In The Dark – Trailer: Blood Relatives

Podcast: In The Dark
Host: The New Yorker
Episode: Trailer: Blood Relatives
Date: October 21, 2025

Overview

This trailer introduces "Blood Relatives," an investigative series from the award-winning podcast In The Dark, now in partnership with The New Yorker. Host Heidi Blake sets the stage for a new, gripping investigation into one of Britain’s most notorious unsolved crimes — the White House Farm murders — and promises deep dives into not only the crime itself but also the institutions tasked with delivering justice.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Setting the Scene: A Crime in the English Countryside

• The trailer opens with an atmospheric depiction of the crime scene:
  • Described as "a pretty desolate place, kind of driving in under smouldering gray cloud" (A, 00:02).
  • Focus shifts to White House Farm, "an elegant country manor" featuring a stern warning: "Big sign saying trespassers will be prosecuted" (A & B, 00:10–00:24).

The Crime and Its Notoriety

• The case at the heart of the series is highlighted as a national infamy:
  • "It became the scene of one of Britain's most infamous crimes." (B, 00:27)
  • "It's one of the most notorious and shocking crimes in living life." (A, 00:32)
  • "Five members of the same family were brutally murdered... one of the most sensational murder cases of the decade." (C, 00:36)

Revisiting a Frequently Told Story

• The saturation and fatigue surrounding the case are acknowledged:
  • "It was a story so often told and retold, it seemed there was nothing more to know." (B, 00:43)
  • "Oh, Lord, not this again. Listen, we're not going to go anywhere with this. We're not going anywhere with it." (C, 00:50–00:54)

A New Lead Emerges

• Despite previous coverage, the investigation finds new ground:
  • "But then I got a tip that that story was wrong." (B, 00:58)
  • "I always said to people, I don't know what's going to happen, but I know there's going to be a twist, a massive twist." (C, 01:04)

The Hidden Turmoil and Family Involvement

• The underlying chaos and panic following the crime are exposed:
  • "They wanted to give the impression, I think, that everything's fine, but underneath, you know, there's turmoil." (B, 01:09)
  • "The whole thing was just shambolic, you know, it was panic. 247 panic. What can we salvage? What can we resubmit?" (C, 01:16)
• The role of the family in seeking justice is emphasized:
  • "And your family, I think, was very instrumental in finding the evidence and putting the case together." (A, 01:23)
  • "Really, I think we hadn't have done. I think he really got away with it. I really do. I think he would have got away with it." (C, 01:29)

Questioning the System

• Blake uncovers implications that stir doubt in institutional integrity:
  • "The story I uncovered challenged what I thought I knew. Not only about the murders at Whitehouse Farm, but also about the police, the judiciary, the whole British legal establishment." (B, 01:40)
  • Cover-up allegations:
    • "At every level of the criminal justice system, there's been a cover up in this case. Well, I certainly didn't give anyone a statement. No one's spoken to me about it since the 1980s other than you." (C, 01:56)
    • "Does that seems. That seems kind of strange. Does that seem strange to you?" (A, 02:07)

Protesting Innocence

• The episode highlights a declaration of innocence:
  • "I didn't murder my family, I promise you. You know, no matter how many times we... we slice up this case, I'm always innocent." (C, 02:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Atmospheric opening:

  • "It's a pretty desolate place, kind of driving in under smouldering gray cloud." – A, 00:02

• On the reputation of the crime:

  • "It's one of the most notorious and shocking crimes in living life." – A, 00:32

• Media fatigue:

  • "Oh, Lord, not this again. Listen, we're not going to go anywhere with this." – C, 00:50

• On family-driven investigation:

  • "Really, I think we hadn't have done. I think he really got away with it." – C, 01:29

• Institutional critique:

  • "At every level of the criminal justice system, there's been a cover up in this case." – C, 01:56

• Personal plea:

  • "I didn't murder my family, I promise you. You know... I'm always innocent." – C, 02:12

Series Launch & Access Information

• Announced by Heidi Blake:
  • "This is Blood Relatives, a new series from In the Dark and the New Yorker, coming October 28th..." (B, 02:24)
  • Early, ad-free access for New Yorker subscribers at newyorker.com/dark.

Tone

• The trailer maintains an investigative, unsettling, and suspenseful tone, hinting at new revelations in a familiar story, and commits to scrutinizing both individuals and powerful British institutions.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking a suspenseful and meticulous re-examination of a chilling British crime, with all the journalistic rigor In The Dark is known for.