30 Best Horror Audiobooks

“The Unknown is a combination of my favorite things from Sager’s works. He has created a narrative that is haunted & atmospheric while bringing the two timelines of the 1926 diary entries & the present day together in a fascinating arc. It is gothic, it is chilling, & it brings us on a rollercoaster of twists & turns until we rest, somewhat shaken, at the very last page.”

“Marcus Kliewer delivers a deeply unsettling, claustrophobic psychological thriller that constantly makes you question reality. The narrator perfectly captures the protagonist’s internal spiral, keeping you right on the edge of your seat as she attempts to survive a bizarre Craigslist house-sitting gig on the isolated Oregon Coast.

Keep reading

As she frantically follows a strict set of “rites” to maintain the property, you are left wondering if the horrific occurrences are truly supernatural or just a contagion of madness passed down from previous caretakers. It is a brilliant, paranoia-inducing listen that leaves you second-guessing every perspective.”

“This audiobook rocketed to my #2 favorite horror I’ve ever read. The voice acting was delightfully creepy, the subtle build of dread was spot on, and I did have to read lighthearted comics after listening to certain chapters in order to get to sleep nightmare-free! The audiobook definitely elevated the experience!”

“Moving back to Nate’s childhood home, it offers a fresh start for his teenage son and the perfect creative space for his artist of a wife, especially now that Nate’s abusive father is dead. It isn’t too long, however, that memories of his childhood, as well as something entirely supernatural and altogether evil, threatens to harm him and his family.

Keep reading

The Book of Accidents is a spooky dark fantasy with the twisty turns of a multiversal thriller (quite popular for the last decade). It reads as a love-letter to all of author Stephen King’s greatest hits, including Pet Sematary, It, and The Stand, but with much more heart, hope, and love. A definite triumph for author Chuck Wendig. Both Xe Sands and George Newbern did spectacular in the narration, adjusting to the various changes in characters like champs and overall making the listening experience as smooth as butter. *Chef’s kiss*”

“Hidden Pictures is reminiscent of the John Saul books I loved in the late 70s and 80s. As his usually did, this story includes a child and some unexplained happenings that may or may not have a rational explanation. Mallory is a 20-year-old just recently out of rehab and a halfway house for drug abuse.

Keep reading

Her sponsor finds her a job as a nanny to an adorable 5-year-old named Teddy. Mallory is well aware that she is under intense scrutiny by Teddy’s parents, who are knowledgeable of her past history. So, when strange things begin to happen, she is at first very wary of telling them what she suspects. For those of you who shy away from mysteries with paranormal vibes be aware that there is nothing supernatural about what happens when Mallory inadvertently discovers some real truths and nothing supernatural about the totally unseen twist that the story takes.”

“Mexican Gothic is a fairytale turned nightmare, perhaps with a nod to Jordan Peele’s Get Out. In 1950’s Mexico, glamorous debutante Noemí receives a mysterious letter from her newlywed cousin Catalina. In frantic prose, she pleads for Noemí to visit her at High Place, the family residence of her husband, an English expat whom she has grown to distrust.

Keep reading

Upon her arrival, Noemí finds a dilapidated, mold-ridden mansion on the grounds of a former silver mine with a sickly past, upheld by a eugenicist patriarch whose suffocating surveillance would drive anyone away, if only they could leave. Woven together like a mycelial network, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s latest features feminist heroism and commentary on colonialism, with language and culture as secret weapons. It’s absolutely delectable.”

“Psycho indeed! Winifred Notty arrives as governess with revenge on her mind and blood on her hands. Lots of blood. Even better than the story is the narrator of the audio version. Her delivery is…gentle and understated — the perfect juxtaposition to the story. Listened on Libro.fm”

“So, I’m not at all a horror person. If you’re not either, be warned that there is some body horror in this, but the most horrific aspect is simply the reality of being a girl in 1970. Through the eyes of Fern, Zinnia, Holly, Rose, and Hagar, we see a hopelessness, desperation, and rage that resonates all too strongly today. A great book club pick for discussion!”

“As both novelist and illustrator, Brom’s work often explores the delicate and devilish dance between monstrosity and humanity. Slewfoot, a story about a young girl, an ancient spirit, and the burgeoning magic between them, is no different.

Keep reading

While Slewfoot is a dark tale of witchery and devilry, it is also a book that explores our connection to nature, the push and pull opposing religions, and the good and evil at the very core of humanity. With a wonderful narrator, Slewfoot is a delightfully wicked time and the perfect audiobook to kickstart your Halloween reading this year.”

“Revelator is a great piece of Southern Gothic horror, mixed with a healthy smattering of body horror. What Daryl Gregory has done was give us a slice of early 1900s Americana, revealing dark things that lie in the hearts of man and in the shadows of a mysterious cave in the hills.

Keep reading

Heaping with devotion, belief, and the ways man will try to capitalize on them, Revelator is terrifically engrossing. As his first foray into horror, Daryl Gregory doesn’t disappoint! As for the narrator, Reagan Boggs, I don’t know if her accent is real or just well-done, but she did a bang-up job in all regards!”

“This is a fantasy novel that I think readers of all genres will enjoy. It is rare that a book with this compelling of a premise pulls it off so well – but The Book Eaters did just that, and more! I loved listening to this dark fairy tale.

Keep reading

Sunyi Dean filled the book with wonderfully complex characters and impeccable world building. The neurodiverse themes and characters are highlighted by a fascinating discussion at the end of the audiobook between Sunyi Dean and the narrator, Katie Erich (who does such a great job narrating). Now I wish every audiobook ended with a discussion like that! You will not be disappointed by The Book Eaters.”

“This frequently amusing and ultimately satisfying meta-horror novel follows Jade, a Native high-schooler with no friends, no extant future outside her janitorial job, and a deep love for slasher flicks, which are her coping mechanism in the face of an alcoholic father and absentee mom.

Keep reading

Film trivia pervade the narration at every turn, but slasher newbies (like myself) will find the references easier to follow thanks to Jade’s essays, presented in between chapters. Soon enough, a series of deaths convince Jade that a real slasher cycle is starting. Is this the overactive imagination of a struggling teen? And if not, what is it? My Heart Is A Chainsaw balances its obligations to both developing real characters of the sort not seen in pulp films, and functioning as a slasher itself, one that will keep you guessing until the end. On the way there, horror tropes are used to examine Native American identity, economic inequity, and childhood trauma. If you’re into slashers, this is one you can’t afford to miss; otherwise I would suggest listening to a sample to see if the narrational style is up your alley.”

“A love letter to horror movie fans, full of allusions and homages to all our favorite slasher films from the 1980s, and so meta that it’s even narrated by the final girl from the original Friday the 13th. Fun, tense, creepy, and original. A great book for spooky season.”

“The queen of feminist horror has done it again, this time with a paranormal twist on the thrilling Groundhog Day. Kiss, Slay, Replay includes everything you love in Harrison’s novels: sickening gore, wry humor, and disarming relatability. It’s an instant attention-grabber with a quick pace and engaging plot you’ll want to replay over and over!”

“Made the mistake of listening to this book before going to sleep and subsequently spent an hour after turning off my phone staring at the shadows at the corners of my room as they morphed into bigfoot. Hauntingly written and beautifully performed.”

“I gulped and gasped my way through this book as fast as I could and I still couldn’t get it all down fast enough. The Minotaur-ish monster in the maze is terrifying, the violence is all there, the narration for the audiobook is breathtaking, but there’s still so much more to this book.

Keep reading

Kiersten White’s ghastly adult debut is as much a character study about trauma in the many forms it takes and the debt we owe to the living and the dead alike as it is about who’s going to get ‘voted off the island’ next. Hide delivers on everything it promises and more. I couldn’t breathe until I’d finished.”

“I do not recommend listening to this audiobook while driving down the Pike in the dark after your shift at the bookstore because this is one of the most creepy, terrifying books I’ve ever listened to. While horror is not my usual genre, the main characters were so relatable and endearing that I had to follow them to the end.

Keep reading

Even when I was yelling at my car speakers when they couldn’t see what was right in front of them. Kara, or “Carrot” as she is know by her uncle, is a freshly-divorced 30-something who has managed to find mostly-stable ground working and living at her uncle’s curios museum, the Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy in North Carolina. And then she finds a hole in the wall. Which leads to a hallway that shouldn’t be physically possible. Which leads to a locked bunker with a body inside. Which leads to a new world, filled with water, and bunkers, and willow trees. But of course, there’s much more than meets the eye. With more curiosity than common sense, Kara and her best friend, Simon decide to explore. And discover the meaning of the ominous graffiti they find, “Pray they are hungry.” If you, too, wish you could celebrate Halloween year-round, this is the book for you.”

“You enjoy a good horror story, but you’re tired of watching the feminine characters run away screaming just when it’s getting good. You’re so over zombies. What’s more, you love the idea that there is deep mystery in nature, maybe even magic, and you’re tired of pagan imagery being used with outdated “Satanic panic” tropes.

Keep reading

What you really want is that feeling that comes from surfacing after the last page of a maybe-I’m-crazy-or-maybe-there-really-is-something-there, intense, suspenseful plot, to find that dawn has begun while you were reading and that the day looks strange and beautiful after what you’ve just experienced. Good thing you have Wonderland by Zoje Stage! See you at breakfast, when you too will be aching to talk to somebody about the ending!”

“Do not skip the content warnings. Andrew Joseph White has shed the constraints of YA, and he absolutely shines. Gruesome and devastating. Completely suffocating at points. This is horror in its truest form, reaching into your chest to examine all of your worst fears.”

“Ghost Station by SA Barnes is a science fiction horror set on a previously abandoned planet. The crew shows up to see what they can find, but everyone’s got secrets, the planet included. While this one definitely has a high creep factor, it was a manageable level for a scaredy cat like me.

Keep reading

I was nervous in the beginning, but I actually ended up really enjoying it. It’s a scary look at human psychology and what drives us as individuals and in groups with an excellent sci-fi plot. The narrator does a wonderful job at building the suspense.”

“The first adult horror novel I ever read, and the reason I don’t go into caves. This book is terrifying and atmospheric, with just two significant characters: the one who’s cave diving on another planet and the one who’s in contact with her over the radio.

Keep reading

It’s a situation that requires complete trust, but they’re both keeping secrets from each other. I first read this book in 2018, and not a week has gone by without thinking of it since.”

“This one lives up to the hype. Although there are numerous points where the story is revealed to be something quite different from what it appeared, you won’t remember it just because the plot twists left your head spinning, but rather because of the fascinating, exquisitely-voiced narrators (including, yes, the gay Christian housecat) and haunting atmosphere.

Keep reading

The audiobook is excellent — Ragland invents a convincing and unique voice for each character, and when the emotions of the story run raw, his voice carries that intensity. If you are looking for a straightforward horror story, you might be disappointed, but if you’re looking for something strange, beautiful, and unexpected you’ll enjoy your time in this house.”

“Wen and her dads are taking a break from everything by visiting a remote cabin for vacation. Wen is studying grasshoppers in their yard when a man comes up and warns her that she and her dads are going to have to make a decision. And that’s about all I can tell you without spoiling the story. This book was so creepy, in a very good way. I’d classify this as horror, but very realistic.”

“A creepy, sinister, can’t-put-it-down story of a town that survives and then relives the crimes of a child serial killer. For those who love psychological thrillers (with the absence of gore but plenty of plot twists and turns), The Whisper Man is a grand ride into the minds of those who kill and those who are victims.

Keep reading

You’ll find yourself looking over your shoulder when reading this book. Don’t stand too close to an open window…”

“Prepare yourself for a trip down the rabbit hole. This poetic horror novel explores the strangeness of and the bonds between the Hollow sisters. Will their traumatic past haunt the rest of their lives or will new details shed their childhoods in a different light?”

“White Smoke was spooky and a very enjoyable audiobook experience. It had all the classic elements of a scary movie with mysteriously disappearing items, a girl who claims to talk to a ghost (parents who brush it off as an imaginary friend), abandoned houses, and a creepy town history.

Keep reading

Jackson builds the intrigue up nicely and narrator Marcella Cox does a great job of keeping up suspense. Perfect for scary movie fans (even scary movie fans lite) and especially those that like rich historical backstory.”

“The Haunting of Hill House is a classic piece of horror literature. Imagine Hill House, this looming home full of mysteries reminiscent of the Winchester House, as its own character. Envision its emotions, its actions, how it may twist the minds of people staying within its walls.

Keep reading

This book is riddled with humor, queer subtext, and set in a beautifully gothic setting; what more could you want? I know I, for one, have been yearning for my own cup of stars after this read, and I’m sure you will too. If you watched the show, be prepared to have a very different experience reading. The two stories are quite different, and I promise you that though the show has its own merits, the book is well worth the read (and if you ask me, better!)”

“This is by far my favorite Stephen King novel. I saw the movie when I was 12 and could not wait to get my hands on the book. The Overlook Hotel has a fascinating history of murder, madness and malevolent spirits.

Keep reading

The Torrance family move in for the winter as caretakers and quickly discover that this is not a normal hotel. Their young son Danny has a special gift that the hotel cook dubs the ’shining’. He sees things that others do not and has a not so imaginary friend that speaks to him. His father, Jack, who is a writer, starts his descent into madness as the isolation and spirits start to take hold of him. His wife and son soon realize that they are in danger not only from the hotel but from Jack. Horror is one of my favorite genres and The Shining is at the top of my list.”

“If you’re going to read one scary book, let it be Pet Sematary by Stephen King. I don’t scare very easily as an avid horror reader, but this one really kept me up at night, and made me highly suspicious of my cat for weeks after.”

“Joe Hill is officially back! This is a great fantastical horror story that adds a dash of dark academia. It’s a story that follows 6 friends through the decades, where they are always trying to stay ahead of their own moral compasses. The narrator does a fantastic job, and it’s easy to follow each character through the novel. I loved it!”