The Best Horror Books for Fans of Scary Movies

Love a good scare? It doesn't have to be Halloween to enjoy a chilling horror title. Be warned—these horror audiobooks turned into horror movies will give you the scare of your life and leave you wanting more.

If you’re a horror genre fan, you’ve likely watched all the classic horror films and some eerie new releases. Audiobooks stand at the crossroads between books and movies, where you can enjoy thrilling horror novels and short stories with all the sound effects and acting talent of a Hollywood blockbuster. It doesn’t have to be Halloween for you to have a good scare. Whether it’s ghost stories or scary sci-fi tales that get you on the edge of your seat, we’ve gathered a list of the best horror movies based on books on Audible to add to your audio booklist.

The Silence of the Lambs

Written by: Thomas Harris

Narrated by: Kathy Bates

Series: Hannibal Lecter (abridged), Book 2

Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins

Release date: 2002-09-13

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 77 ratings

Thomas Harris’s legendary bestseller follows the story of an FBI trainee, Clarice Starling, who is attempting to track down a serial killer to put an end to the bloodshed. Seeking insight into the deadly madman, Starling turns to Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a monster cannibal held in a hospital for the criminally insane. As Dr. Lecter invites Clarice into the darkest chambers of his mind, he forces her to confront her childhood demons in return for knowledge. Frank Muller performs this psychological suspense classic.

The Silence of the Lambs will take you from the tormenting mind of a murderous maniac and the flesh-rending depravity of an elusive killer to the determination of a brave FBI novice.
Let the Right One In

A Novel

Written by: John Ajvide Lindqvist, Ebba Segerberg - translator

Narrated by: Steven Pacey

Length: 16 hrs and 48 mins

Release date: 2022-09-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In inspired the award-winning Swedish film, the U.S. adaptation Let Me In, directed by Matt Reeves, and a TV show. This audio version takes listeners to the Swedish suburb of Blackeberg in 1981. The body of a teenager is found, emptied of blood, and the murder is rumoured to be part of a ritual killing. Twelve-year-old Oskar is personally hoping that revenge has come at long last, as revenge for the bullying he endures at school, day after day. But the murder is not the most important thing on his mind. A new girl has moved in next door. There is something wrong with her, though, something odd. And she only comes out at night.

This thrilling listen, performed by Steven Pacey, will captivate listeners with its shocking twists and turns and powerful characters.
Rosemary's Baby

Written by: Ira Levin

Narrated by: Mia Farrow

Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins

Release date: 2005-10-21

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 67 ratings

Rosemary’s Baby (1968) is a psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski. This iconic film stars Mia Farrow, who is also the star of this audio performance. The film was inspired by Ira Levin’s book of the same name, which was first published in 1967.

Rosemary Woodhouse is a young and happy housewife. She has just moved into the perfect apartment in New York with her husband, Guy, an aspiring actor. Their dream life turns into an unspeakable nightmare. For Rosemary, her new neighbours are hiding a shocking secret, and the evilest threat wears the most innocent face of all.
The Amityville Horror

Written by: Jay Anson

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins

Release date: 2009-12-31

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 407 ratings

If you’ve seen the 2005 horror film The Amityville Horror, starring Ryan Reynolds, you won’t want to miss out on Jay Anson’s novel that it’s based on. In December 1975, the Lutz family moved into their new suburban home. George and Kathleen Lutz knew that, one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo had murdered his family in the house. But the discounted price was an offer too good to refuse. Twenty-eight days later, the entire Lutz family fled in terror. This is the spellbinding true story that continues to grip listeners. The Amityville Horror, narrated by Ray Porter, tells the story of a house possessed by evil spirits and haunted by psychic phenomena.
Pet Sematary

Written by: Stephen King

Narrated by: Michael C. Hall

Length: 15 hrs and 41 mins

Release date: 2018-03-27

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,197 ratings

Pet Sematary is a gut-wrenching horror classic that pits unbelievable family tragedy against a tempting chance at resurrecting the dead. This Stephen King title has been adapted into three films of the same name, in 1989, 1992, and 2019. Pet Sematary follows Louis Creed, a professor at the University of Maine, who discovers the supernatural powers of a pet burial ground behind his backyard. After a devastating loss, the eerie cemetery lures Creed in, setting into motion a truly disturbing course of events.

This gripping listen is narrated by Michael C. Hall, known for his title role in the serial killer drama Dexter. Hall channels the unsettling quality he’s become known for into this recording, adding a creepy layer to the already spooky story.
Frankenstein

Written by: Mary Shelley

Narrated by: Dan Stevens

Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins

Release date: 2013-10-29

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 736 ratings

Mary Shelley’s Gothic classic Frankenstein has inspired many films and TV shows. In this unforgettable audiobook, listeners are pulled into the world of scientist Victor Frankenstein. After endless nights working on studies and experiments, he succeeds in making a lifeform but soon rejects and abandons it. Refusing to give it a name, Victor berates the creature, referring to it as a ‘wretch’ and a ‘monster.’

Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s first release, takes the listener on a journey of science, friendship, love and tragedy as Victor’s work slowly destroys everything he loves. The novel is brought to life as a stunning audio experience by the Downton Abbey actor and award-winning narrator Dan Stevens.
The Hellbound Heart

Abridged Edition Read by the Author

Written by: Clive Barker

Narrated by: Clive Barker

Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins

Release date: 2013-06-18

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 55 ratings

Clive Barker is the author of The Hellbound Heart, a horror novella which inspired the blockbuster film Hellraiser, which was released in 1987. In this hair-raising listen, performed by Barker, listeners are taken into the world of antagonist Frank Cotton, a sadomasochistic criminal. Cotton’s insatiable appetite for dark pleasures leads him to the puzzle of Lemarchand’s box, and from there, to death only a sick-minded soul could cause. But his brother’s love-crazed wife, Julia, has discovered a way to bring Frank back. But the price will be bloody and terrible, and there will certainly be hell to pay.

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