While I am a strong proponent of celebrating spooky season all year round, sometimes you just don’t have the time to sit down with a good horror novel. Fortunately, there are plenty of horror podcasts and audiobooks that can spook things up while you commute, work out or do housework!
Podcasts
In “Lore,” Aaron Mahnke explores the darkest sides of history and folklore. This includes urban legends and grim historical occurrences. The podcast has also inspired several books and an Amazon Prime TV series.
Episode Recommendations:
Episode 15: “Unboxed.” A creepy doll with a knife who won’t stay in the attic. Need I say more?
Episode 81: “On the Edge.” This is the story of Mary Mallon, more commonly known as Typhoid Mary, one of the first identified asymptomatic carriers. This episode came out in 2018, and features the host’s musings on what would happen if there was an epidemic in the near future. He optimistically suggests that we probably won’t have to worry about it. That statement hasn’t aged well.
“The NoSleep Podcast” originates from the NoSleep subreddit, where users posted their own original scary stories. A member of the subreddit suggested taking some of the most popular stories and narrating them. Thus, The NoSleep Podca
st was born. Many authors who have presented their work on NoSleep have gone on to become published, including Dathan Auerbach and T.W. Grim.
Episode Recommendations:
Season 8, Episode 22: “Wallmart.” I am so glad that someone is finally portraying Walmart for what it is: a horrific hellscape.
Any Season Finale: They really kill it with their season finales.
“The Magnus Archives” stars archivist Jonathan Sims who is tasked with preserving the supernatural statements given to The Magnus Institute by converting them to audio.
Episode Recommendations:
Episode 42: “Grifter’s Bone”: “Statement of Jennifer Ling, regarding a live musical performance she attended in Soho. Original statement given November 3rd 2013.”
Episode 36: “Taken Ill” : “Statement of Nicole Baxter, regarding visits culminating in the fire that consumed Ivy Meadows Care Home in Woodley, Greater Manchester.”
I also have to give an honorable mention to Episode 171 of “Welcome to Night Vale”: “Go to the Mirror?” Night Vale is not necessarily a horror podcast, but this particular episode will give you chills and have you looking over your shoulder the whole time you are listening. It is written entirely in questions, which sounds gimmicky but is actually terrifying.
Audiobooks
If you (like me) enjoy Netflix’s very loose but still wonderful adaptation of “The Haunting of Hill House,” I would definitely recommend turning to the source material. Speaking of turning, with “The Haunting of Bly Manor” coming out on Netflix as well, “The Turn of the Screw” is definitely worth a listen too! Really any work of horror that has managed to stay scary for such a long time and has inspired so many adaptations is worth your attention.
For something a bit more contemporary, I would recommend “Things We Lost in the Fire.” This short story collection has such an impressive range, with practically every type of horror represented including haunted houses, psychological horror, the horrors of misogyny. I have also been enjoying the work of Grady Hendrix, including “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” and “My Best Friend’s Exorcism.” Hendrix offers fun, original takes on familiar horror tropes.
Trust me when I say that I am only scratching the surface of the countless stellar horror podcasts and audiobooks. There is so much out there!
Happy haunting!
