recommendations
12 podcasts like Breakdown: Three Days in May
Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead
BBC’s Olivia Graham revisits the 1986 Diane Sindall murder and the 2025 quashing of Peter Sullivan’s conviction. Sullivan quashed 13 May 2025; killer unknown.
Bone Valley
True crime fans who care deeply about wrongful conviction, prosecutorial failure, and the fight to free innocent people; fans of In the Dark will find this essential.
The Retrievals
True crime fans interested in medical crime, systemic bias, and the treatment of women in healthcare; essential for anyone who has ever been dismissed by a doctor.
The Missing Cryptoqueen
BBC journalist Jamie Bartlett tracks down Dr Ruja Ignatova, who persuaded millions to invest in OneCoin before vanishing without a trace.
The Trial of Erin Patterson
The Crime Desk's courtroom coverage of the Erin Patterson 'mushroom murders' trial — one of the biggest cases of the decade.
Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom
Jason Flom interviews the wrongfully convicted and their advocates to expose failures in the justice system.
You Didn't See Nothin
Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning series in which Yohance Lacour revisits a violent Chicago incident from 25 years earlier that shaped his path into journalism.
Spotlight: Snitch City
The Boston Globe Spotlight Team exposes one police department's rampant abuse of confidential informants — a top critical pick of 2025.
Pipeline
The Crime Desk's investigation into four professional divers sucked hundreds of feet into a Caribbean oil pipeline in 2022 — and the failing safety standards that put them there.
S-Town
From Serial Productions: a man convinced his Alabama town is covering up a murder pulls host Brian Reed into a story that becomes something else entirely.
Wild Boys
Sam Mullins (Sea of Lies, Chameleon) investigates two half-starved brothers who emerged from the Canadian wilderness in 2003 with an incredible, contested survival story.
Spiral: Murder in Detroit
The Free Press investigates the 2023 stabbing death of Detroit community leader Samantha Woll, and the fraught questions the case raised about antisemitism and justice.
How they compare
| Podcast | Format | Country | Binge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakdown: Three Days in May (original) | Serialized | United States | 8/10 |
| Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead | Serialized | United Kingdom | — |
| Bone Valley | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| The Retrievals | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| The Missing Cryptoqueen | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| The Trial of Erin Patterson | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom | Episodic | United States | 9/10 |
| You Didn't See Nothin | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| Spotlight: Snitch City | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What podcasts are similar to Breakdown: Three Days in May?
The best alternatives to Breakdown: Three Days in May are podcasts that share its Investigative, Wrongful Conviction, Medical Crime focus and serialized format. We've matched alternatives based on case types, storytelling format, and community ratings from our database.
Why do people love Breakdown: Three Days in May?
Breakdown: Three Days in May is known for its journalistic, careful, revisionist approach to Investigative and Wrongful Conviction. It scores 8/10 on our binge factor rating, reflecting how compulsively listenable listeners find it.
How long are episodes of Breakdown: Three Days in May?
Episodes of Breakdown: Three Days in May are typically 35-45 min long. It follows a serialized format, covering one story across multiple episodes.
Where can I listen to Breakdown: Three Days in May?
Breakdown: Three Days in May is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. You can find it by searching the show name on any of those platforms.
What is the best episode of Breakdown: Three Days in May to start with?
New listeners are recommended to start with Episode 1. As a serialized podcast, it's best to start from the beginning of a season.