Horror is having a moment in the spotlight (shadows?) like never before. No longer sidelined as cheap, gory thrills for cult fanatics, new horror books and films are eagerly anticipated and critically dissected as we adorn our lawns with the latest spooky status symbols, 12-foot skeletons. Perhaps the world is simply becoming a scarier place, and art is mirroring life.
But diehard fans of the genre know that horror is always relevant. After all, what scares us—whether tangible and rooted in reality, like grief and mortality, or in the unknown and unexplainable, as with specters and ghouls—is worth exploring. When we are brave enough to confront our inner demons and deepest terrors, we come to understand ourselves and each other a little more.
This list encompasses the full spectrum of what horror can be—campfire-worthy tales, stomach-churning gore, and incisive social commentary. The classics are accounted for, but it also spotlights more recent titles than you might find on our other Audible Essentials lists, because that’s the nature of the genre—it is as perennial as it is ever-evolving, conjuring whatever frights most haunt our collective consciousness. Each title does have one thing in common: It makes for devilishly good listening. So cut the lights and press play—if you dare.
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Peter Straub’s Ghost Story is a well-executed horror classic that weaves together traditional oral lore with the terrifying idea that past wrongdoings eventually come home to roost.
No other evil clown holds a candle to Pennywise. And Steven Weber's portrayals of King's characters in various TV miniseries no doubt prepared him for the terrorscape he so aptly brings to life.
When a yearly camping trip takes a deadly turn, a scoutmaster and his troops are subjugated to horrors they never could have imagined in this stellar performance of Nick Cutter's The Troop.
Its expert author-read narration and basis on a notorious 1965 murder case elevate this dark and disturbing coming-of-age horror story to essential status.
Lauded as one of the most impactful vampire novels ever, I Am Legend stands the test of time. Narrator Robertson Dean accurately captures the nuances of the protagonist’s voice through every battle.
Rachel Yoder’s blackly comic debut is the best depiction of the monstrosity of motherhood we’ve heard. Cassandra Campbell only heightens it with a howlingly good performance.
The voice of modern horror icon Patrick Wilson (Insidious, The Conjuring) captures the mounting tension as four vacationers fight for survival while trapped in an unforgiving, unsettling jungle.
A powerhouse collection of Indigenous dark fiction penned by writers ranging from Tommy Orange to Rebecca Roanhorse, this anthology of eerie tales is simply unforgettable.
Bernadette Dunne’s narration is unnerving, projecting a looming sense of unease and eeriness in this story of the last living residents of the Blackwood estate.
David Morse performs this nail-biting tale of a small group of scientists spirited away to help the US government clean up its mess—a virus that now threatens the world.
Writer and director Jordan Peele brings Black horror from screen to page in an anthology filled with the talents of incredible Black authors and performers.
From a chilling premise that explores how far parents will go for their (bloodthirsty, zombified) kids to R.C. Bray’s GOAT performance, this sleeper hit keeps us wide awake.
Katherine Dunn’s masterpiece about misfits first ripped us open decades ago; now it’s helping to put us back together via the life-giving tonic of Christina Moore’s fully committed narration.
Amid their almost delirious portrayal of joy, there's something sinister about theme parks—and this twisted thriller may just give you pause before booking that next family vacation.
We would have to be headless to sleep on Tom Mison’s masterful performance of this pulse-raising pursuit through a haunted forest, written by Washington Irving.
This gem—a mix of horror, fantasy, and fairy tale—features the kind of dark psychological terror that fans of The Exorcist will appreciate, and author Victor LaValle's performance is a gift.
This Pulitzer-winning novel depicts all shades of humankind—from the compassion and selflessness between parent and child to the ruthless brutality of marauding highwaymen.
Eldritch horrors and tender moments abound as a woman tries desperately to uncover what has happened to her wife, who returned home from a subaquatic expedition eerily changed.
Jackal is an enthralling slasher that offers a larger commentary about race, society, and what safety (or, for that matter, “horror”) means for those who face oppression every day.
Though most people know The Silence of the Lambs from its Oscar-winning film adaptation, the novel is superb in its own right, and Frank Muller’s performance is nothing short of excellent.
Jaws is not a conventional horror story, but its impact on the "monster" genre is hard to overstate. While different from the film, this listen packs the same thrilling punch.
Grady Hendrix blends the supernatural with the excitement and torments of high school in the 1980s, and Emily Woo Zeller delivers a perfect portrayal of teen angst and fear.
The title story of this Harlan Ellison collection—narrated by prolific performer Luis Moreno—is postapocalyptic sci-fi at its bleakest and most horrifying.
One of the greatest villain POVs ever, this strangely seductive novel of a mad perfumer and his olfactory obsession hits with the carnal power of a rare musk.
Atmospheric and folkloric, this story begins as a horned creature with cloven feet appears in a New England Puritan colony in the 1600s, igniting cries of witchcraft and devilry.
This bloody, sexy, postapocalyptic story of trans survival and killer TERFs is an instant classic and nonstop good time; we’d follow Katherine Pucciariello’s voice to the end of the world.
At 27 hours, Our Share of Night is a demanding listen, but Enriquez’s supernatural narrative, boosted by Frankie Corzo's riveting reading, grips the listener from the first few moments and doesn’t let go.
John Langan’s whale of a tale—inside a tale, inside a tale—is part Melville, part Lovecraft, and all mesmerizing, thanks in part to Danny Campbell’s well-paced performance.
Toni Morrison provides the captivating narration for her masterwork, the story of a haunted house, a mysterious stranger who might be a child's ghost, and the brutality of slavery in all its unvarnished horror.
Acclaimed actor Richard Armitage underscores this classic's deeper themes while capturing the transformation of a man who has lost his better self to his monstrous alter ego.
Set against the backdrop of 1940s postwar Britain, and narrated by the incomparable Simon Vance, this eerie, literary gothic sees a country doctor attending to a patient within a decaying, ghostly estate.
Performed in 2022 by Matt Godfrey, Roger Zelazny’s 1993 A Night in the Lonesome October remains a staple in horror as it blends fear and humor in a masterful way, making it a yearly October must-listen.
Robin Miles imbued her voice with the perfect mix of emotion and tension to bring this tale of generational haunting—both literal and figurative—to life.
A dark psychological horror with sharp social insight, The Only Good Indians is made all the more haunting by the brilliant, eerie performance of actor Shaun Taylor-Corbett.
During the Civil War, zombies walk the earth, and young Black girls like Jane McKeene train to hunt them. Narrator Bahni Turpin has listeners instantly rooting for this fierce heroine.
As much a pulse-pounding, psych-vampiric thriller as an incisive glimpse into the darkest depths of human history, this listen is as mind-bending as it is monstrous.
The seriously eerie novel behind the Broadway show, The Phantom of the Opera is here, inside our minds, as one of the most haunting listens. The late Ralph Cosham provides flawless narration.
A terrifying entity is unleashed alongside nightmarish visions of family secrets and the very real, very monstrous systemic evils plaguing Indigenous communities.
The one-and-only Stephen Fry performs some of the best ghost stories of all time, presented in truly terrifying spatial audio, and tells us why these classics are his favorites.
The Turn of the Screw has seen many adaptations, but the audio is a real treat: Academy Award winner Emma Thompson exquisitely unfolds the growing dread in this psychological thriller.
Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking story of a troubled scientist and the monster he unleashes into the world is made even more suspenseful by Dan Stevens's chilling performance.
Rachel Harrison's debut—about the return of a missing girl who does not seem like herself—signaled the arrival of an exciting new voice in twisty, compulsive horror.
In Catriona Ward's dark and creepy psychological horror, narrator Christopher Ragland assumes the POV of three compelling characters—one of whom is a cat.
Carnivals are just straight creepy. And Christian Rummel's performance is spot-on in Bradbury's deliciously dark take on small-town America and innocence lost.
In her English-translated debut, Agustina Bazterrica crafts what is probably the most intriguing story of industrialized cannibalism you'll ever hear. Steel your stomach before hitting play.
Whether you believe the events within this story are based on fact or are a complete work of fiction, listener favorite Ray Porter infuses this infamous tale with pure terror.
The demons at the heart of this story are as terrifying as the hate they personify. Mara Wilson’s measured performance is a perfect match for Tingle’s pragmatic and determined heroine.
T. Kingfisher’s knack for atmospheric suspense plus a haunting performance by Hillary Huber immerses listeners in every corner and claustrophobic confine of this menacing story.
Emily Woo Zeller offers a criminally good performance in this dark Japanese thriller, in which a young mother murders her abusive husband, and her night-shift co-workers help cover it up.
Both an homage to and a play on the classic slasher film, this meta horror romp is a must-listen, thanks to equally excellent performances by Erin Bennett and Hillary Huber.
Frankie Corzo's voice has both the strength and the sass to match Noemí’s character in this eerie haunted house tale set in the Mexican countryside during the 1950s.
The nightmarish classic grows even longer legs with Ralph Cosham bringing Kafka’s unforgettable body horror to life in a performance that makes the skin crawl.
The narration from Sir David Suchet (a.k.a. the original Hercule Poirot) makes this classic story an annual must-listen. It's haunting in every sense of the word.
A Head Full of Ghosts brings an apparent exorcism into the modern age, drawing ties to the voyeurism of reality TV and online communities.
The rich descriptions of the setting, the complex characters, and the historical references woven into the narrative make the listening experience unforgettable.
The Exorcist is at its scariest in audio. It's read by the author himself, and the narration is as dark, enthralling, and utterly petrifying as the subject matter.
Mona Awad explores the darker side of perfection in this bizarre academic story about an MFA student who is invited into the unsettling "it crowd"—all of whom call each other "Bunny."
Octavia E. Butler did not shy away from the horrors of humanity in her sci-fi and fantasy writings, and her thought-provoking spin on the vampire genre is no exception.
An immersive production, a gorgeous soundtrack, and a brilliant performance by Paapa Essiedu make this classic horror story as scary today as it was in 1983.
Absurd and completely mystifying, this collection of horror stories—which won the Shirley Jackson Award—is unlike anything we've seen or heard before.
This chilling classic is voiced by Mia Farrow, who so memorably portrayed Rosemary in the iconic film, and here she gives an equally outstanding performance.
The horrors of the Jim Crow South manifest as true demons in P. Djèlí Clark’s haunting exploration of an era marked by fear and violence.
Is ANYTHING creepier than an evil kid? Zoje Stage’s knockout debut about a budding psychopath boasts a superb performance from Gabra Zackman.
In horror, demonic possessions traditionally plague adolescent girls, but Mary shows that terrifying changes can happen to anyone at any point in life.
Bird Box perfectly captures the lurking sense of an unseen, unknowable terror, and narrator Cassandra Campbell evokes the palpable fear of a mother desperate to keep her two children safe.
The bonus content and talented voice cast of this audio production—including Mark Hamill, Rob Reiner, Simon Pegg, and Martin Scorsese—enliven an already unforgettable zombie story.
While Dracula is riveting in its own right, the audiobook is truly hair-raising, bringing together Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, and a cast of award-winning narrators to tell the tale that continues to inspire horror writers.
Along with all the mystery, thrills, and supernatural themes, Shutter gives us a peek into the sights and sounds of the Navajo Nation through Ramona Emerson’s writing and narrator Charley Flyte’s performance.
This classic short story feels as haunted as its titular talisman. It makes you shudder every time, especially with the dazzlingly gifted B.J. Harrison at the helm.
Writing as Poppy Z. Brite, Billy Martin shocked and terrified readers with this classic body horror, now complete with an intoxicating performance by Joshua Saxon.
Two generationally different dog catchers take on ravenous monsters wreaking havoc on their small town in this terrifyingly fun, star-studded Audible Original.
Narrated with unparalleled skill by actor Kate Mulgrew, this sharp reimagining of the vampire tale has plenty of bite. A must-listen for fans of things that go bump in the night.
This groundbreaking vampire trilogy was the inspiration for the hit FX show of the same name. We don't know what's better, the nail-biter plot or the fact that Ron Perlman performs it.
Besieged by grief, two families seek a bit of respite on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. In place of peace and quiet, they find a house alive with a malevolent entity.
Narrator Pablo Schreiber delivers a chilling performance of this modern classic; as Bateman, his voice is by turns cold and calculating and disturbingly charming.
Noir meets supernatural in this grim account of a man willing to do whatever it takes to save his family—even if it brings him face-to-face with darkness itself.
The heart-pounding feelings of dread and guilt explored in Poe's classic tale haunt listeners long after they've finished, thanks to an eerie performance by Ruth Wilson.
A dramatized adaptation of one of the first vampiric thrillers ever published, Carmilla is a must-listen tale of erotic gothic horror performed by an all-star cast.
Hillary Huber is deliciously devious as Dorothy, a food critic who also happens to be a serial murderer intent on making haute cuisine out of her unfortunate lovers' organs.
The inspiration for a major horror franchise spanning films, comics, and more, The Hellbound Heart introduced one of the most legendary antagonists of all time: Pinhead.
The full cast of this post-apocalyptic audio drama makes the fear palpable as the chilling, otherworldly sound design sucks you in. Listening in the dark highly recommended.
David Koepp’s small-town plant-horror listen is an unforgettable, suspenseful tale performed by award-winning, legendary actor Kevin Bacon.
Richard Armitage and Emilia Fox narrate this titillating short story collection that subverts the narratives of well-known fairy tale characters such as Red Riding Hood.
Kirsten Potter's narration will drop you deep into the California mountains, where hunger and evil lie in wait, in this supernatural reimagining of the Donner party incident.
This take on the vampire myth—an effective, stirring character study commenting on the brutality of mortals and immortals alike—inspired two films and a Showtime series.
This story’s themes of distrust and betrayal remain as chilling as they did 50+ years ago. Narrator Kristoffer Tabori happens to be the son of Don Siegel, who directed the 1956 big-screen rendition.
Susan Dalian's voice lures the listener into Cassandra Khaw's grim, gory reimagining of the Little Mermaid fairy tale, which makes for a quick fever dream of a listen.
A powerful exploration of the abuse women suffer in the name of health care, this novella will disturb and enrage. Jo Myddleton’s voice charts the course of the story, calm at first, then rising in desperation.
The ocean is a scary place. Plunging listeners into the depths of the Mariana Trench, this menacing thriller unfolds with murderous mermaids and cinematic suspense.
Once upon a midnight dreary, Dominic West grabbed the mic to give wings to a ghastly listen, elevating Poe’s iconic poem to new heights.
Performed by Holly Palance, the scene-stealing nanny in the 1976 film (which was novelized by David Seltzer after its release), the audio performance of The Omen is a must-listen for all fans.
Brought to life by award-winning narrator Eric G. Dove, Seed is an unforgettably creepy Southern gothic that keeps earning more diehard fans.
This classic of post-apocalyptic fiction tied Stephen King's Misery for the 1987 Bram Stoker Award. Narrator Tom Stechschulte makes 34 hours of terror feel like it's not long enough.
Ray Porter, with his laid-back and at times mischievous delivery, is the natural choice for this anthology of cosmic horror from the creative mind of Laird Barron.
Infused with elements of gothic horror, this genre-defying novel is as haunting as the visions that torment its characters, and Karen Chilton's performance is similarly transcendent.
Christopher Beuhlman's chillingly intimate author narration is the lifeblood of this wholly original spin on the vampire trope that takes place in gritty 1970s Manhattan.
Lovecraft's legacy has been rightfully recast as problematic, but his influence on the genre is undeniable. The late Edward Herrmann's masterful performance makes this one worth revisiting.
Six talented narrators capture every twist and turn of Lauren Beukes's unpredictable and unpausable thriller about a time-traveling serial killer in Chicago.
Shirley Jackson’s genre-defining tale cemented her as a genius in the horror genre, having inspired two films, a limited series, and countless other haunted-house stories since.
King's gut-wrenching classic pits family tragedy against a terrifying, tempting chance to resurrect the dead. As if the story weren’t already horrifying enough, Michael C. Hall, known for portraying the serial killer Dexter, narrates.
