You probably didn’t even realize some of your favorite books, TV shows, and documentaries were based on a podcast. Becoming quite popular within the true crime community, podcasts really took off within the last decade and have proven that everyone out there has a story. From conmen to historical icons to true crime, here are some of the best books and tv shows that are based on a podcast!

Dirty Diana: A Novel by Jen Besser and Shana Feste

Based on the podcast Dirty Diana starring Demi Moore, the podcast is about a woman named Diana who leads a double life between a seemingly normal family and an erotic website in which women share their deepest sexual fantasies. In the first of the trilogy of novels, we meet Diana Wood who has a husband and daughter she loves. Although Diana and her husband, Oliver, spend so much time together, their sex life is lacking. After a trip to visit old friends, Diana remembers who she used to be and decides to interview other women and paint their portraits as she unravels their deepest fantasies.

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Dying for Sex TV Series

Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate, Sissy Spacek, and Kelvin Yu all star in FX’s latest hit show, Dying for Sex. The show is based on the true events of Molly Kochan’s life in which she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Following her diagnosis, Molly leaves an unhappy marriage and embarks on a series of sexual adventures to help her feel alive. The non-fiction podcast was hosted by Molly and her best friend, Nikki Boyer.

The Case Against Adnan Syed Documentary

Following the success of the hit true crime podcast, Serial, HBO released a four-part documentary called The Case Against Adnan Syed. The podcast and documentary follow the arrest of Adnan Masud Syed, who was accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, after her body was discovered in a park and the case was treated as a homicide.

Dirty John TV Series

The hit TV series Dirty John starring Connie Britton, Eric Bana, Julie Garner, and Jean Smart was not just an amazing show to snack on popcorn during. This series was based on the podcast of the same name. The true crime podcast tells the story of Debra Newell, who has just met who she believes could be her soulmate through online dating. What lies beyond the surface of John Meehan is more terrifying than fiction.

Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

Premiering in 2012, Welcome to Night Vale is a supernational fiction podcast about the desert town of Night Vale and works as a radio host that reports on some of the spooky and strange occurrences that happen within the town. In novel format, all of the ghosts, aliens, and conspiracies are at your fingertips in a series of three novels. Nineteen-year-old Jackie Fierro has just received a mysterious paper marked “KING CITY” and is determined to figure out the mystery behind this note. Meanwhile PTA mom, Diane Crayton’s son, Josh, is a shape shifter and she herself is beginning to have visions of his father who left years prior. As the two women both are in search of answers, their storylines converge together.

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

With a podcast behind the story, Rebecca Skloot tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor Southern tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without her knowledge only to become on of the biggest tools in science. Although Henrietta has been dead for over sixty years, her “immortal” human cells are still alive and were a huge part in developing the polio vaccine, cancer research, and led to in vitro fertilization and gene mapping. Skloot maps out Henrietta’s life as well as her family, both past and present, as well as the legacy Henrietta left behind all while discussing the social injustices within her story.

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Lore TV Series

Perfect in time for spooky season, the Lore podcast was created by Aaron Mahnke as a marketing experiment, each episode discussing folklore stories. Narrating the TV series on Amazon Prime, twelve episodes premiered based on different episodes featuring some of your favorite actors and actresses from horror movies. From ghosts to werewolves and even lobotomies, this is the perfect show for those who love nothing more than a good lore.

Dr. Death TV Series

The hit true crime podcast Dr. Death was made for television. Featuring cases of medical malpractice, we get the story of Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon; Farid Fata, a hematologist and oncologist; and Paolo Macchiarini, a thoracic surgeon. Each story is as unbelievable as the next. Premiering in 2021 on Peacock, the stories come to live with an iconic cast including Joshua Jackson, Christian Slater, Edgar Ramirez, and Mandy Moore.