16 of the Best Horror Audiobooks by Authors of Colour You Should Listen To


October 27, 2022
Get ready for a terrifying time. Dim the lights and press play to this collection of spine-tingling horror stories written by authors of colour that will fill your night with terror.

There is nothing quite like settling in and losing yourself in a chilling horror story. From thrilling science fiction to haunting ghost stories, these audiobooks have everything you could want from horror fiction. We have compiled a list of some of the best horror books from authors of colour that will keep listeners spellbound from beginning to end. Even the drabbest commute or chore will turn into a spooky time with these mesmerizing and expert narrations. So sit back, and be prepared to get hooked on 16 of the best horror audiobooks in our collection.
Product list
  • The Good House cover art

    • The Good House

    • Written by: Tananarive Due
    • Narrated by: Robin Miles
    • Length: 21 hrs and 54 mins
    • Release date: 2004-07-09
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 161 ratings
    • Kicking off this thrilling list is the supernatural mystery, The Good House. Writer Tananarive Due is a prolific name in Black horror, and this audiobook is a testament to her immense talent and proof of why she often gets compared to horror legend Stephen King. Set in a sweeping vacant mansion that has been in her family for generations, a young woman battles literal and figurative evil forces. She comes face to face with the ancient entities that have plagued her family for centuries in this breathtaking take on the typical haunted house story. The Good House is full of suspense and powerful imagery that is further brought to life with this flawless narration. Listeners will find themselves revisiting this audiobook again and again.
  • Certain Dark Things cover art

    • Certain Dark Things

    • A Novel
    • Written by: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
    • Narrated by: Aida Reluzco
    • Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins
    • Release date: 2021-09-07
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 17 ratings
    • New York Times bestselling Mexican-Canadian writer Silvia Moreno-Garcia's horror novels deservingly appear on our list more than once. Certain Dark Things is a mystery thriller full of spine-tingling suspense and ancient Aztec vampires. Set in Mexico City, this dark fantasy takes on the city's notorious underbelly of narcos and misdeeds and fills it with mystical happenings and creatures that completely reinvent vampire lore. Will the protagonists manage to make it out alive? Silvia Moreno-Garcia once again proves why she has become one of the most celebrated writers of her time with this brilliantly executed title. This audiobook will leave listeners riveted with its chilling storylines and stellar narration.
  • The Ballad of Black Tom cover art

    • The Ballad of Black Tom

    • Written by: Victor LaValle
    • Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
    • Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
    • Release date: 2016-02-16
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 47 ratings
    • The Ballad of Black Tom is an audiobook full of mystical happenings full of horror, and thought-provoking examinations of racism. Written by prominent Black author Victor LaValle, this fantasy horror novella takes place in multiple boroughs of New York City where magic exists for those that look for it hard enough. But for Charles Thomas Tester, the magic runs deep and dark and is much more sinister than what meets the eye. This eye-opening account of the Black experience is expertly intertwined with a magical world full of chilling witches and dark magic that will leave listeners spellbound and unable to press pause.
  • The Only Good Indians cover art

    • The Only Good Indians

    • Written by: Stephen Graham Jones
    • Narrated by: Shaun Taylor-Corbett
    • Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
    • Release date: 2020-07-14
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 247 ratings
    • This New York Times bestseller from Indigenous writer Stephen Graham Jones is equal parts horror and harsh realities intertwined into one triumphant novel. The Only Good Indians is a horrifyingly thrilling take on the American-Indian experience from the perspective of five men and their families haunted by a terrible event with long-standing consequences. Fans of Jordan Peele's hit motion picture Get Out will find themselves engrossed in the complexities of this novel for its unsettling undertones of the supernatural and the perils of carving your path. The Only Good Indians is a terrifying listen full of twists and turns listeners will not see coming.
  • Dread Nation cover art

    • Dread Nation

    • Written by: Justina Ireland
    • Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
    • Series: Dread Nation, Book 1
    • Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
    • Release date: 2018-04-03
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 43 ratings
    • Dread Nation is a thrilling historical fiction set during one of the most perilous times in America. When the zombie apocalypse hits young America during the Civil War, identity, humanity, and survival become one. Full of twists and turns and action-packed moments, American writer Justina Ireland infuses her Black and Native American characters with such incredible character development that listeners will find themselves unable to press pause. Dread Nation is an immersive trip into an alternative universe that is startlingly believable. This audiobook is the first installment of a series by the same name, so prepare to become hooked.
  • Kindred cover art

    • Kindred

    • Written by: Octavia E. Butler
    • Narrated by: Kim Staunton
    • Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
    • Release date: 2007-09-12
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 261 ratings
    • Kindred is a history-making piece of literature that will leave a mark on listeners long after it is over. Written by Octavia E. Butler, Kindred is the first sci-fi novel written by a Black woman. It has cemented its place as a bedrock of African-American literature for its magnificent execution. The captivating account of an enslaved person in pre-war Maryland is elevated to new heights of meaning by being paired with jaw-dropping instances of time travel. Kindred is a perfect melding of an examination of the horrors of slavery, racism and the wonderful world of fantastical, historical adventure. This is an audiobook that has to be listened to to be believed.
  • Brown Girl in the Ring cover art

    • Brown Girl in the Ring

    • Written by: Nalo Hopkinson
    • Narrated by: Peter Jay Fernandez
    • Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
    • Release date: 2006-12-18
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 28 ratings
    • Jamaican-born writer Nalo Hopkinson's science fiction novel Brown Girl in the Ring is a spine-tingling venture into the supernatural. When Toronto becomes a hub of horror and crime, two citizens turn to the world of Voodoo to aid them with two very different goals. This audiobook is a coming-of-age novel full of thrilling historical fiction that also feels unsettlingly relatable. Brown Girl in the Ring is a dazzling blend of Caribbean, African, and Canadian cultures that sets a compelling stage for the breathtaking imagination of writer Nalo Hopkins. This audiobook is full of magic, leaving listeners creeped out and deeply moved in the best ways.
  • Mexican Gothic cover art

    • Mexican Gothic

    • Written by: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
    • Narrated by: Frankie Corzo
    • Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
    • Release date: 2020-06-30
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 316 ratings
    • Mexican Gothic is the second title on this list from award-winning Mexican-Canadian writer Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Named one of the year’s best books by numerous publications, this terrifyingly chilling take on gothic horror is spellbinding. Noemí Taboada is a young socialite on a mission to rescue her cousin from a force that has driven her mad. When she finds herself becoming bewitched by the same foreboding as her cousin, she uncovers a world of violent and maddening secrets hidden in the walls of High Place. Mexican Gothic will leave listeners unable to press pause on this wonderfully unsettling audiobook full of incredible imagery and eerie plot twists.
  • The Devil in Silver cover art

    • The Devil in Silver

    • Written by: Victor LaValle
    • Narrated by: Victor LaValle
    • Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
    • Release date: 2012-08-21
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 5 ratings
    • In his second entry on this list, Victor LaValle further solidifies his mastery of the horror genre. The Devil in Silver is nothing short of maddening and psychologically chilling. When Pepper finds himself unjustly imprisoned in a derelict mental institution, he quickly realizes that there is a demonic creature roaming the halls when the lights go out. Determined to defeat the evil trapped in those four walls, he teams up with an unlikely group of patients to vanquish the seemingly unbeatable monster. It’s also an examination of the terrors endured by those in mental institutions and the helplessness they sometimes feel. Chilling and unsettling, The Devil in Silver is much more than a work of horror fiction.
  • The Ghost Bride cover art

    • The Ghost Bride

    • A Novel
    • Written by: Yangsze Choo
    • Narrated by: Yangsze Choo
    • Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
    • Release date: 2013-08-06
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 25 ratings
    • The Ghost Bride is a magnificently creepy tale of ghosts, adventure, and romance that will captivate listeners from the opening lines. Written by Yangsze Choo, this audiobook is an immersion in Chinese mythology that perfectly accompanies the chilling undertones of supernatural forces and the power of superstition. When Li Lan receives a startling proposition to become a ghost bride to the beloved deceased son of a wealthy and influential family, she gets thrust into a world of mystery and death that will challenge her beyond her wildest dreams. The Ghost Bride is a delightfully eerie and engrossing listen that will become a fast favourite for all who listen.
  • Frankenstein in Baghdad cover art

    • Frankenstein in Baghdad

    • A Novel
    • Written by: Ahmed Saadawi
    • Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini, Kaleo Griffith
    • Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
    • Release date: 2018-01-23
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 18 ratings
    • Written by Iraqi novelist Ahmed Saadawi, Frankenstein in Baghdad is a triumphant work of horror and profoundly moving fiction. Set amongst the wreckage and carnage left behind by the U.S. occupation of Baghdad, this story is full of hair-raising terror and dark humour that will leave listeners spellbound. When Hadi sets out to make a heartbreaking point to those in power, he never could have imagined that he would be creating a deadly creature that would terrorize the city once more. This eerie and wonderfully weird audiobook is an essential listen and will leave listeners moved in ways they did not expect.
  • My Heart Is a Chainsaw cover art

    • My Heart Is a Chainsaw

    • Written by: Stephen Graham Jones
    • Narrated by: Cara Gee
    • Series: The Indian Lake Trilogy, Book 1
    • Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins
    • Release date: 2021-08-31
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 70 ratings
    • My Heart Is a Chainsaw has all the makings of a great horror novel. Winner of the prestigious Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel, this chilling nod to slasher films manages to flip the genre on its head in the most delightful ways. It blends the horrors faced by Indigenous people at the hands of American Colonialism and the power of the main character’s imagination and obsession with horror films. This audiobook is as unique as it is chilling. Indigenous writer Stephen Graham Jones is a master of supernatural suspense, and his stories have become a horror fan favourite. This is one audiobook that should not be missed.
  • Fever Dream cover art

    • Fever Dream

    • A Novel
    • Written by: Samanta Schweblin, Megan McDowell - translator
    • Narrated by: Hillary Huber
    • Length: 3 hrs and 13 mins
    • Release date: 2017-01-10
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
    • This psychological horror novel, written by Argentinian writer Samanta Schweblin, is a dizzyingly creepy trip down a rabbit hole of suspense. Fever Dream is just that. As a woman lies on her deathbed with a young boy by her side, their soul-stirring stories spill out like a never-ending stream of consciousness. An unsettling cautionary tale of despair and soul ties, Fever Dream is a ghost story for the living. Translated from Spanish to English, Schweblin’s brilliant storytelling is nothing short of mesmerizing. Listeners will be left captivated by the disorienting delivery that somehow makes it even more magnificent. This is one audiobook you do not want to miss.
  • The Women Could Fly cover art

    • The Women Could Fly

    • A Novel
    • Written by: Megan Giddings
    • Narrated by: Angel Pean
    • Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
    • Release date: 2022-08-09
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 9 ratings
    • The Women Could Fly is a magnificently written piece of dystopian fiction by critically acclaimed Black writer Megan Giddings. Josephine Thomas lives in a world where witches are real and unmarried women are monitored by the state. This movingly timely novel follows Josephine’s quest to connect with her mysteriously vanished mother and solidify her struggle for freedom and self-identity. Filled with compelling examinations of the pressures and limits set on women, this audiobook is chillingly and beautifully relatable. The Women Could Fly will leave listeners haunted and inspired. This is a must-listen for young people everywhere who are setting out to forge their paths of discovery.
  • Moon of the Crusted Snow cover art

    • Moon of the Crusted Snow

    • A Novel
    • Written by: Waubgeshig Rice
    • Narrated by: Billy Merasty
    • Series: Moon, Book 1
    • Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
    • Release date: 2018-12-11
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 423 ratings
    • Moon of the Crusted Snow is a chilling look into a dystopian world on the brink of extinction. Anishinaabe writer Waubgeshig Rice brings the post-apocalyptic community of Anishinaabe into tense and vivid detail that conveys the despair of its residents in captivating ways. When an unforeseen visitor infiltrates the struggling community, their resolve falters, and they begin to turn on one another. Desperate to save their community, a group of people turn to their ancient Anishinaabe traditions and land to help them recover and flourish. Moon of the Crusted Snow is full of action-packed suspense and symbolism that will leave listeners spellbound from beginning to end.