Can I tell you a secret? is a podcast series that explores the motivations behind cyberstalking. The series begins in a small town in northern England. This is the hometown of Matthew Hardy. His unassuming name belies the great harm he would go on to inflict on many innocent people.

Over ten years, Hardy victimized at least 62 women. The podcast explains that the initial contact was always the same. Disguising himself as a young woman, Hardy would drop a message reading "Can I tell you a secret?" on a woman's socials. He claimed to know something about her life. Her partner was cheating on her. Or her friend was spreading rumors behind her back—anything to get the unsuspecting target to react and respond.

From there, the cyberbullying began in earnest. Hardy would send messages to his victim, her friends, and her family for years. The messages made outlandish claims. For example, the podcast said he accused her of having affairs. He even created fake accounts in her name and scripted online sexual encounters using hacked photos of her.

Can I tell you a secret? notes that the consequences were extreme. Many young women lost friends, families, and jobs. They kept makeshift weapons near them as they slept. While there is no exact number, Hardy counts his victims in the dozens, if not hundreds. Throughout his long career in cyberstalking, police arrested Hardy ten times. But he was always let go and would always go back to harassing young women.

Producer Lucy Hough and journalist Sirin Vale created Can I tell you a secret? to establish a timeline of Hardy's crimes. In the six-episode series, they explore Hardy's background, family, and personal history. They talk to neighbors and former schoolmates. They examine court documents and arrest records

What emerges from Hough and Vale's investigation is a portrait of a sad and lonely man. But it is also a damning report of a system that has not evolved. Can I tell you a secret? is a riveting listen and an excellent podcast choice for true crime fans.