The best fiction podcasts

In this podcast that’s both laugh-out-loud funny and incredibly moving, marine biologist and astronaut Bee Guerrero sets out on the adventure of a lifetime: a dive into the deep waters of one of Saturn's moons. The story is structured as dispatches sent back to earth from Bee's space shuttle, and set in a future ravaged by climate change in which humans have turned to other planets for creative solutions to earth's problems. Bee and fellow astronaut and pilot Ty navigate chilling dangers and unprecedented discoveries as they search for life in uncharted waters. Featuring a dynamic full cast and original music and sound design, this podcast is an immersive listening experience you won't soon forget.

This charming podcast is a great pick for anyone who wants to relieve their days at summer camp. It's the summer of 2005, and Mookie Hooper is at Camp Cartwright, muddling her way through all the ups and downs of being a not-quite-teenager away from home. She spends her time investigating the disappearance of a girl who went missing from camp years twenty years before while simultaneously trying to unlock the sometimes more challenging mystery of how to make friends. Presented as letters Mookie sends to a mysterious figure, this romp through adolescence is as heartfelt as it is humorous—and with Golden Globe winner Jamie Lee Curtis at the helm, you know it’s bound to be something truly special.

Chris Hooper and his crew on the mining ship Marion are beset with problems. In orbit above the planet LV178, home to the strongest material known to humans, they're dealing with an infestation of hostile aliens, as well as a bad shuttle collision. Unexpected hope arrives in the form of Ellen Ripley, the last survivor of a ship that was lost in deep space. Her sudden appearance may be the one thing that can save Hooper and his crew from certain death. This action-packed space adventure will have your heart pounding with every twist and turn. If you’re a fan of the Alien film franchise, this is one you definitely won’t want to miss.

Need some lighthearted humor and workplace shenanigans in your life? This seven-episode comedy, starring actors Andy Richter and Yvette Nicole Brown, follows the staff of a used car dealership over the course of one eventful week. When owner Gary Gallea realizes that a local rival is trying to put his dealership out of business, he has to use every trick he's got up his sleeve to stay afloat. Created by Josh Koenigsberg, whose past work includes writing credits for Orange is the New Black, this zany, fast-paced comedy will have you chuckling the whole way through.

Based on the true story of two famous female pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, this historical drama weaves together adventure and romance in an unforgettable story about survival, justice, and the struggle to live freely. As young women, Anne and Mary disguised themselves as men to both escape poverty and live their lives freely. Anne became a pirate, while Mary sailed with the navy. When the two women meet and fall in love, they embark on a dangerous journey across the seas. Pursued by law enforcement and Anne's husband, their lives are often in mortal peril. But they never give up on their dream of living life on their own terms.

Cozy English mystery meets creepy paranormal activity in this comedic podcast. When a strange event rocks the tranquil English countryside, blogger-turned-paranormal-researcher Cassie Chambers is on the scene to check it out. She's none too pleased to find herself working with Glen Hedely, an uptight agent for a shadowy branch of the American government. Cassie and Glen soon realize they're facing a dangerous threat from an alien dimension. Putting aside their differences, they must navigate unhelpful bosses, a nasty cult, and their own fears in order to solve the mystery before it's too late. Starring Sophie McShera, who played Daisy on Downton Abbey, and Adam James, best known for his role on Doctor Foster, this is one scripted podcast you won't want to miss.

In this humorous podcast that explores all the joys and pitfalls of modern life and internet culture, Alicia Silverstone stars as Katy Perry, a young woman whose life begins to unravel after she's fired from her blogging job. She decides to turn her attention to the next big thing to guarantee her instant fame: podcasts. She begins a podcast about that one time in high school when she told a classmate to Eat sh*t. What begins as a simple project quickly turns into a dark mystery that leads Katy on a surprising journey through her own past.