Explore chilling true crime stories from around the world, delving into solved & unsolved murders, forensics, and psychology.

I’m Prash Ganendran, a researcher, author, and true crime podcaster. Some may already be familiar with my true crime books, including Jack the Ripper: Straight for the Jugular and the Murder Casebook series. A new book, Wartime London’s ‘Bonnie & Clyde’: The Crime Spree of Betty Jones & Karl Hulten, co-authored with my wife, Melissa, is due for publication in 2025/26. This book explores the reckless crime spree of 22-year-old American deserter Karl Hulten and 18-year-old Welsh striptease dancer Betty Jones in wartime London, which culminated in the pair shooting dead a private car hire driver named George Edward Heath, which became known as “The Cleft Chin Murder”.

My fascination with crime and mysteries began early. I grew up watching classic detectives like Charlie Chan and Inspector Hornleigh solving quirky cases, and my interest deepened after stumbling across a book on Jack the Ripper at my local library. Even now, I still enjoy a good Tintin comic, film noir, and vintage radio dramas like Suspense. My early careers included working as a fraud analyst and then as an IT engineer, where I had the unique experience of visiting high-security prisons in the UK - including one that housed “Suffolk Strangler” Steve Wright.

In 2020, I left IT to focus on my creative interests and launched Prash’s Murder Map, a true crime podcast that explores both solved and unsolved cases from around the world. Over the last year, I’ve refined the focus to concentrate more on historical true crime, appealing to listeners who enjoy in-depth, well-researched narratives about cases from the past.
 

After years of working in various jobs that felt unfulfilling, I wanted to pursue something creative and meaningful. I probably wouldn’t have taken the leap if fate hadn’t intervened in the form of a degenerative spinal condition. It forced me to reassess my life and ultimately led me to create a true crime podcast, with the goal of building an engaged audience and sharing compelling stories. I launched Prash’s Murder Map in April 2020, but the planning stage took about six months before I released my first episode.
 

Prash’s Murder Map: True Crime Podcast is entirely self-funded, which can be challenging, but the work is its own reward. I’m extremely proud of what I’ve achieved so far and excited to see how the podcast continues to grow. Since it’s a scripted show, my wife helps with the writing, which is invaluable. Alongside podcasting, I also research and write true crime books and run a YouTube channel, so careful time management is essential. Rather than sticking to a strict release schedule, I now release episodes as and when I can, focusing on quality rather than quantity, ensuring each one is thoroughly researched and well-produced.
 

Prash’s Murder Map has helped me develop a wide range of skills, grow my confidence, and connect with other podcasters and voice actors from around the world. It has also pushed me to become more well-rounded, taking on research, writing, editing, marketing, social media, and more. Beyond the technical and creative aspects, podcasting has been personally rewarding. I actively engage with my audience on YouTube, and one particularly memorable experience was when a descendant of a little-known true crime case contacted me after reading my blog post about it. They thanked me for the article and asked if I had any additional information about their great-great-uncle, who happened to be the killer. I was happy to help, providing them with census records, prison documents, and even a photo. Moments like these remind me why I do what I do, uncovering events from the past and sharing them with a wider audience, so they are never forgotten. I’ve also enjoyed learning audio editing techniques in Audacity and have tackled things I never imagined I would. It’s incredibly hard work, but every minute is worth it. My show isn’t sponsored yet, but I do use ad insertion through Spreaker. As the podcast continues to grow, I hope to explore sponsorship opportunities in the future
 

It’s very much a team effort - I handle the research and fact-checking, ensuring all sources are documented, while my wife Melissa adds the creative touch by writing the script for the podcast. Once the script is finalised, I record, edit, and produce the episode using Audacity.
 

I’m active on Facebook and have benefited from being featured on Podcast Republic’s recommended list. A few years ago, Adam from UK True Crime wrote a blog post about my podcast, which gave it a great boost.

I’ve also collaborated with other true crime podcasters, including Erik Rivenes (Most Notorious), Emily G. Thompson (Morbidology), and Jenny (It's Murder Up North), who lent their voices to my Jack the Ripper episodes. This was a great way for us to cross-promote our work. Additionally, former Scotland Yard detective and presenter of New Scotland Yard Files, Peter Bleksley, contributed by voicing some lines, which was a fantastic addition to the show.

To reach a wider audience, I upload each episode to YouTube and maintain a website and true crime blog at https://prashganendran.com I also send out newsletters with updates on new episodes, book releases, and blog posts. Recently, I shared a sneak preview of the groundbreaking research my wife and I have done on Karl Hulten and Betty Jones, offering exclusive insights to my subscribers.
 

Enjoy what you do and never stop trying to improve! If you receive negative feedback, try to find the positive in it and make your show better as a result. But for me, the most important thing is planning. I always live by the old Abraham Lincoln quote; "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”

As for resources, YouTube is full of helpful how-to videos, and many podcast hosting platforms also provide useful guidance. If you’re ever unsure, don’t hesitate to reach out to these platforms - they’re often more than happy to point you in the right direction.
 

You can find Prash’s Murder Map on all major podcast platforms. For more details, visit my website https://prashganendran.com where you’ll also find my true crime blog and the latest updates on my upcoming book about the Cleft Chin Murder: https://prashganendran.com/the-cleft-chin-murder/

For video versions of my podcast, check out my YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UCZiKO1QKqrt1PieJV83ejEQ

You can also connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/prashganen