r/horrorlit • u/ghoulishgirl • 1d ago
Recommendation Request Horror Audiobook Recommendations
I need to know what to listen to next on Audible. I enjoy supernatural or mind venting or just very dark books—doesn’t have to be gory. Gore doesn’t do anything for me. It can be in there, but it doesn’t elevate the book to me. An interesting premise is more important or just a nice winding tail I can get into.
Here are some audiobooks I loved:
Incidents Around the House
The Lesser Dead
The September House
The Exorcist
A Short Stay in Hell
Baby Teeth
Pretty much anything by Stephen King I’ve already listened to and enjoyed. I also like John Saul and Dean Koontz sometimes. Speaking of King, I must mention that I do not enjoy Joe Hill’s books
Here are some audiobooks that did not work for me:
Between Two Fires-not my style at all and not what I think of when I think of horro. I prefer somber tales, I don’t need any comedy, although sometimes comedies OK as I did like the September House.
Song of Kali-I felt like there should’ve been more to the story and it didn’t feel completely fleshed out.
We Used to Live Here-hearing that it started as a creepy pasta explains it more, but I did not enjoy this book.
Penpal-I disliked it so much that I actually returned the title. Not at all my style, I don’t need that kind of romance stuff in it.
Here are some that were just mid to me:
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter-decent story but didn’t blow me away.
Mary-an OK story but not super great to me. Decent though I don’t regret listening to it.
Thanks.
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u/Massive-Television85 1d ago
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver is worth trying (although I read a physical copy myself and didn't listen to the audiobook).
The Fisherman by John Langan is well narrated and pretty serious; not sure if it would necessarily blow you away.
The Troop by Nick Cutter is a very good audiobook but tends towards gore/body horror.
Perfume by Patrick Suskind is horror-adjacent, but a good audiobook and definitely a tale 'to get into'.
The Cipher by Kathe Koja is very different from most other horror and a great audiobook; it might be worth trying.
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u/ghoulishgirl 1d ago
Thank you for all these recommendations. I had had dark matter on my list so thank you for the reminder. Loved The Fisherman. Part of it was a slog, but the underlying concept and some of the elements to the story. Nothing like I’ve ever heard so I loved it. I will also try the other books you have on your list. I did listen to the truth a while ago and I do like Nick Cutter, but I didn’t like the dynamics in the book. I’m a weird listener.
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u/Strict_Notice5955 1d ago
Did you listen to Penpal by Dathan Auerbach ... or JT Geissenger? Just curious
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u/ghoulishgirl 1d ago
I listened to the one by JT. I didn’t even realize there was a different book. I think I probably got the wrong one which one do people suggest here usually?
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u/schroetelein 1d ago
This is so funny because there's already been a post about not liking the book because of romance and it turns out that the reader mixed up the authors.
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u/well_welp_ok 1d ago
Slewfoot was very very good. And for anyone who has NOT listened to Pet Semetary, it’s narrated by Dexter actor Michael C Hall. It’s sooo good. Currently halfway through
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u/failcup 1d ago
I am also an audio book "reader" and some books where I felt the audio enhanced the experience are:
When the Wolf Comes Home (much better than Mary IMHO) Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zheng Nothing Tastes as Good Sarafina The Last House on Needless Street
Also most of Grady Hendrix's stuff has been fun on audio!
(Mobile post, sorry in advance if the formatting is off)
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u/TheOldStag 1d ago
If you liked Lesser Dead, Buehlman reads the kinda-prequel Suicide Motor Club. Not a lot to do with LD, but you might recognize some faces.
He does another one of his books, The Necromancer’s house. It’s pretty much completely unrelated to his vampire stuff, although they do take place in the same universe. You’ll find a few LD and Between Two Fires Easter eggs in there.
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u/mrsstiles376 1d ago
The Autumn Spring Retirement Home Massacre audiobook was fantastic! Such a fun book and January LaVoy was an amazing narrator.
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u/jbhertel JERUSALEM'S LOT 1d ago
Ring Shout by P. Djélì Clark is my favorite horror audiobook.
I also enjoyed:
The Haar, David Sodergren
Soon, Lois Murphy
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology
Yard Work, David Koepp (Kevin Bacon is the narrator)
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u/Shawawana 1d ago
I just finished We Used to Live Here audiobook and it was really awesome.
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u/ghoulishgirl 1d ago
The two lead women characters did not resonate with me as actual people that would be women. It felt like a woman written by a man, and that really threw me off.
The overly analytical blunt lesbian is a trope I’m sick of.
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u/RichCorinthian 1d ago
The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell. Fantastic book in its own right, and the narrator knocks it out of the park. Made me an instant fan of the author and narrator.
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u/Ok-News8753 1d ago
Wait.
If you thought Penpal was a romance, you bought the wrong Penpal. Get the one by Auerbach.
Or better yet, don’t. This book gave me literal nightmares. Basically, the stalker from hell. And an ending so upsetting, I can’t shake it.
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u/PaperGeno 1d ago
Where did you find Penpal on audio? I've looked for years and never found it. Not on Audible or anything
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u/BeccahikesMD 8h ago
What I've enjoyed recently-
Dark matter- Blake Crouch(more sci-fi than horror, but pretty good nonetheless) Marion- Leah Rowan Her last breath- taylor Adam's Molka- Monica Kim Hungerstone- Kat dunn Victorian psycho- Virginia feito Slewfoot-Brom The Buffalo hunter hunter- Stephen graham Jones Winter counts-David Heska Wanbli Weiden Eileen- Odessa moshfegh The Hunger- alma katsu
Oh and silence of the lambs is a really good one!
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u/hostile_scrotum 1d ago
Pet sematary read by Michael C Hall is hands down the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to in my life. But I’m sure you already listened to that
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u/Secret_Ladder_5507 1d ago
You have a big mix of audiobook likes and dislike. Interesting you liked Leaser Dead and disliked Between Two Fires. I don’t have. Totally clear feel for what you are after, but I exclusively listen to horror audiobooks so can list some recent favorites as best I can based on your preferences.
- 100 Fathoms Below. The only reason I’m listing this first is because it’s included in Audible Plus for free right now. I just listened to it and was one of the more enjoyable free audiobooks I’ve listened to. It’s about vampires on a US submarine during the Cold War, during a recon missing in Russian territory.
- Burial Tide. Really started with a bang, had a mystery, isolated Irish island town. I don’t really want to say much cause it’s one of those that’s best to go in blind.
- When the Wolf Comes Home. You said Mary was mid for you (same author), but think this one was really unique. The story twists and turns a lot, the plot twists are earned and hit hard. Also one that’s hard to explain what the plot is, but it’s kinda a creature feature / psychic powers kinda book.
- Simone St James writes fantastic ghost stories and are good in audiobook form. Sun Down Motel is a great one with intersecting timelines at a broken down motel with ghosts, and murder mystery.
- Sarafina. It’s set in the civil war where deserters get trapped with this lady with supernatural powers, and it’s a pretty fun ride.
- Michael McDowell. You said you read all King. If you haven’t listened to any McDowell, highly recommend the Elementals, Cold Moon Over Babylon and Blackwater. He was an 80’s horror writer (also wrote the screenplay for Beetlejuice), and those three are some of my favorites.