Tune into this true crime British podcast for a bone-chilling experience

Alexi Mostrous. Pic courtesy/Twitter

True crime podcasts are all the rage in today's times. They dissect horrific tragedies of the world in a way that repulses the listeners while also gratifying them. Investigative journalist, Alexi Mostrous has downed this formula to the T as he dives into the world of lies, satanism and conspiracies. Mostrous gives an entertaining touch to an otherwise grim story in his latest podcast, Hoaxed.

The six episode-series sees Alexi investigate and bring forward a 2014 story from the British town of Hampstead. Hoaxed revolves around how a lie told by two children, forced by their mother, Ella Draper and her partner, destroyed the life of Ricky Dearman, their father and 175 others.

The police immediately discovered that the story of Dearman and his followers running a satanic paedophile ring in the siblings' school and the adjoining church was a lie. While Draper and her partner Christie were charged guilty of abusing the kids to lie, the investigation was closed as the incident occurred overseas in faraway Morroco. However, the false narrative already spread like a wildfire on the internet. The satanic panic caused by the lies still prevails in the country with the victims facing harassment, online abuse and death threats even today.

Just like Sweet Bobby, his last collaboration with Tortoise Media, Mostrous does a commendable job with bringing forward a gripping story with an equally engaging narration. Laden with sympathy for the ones who suffered the aftermath, it almost feels like the former barrister knows exactly what his audience wants as he reserves each episode for yet another bone-chilling revelation. However, the graphically explained sexual plots may not go down well with some listeners.

With each episode lying between 30 to 50 minutes, Hoaxed is a perfect session for slow listening. Sit down and dissect each angle of the incident with the narrator as the story takes you on a perplexing ride.

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