The Apology Line
True crime podcast review — 2026
Reviewed · Updated
"A genuinely strange true story that doesn't fit the usual true crime mould — confession as obsession."
Who is this podcast for?
- ✓Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish
- ✓Fans of original investigative journalism over retold news
- ✓Binge listeners who want something they can't stop at one episode
Pros & cons
- +Rated "Must Listen" by our editorial team — exceptional across all dimensions
- +High binge factor — listeners consistently come back for more
- +Serialized format builds a compelling, sustained narrative arc across episodes
- −Must listen in order — cannot dip in and out between episodes
About this podcast
If you could call a number and say you're sorry, and no one would know, what would you apologize for? For fifteen years, callers could dial a Manhattan number and do exactly that. The Apology Line tells the story of that line and the man who ran it, known only as 'Mr. Apology' — and how thousands of confessions eventually consumed him.
Best episode to start with
Episode 1
Serialized format — listen from the beginning for the full experience
Rate this podcast
Community reviews
0 reviewsWrite a quick review
No reviews yet. Be the first!
Frequently Asked Questions about The Apology Line
What is The Apology Line about?
If you could call a number and say you're sorry, and no one would know, what would you apologize for? For fifteen years, callers could dial a Manhattan number and do exactly that. The Apology Line tells the story of that line and the man who ran it, known only as 'Mr. Apology' — and how thousands of confessions eventually consumed him.
Is The Apology Line worth listening to?
Our editorial verdict is "Must listen". It scores 8/10 on binge factor. For fifteen years, a Manhattan phone line let anonymous callers confess anything — until the man on the other end became consumed by his own creation.
Who is The Apology Line for?
The Apology Line is ideal for: Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish; Fans of original investigative journalism over retold news; Binge listeners who want something they can't stop at one episode.
What is the best episode of The Apology Line to start with?
We recommend starting with Episode 1. As a serialized show, it's best to listen from the beginning of a season.
Where can I listen to The Apology Line?
The Apology Line is available on Audible, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Search for it by name on any of those apps.
What podcasts are similar to The Apology Line?
If you enjoy The Apology Line, you might also like: Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead, Spotlight: Snitch City, The Trial of Erin Patterson, S-Town. See our full "Podcasts Like The Apology Line" page for more recommendations.
Quick facts
- Format
- Serialized
- Host style
- Solo narrator
- Style
- Atmospheric; historically layered; investigative; unsettling
- Episode length
- 35-45 min
- Episodes
- 11 episodes
- Binge factor
- 8/10
- Country
- United States
Listen on
Browse category
Newsletter
Get weekly recommendations
Curated picks, new reviews, hidden gems.
You can unsubscribe anytime.
If you liked this, try…
See all alternatives
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Explore more in these categories: