I don’t think it’s possible to convey how essential suspenseful podcasts have become to my existence and functionality as a human. My Favorite Murder gets me to, and through, the gym. Sword and Scale guarantees me safe travel from Cook Out to my apartment. (Oreo mint milkshakes will be my forever recommendation for all you ‘fancy shake’ people.) And Season 1 of Serial? That made Thanksgiving 2014 tolerable. All these podcasts were recommended to me by dear friends and confidantes. Namely, dear friends and confidantes who know and share my Murderino fascination.

Is that a Delta in the corner?

Up and Vanished is my new favorite podcast. Focusing on a small-town Georgia cold case, the murder of a former beauty queen, Up and Vanished is the reincarnation of Serial. But here’s the most impressive part: Payne Lindsey, the documentarian, SOLVED THE CASE. At least, an arrest has been made in the last three days. A murder that has gone unsolved for 10 years! The power of media, man.

I implore you not to Google anything to do with Up and Vanished. Unlike Serial and Making a Murderer, which leave you with mere speculation, Up and Vanished has an ending. And it’s all. Over. The. Internet. If you want the satisfaction of a genuine, true crime mystery, start to finish, I recommend that you unplug. So, to help shed more light on the case’s premise, and to keep you off the Google-train, I’ll give you a brief summary..

Tara Grinstead, a 30-year-old teacher from Ocilla, Georgia, vanished from her apartment in 2005. Up and Vanished explores the unexpected twists and turns the case has taken over the last 10 years. Tara’s former boyfriend has an open-and-shut alibi– he and his buddy, a police officer, were on a ride along. After leaving an outdoor party, Tara was never seen or heard from again. Her car door was unlocked, and her phone was left charging by her bedside table.

I commend Payne Lindsey’s technique and tenacity. It’s incredible that his attention to the case made such an impact! If you’re interested in more true crime recommendations and musings, check out my most recent article for Other Syndicate.