8 Unputdownable Books About Podcasts

TW for pedophilia and grooming

This only-on-audiobook thriller follows Paige Barrett, a disgraced journalist, as she decides to start a podcast. Centered on discovering what happened to late high school teacher Jessica Cady, her investigation leads her down roads that are both shocking and dangerous.

Primarily performed by Dakota Fanning, this audiobooks also boasts several other narrators, all of whom give the story the feel of a real podcast.

Romeo and Juliet meets You’ve Got Mail. Hana Khan’s family-run halal restaurant is in danger of going under, a situation made all the more dire by the opening of a rival restaurant nearby. In search of advice, Hana turns to her anonymously hosted podcast and one of her long-time listeners.

Oh, and did I mention that she’s fighting an attraction to the son of the rival restaurant’s owner?

Sadie’s life wasn’t easy. All that kept her going was raising her little sister Mattie. But when Mattie turns up dead, and the police investigation goes nowhere, Sadie decides to leave town and investigate on her own.

Personality radio host West McCray learns about Sadie’s story by accident, but he becomes obsessed with finding her. He starts a podcast to record his attempts. But will he get to Sadie before it’s too late for her?

I was hooked on this one as soon as I read the blurb. There may be people who can resist a sentence like “the only thing worse than a murder charge are two murder charges,” but I’m not one of them.

Indeed, Paris Peralta is worried when she’s arrested for her husband’s murder, but not so much about the arrest as she is about what comes after. Because somebody, somewhere, is bound to recognize her.

Like many people, my introduction to podcasts was through the hyper-popular Serial. This show recounted the story of Adnan Syed’s arrest and trial for the murder of high school student Hae Min Lee. Because of this podcast, a lot of people became convinced that Syed was innocent of the crime. The book follows Serial‘s aftermath.

On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be a connection between an apparent death by drowning 25 years ago and a rape case today. But famous true crime podcaster Rachell Krall begins to uncover links between the two cases, links that can change both a trial and a town forever.

Not all books about podcasts are thrillers or true crime. This one is about friendship: Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, hosts of the hit podcast Call Your Girlfriend, know that friendship is a wonderful thing…one that also takes work and commitment. This account of their first decade of friendship will make you want to reach out to all your friends.

Charlie and Scott were murdered 20 years ago. Haunted by their deaths, their friend Cody starts a podcast. But when a third dead body appears, things take a turn. Are the two cases linked? Who really killed Charlie and Scott?