Best Mystery Book Podcasts (2026): 5 Compared

True-crime podcasts have a way of turning a commute into a case file, and the best mystery book podcasts put that same energy on the page. We compared five books by podcast connection, format, length and series, using only what each listing publishes.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	A Killer Motive by McKinnon	9.7/10	Buy
2	Is Anyone Listening? by Freethy	9.7/10	Buy
3	What They'll Say About Us by Freethy	9.7/10	Buy
4	True Tales of Unexplained Mysteries	9.6/10	Buy
5	Murder, Mystery, and Muffins by Wells	9.6/10	Buy

1

A Killer Motive by McKinnon

Hannah Mary McKinnon·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 400-page true crime podcast mystery, suited to readers who like twisty psychological thrillers.

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Pros

• 400 pages, the longest book here
• A true crime podcast mystery and thriller
• 2025 original edition from MIRA

Cons

• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Not part of a series
• The description includes a disappearance and a deadly game

2

Is Anyone Listening? by Freethy

Barbara Freethy·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of the Mysteries Uncorked podcast thriller series, suited to readers who like true-crime podcast thrillers.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 3 in Mysteries Uncorked: A Podcast Thriller Series
• True-crime podcast hosts investigate a disappearance
• 2025 publication from Fog City Publishing

Cons

• No print length is stated
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• The description includes a disappearance and threats

3

What They'll Say About Us by Freethy

Barbara Freethy·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 2 of the Mysteries Uncorked series, suited to readers continuing the podcast thriller story.

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Pros

• Book 2 of 3 in the same podcast thriller series
• Continues the Mysteries Uncorked story
• 2026 publication from Fog City Publishing

Cons

• No print length is stated
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Start with Book 1 for the full story

4

True Tales of Unexplained Mysteries

Steph Young·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A collection of unexplained mystery tales from a podcaster, suited to readers who like cryptic true tales.

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Pros

• The author hosts the Tales of Mystery Unexplained podcast
• 247 pages of cryptic true tales
• Book 3 of 8 in the series

Cons

• No reading age or grade level is stated
• 2020 publication, the oldest here
• Tales, not a single narrative

5

Murder, Mystery, and Muffins by Wells

A.P. Wells·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 2 of a cozy murder mystery series, suited to readers who like light small-town mysteries.

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Pros

• Book 2 of 6 in the Hazel Winslow cozy mystery series
• Light small-town mystery tone
• 2026 publication

Cons

• No podcast connection in the listing
• No print length is stated
• No reading age or grade level is stated

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More picks to compare

• Case File 1: Mia Westbrook by LockhavenKids cold case podcast mystery, 174 pages.Check on Amazon
• Murder, Mystery, and Antiques by WellsBook 5 of 6, cozy antique mystery.Check on Amazon
• The Worst First Date by WellsBook 4 of 6, 132 pages.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or grade level. None of the five states a reading age or grade level. Three picks are fiction about podcast hosts, one is written by a working podcaster, and one is a cozy mystery with no podcast connection. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best mystery book podcasts

Fiction about podcasts, or books from podcasters

Is Anyone Listening? and What They’ll Say About Us are thrillers about the fictional Mysteries Uncorked podcast hosts. A Killer Motive is a true crime podcast mystery novel. True Tales of Unexplained Mysteries is written by Steph Young, who hosts the Tales of Mystery Unexplained podcast. Murder, Mystery, and Muffins is a cozy mystery with no podcast connection in its listing. For more mysteries, see our thriller mystery books lists.

Series order matters

Read Is Anyone Listening? before What They’ll Say About Us; they are Books 1 and 2 of the Mysteries Uncorked series. Murder, Mystery, and Muffins is Book 2 of 6 in its cozy series, and True Tales is Book 3 of 8. Only A Killer Motive is a standalone.

Before you buy

• Check the edition and publication date on the listing; editions and page counts vary.
• Start series books in order; two picks here are mid-series entries.
• Three listings give no print length, only an ebook file size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which books are about podcast hosts?

Is Anyone Listening? and What They’ll Say About Us follow the hosts of the fictional Mysteries Uncorked podcast, and A Killer Motive follows true crime podcaster Stella Dixon.

Which author actually hosts a podcast?

Steph Young, whose Tales of Mystery Unexplained podcast accompanies True Tales of Unexplained Mysteries.

Which is the longest book?

A Killer Motive at 400 pages.

Still deciding? Our top pickA Killer Motive by McKinnon

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Related lists

See every fiction list and all reading guides lists.

More lists: mystery books to listen to, mystery books with a twist, memoir podcasts.