Clara’s Verdict
True crime audiobooks live or die on two things: the quality of the research and whether the narrator can sustain your attention across multiple cases without each story bleeding into the next. Jamie Malton’s Curated True Crime: Giant 10-Volume Set, narrated by Greg Sisco across thirty-three hours, manages both rather well. This is bulk listening in the best sense – a vast anthology of disturbing cases that works equally well consumed in marathon sessions or dipped into ten minutes at a time.
Malton has an unusual talent for selecting cases that aren’t all BTK and Jeffrey Dahmer. Yes, the famous names appear, but there are also dozens of cases most listeners will be encountering for the first time. That’s rarer than you might think in a genre that has thoroughly strip-mined its most famous subjects.
About the Audiobook
Released by Malton Publishing in November 2024, this omnibus gathers ten previously separate volumes under thematic headings: Ritual Killers, Holiday Hell, Family Annihilators, Homicidal Homewreckers, Neighborhood Nightmares, Contract to Kill, Watery Graves, Murder Most Sadistic, Murder the Mistress, and Dating to Death. Between them, they contain over 160 individual cases.
The thematic groupings are genuinely useful. Rather than the random-order approach of many true crime anthologies, Malton’s organisation allows patterns to emerge across cases – how ritual behaviour manifests across different perpetrators, how family dynamics collapse towards annihilation, how affairs escalate into murder. For listeners interested in the psychological dimension of true crime rather than just the procedural details, this structure rewards attention.
Each chapter is kept short – approximately ten minutes – which makes the set genuinely portable listening. The writing is clear and factually grounded; Malton’s research is her main selling point and it shows throughout.
The Narration
Greg Sisco has a measured, unhurried delivery that suits the anthology format well. He doesn’t sensationalise, which is the right call for material of this nature – the cases are disturbing enough without theatrical embellishment. Maintaining consistency across thirty-three hours is a significant feat, and Sisco carries it off without the vocal fatigue that can affect long narrations. His pacing is particularly well-suited to the ten-minute case format, giving each account room to breathe without overstaying its welcome.
What Readers Say
Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 27 reviews, the response is notably positive. UK reviewer Gareth Bull gave five stars and highlighted the short chapter format as ideal for commuting: “They make great gap fillers whilst you are travelling.” A self-described “true crime geek” described Malton as “legendary in the true crime field,” praising her research as “impeccable.” A Canadian reviewer appreciated that the format – short chapters, direct to the point – made it ideal before-bed listening without the risk of staying up far too late chasing a plot. The consensus across reviews is that this is excellent value and a well-compiled anthology.
Who Should Listen?
This is ideal for dedicated true crime enthusiasts who’ve worked through the genre’s greatest hits and are looking for a substantial new collection with genuine range. The thirty-three hour runtime makes it a particularly good investment for long-haul commuters, regular walkers, or anyone who goes through audiobooks quickly. It’s also a smart starting point if you’re new to Malton’s work – the range of themes means you’ll quickly identify which types of cases interest you most before seeking out more of her focused titles.
This is not comfortable listening – the content is deliberately disturbing – but it’s handled with integrity. Listen to the Curated True Crime Giant 10-Volume Set on Audible UK if you’re ready for something substantial.
