The 10 most fascinating true crime shows to watch now

It feels like every other month a new stimulating true crime show sparks clamour across the world and ignites social media with further fervent speculations.

And that's hardly surprising - it’s astounding what cases producers can dig up and turn into the most compelling, addictive series and films that make you think, “Wait, did this actually happen?” Naturally, crime has always been an integral element of television, spicing up TV shows and films. But it’s this new breed of true crime shows that have us all glued to our screens.

Here, Vogue Scandinavia has picked out 10 of the particularly hooking (and shocking) true crime films and series to binge now.

Related: Sienna Miller and Michelle Dockery challenge our view of consent in your next Netflix binge

A recent addition to Netflix’s selection of true crime series, Bad Vegan tells the story of Sarma Melngailis, a restauranteur who owned Pure Food and Wine, the hottest spot for vegan food in the early aughts New York. However, as Melngailis marries a mysterious man who, amongst other things, claims to be able to make her dog immortal, her life starts to drift off the rails. Including interviews with Melngailis herself, Bad Vegan portrays one of those stories that is so absurd that you almost won't believe it.

Kicking off “scammer season”, The Tinder Swindler caused a stir with its release in February, sending shockwaves across the world alongside a warning that everything may not always be what it seems in the era of dating apps. The documentary film focuses on the interviews of three women – two of them Scandinavian – who were conned by a man they had met on Tinder and fallen in love with. As the show unpacks the shocking events that caused great havoc in the women’s lives, the swindler's victims battle to bring him to justice.

Related: Cecilie Schrøder Fjellhøy on the financial and romantic horrors of being swindled by The Tinder Swindler

Hotly anticipated release that had the internet community buzzing, Inventing Anna is a true story of Anna Delvey (or Sorokin), a fake heiress desperate to claim her spot in New York’s elite. Scamming her way in, Delvey (played by Julia Garner) manages to con even some people who hold the most significant power. As her story unfolds through the eyes of journalist Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky), we learn the truth about the real Anna Delvey.

Related: The Saks Potts ‘Foxy’ solidifies its icon status by appearing in 'Inventing Anna'

A part of FX's true crime anthology television series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story takes viewers through the events that lead to the tragic murder of Gianni Versace (played by Edgar Ramírez). The series offers a detailed view, told from the killer’s perspective, with excellent storytelling. Exploring the events from Donatella Versace’s point of view (played by Penélope Cruz) as well, the show helps to understand the great tragedy that Gianni Versace’s death was.

Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel docu-series delve into the eerie history of the Cecil Hotel – dubbed as "a hotbead for death" – in Los Angeles, famous for its housing of serial killers and alike. The series investigates the case of Elisa Lam, a student who ventured to Los Angeles for a holiday and booked her stay at the Cecil Hotel. As Lam mysteriously vanishes during her stay and is last spotted in the hotel lift acting strange, suspicions arise. Lam's case is probed thoroughly through interviews with the hotel employees, internet sleuths, and authorities.

A true crime series that goes much beyond investigating a case of a kitten killer, Don’t F**k with Cats is a definite must-see. The series is brilliantly executed, beginning with interviews with online sleuths enraged over gruesome animal cruelty videos posted by a twisted criminal, that unfold into a bigger story than anyone could’ve imagined. As a nationwide manhunt for the culprit commences, grim twists and turns emerge.

Related: The biggest Nordic releases coming to Netflix this year

A documentary series exploring extreme abuse of money and power, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich dives into the criminal case of Jeffrey Epstein. One of the wealthiest and most influential men in America’s elite circles, Epstein socialised with the likes of Donald Trump and Bill Clinton. As his survivors come forward, a sex trafficking ring involving several prominent people is exposed. A heartbreaking account that taps into the Me Too –movement, the series offers a detailed view of Epstein’s crimes, for which he was convicted in 2019.

Another astounding case presented by FX's true crime anthology television series, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story, dives into the criminal case of O.J. Simpson and the events that still spark bewilderment and many questions. Probably one of the most famous criminal trials in America's history against a sports legend, the show offers a recounted view of the case and the sentence that was one the most controversial in celebrity lawsuits.

A gruesome account of a serial killer that was on the run in the 1980s Los Angeles, Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer explains the case of Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker due to attacking his victims during the night. The story is told through the eyes of young detective Gil Carrillo and legendary homicide investigator Frank Salerno, as the men do everything in their power to catch the criminal whose acts shook and scarred California and beyond.

As a murder of an English exchange student occurs in Italy under questionable circumstances, American Amanda Knox, the victim's housemate, ends up on the list of suspects. While journalists, the police and Knox herself unpack the events, the documentary's viewers are taken through a mysterious journey, including Knox's trial, conviction and acquittal, leaving a great mystery about who actually committed the act.