Your Own Backyard
True crime podcast review — 2026
Reviewed · Updated
"Your Own Backyard is proof that one person with a microphone can change the outcome of a cold case — and Kristin Smart's family finally got justice in 2022 because of it."
Who is this podcast for?
- ✓Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish
- ✓Cold case enthusiasts who love decades-old unsolved mysteries
- ✓Anyone fascinated by missing persons investigations
- ✓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
- +Exceptional binge factor — near impossible to stop at one episode
- +Serialized format builds a compelling, sustained narrative arc across episodes
- −Must listen in order — cannot dip in and out between episodes
About this podcast
A 10-part documentary by Chris Lambert investigating the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart — a cold case the podcast directly helped solve, leading to the arrest and conviction of her killer 25 years after she vanished.
Best episode to start with
Episode 1 — must be heard in sequence
Serialized format — listen from the beginning for the full experience
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Frequently Asked Questions about Your Own Backyard
What is Your Own Backyard about?
A 10-part documentary by Chris Lambert investigating the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart — a cold case the podcast directly helped solve, leading to the arrest and conviction of her killer 25 years after she vanished.
Is Your Own Backyard worth listening to?
Our editorial verdict is "Must listen". It scores 9/10 on binge factor. 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.
Who is Your Own Backyard for?
Your Own Backyard is ideal for: Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish; Cold case enthusiasts who love decades-old unsolved mysteries; Anyone fascinated by missing persons investigations; Binge listeners who want something they can't stop at one episode.
What is the best episode of Your Own Backyard to start with?
We recommend starting with Episode 1 — must be heard in sequence. As a serialized show, it's best to listen from the beginning of a season.
Where can I listen to Your Own Backyard?
Your Own Backyard is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Search for it by name on any of those apps.
What podcasts are similar to Your Own Backyard?
If you enjoy Your Own Backyard, you might also like: Bear Brook, In the Dark, Serial, The Thing About Pam. See our full "Podcasts Like Your Own Backyard" page for more recommendations.
Quick facts
- Format
- Serialized
- Host style
- Solo narrator
- Style
- Serious, investigative, deeply respectful
- Episode length
- ~1 hour per episode, 29 episodes total; listen in order
- Binge factor
- 9/10
- Country
- United States
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