The hit Netflix series You, based on the Joe Goldberg novels by Caroline Kepnes, has been a fan favorite since the release of its first season back in 2018. We’re now four seasons in and there's no sign of stopping, with the show cementing itself as one of the most popular contemporary television thrillers.
The show, like the book series that inspired it, follows Joe Goldberg, a bookstore clerk who uses his charm to seduce women before eventually destroying their lives. It's a dark but compelling story that explores romantic obsession, power, and privacy while delving deeply into the mind of a psychopath.
If you've watched all four seasons of You, listened to all the Joe Goldberg audiobooks, have already preordered For You and Only You, and don’t know what to listen to next, don't fret. There are loads more creepy, compelling, suspense-filled stories like You to sink into. Whether you're looking for stories about cunning psychopaths, domestic thrillers, or romantic obsession with a side of murder, these listens will provide you with hours and hours of good old-fashioned chills.
There's no question that unshakable, unhealthy infatuation is at the heart of what makes You so compelling. If you're craving another story immersed in a loop of obsession, Eileen is a must-listen. Set in the 1960s, Ottessa Mossfegh’s debut follows Eileen, a young woman who spends her days working as a secretary at a boys' prison and her nights taking care of her alcoholic father. But Eileen's budding friendship with the new prison counselor soon turns into a nightmare, leading to her disappearance from the small town. Alyssa Bresnahan's narration heightens the atmosphere of suspense, fully embodying a growing sense of dread.
Jennifer Hiller's chilling debut is another thriller centered on dangerous obsession. Like You, Creep explores the build-up and eventual fallout of an ill-advised affair. Psychology professor Sheila Tao knows it's a bad idea to get into a relationship with one of her grad students, but she figures she'll be able to end the affair eventually. But when she cuts things off with Ethan, he turns into a monster, refusing to accept her rejection. Soon Sheila is caught up in a dangerous game with a man intent on destroying her career—and her life.
It's fitting that two talented narrators, Barrie Kreinik and Julia Whelan, should bring this thriller, written by a pair of bestselling authors, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, to life. Jessica Farris is a young makeup artist trying to make a little extra money by participating in a psychological study about ethics. But before long, the questions start to feel a little too personal, and Jessica becomes apprehensive about Dr. Shields, the mysterious doctor running the study. Kreinik and Whelan both deliver brilliant performances in this dual POV novel—Dr. Shields's chapters are just the right amount of creepy, whereas Jessica's are a blend of naïve and incredulous.
In this Audible Original, an obsessed fan's letters to a Hollywood star become increasingly distraught and disturbing. Seraphina is an up-and-coming young actress, both popular and successful. The anonymous letter-writer, a small-town grocery store clerk, indicates she has some information Seraphina will want, and then pledges to do absolutely anything to protect Seraphina from danger. Told entirely through letters and emails, Dear Seraphina is a twisty suspense novella with a satisfying dose of pop culture commentary.
If you're fascinated by characters like Joe, whose charisma and ability to hide their true intentions lets them get away with almost anything, you're going to want to listen to Never Saw Me Coming. It follows a trio of university students who are all part of a clinical study on psychopaths. They all go to classes and participate in campus social life, but they also lack empathy for their fellow humans. When one of the students in the study is found dead, the remaining participants realize that all of their lives might be in danger. Narrator Brittany Pressley does a great job navigating many different character voices with ease.
Speaking of Summer is a thriller full of messy characters with complicated relationships and rich emotional lives—perfect for anyone who enjoys You and the Joe Goldberg novels as much for their twists and turns as for the complex character development. After her twin sister Summer disappears from their Harlem brownstone, Autumn Spencer struggles to keep her life together while investigating the case on her own, as the police don't seem to care at all about Summer's fate. Karen Chilton's emotional narration adds another layer of depth to this fast-paced domestic thriller.
Fans of the You book series know that every installment is told from Joe Goldberg's point of view, making for a uniquely creepy listening experience. If you're seeking more listens that explore the inner workings of a serial killer’s mind, you might want to start with Read Me. It closely follows a serial killer as he prowls through London in search of victims, whose lives he then destroys. This novel isn't for the faint of heart, but it won't disappoint listeners looking for a dark, upsetting, and visceral exploration of power and manipulation.
After suffering a very public humiliation when she was teenager at an elite high school, Ani FaNelli has spent years trying to put the past behind her and move on with her life. She finally appears to have it all—a beautiful house, a perfect job, and a dreamy fiancé. She also has a secret that could destroy the life she's worked so hard to build. Voiced by Madeleine Maby with a performance that’s by turns tense, funny, and heartfelt, this is a pause-resistant listen about the pressures society so often places on women, and what happens when all those pressures finally cause someone to snap.
Internet privacy and social media play into some of the more disturbing storylines in You, and author Kathleen Barber explores those same themes in Follow Me. Audrey Miller has just moved to DC for a new job at the Smithsonian, which she documents, along with the rest of her life, for her enormous social media following. She has no idea that one of her many followers is actually a stalker who's been watching her every online move for years. And now, she lives closer to him than ever before. Audrey soon realizes that she has no privacy left at all, and that her stalker will stop at nothing to get what he wants from her.
Obsession isn't just for lovers, as Madeline Stevens proves in her gripping debut about two women whose mutual fascination threatens to ruin both their lives. At 26, Ella is broke and struggling just to get by in New York City. An unexpected meeting with a wealthy couple changes everything. Lonnie is also 26 and lives with her husband, James, and their baby in an elegant brownstone on the Upper East Side. When they offer Ella a position as their nanny, she's soon swept into their glamorous lifestyle. But as Ella becomes more and more obsessed with Lonnie's life, from her clothes to the men she sleeps with, she starts to lose her sense of self—and her grip on reality.
