Why are we fascinated by creepy stories?

Everyone seems to be talking about the Netflix series My Little Reindeer, a story - inspired by real events - that depicts a toxic relationship between a comedian and his stalker. The audience has become so invested in the series that they've embarked on searching for the real Martha, the stalker in the series. What started as an innocent search quickly turned into a witch hunt. Richard Gadd, the director and lead actor of the show, had to issue a statement to convince the audience to stop the search. Dark series with themes of crime, rape, kidnapping, etc., have been enjoying solid success in recent years. Examples include Dahmer, Making a Murderer, The Keepers, to name a few. But why are we so fascinated by these grim, bizarre stories that depict the darker aspects of humanity?

One possible explanation could be the search for excitement and adrenaline in a safe environment. Dean Fido, lecturer in psychology at the University of Derby Online Learning, explains that the "true crime" genre is different from others: "As humans, we're always seeking something new and unprecedented. Whether it's good or bad, we need something that creates an element of excitement. When we combine this desire with understanding and solving a mystery, we can experience a brief and intense adrenaline rush, but in a relatively safe environment." According to some evolutionary psychologists, we're drawn to these narratives because murder, rape, and theft have been significant elements of human society since the time of hunters and gatherers. It's in our nature to be extremely attentive to crimes, and we instinctively desire to uncover the "who," "what," "when," and "where" to understand what motivates criminals and better protect ourselves and our loved ones.

This interest in such narratives is particularly noticeable among women. A study from the University of Illinois showed that women are especially fond of true crime stories, more so than men. The phenomenon has become so widespread that the image has almost become a cliché: a woman sipping wine while listening to a podcast about a serial killer in the background. Memes called “Women True Crime Meme” are popping up on social media. The same American study states that women show greater interest in narratives exploring the motivations of murderers, describing the means by which victims escaped, and highlighting female victims. This trend aligns with the evolutionary theory that individuals are instinctively drawn to narratives where they can identify with the victim and discover insights and strategies to overcome antagonists.