Unsolved
USA Today crime reporter Gina Barton investigates cases where cops have retired, witnesses have died, and evidence has disappeared — but the case never officially closed.
Podcasts Like Unsolved
If you loved Unsolved, here are the best podcasts to try next. Matched by case type, storytelling style, and community ratings from our database of Cold Case, Murder, Investigative shows.
Why listeners love Unsolved
A companion cold-case show from the reporter behind Untested, journalism-backed throughout. Listeners rate its binge factor at 7/10. It follows a serialized format — each season covers one case in depth, building suspense across episodes.
Binge Factor
7/10
Community-rated compulsive listenability
Format
Serialized
One story told across multiple episodes
Style
Journalistic, methodical, cold-case-focused
Presentation approach
Episode Length
35-45 min
Typical episode duration
Host Style
Solo host
Presentation format
Verdict
Good if you want cases where people got away with murder, examined properly
Our editorial rating
Recommendations
12 podcasts like Unsolved
In the Dark
Listeners who want journalism-grade investigation into wrongful convictions, systemic racism, and institutional failures — more 60 Minutes than true crime thriller.
Serial
Anyone interested in journalism, legal procedure, and deep investigative dives into morally ambiguous cases with no easy answers.
Spotlight: Snitch City
The Boston Globe Spotlight Team exposes one police department's rampant abuse of confidential informants — a top critical pick of 2025.
The Teacher's Pet
True crime fans who like journalism-driven investigations with massive real-world impact; anyone fascinated by domestic crime and institutional failure.
Murdaugh Murders Podcast
Journalists Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell broke the Murdaugh family saga before it became a national story, and kept reporting it deeper than anyone else.
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.
The Missing Cryptoqueen
BBC journalist Jamie Bartlett tracks down Dr Ruja Ignatova, who persuaded millions to invest in OneCoin before vanishing without a trace.
Your Own Backyard
Listeners who want investigative true crime with real-world consequence and single-minded, passionate focus from a creator who refused to let a case die.
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.
Bear Brook
True crime fans fascinated by forensic science, DNA technology, and cold cases with a genuine scientific payoff.
Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo
CBC's Connie Walker investigates the Sixties Scoop through the disappearance of Cleo Semaganis Nicotine.
West Cork
True crime fans who love atmospheric investigative journalism, Anglo-Irish tensions, and cases that remain unresolved and fiercely contested decades later.
How they compare
| Podcast | Format | Country | Binge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsolved (original) | Serialized | United States | 7/10 |
| In the Dark | Serialized | United States | 10/10 |
| Serial | Serialized | United States | 10/10 |
| Spotlight: Snitch City | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| The Teacher's Pet | Serialized | Australia | 9/10 |
| Murdaugh Murders Podcast | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| You Didn't See Nothin | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| The Missing Cryptoqueen | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| Your Own Backyard | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What podcasts are similar to Unsolved?
The best alternatives to Unsolved are podcasts that share its Cold Case, Murder, Investigative focus and serialized format. We've matched alternatives based on case types, storytelling format, and community ratings from our database.
Why do people love Unsolved?
Unsolved is known for its journalistic, methodical, cold-case-focused approach to Cold Case and Murder. It scores 7/10 on our binge factor rating, reflecting how compulsively listenable listeners find it.
How long are episodes of Unsolved?
Episodes of Unsolved are typically 35-45 min long. It follows a serialized format, covering one story across multiple episodes.
Where can I listen to Unsolved?
Unsolved 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 Unsolved to start with?
New listeners are recommended to start with Season 1, Episode 1. As a serialized podcast, it's best to start from the beginning of a season.