Turn the lights off, light up the candles, and gather around, because it is time to tell some spooky stories. The best-selling horror stories of all time are an integral part of modern storytelling culture, and these audiobook adaptations of horror novels are guaranteed to induce chills in all who are brave enough to listen. Horror writers like H.P. Lovecraft, Henry James, and Bram Stoker paved the way for modern stars like Mark Z. Danielewski, Peter Straub, Dan Simmons, Helen Oyeyemi, and more. They all have one thing in common: an insatiable desire to terrify.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of the biggest selling horror stories of all time, but it is also one of the most iconic. After all, no Halloween dress party is complete without someone dressing up as the monster, Viktor Frankenstein’s ungodly creation, complete with its signature neck bolts and stitch marks. Frankenstein, adapted to all forms of media, remains at its most chilling in story form, and Dan Stevens does a tremendous job building tension and anxiety with his narration here. Originally published on New Year’s Day in 1818, Shelley’s seminal work is one of the best horror books in history, a titan of the genre, and a genuinely sinister audiobook listen.
![Dracula [Audible Edition]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81iTqQPxj7L._SL800_.jpg?w=3840&q=70)
If Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tops the list of the best horror stories, Bram Stoker’s Dracula isn’t far behind. It is just as embedded in popular culture (and just as ubiquitous at those aforementioned fancy dress parties). Vampires have experienced something of a renaissance in the 21st century, thanks to the success of the Twilight series. Still, Stoker’s original is an altogether scarier tale, and the full-cast performance here adds another layer of chilling suspense to this oft-recounted horror story. Dracula endures as one of the most horrifying stories ever told, adapted into countless genres and forms more than a century after its original publication.
When it comes to adaptations of the scariest stories ever told, few come close to the reach and success of the movie adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs. Hannibal Lecter remains one of the most iconic psychopaths ever rendered into fiction. This terrifying villain is as foreboding today as when Thomas Harris first unleashed this horror novel onto the world. Frank Muller takes care of the narration in this audiobook adaptation and is an absolute triumph, bringing new levels of fear to a famous horror story character. The story of a cannibalistic serial killer dragging demons out of an FBI trainee is as haunting today as ever, forcing listeners to enter the mindset of the other. One of the best horror books, The Silence of the Lambs is a truly horrifying listen.
Did William Peter Blatty know the power of the horror he released into the wild when he wrote The Exorcist? Published in 1971, The Exorcist marked a revolution in spooky stories, although the word ‘spooky’ doesn’t do this justice. The film adaptation still terrifies today and the story of a young girl in serious need of an exorcism did more than most to redefine the horror genre. Blatty himself narrates his famous scary story with genuine confidence and character, building suspense when suspense is needed and going for the jugular at the right times. The Exorcist is one of the best horror stories ever told, one of the best-selling horror books of all time and terrifying in every possible way.
Psycho is one of the most influential—and unforgettable—tales of a psychopath. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film adaptation, starring a young Anthony Perkins, brought Norman Bates and his twisted attachment to his overbearing mother vividly to life, ensuring that Robert Bloch’s petrifying tale would find new fans with each passing generation around the world. Psycho is the quintessential American nightmare, the story of a serial killer centered around a small-town motel, with no shortage of psychological twists and turns throughout. In this audiobook adaptation, Richard Powers is a triumph as narrator, distilling the horror of Bloch’s writing (and Hitchcock’s vision) into a stunningly chilling and creepy listen. Psycho is just about as dreadful as it gets.
The Amityville Horror follows a family murder in a suburban neighbourhood outside New York. A story loosely based on a real-life seemingly haunted house. It’s seen its fair share of versions over the decades (there have been more than 20 film adaptations). Ray Porter’s unnerving narration of Jay Anson’s penultimate horror novel is as formidable as the best of them. The story of one family’s descent into madness is seriously blood-curdling. The Amityville Horror has created no shortage of controversy since its release, but its terrifying credentials are not up for debate. One of the most iconic names in a long history of haunted house stories, The Amityville Horror deserves every bit of attention.
No list of the best horror stories is complete without the most prolific horror writer. Stephen King has been inspiring terror and creativity in equal measure since the publication of his debut novel Carrie way back in 1974. The icon is still releasing scary stories at a pretty alarming rate. The Shining might be his best work, not to mention his most iconic, with multiple TV and film adaptations adding to its legacy over the years. The story of a young boy, a terrible blizzard, a psychotic father, and Room 217 has stood the test of time. This audiobook adaptation stays true to that creepy legacy through Campbell Scott’s brilliant narration and the enduring terror of the Overlook Hotel.
Pet Sematary is perfectly narrated by American actor Michael C. Hall, best known for playing the eponymous role of TV’s Dexter. This horror novel by Stephen King has influenced writers and fans of the horror genre for decades, with no end in sight. The premise is simple, but that was always the strength of King’s mastery of the horror genre: taking perfectly plausible scenarios and imbuing them with more terror than anyone had previously imagined. After all, what could be horrifying about the poignant burial of beloved pets next door to the family house in a small town? One of the best-selling horror stories of all time, Pet Sematary, has changed the way families approach the afterlife for their beloved dogs and cats. It also happens to be bone-chilling in its terror. Stephen King at his most sinister? Pet Sematary is right up there.
Salem’s Lot is right up there with The Shining and Pet Sematary in the terror stakes. In this novel, we experience a series of unexplainable events in a small town as opposed to the centralised horror of the Overlook Hotel. Stephen King is a master of the horror genre. Still, Ron McLarty’s voice work on this audiobook adaptation somehow renders this famous horror book in a new and terrifying light. After all, Ben Mears just wants to write a book, but the mysteries unfolding next door and beyond just won’t let him be. The best way to listen to Salem’s Lot? King himself said it best: “Why don’t you turn off all the lights except for the one over your favourite chair? —and we’ll talk about vampires here in the dim. I think I can make you believe in them.”
The clue is in the title. Don’t expect to be filled with joy when listening to Stephen King’s seminal Misery. After all, we don’t listen to horror stories searching for happiness, do we? Narrated by American actress Lindsay Crouse, Misery is a psychological thriller of the highest order. It is a frightening tale of murder, obsession, and the edges of sanity, rendered in that famous Stephen King style that is often imitated but never replicated. This tale is centered on two characters, the injured and stranded best-selling romance author Paul Sheldon and his “number one fan” and unhinged captor, Annie Wilkes. Misery is as horrifying as The Shining in its own way, and very frightening. Stephen King knows what he is doing after all.
Clowns have always existed on the fringes of society. This is precisely what makes them so terrifying to so many. The naming of this phobia (coulrophobia, for the record) is a relatively new phenomenon, inspired in part by the success of one of Stephen King’s best-selling horror novels. IT was the final nail in the coffin for generations of young children’s birthday party entertainers, although the clown in question was simply a face for that which inspires our greatest fear. Pennywise, the Dancing Clown, has become one of the horror genre’s most enduring characters. This audiobook adaptation, voiced by Steven Weber, is a fittingly chilling continuation of his legacy.
Winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2005, this Lorelei King-narrated audiobook adaptation of Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk About Kevin takes the terror of the original and ramps it up to 11. What compels a young boy to go on a murderous rampage in his school? How much of the crime is due to a difficult upbringing, alienated parents and neglect? We Need to Talk About Kevin is a horror story that forced parents across the globe to ask some tough questions, but there is more to Shriver’s best-selling horror novel than a unique theme and cultural relevance. It is an impactful exercise in psychological horror, told from the ruins of a small-town family and the horror of crimes committed.
The precursor to The Silence of the Lambs is as chilling as the famous story itself. Red Dragon introduced cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter to the horror world and changed the game, revolutionising how psychological characters were written within the horror genre. Narrated by voice actor Alan Sklar, Red Dragon sees Special Agent Will Graham lock horns with the sadistic Lecter, diving deep into the mind of a psychopathic serial killer in the hope of getting ahead of the next wave of crimes. While The Silence of the Lambs is more familiar to horror fans, Red Dragon might be one of the scariest books in its genre.
Modern horror novels like The Shining, The Silence of the Lambs, House of Leaves, and Koji Suzuki’s The Ring have revolutionised the world of psychological terror. Still, many of these celebrated scary stories trace their lineage back to Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey. One of the best-selling horror stories of all time, The Picture of Dorian Grey showcased the fear that the human mind can produce, introducing a new face to horror and changing the game. More than a century after its publication, the story continues to chill, and this audiobook adaptation, narrated by English actor Russel Tovey, is another fantastic addition to its legacy.
Earning the moniker ‘Britain’s female Stephen King’ is daunting, but C.J. Tudor, author of The Chalk Man and The Hiding Place, is more than up to the expectations. The Taking of Annie Thorne is arguably her most terrifying tale, expertly narrated here by Richard Armitage. This gothic horror story balances sinister fear with outright terror with all the expertise of a veteran, keeping listeners on the edge of their seats and underneath the blankets all at the same time. The pacing is tremendous, the twists come out of nowhere, and the terror never lets up. One of the newest horror stories in this collection, The Taking of Annie Thorne is more than deserving of its place alongside the greats of the horror genre.
Katherine Fenton’s brilliant narration of this horror classic breathes new life into a famous tale. Still, Rosemary’s Baby is a scary story that shimmers in all forms. Ira Levin’s rendering of an ominous New York City apartment building and a less than ideal pregnancy is just as terrifying today as it was when it made its debut in 1967. This classic’s legacy was etched into the horror genre’s DNA with Roman Polanski’s film adaptation a year later. One of the best-selling horror stories of all time, Rosemary’s Baby also happens to be one of the scariest. What more could a horror audiobook aficionado want?
Few tropes are as beloved in the horror genre as a haunted house story, and few are as gruesome and grim as Shirley Jackson’s best-selling The Haunting of Hill House. The gold standard for chilling tales of haunted homes, The Haunting of Hill House is a cautious tale of where curiosity can take you, no matter the intentions or hopes. The author of We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and The Bird’s Nest, Shirley Jackson, has made an influence all over modern horror literature, from the works of Neil Gaiman to Richard Matheson. The Haunting of Hill House remains her finest hour.
No list of scary stories would be complete without the legendary Edgar Allan Poe. More than 150 years after his mysterious death on the streets of Baltimore, American short story icon Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most influential figures in literature. His Jonathan Keeble-narrated short story collection showcases the Boston-born poet at his best. Poe’s influence is everywhere, from short stories to science fiction. Scary stories like “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Pit and the Pendulum” still chill in the 21st century. A titan of terror and romanticised fear, Poe is as frighteningly brilliant today as he was all those years ago.
This audiobook is an American horror from another world. Ray Bradbury’s iconic Something Wicked This Way Comes has been spooking readers since it was first published in 1962. This horror audiobook adaptation, narrated by Christian Rummel, has listeners experiencing that very same fear. Something Wicked This Way Comes is a dark fantasy with an emphasis on the dark. A tale of the complicated nature of good and evil, it revolves around two 13-year-old best friends, Jim and William, whose lives (and the lives of several others) are changed forever when the Pandemonium Shadow Show comes to Green Town. Change for the better? You’ll just have to listen to find out, but the odds aren’t great with this list of the best horror stories.
Terrifyingly narrated by Paul Ansdell, Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black positively horrifies in audiobook form. In the best way possible, of course, as this famous tale of isolation and speculation still chills after all these years. At its most intricate, this is horror fiction, a magically crafted story voiced by an expert narrator. Does it get any better than that? People wish not to talk about that which is often the darkest of all subjects, and The Woman in Black is almost a case study in heightened terror. If you love horror fiction, this audiobook may be just for you.
Small but terrifyingly formed, The Turn of the Screw remains one of the most potent psychological horror stories more than a century after its initial publication. New York-born, British writer Henry James was an absolute magician when building terror and creating a sinister atmosphere. The Turn of the Screw is James at his most focused. Voiced by Academy Award-winning British actress Emma Thompson, with Richard Armitage handling the introduction, the audiobook adaptation of The Turn of the Screw does justice to the lofty reputation of its source. This isn't a fairytale; this is a horror that will keep your brain ticking over at night. The Turn of the Screw is a ghost story done properly.
British comedy icon Dawn French might not seem like an obvious choice for some top-tier horror story narration, but leave that cynicism at the door. French brings a charmingly personable voice to Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, the story of a young girl, a locked door, and a dark place beyond the scope of ordinary understanding. As Coraline stumbles into a sinister version of the world and family she knows, this terrifying tale grows into a relentless monster of its own. Will young Coraline be able to leave the nightmarish world in which she has found herself? You’ll have to listen to find out. Neil Gaiman is one of the best of his generation, and Coraline is right up there with his finest work.
Anne Rice’s debut novel is another piece of fiction that rewrote the rules of horror, and Interview with the Vampire is just as chilling many decades later. It doesn’t get much more macabre than this, after all. Bram Stoker’s Dracula kicked off the fanged literary craze at the end of the 19th century, but native New Orleans author Anne Rice gave it an altogether more terrifying face with her 1976 novel. Narrated in this audiobook adaptation by Simon Vance, Interview with the Vampire has been adapted into motion pictures and more. Vance’s telling of Anne Rice’s horrifyingly beautiful story might be the best version yet.
What is more terrifying than the destruction of spirit through anxiety and doubt? Daphne du Maurier’s iconic Rebecca tells a tale of a most unlikely romance tainted by sinister shadows and the ever-lurking spectre of fear. It is gripping stuff from start to finish, brilliantly narrated by award-winning stage and screen actress Anna Massey. The promise that tragedy is right around the corner is difficult to escape, although sometimes escape isn’t an option. One of the best gothic horror stories ever told, Rebecca remains as vital today as it did when first published in 1938.
While not strictly a classical piece of horror literature, Toni Morrison’s seminal Beloved is one of the most impactful ghost stories ever told. Sethe might have escaped a life of slavery, but she is unable to escape the spectre of her dead baby, and what follows is an absolute triumph of storytelling from one of the most gifted writers of all time. Winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature, Toni Morrison is simply a great storyteller, and Beloved might just be her best work. It also happens to be her spookiest.
Fantastically narrated by American actor Stephen Lang, Joe Hill’s haunting Heart-Shaped Box is an impeccably compelling modern horror story. When Jude buys his stepfather’s ghost, he thinks nothing of it. What happens next? The book’s placing on this list suggests that things take a turn for the spooky, and Heart-Shaped Box does precisely that. Lang’s narration is fantastic, imbuing the story with tension and tautness. Jude’s life has changed forever, and things may well be way out of his control now. This is a ghost story unlike any other - a haunting tale to define a generation.
