Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

Erik Rivenes has spent nearly 500 episodes interviewing authors and historians about their crime research, and that interview-based format gives Most Notorious a depth that solo-narrated shows struggle to match. Each week, a guest who has spent years studying a specific case sits down to share findings, primary sources, and theories that you will not find summarized in a Wikipedia article. The show covers serial killers, gangsters, gunslingers, maritime disasters, and historical tragedies spanning centuries. Jack the Ripper and Victorian crime come up repeatedly — a January 2026 episode on the East River Ripper murder of "Old Shakespeare" in 1891 drew explicit comparisons to the Whitechapel killings and explored whether the perpetrator had crossed the Atlantic. Previous episodes have featured Ripper scholars and authors who specialize in the 1888 case. Rivenes is consistently praised for his interview preparation. Multiple Apple Podcasts reviewers note that he asks questions guests say they have never been asked before, which pulls out details and anecdotes that even well-read Ripperologists might not have encountered. The 4.7-star rating from nearly 2,700 reviews reflects an audience that values substance over sensationalism. If you prefer learning about the Ripper case through expert conversations rather than narrated retellings, this is the strongest option available.