Black Hands
True crime podcast review — 2026
"Black Hands is meticulous New Zealand investigative journalism built around an unsettling question: if David Bain didn't kill his family, who did — and if he did, how was he acquitted? One of the genre's best examples of evidence-first storytelling with no tidy ending."
Pros
- +Rated "Must Listen" by our editorial team
About this podcast
A Stuff podcast investigating the 1994 Bain family murders in Dunedin, New Zealand — in which five members of the same family were found shot dead, leaving only son David Bain alive. Convicted, imprisoned for 13 years, and then acquitted at retrial in 2009, David Bain's guilt or innocence remains one of New Zealand's most bitterly contested questions. Journalist Martin van Beynen examines the evidence on all sides.
Best episode to start with
Episode 1 — the case requires full context from the beginning
Episodic format — episodes can generally be enjoyed in any order
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Frequently Asked Questions about Black Hands
What is Black Hands about?
A Stuff podcast investigating the 1994 Bain family murders in Dunedin, New Zealand — in which five members of the same family were found shot dead, leaving only son David Bain alive. Convicted, imprisoned for 13 years, and then acquitted at retrial in 2009, David Bain's guilt or innocence remains one of New Zealand's most bitterly contested questions. Journalist Martin van Beynen examines the evidence on all sides.
Is Black Hands worth listening to?
Our editorial verdict is "Must listen". The community has rated it 8.0/10 overall. In 1994 five members of the Bain family were found shot dead in their Dunedin home — only their son survived. Was he guilty, or the sole innocent? The debate has never ended.
Who is Black Hands for?
Black Hands is recommended for true crime enthusiasts who enjoy Murder and Family homicide and Wrongful conviction.
What is the best episode of Black Hands to start with?
We recommend starting with Episode 1 — the case requires full context from the beginning. Episodes can generally be enjoyed in any order.
What podcasts are similar to Black Hands?
If you enjoy Black Hands, you might also like: Bear Brook, The Teacher's Pet, West Cork, Profiler: True Crime Africa. See our full "Podcasts Like Black Hands" page for more recommendations.
Quick facts
- Format
- Serialised
- Host style
- Solo host
- Style
- Measured; evidence-focused; quietly urgent
- Episode length
- 30-50 min
- Episodes
- 10 episodes
- Country
- New Zealand
Browse category
Region
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