If you loved
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
If S-Town hooked you, it is because you crave stories where small-town claustrophobia masks deep, unsettling layers of human complexity.
Books on the same thread
Joyland (Hard Case Crime)
Stephen King · Book · 2013
Explores: Carnivals, First Love, Grief.
Like S-Town, this story uses a specific, contained setting to explore how personal grief and atmospheric isolation shape the eccentric characters living on the fringes of society.
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
James McBride · Book · 2023
Explores: Community, Secrets, Prejudice.
This novel mirrors the investigative spirit of S-Town by unearthing long-buried secrets within a tight-knit community, proving that the past is never truly finished with the present.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
David Grann · Book · 2018
Shares 2 threads with S-Town: True Crime, Investigative Journalism.
If the investigative depth of S-Town captivated you, you will appreciate this meticulous account of systemic corruption and the haunting nature of truth hidden in plain sight.
Killer Clown
Terry Sullivan, Peter T. Maiken · Book · 2012
Shares a thread with S-Town: True Crime.
Much like the unsettling character study at the core of S-Town, this true crime account examines the chilling gap between a public persona and a hidden, darker reality.
Films on the same thread
Se7en
David Fincher · Film · 1995
Explores: Moral Decay, Urban Decay, Good vs Evil.
This film captures the same sense of moral decay and atmospheric tension found in S-Town, focusing on the obsessive hunt for a truth that defies simple explanation.
Knives Out
Rian Johnson · Film · 2019
Explores: Family Secrets, Wealth and Privilege, Inheritance.
You will find the same sharp, observant eye for dysfunctional family dynamics and social class that made S-Town so compelling, wrapped in a mystery that keeps you guessing.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Rian Johnson · Film · 2025
Explores: Class Conflict, Deception, Moral Ambiguity.
This mystery echoes the small-town secrets and moral ambiguity that defined S-Town, placing you in a community where everyone has something to hide and nobody is innocent.
Zodiac
David Fincher · Film · 2007
Shares a thread with S-Town: True Crime.
The relentless, soul-consuming obsession that drives the investigation in S-Town is mirrored here, showing how the search for a killer can fundamentally alter a person's life.
Series on the same thread
Mare of Easttown
Brad Ingelsby · Series · 2021
Explores: Grief, Trauma, Family Dysfunction.
This series perfectly captures the S-Town atmosphere of a small town struggling with its own demons, where the investigation of a crime serves as a mirror for personal trauma.
FROM
John Griffin · Series · 2022
Explores: Trapped in a mysterious town, Monsters in the woods, Survival horror.
The feeling of being trapped in a decaying, mysterious location will resonate with anyone who felt the suffocating, atmospheric pull of the town depicted in S-Town.
Only Murders in the Building
Steve Martin · Series · 2021
Explores: True Crime Obsession, New York City, Intergenerational Friendship.
This series leans into the true crime obsession that S-Town helped define, blending the investigative process with a deep interest in the people behind the microphone.
Sharp Objects
Marti Noxon · Series · 2018
Explores: Trauma, Small Town Secrets, Dysfunctional Family.
This show mirrors the Southern Gothic tone of S-Town, following a reporter who must confront her own past while investigating the violent secrets of her hometown.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Who is the host of S-Town?
S-Town is hosted by Brian Reed. The podcast is produced by Serial Productions, which is a New York Times company. It follows the story of a man named John who contacts Reed to investigate an alleged murder in his Alabama town.
What is the premise of S-Town?
S-Town follows a man named John who hates his Alabama town and asks host Brian Reed to investigate a wealthy family's son. The investigation concerns claims of murder, which leads to a feud and a search for the truth after a death occurs.
Is S-Town a fictional story?
S-Town is a podcast from Serial Productions that documents a real-life investigation. The story centers on John, a man from Alabama who enlists host Brian Reed to look into a local murder allegation involving a wealthy family and a subsequent death.
How does the S-Town investigation begin?
The investigation in S-Town begins when a man named John reaches out to host Brian Reed. John expresses his hatred for his Alabama town and asks Reed to investigate a wealthy family's son who has been bragging about getting away with murder.