For as long as humans have told stories, we have had a fascination with paranormal and supernatural forces. The folklore of just about every human culture is rife with stories that feature talking animals, shape-shifters, demons, witches, spirits, and more. This influence can be seen in modern fiction too.
With the fall season in full swing and Halloween and all its spooky festivities and traditions fast approaching, there's no better time to pick up a paranormal audiobook. Whether you arrive seeking horror, thrills, romance, or pure escapist fantasy, there’s a title here for you. And with a slate of narrators that includes famous actors and award-winning voice artists, it’s impossible to go wrong with any of these picks. So, grab your pile of blankets, dim the lights, brew your favorite autumnal beverage, and settle in for some epic chills.
Perhaps one of the most widely beloved paranormal romances of all time, Twilight is an international phenomenon that still holds as much power today as it did when it was first published. It tells the story of Bella, an unassuming teenage girl who has just moved to a sleepy town in Washington state with her father and feels isolated until she meets a captivating boy named Edward. When Bella discovers that Edward and his family are vampires, what unfolds is the saga of a love that seeks to transcend time itself. With the recent release of Midnight Sun—which retells part of Stephenie Meyer's original four books through Edward's perspective—there's never been a better time for both new and returning listeners to dive into the world of The Twilight Saga.
Gu Miyoung seems like an ordinary young woman at first glance, but she is hiding a secret—she is a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who subsists off the spiritual energy of men. In Wicked Fox, the first of two novels Kat Cho has set in this universe, Miyoung meets Jihoon, a human boy, whom she saves from an attacker. Despite a longstanding gumiho code to avoid interactions with humans, it is not long before something begins to spark between the two. Narrated with grace by Emily Woo Zeller, this pair of novels is a must-listen for fans of supernatural romances.
Technically speaking, this pick isn't an audiobook. No, the Audible Original Impact Winter is a totally immersive audio experience unlike any other, utilizing innovative 3D audio that makes it difficult to ascertain where reality begins and ends. And that's especially terrifying here, as we're left to fend for survival alongside sisters Darcy and Hope in the face of the end of times—and the vampiric creatures that haven risen from the darkness. Whether listeners are fighting beside battle-ready hunter Darcy or running for dear life, this impeccably designed thriller feels less like hearing a story retold and more like living it in real time.
When discussing vampire fiction, the work of Anne Rice simply must be a top contender for greatest of all time. The Vampire Chronicles is testament to that claim. Spanning 13 installments, it is easily one of the best paranormal audiobook series you can put into your ears. The first audiobook in the series, Interview with the Vampire tells the life story of vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac. Many books in the series are performed with aplomb by Hall of Fame narrator Simon Vance, who brings the requisite gravitas to Rice's vampire saga.
From Helene Dunbar, author of We Are Lost and Found, Prelude for Lost Souls introduces listeners to an unusual little town. In St. Hilaire, it is commonplace for folks to talk with the dead—in fact, there's a bustling tourism industry of people traveling from afar to commune with spirits. But when one boy grows dissatisfied with life in St. Hilaire, he and his friends are thrust into the center of a conspiracy. Featuring a trio of outstanding narrators in Kirby Heyborne, Nick Mills, and Brittany Pressley, this fresh, inclusive listen will delight fans of supernatural YA novels driven by quirky and endearing characters. If you're drawn to St. Hilaire, it's also the setting for The Promise of Lost Things, another tale of death, mediums, romance, and revenge.
Stephen Graham Jones writes horror full of smart social commentary, complex characters, and no shortage of terrifying scenarios. The Only Good Indians follows the entangled lives of four Blackfeet Indian men who are all haunted by an experience they shared in their youth. As adults, the men find themselves hunted by a violent and determined evil entity. Voiced by Native performer Shaun Taylor-Corbett, this dark audiobook and its consideration of revenge, grief, and cultural traditions is perfect for listeners looking for plenty of scares alongside a story that will change the way you think about the supernatural realm and the natural world.
An expansive detective series set in modern Chicago, The Dresden Files is a delicious synthesis of pulpy noir and magic. Harry Dresden, the only professional wizard in the Windy City, is widely renowned for his ability to catch the bad guys. From grisly murders to treachery, heists, and more, no case is too complex for Dresden's skills. Starting with Storm Front, all of the listens in this wide-ranging series are narrated by James Marsters (known to Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans as Spike), whose performance as Harry Dresden is simply unforgettable.
When sweet little 11-year-old Regan MacNeil is possessed by a demonic entity, her mother, Chris, calls on Father Damian Karras to expel the darkness and save her daughter’s life. So much more than a simple made-you-jump shocker, The Exorcist is also a thoughtful meditation on crises of faith and what it means to be human. And if that isn’t enough to convince you to give this classic novel a listen, believe us—you’re going to want to hear William Peter Blatty’s absolutely impeccable performance of his own triumph. Not only is this the scariest author narration of all time—there, we said it—it’s also among the best ever.
The third installment in the acclaimed Audible Original adaptation of Neil Gaiman's comic books epic, The Sandman: Act III is a triumph of groundbreaking audio design and narrative excellence, with an all-star cast including James McAvoy, Kat Dennings, Andy Serkis, Regé-Jean Page, Kristen Schaal, Wil Wheaton, and Gaiman himself as The Narrator. In a spellbinding tale of deities, myths, heroes, and legends told throughout time, space, and realities, the titular "Sandman" (Lord Morpheus, the immortal king of dreams, stories, and imagination) goes out to tend to some Endless family business. Meanwhile, at an inn at the intersection of all worlds, a group of travelers are forced together by a storm that threatens to destroy reality itself, leaving grave repercussions in its wake.
A group of soldiers in Afghanistan are attacked by werewolves, transforming them into an elite team of shape-shifting warriors known as the Alpha Pack. In Primal Law and successive installments, the ex-Navy SEALS use their supernatural abilities to combat the human and paranormal forces that threaten the world, as well as in their myriad romantic entanglements. Kirsten Potter and Marguerite Gavin lend their narrative talents to this ongoing series, bringing to life the intensity of J.D. Tyler's action and romance with soulful readings.
Gatlin, South Carolina, is a small, unassuming town that Ethan can't wait to escape. The teen is frequently visited in his dreams by a young woman, about his age, whom he has never met. However, when that same and very real girl, Lena, moves to Gatlin, her family's long and cursed history threatens to upend life in the quiet Southern town for good. Each of the four main installments in Beautiful Creatures is narrated by Kevin T. Collins, who fully embodies Ethan's angst and longing as the life he's always known begins to unravel around him.
By day, Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic, living what appears to be a completely normal life in the Tri-Cities area of Washington state. By night, however, she is acquainted with something beyond the everyday human world—her ability to shape-shift into a coyote gets her tangled up with all manner of supernatural creatures and paranormal activities. Though raised by werewolves, Mercy is a down-to-earth Urban Fantasy heroine, portrayed perfectly by Lorelei King in each of the 13 listens in this ongoing series. Full of dry wit, unexpected twists, and heart, Moon Called kicks off Mercy's adventures in a way that will keep listeners coming back for more.
Stark is a hitman from Los Angeles, whose dark past of entertaining demons with his natural magical abilities has him on a quest for revenge against the creatures who abducted him. Aided by his friend Vidocq, an immortal Frenchman, and Kasabian, the disembodied head of a cantankerous video store owner, Stark's journey toward vengeance is long and bloody. Across 12 novels in the Sandman Slim series, Richard Kadrey spins a captivating tale of revenge and absolution, packed with an unforgettable cast of characters, brought brilliantly to life in audio by the measured narration of MacLeod Andrews.
N. K. Jemisin's previous fantasy series, such as Inheritance and The Broken Earth, were set in completely imagined worlds grounded in real humanity. So, it's no surprise that the Hugo Award-winning author's vision of modern New York City is as honest as it is fantastical in her latest series, The Great Cities. In the first installment, Jemisin's talent for crafting unforgettable fantasy is on full display when a supernatural, Lovecraftian force threatens to swallow the Big Apple whole. Narrated by the accomplished Robin Miles, who captures the pathos and grace of Jemisin's writing to a tee, The City We Became marks the start of an exciting new trilogy for paranormal fans.
You may be familiar with Coraline as a children’s title, but it's well worth revisiting as an adult. Author-narrator Neil Gaiman’s knack for the truly creepy is on full display in this otherworldly tale of alternate reality. The story, which won both Hugo and Nebula Awards, follows a young girl who, after moving with her family to a small town that she finds absolutely dreary, wishes for excitement and gets just a bit more than she bargained for. If you’re familiar with the story or the 2009 film adaptation, you know that music plays a large role, and the audiobook includes a musical soundtrack and narrative sound effects that make this production truly one-of-a-kind.
Chess Putnam is the tattoo-covered, no-nonsense, ghost-hunting protagonist of Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series, and she's a hero you'll likely never forget. In a world ravaged by zombie attacks, people with Chess's talent for both hunting the undead and sniffing out the liars and cons among the living are invaluable. But she has found herself indebted to a drug lord, which leads Chess to seeking a huge payday from her (un)deadliest job yet. Across six installments, each narrated by the incomparable Bahni Turpin, Chess's adventures are packed with action, magic, and wild brushes with otherworldly forces.
In the aftermath of a deadly bioengineered disease that wiped out the majority of the world's humans, supernatural beings that have long coexisted with mortals are revealed and now rule as the planet's main inhabitants. A witch, Rachel Morgan works for Inderland Security, an agency that maintains law and order, but she longs to start her own practice. When her attempts to leave the I.S. amicably do not go according to plan, Kim finds herself at the center of a witch hunt—with a bounty on her head for exposing one of her city's most notorious criminals. Marguerite Gavin, the narrator of Dead Witch Walking and most of the 14 installments in The Hollows series, turns in a stupendous performance, nailing Kim's POV.
If you're looking for cozy fall listening with romance, just the right amount of angst, and plenty of atmospheric magic without gore or horror, TJ Klune's Green Creek should be at the top of your list. This beautiful series centers on a family of werewolves, the people who fall in love with them, and the queer found family they all build together. It's full of Klune's signature humor and playfulness, but don't press play expecting only laughs—these emotionally nuanced stories of the supernatural will pull on your heartstrings too. As for the narrator? To quote one enthusiastic listener: "Kirt Graves is superb!"
As a subcategory of fantasy, paranormal stories are often designed to provide listeners an escape from reality. Molly Harper’s Half-Moon Hollow series does just this—and then some. These romantic (and often hilarious!) romps follow Jane Jameson, a disgruntled children’s librarian who goes on a bender after getting fired by her horrid boss, awakes to find that she’s died ... and been brought back as a vampire. Jane’s inner thoughts and outer dialogue are jam-packed with razor-sharp quips that narrator Amanda Ronconi delivers with pitch-perfect comedic timing. And with over 15 installments in the series, there’s no shortage of story, so you can zip through each audiobook without worrying about your next listen.
Halfway to the Grave finds half-vampire Catherine Crawfield relentlessly tracking down vampires in an effort to figure out which one might be her dad. It’s not until she’s (unenthusiastically) thrust into partnership with a vampire bounty hunter named Bones that she’s forced to admit not all undead guys are deadbeats after all—in fact, she might have more chemistry with this one in particular than she’s eager to admit. Audie Award winner Tavia Gilbert voices both sides of Catherine and Bones’s tense relationship in a way that has sparks flying right through listeners’ headphones. And there's more vampiric passion to devour in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress novels.
The first in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead Until Dark is the basis for the smash HBO vampire series, True Blood. It follows Sookie, a telepathic waitress, in a version of Louisiana where vampires live openly among humans, thanks to the invention of a synthetic blood that makes it unnecessary for the undead to prey on people. When a vampire named Bill stops into Sookie’s diner, it sparks a romance that quickly becomes problematic when suspicious deaths start taking place across town. As the innocent Sookie, voiced with a pitch-perfect Southern drawl by the enchanting Johanna Parker, is pulled further and further into Bill’s world, she is forced to contend with just how dangerous he—and others like him—may be.
One need only see Stephen King’s name attached to The Dead Zone to know that this is a bonafide classic of the paranormal genre. But this tale (which was originally published in 1979 and adapted into a Christopher Walken film in 1983) isn’t just supernatural—it’s also a gripping political thriller that forces listeners to contend with the unsettling responsibilities that come with a sudden gift for telepathy. King’s main character, Johnny Smith starts out as the quintessential everyman, but descends quickly into a darkness that the narrator captures with a menacing perfection—but be careful, this story is likely to keep you up at night. Actor James Franco performs it all brilliantly.
Fans of rich, detailed plots that arc over decades, nations, and heritages will find all of their favorite elements in this part-fantasy, part-historical fiction. From the early 1800s all the way through World War II, A Secret History of Witches traces the magical power handed down through five generations of women. In some, it lies dormant—in others, it is hard to keep hidden. And when the cataclysmic toll of WWII rolls around, that power becomes more essential than ever—not only to the women who possess it but also the world at large. Each woman’s attitude toward her gift is different, and narrator Polly Lee switches between each character’s personality with enthusiasm, carrying each witch’s passion and strength as she navigates her particular challenging world.
There’s no doubt that the late Shirley Jackson was a genius. Her inventive prose, incredibly human characters, and nearly tangible settings make her work outstanding—and all the scarier for it. Her 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House was adapted into two films—one in 1963 and another in 1999—and, more recently, served as the basis for a widely adored Netflix series that premiered in 2018. Jackson’s spooky classic follows a researcher and his companions as they investigate the mysteries that abound in the seemingly haunted, ghastly Hill House estate. But when night falls on Hill House, things become more far unearthly than what could be perceived during the light and hope of day.
While many of the titles on our list are genre-benders, only Grady Hendrix nails the unique blend of the supernatural with the excitement and torments of high school in the 1980s. At the core of this tale is a relatively innocent experiment with LSD that turns into a truly horrific dance with the devil. Audie nominee Emily Woo Zeller lends her voice to the story of sophomores Abby and Gretchen, who go for what starts as a skinny dip that turns into something far more sinister. As Gretchen’s personality undergoes drastic changes, it’s up to Abby to determine what’s going on—and whether or not she can save her best friend.
For fans of the supernatural who just can't choose a favorite ghoul or goblin, Dennis Mahoney's short story compilation My Heart is Full of Blood offers tales of everything from demonology to vampirism. The members of the Equinox Society are just like you—ordinary people fascinated by the alluring darkness of all things haunted, bizarre, otherworldly. In each story, you'll hear reports exploring that odd intersection of reality and the supernatural, a line that seems to blur more and more with each account. Whether it's a teen emailing from beyond the grave or a benevolent witch who just wants to lend a hand, this character-driven Audible Original collection extends compassion and humanity to the, well, decidedly inhuman. Readers include Sean Patrick Hopkins, Emily Bauer, Cary Hite, Fiona Rene, and Josh Hurley.
The thrill of the paranormal often lies in the aesthetic details that decorate the worlds we enter. It’s these dark atmospheric delights that Ami McKay has perfected in her 1800s paranormal period piece, The Witches of New York. Add to this the sharp narrative performance of Audie winner Julia Whelan, and this audiobook is a true gem of both plot and performance. Set in the metropolitan center of the world during the luxurious Gilded Age, the story follows a teenager named Beatrice who answers a mysterious advertisement: "Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply." What follows is a wholly unique adventure that exposes Beatrice to the strength of her own power—not just as a witch but as a strong woman in a world that forces women to fight for many of the rights we know and cherish today.
From mother-daughter author team P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast, House of Night has all of the fun of a YA vampire tale with enough sophistication to suit grown-up paranormal enthusiasts looking for a light and unnatural getaway. The series kicks off with an energetic teen named Zoey discovering that she’s "marked" as a vampire. And that means she must leave the life she knows behind to attend boarding school in hopes of being able to survive the "Change" and become a fully-fledged creature of the night. Narrator Caitlin Davies is a veteran of the YA fantasy genre, and she nails the perfect combination of innocence and angst to bring Zoey to life—or, rather, to undeath.
Alma Katsu's works straddle the line between historical fiction and supernatural horror so effectively that, even if just for a moment, you might find yourself pondering what's really out there. In The Hunger, Katsu turns this lens towards the already horrific true story of the Donner Party, an 1846 wagon train that resorted to cannibalism after being trapped, snowbound, in the mountains. With mystical prose and a supernatural atmosphere, Katsu poses that perhaps it wasn't an inopportune act of nature but a paranormal entity descending upon the traveling party. Kristen Potter's narration will drop you deep into the California mountains, where hunger and evil lie in wait.
Tananarive Due, a master of supernatural horror, offers a different take on the haunted house story in this contemporary novel about the ghosts—both literal and figurative—that haunt families across generations. Grieving and alone after her son's suicide, Angela returns to her family's ancestral home, hoping to find answers. Instead in The Good House, she finds an ancient evil bent on destroying everything it touches. Audie Award-winning narrator Robin Miles imbues her voice with the perfect mix of emotion and tension to bring this tale of legacy, family, home, and the spirits that are left behind to life.
Laden in the occult and the mythos of cosmic being Cthulu, Victor LaValle's The Ballad of Black Tom reimagines and reinvents the monsters of H.P. Lovecraft's "The Horror at Red Hook," all from the perspective of a Black man in 1924 Harlem. Busker Charles Thomas Tester does all he can to make ends meet. When he crosses paths with a reclusive sorceress in Queens, though, he finds that he has bigger problems on his hands—namely, the great and terrible power that has awoken, threatening to swallow Brooklyn whole. This is a gripping horror yarn worth a listen on its own—but as Lovecraft's writing was notoriously saturated in racist and xenophobic undertones, LaValle's recentering of the work feels especially important.
If you want to get sucked into a sprawling universe of war, romance, and vampirism, look no further than The Black Dagger Brotherhood. The most recent installment, The Sinner is number 18 in the series, but fear not—each title stands alone, and if you fall in love with J. R. Ward’s world (as we suspect you will), you can go back and listen from the beginning. In The Sinner, Brotherhood member and vampire Syn has been working a mercenary hustle on the side, which makes it all the more complicated when his illicit dealings lead him to Jo, a half-breed who needs his guidance to learn her true nature. Set against the backdrop of a quickly gathering war with the evil Lessening Society, Syn and Jo’s fraught connection pulls listeners in with very little hope of escape.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia excels in every genre, from noir mysteries to historical fantasies, and all of her talents are on full display in Certain Dark Things. This gritty, contemporary vampire novel has the pacing of a thriller and the world-building of an epic fantasy. Set in Mexico City, the dark and suspenseful story follows the exploits of a lonely street kid, Domingo, and the mesmerizing and dangerous Atl, a descendant of ancient Aztec blood drinkers who changes his life forever. Aida Reluzco narrates their daring attempts to evade the vampires, humans, cops, and criminals intent on devouring them.
Sometimes, there’s nothing better than a good old-fashioned ghost story—and if that's what you seek, The Darkwater Bride delivers. Set in late Victorian London, this Audible Original Drama from writer Marty Ross is a ghoulish listen, combining mystery thriller, historical fiction, and the traditional ghostly legend. After the body of a well-respected Scottish businessman is found in the Thames River, his daughter pairs with a local detective to investigate. But they quickly become entwined in the eerie mysteries of a local legend, the Darkwater Bride, and her deadly kiss. The spine-chilling intrigue is brought to life by a full cast of skilled actors, including Freya Mavor, Adrian Scarborough, and Jamie Glover.
No one writes YA horror and suspense like Tiffany Jackson, whose tension-filled audiobooks will have you pacing around your house and gasping aloud. The Weight of Blood follows biracial teenager Maddy in the wake of her Georgia high school's first integrated prom. It's both a brilliant (and terrifying) reimagining of Stephen King's classic Carrie and a timely reckoning with America's racist history. A diverse, immensely talented cast of narrators led by JD Jackson brings Maddy's family and classmates to life.
If you’re in the mood for a listen that’s as steamy as it is supernatural, Angels’ Blood is sure to satisfy. Audie Award-winning narrator Justine Eyre voices Elena Deveraux, the best vampire hunter in the game, as she embarks on a bid to track down something more dangerous than anything she’s ever encountered—a fallen archangel. With her classical acting skills on full display, Eyre also performs Deveraux’s client, the seductive and dangerous archangel Raphael, as well as all of the multitude of sinister characters she meets along the way. And she lends her voice to each installment in the sizzling paranormal series by Nalini Singh.
If one of your favorite things about Twilight is Stephenie Meyer’s development of a whole vampire society and its inner workings, then you’ll love Octavia E. Butler’s Fledgling. This book puts a lot of the focus on the way vampires create communities, laws, and feuds with one another. At the story's center is a girl with amnesia—who’s actually a 53-year-old genetically modified vampire on the hunt to discover who took away her memories and stole her life. But if she’s not aware of who she is and where she came from, how can she protect herself from those who are still out to destroy her? Accomplished narrator Adenrele Ojo captures the heroine's confusion, gradually awakening, and quest for vengeance.
Karen Marie Moning offers a paranormal blend of mystic and mystery in Darkfever. The story begins with a murder that leaves only a single clue—a message left for the victim’s sister. Driven by this message, MacKayla Lane embarks on a journey across the Atlantic to find the answers she seeks among Ireland’s vicious Fae. Male or female, American or Irish, human or Fae—narrator Joyce Bean shifts between character voices with impressive ease, pulling the listener ever further into the mystery, which, as Mac quickly learns, involves far more than her sister's death. The sprawling Fever series totals 11 titles thus far, immersing both Mac and the listener in an intricate and dangerous world that’s not as separate from humanity as one might expect.
Narrator Will Patton sounds like a supernatural being himself—or several, actually—as he effortlessly voices the dozens of unique characters in Call Down the Hawk, Maggie Stiefvater's follow-up to her award-winning Raven Cycle series and the start of a new trilogy. The story follows several teenagers with a powerful connection to the dreamworld. Some are gifted with the ability to pull objects and events out of their dreams and into reality. Some live inside their dreams and depend on dreaming to stay alive. And some are determined to rid the world of dreamers. Patton's multifaceted, expressive voice is by turns full of longing, eerie, mystical, and menacing.
Fans of Holly Black's young adult tales about the world of Fae will be equally delighted by Book of Night, her adult debut. Narrator Sara Amini's low, enchanting voice and shifting tone capture all the layers of this dark fantasy, in which shadows are more than they seem. The shadows hold all the hidden, secret parts of a person and can be used to alter someone's feelings, shift their perceptions, or steal their memories. Charlie is a bartender in a quiet New England town who gets by doing small acts of shadow manipulation. But her quiet life is thrown into turmoil when a terrible figure from her past returns to haunt her.
Vampires are a staple of the paranormal genre, appearing in a multitude of forms, and Claire Kohda puts a fresh, smart spin on their lore in her stunning debut novel. A decidedly modern story, Woman, Eating focuses on a young biracial vampire desperate to prove herself as an artist. Lydia just wants to belong among humans and go out to lunch (she's especially dying to try Japanese food), but her need for blood has always set her apart. As she struggles to make space for herself in an inhospitable world, she's forced to confront her own hunger—in more ways than one.
There's nothing quite as spooky as a haunted house story, and Isabel Cañas makes the most of this staple in her debut work of supernatural suspense and historical fiction. Set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, The Hacienda opens as Beatriz accepts an offer of marriage from a handsome near-stranger, hoping his beautiful estate in the country will be the fresh start she needs. But Hacienda San Isidro is far from a refuge—it's a strange, eerie house full of dangerous secrets and unsettling happenings. And there's no one—not her new husband, not his sister, not the cook—to save her. Except maybe the local priest, who has mystical powers of his own.
A family with dark, unspeakable secrets, a boy with a mysterious new friend, and an ancient evil force all converge on a small town in rural Pennsylvania. With such elements, The Book of Accidents has all the makings of a classic paranormal horror spine-tingler, and bestselling author Chuck Wendig doesn't disappoint. The brilliant Xe Sands and George Newbern both give fittingly creepy performances sure to get under your skin. You might want to keep the lights on while listening.
Lee Mandelo's debut novel, Summer Sons has all the trappings of the best Gothic novels—a lurking sense of evil, characters with mysterious pasts, a creepy, isolated setting, and world-building inspired by Southern folktales. After his former roommate Eddie dies of an apparent suicide, Andrew travels to Vanderbilt University to trace his steps, determined to untangle the truth from the shocking web of intrigue surrounding his best friend's disturbing death. Narrator Will Damron captures all the complicated nuances of love and grief in this haunting story about queer family, masculinity, and dark family secrets.