Tired of listening to stories about humans? Consider the werewolf! Taking various forms over the course of centuries and mythologies, often as flesh-devourers, werewolves now commonly appear in fantasy and romance novels as shape-shifters. The shape-shifting element in werewolves' stories has almost humanized them, depicting the internal struggles we all face within ourselves, on some level or another.
Whether you prefer werewolves in their traditional beastly form or contemporary hunks, we’ve got you covered with our list of the 20 best werewolf audiobooks of all time.
A coming-of-age tale with a supernatural twist, Mongrels treats werewolf lore and pack rituals in such a matter-of-fact way that you can easily forget that werewolves are not real. The most significant detail is the nomadic lifestyle of our unnamed protagonist, who roams the southern United States with his aunt and uncle trying to stay one step ahead of trouble. While tracing their late-night travels and narrow escapes, Stephen Graham Jones draws striking parallels between the life of werewolves and real-life issues of class and race. Narrators Chris Patton and Jonathan Yen do a brilliant job of capturing the ingenuity and style of this compelling novel while captivating the listener.
From the bestselling author of the Raven Cycle comes this dreamy and tender new take on werewolf lore. Instead of following the established Alpha model, author Maggie Stiefvater spins the tale to show us Sam, a tortured young werewolf who is struggling to hold onto his humanity and make something of his budding relationship with Grace. The first in a YA quartet, Shiver is a listen you'll find hard to pause, thanks to a stellar cast of narrators featuring David LeDoux and Jenna Lamia.
Cooper is an agent with the Bureau of Special Investigations, an institution designed to keep the werewolf population under control. Oliver is a werewolf who works with the BSI to improve human and werewolf relations. This unlikely duo must learn to trust each other enough to solve a series of bizarre murders before anyone else gets hurt—even as their feelings for each other evolve in a decidedly personal and very unprofessional direction. The Wolf at the Door is the first in Charlie Adhara's Big Bad Wolf paranormal romance series.
Is there anything Anne Rice cannot accomplish? When it comes to daring tales of supernatural shape-shifters, it seems not. With narration by Ron McLarty, who brought us into the worlds of Salem’s Lot and American Gods as well, listeners are quickly drawn into the world of Reuben Golding, a handsome and successful young reporter who abruptly finds himself at a turning point in his life—and his very being. Sent on assignment to the rugged coast of Northern California, Reuben is intrigued by the history and mystery behind the grand mansion up for sale and its owner, an alluring older woman. He winds up in her bed and then viciously attacked—left with wounds that connect him to ancient powers and awaken a savage hunger.
In this fantastic YA novel that blends dark fantasy and contemporary issues, listeners meet Manuela Azul, whose life in the United States has always been fraught with danger. Seeking to distance herself from the family business of organized crime, overseen by her dead father's family in Argentina, she's been hiding out in Miami. But when an attack leaves her grandmother injured and her mother in the custody of ICE, Manu learns that there are much greater secrets about her heritage than she realized—secrets that come with teeth and fangs.
In this excellent dark fantasy, a professor falls under the spell of a terrifying tale told by a stranger. The story he hears is so compelling that Alok agrees to transcribe a series of old notebooks, wrapped in … some kind of skin. But as he progresses, the tale of seemingly impossible creatures who stalked the land in 17th century India begins to change Alok in dark and upsetting ways. As for listeners, you have the pleasure of being told the whole story by narrators Shishir Kurup and Meera Simhan.
This delightful romp of manners and monsters proves you can fight creatures and maintain social etiquette. While at a party hosted by a werewolf gentleman, the (literally) soulless Alexia Tarabotti accidentally kills a vampire who attacked her. Now she has a reputation as a vampire killer, but Alexia might be the only one in London who knows that she's not responsible for the new rash of vampire disappearances. But will she be able to solve the mystery of the missing undead and still have time for a spot of tea?
Mercy Thompson is a talented car mechanic—who also happens to be able to shape-shift into a coyote. And she prefers to hang out with paranormal entities, from gremlins to vampires. Helmed by the nuanced performance of voice and screen actress Lorelei King, Mercy’s tough exterior softens when, reminded of the werewolves who raised her as one of their own (before shunning her for starting a forbidden interspecies relationship), she takes in a boy werewolf in need of her help. The act of kindness has unintended consequences that place Mercy and her local community in danger, forcing her out of her cozy mechanic’s life and into an adventure to save herself and the supernaturals she loves. Moon Called is the first installment in a spellbinding series from bestselling author Patricia Briggs.
The second book in Kristen Painter's series set in Nocturne Falls, where ghouls and ghosts roam about in broad daylight with mortal folks none the wiser, The Werewolf Meets His Match is a fun rom-com take on the world of werewolf politics. Ivy and Hank, both werewolves, are engaged to be married in a bid to bring together their feuding packs. They have nothing in common—she's a feisty rebel and he's a responsible sheriff (and the alpha's heir)—and are less than pleased about the marriage. How long will it take for their feelings toward each other to change? And will their relationship weather the storm as Ivy's secrets threaten to push them apart?
The first in a series by the prolific Charlie Adhara, Pack of Lies is a paranormal murder mystery unlike any other. When Julien goes looking for the truth behind his brother's death, the last thing he expects is to come across handsome yet mysterious retreat manager Eli. And he certainly didn't expect Eli to turn out to be a werewolf. Can Eli help Julien get to the bottom of things when everyone else in town would rather turn their backs, hoping that long-buried secrets will stay hidden?
Here's a listen that will have you emotionally invested in the fate of its characters from the very beginning. Elena Michaels just wants to live a normal life—work as a journalist, lunch with friends, and romance with her architect boyfriend. She’s tired of moonlighting as the only female werewolf with the job of rounding up rogue wolves. She tries to set boundaries. But then her pack calls her back, asking for her help to stop a sudden uprising. Equal parts hilarious, tragic, and steamy, Bitten is best experienced through the voice of narrator Aasne Vigesaa. And once you find yourself unable to sleep because you have to find out what happens next, be sure to make your way chronologically through Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld series.
Nalini Singh has established herself as the queen of shape-shifter romance. And in the tenth book in her Psy-Changeling series, our shape-shifting Alpha is a werewolf. Hawke is the Alpha of the SnowDancer wolf pack, a position he’s held since all of the adults in the pack were betrayed by someone from within. He has remained firmly focused on his purpose of protecting the pack and walking alone—until unexpected circumstances arise. He finds himself drawn to Sienna Lauren, a Psy defector who entered his pack with her family three years ago. Can he trust her? Will he be able to keep her at a safe distance? Hawke and Sienna also make an appearance in the first book in the series, Slave to Sensation. Immerse yourself in a story of what happens when all inhibitions are lowered, narrated by Angela Dawe.
Jake does not have much to live for. On the cusp of 201 (though you’d never suspect it, thanks to his regimen of vigorous sex and diet rich in animal protein), Jake is the last of his species, and he’s one lonely werewolf. He would like to die—but, for very different reasons, two dangerous groups are intent on keeping him alive. Just as he becomes resigned to the hopelessness of his future, Jakes finds someone who reignites his desire to live. The Last Werewolf is a traditional lone werewolf story with a modern adrenaline boost, and it’s told in such an engrossing way that the hours you'll spend listening to Robin Sachs’s performance will fly by. Filled with thrilling, humorous, and romantic moments, this is a great listen on its own, but it also sets the pace for an entertaining trilogy.
In this fun and frightening mystery, an investigation into the paranormal naturally requires a paranormal investigator. When someone—or, more likely, something—starts killing people in gruesome ways in the Washington wilderness, the local police turn to a professional. Cryptozoologist Dr. Ian McDermott, an expert on all things supernatural and wrestling with some demons of his own, will turn his expert eye to the case. But can he get to the bottom of the killings before a bigger evil is unleashed?
Asher knows far more about witchcraft than she does about raising children, but she nonetheless signs on as a governess for the Morwoods—family that keeps almost as many secrets she does. In truth, Asher took the job so she could execute a gruesome revenge that has been long in coming. But the more time she spends with the Morwoods, the more she begins to wonder if she can condemn them to such a grisly fate after all. While she ponders whether to move forward with her plan, she finds herself falling for the Morwoods' groundskeeper, Eli, an exceptionally handsome werewolf. Narrator Louise Williams captures the drama of The Path of Thorns, a dark and twisted tale of magic, family secrets, and vengeance.
When it comes to making werewolves come alive as complex and passionate creatures, few authors rival Nalini Singh. The Psy-Changeling trinity is an exciting spinoff of her long-running Psych-Changeling series, and though popular characters do make an appearance throughout, these titles can be listened to independently of each other without disrupting the flow of the story. In Wolf Rain, we come to know Memory, an empath with a tormented past, and her unlikely soulmate, Alexei, a werewolf, as they try to fight off the forces that threaten to destroy her. The wonderful narration of Angela Dawe nails the steamy scenes and witty dialogue as well as the deeper backstory.
So much of werewolf-centered fiction focuses, understandably, on the animal that lurks inside each of us—and the consequences of unleashing such a creature. In the freshly released Such Sharp Teeth, Rachel Harrison spins the tale of Rory Morris. Rory isn’t too keen on returning to her hometown, a place beset with painful memories. Nevertheless, when her pregnant sister Scarlett needs help preparing to welcome her child, Rory relents. The last thing she expects is that a night out will end in a violent run-in with a massive animal. When she comes to from the savage attack, she finds a new strength, a strange aversion to silver, and a fixation with phases of the moon. Kristen Sieh deftly voices Rory's confusion—and her overwhelming urges.
Okay, so Miyoung is not technically a werewolf, but this story's meditation on themes of transformation and humanity will resonate with any werewolf fan. Miyoung is a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox, who stalks Seoul by night, searching for corrupt men she can feed upon. But when she breaks the rules by saving a young man, Jihoon, from a supernatural death, she loses her immortality and the ability to transform into the vengeful gumiho. Eventually, Miyoung will have to make a decision—Does she stay with Jihoon in her human form, or does she abandon the boy she loves to regain her powers? Wicked Fox is an immersive young adult novel with a follow-up, Vicious Spirits. Both audiobooks are performed by the incredible Emily Woo Zeller.
What Dracula did for vampires, The Werewolf of Paris did for their furry, clawed counterparts. Written in 1933 by Guy Endore, this classic work of Gothic fiction follows werewolf Bertrand Caillet through early 1870s France. As Caillet travels through the country coping with his affliction and masking the beast within himself, Endore frankly explores themes of sexuality and society. But the real story here isn't the man-turned-monster—it's the human horrors of the very real Franco-Prussian War and the tumult of the Paris Commune. This listen is a brilliant blend of historical fiction, psychological character study, and horror. Jean Brassard narrates with an authentic French accent and grasp of Caillet's turmoil.
Though wolf-shifter Jacob Black and his pack appear throughout Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, the second novel, New Moon, is the most entrenched in werewolf lore. After Bella Swan is abandoned by her newfound vampiric love Edward Cullen, who feels he must leave in order to protect her, she becomes depressed and finds herself leaning on Jacob more than ever. When the normally sweet Jacob begins displaying emotional volatility, Bella suspects there's something amiss—but that "something" certainly wasn't his being a werewolf. Ilyana Kadushin voices all the anguish of forbidden love and the fervor of a dangerous passion.