Sample
  • The Hunger

  • By: Alma Katsu
  • Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
  • Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (2,066 ratings)

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The Hunger

By: Alma Katsu
Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
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Publisher's summary

"Supernatural suspense at its finest...The best thing about The Hunger is that it will scare the pants off you."—The New York Times Book Review

"Deeply, deeply disturbing, hard to put down, not recommended reading after dark."Stephen King

A tense and gripping reimagining of one of America's most fascinating historical moments: the Donner Party with a supernatural twist.

Evil is invisible, and it is everywhere.

That is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the wagon train known as the Donner Party. Depleted rations, bitter quarrels, and the mysterious death of a little boy have driven the isolated travelers to the brink of madness. Though they dream of what awaits them in the West, long-buried secrets begin to emerge, and dissent among them escalates to the point of murder and chaos. They cannot seem to escape tragedy...or the feelings that someone—or something—is stalking them. Whether it's a curse from the beautiful Tamsen Donner (who some think might be a witch), their ill-advised choice of route through uncharted terrain, or just plain bad luck, the ninety men, women, and children of the Donner Party are heading into one of one of the deadliest and most disastrous Western adventures in American history.

As members of the group begin to disappear, the survivors start to wonder if there really is something disturbing, and hungry, waiting for them in the mountains...and whether the evil that has unfolded around them may have in fact been growing within them all along.

Effortlessly combining the supernatural and the historical, The Hunger is an eerie, thrilling look at the volatility of human nature, pushed to its breaking point.

©2018 Alma Katsu (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

An NPR Best Horror Novel

A Suspense Magazine Best Book of the Year

Winner of the Western Heritage Award

Finalist for the Bram Stoker Award

Finalist for the Locus Award

And one of...

The New York Times's 50 States, 50 Scares Picks

O, The Oprah Magazine's Scariest Books of All Time

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AARP Magazine's 20 Scary Books for Grownups

Forbes's The Five Best Horror Books of 2018-2019

Vulture’s 13 Great Horror Books Written by Women

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BookRiot's 15 Favorite Historical Thrillers

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BookRiot's Best Horror Books of the Decade

The Observer's Best Books of 2018

InsideHook's New Wester Canon Selections

Mental Floss’ 13 Essential Horror Novels From The Last Five Years

Goodreads’ The Most Popular Horror Novels of the Past Five Years

Shondaland’s 16 Spine-Tingling Reads for Halloween

Men’s Health’s Best Horror Books

“Supernatural suspense at its finest...It is strangely ethereal, yet gritty...But the best thing about The Hunger is that it will scare the pants off you....Enjoy the journey, one so entertaining that you almost don't mind feeling queasy at dinner.”—The New York Times Book Review

"Not only will Alma Katsu's acclaimed novel haunt you, it will give you empathy for the people forced to undergo such horrors."—O, The Oprah Magazine

“Katsu shows an acute understanding of human nature.…[She] is at her best when she forces her readers to stare at the almost unimaginable meeting of ordinary people and extraordinary desperation, using her sharp, haunting language.”USA Today

Featured Article: Hungry for More? Don't Miss These Buzzy Listens Perfect for Fans of Yellowjackets


As any fan of the Showtime hit will tell you, Yellowjackets is an intense, character-driven story that melds elements of horror, drama, and thriller. The show follows the fictional Wiskayok High School Yellowjackets, a girls' soccer team whose plane crashes on the way to a tournament, stranding them in the wilderness. Pair the second season of the hit series with listens that explore survival against the odds, trauma bonds, and female friendship and rivalry.

What listeners say about The Hunger

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful reimagining the Donner Party tragedy.

This is the type of audio book that warrants repeated listening. I found myself looking up details of the ill fated Donner Reed excursion time and again. A wonderful reading that continues to build tension and dramatic action as events unfold. Masterful storytelling.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Not a very well developed story

Not a very well developed story. Didn't care about any of the characters and honestly, it's a ripoff of the script from the movie 'Ravenous'.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The donner party with a dark twist

I really enjoyed this story it was a bit slow at first but by chapter two I was hooked. It really makes you feel the fear these characters are going through and has great suspense highly recommend

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best horror story in years.

A rerrifying and spellbinding twist on a grusome nightmare. Great narration. When's the movie scheduled?

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Original take on an old legend

Wasn’t sure what to expect at first. Read a comment by Stephen King saying this will keep you up at night. True! Check it out.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent historical slow burn

Engaging, mysterious, and thoughtful. The only thing I was missing was a little more speed in the climax, but that's a personal preference. The narrator was a treat to listen to, especially their performance of the most tense scenes.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The Hunger

Too much like a soap opera. The ending is rather abrupt. The paranormal influences don't really fit with the story. narrator was ok.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

historical fiction

a take on the struggle that a large group of people persist through, in hopes they make it to the other side. Although not what I expected, this gives a historically fitctitious account of the donner party and the people that made the trip with them. while based in fact, this story takes a few predictable turns, and some you won't predict.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Scary an very good

Not to detailed to where it just drags on an on but enough to where u can visualize it the book keeps you on edge

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

intriguing!!!

loved this book! it kept me interested the entirety of the reading! I enjoyed the story and the reader!

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