Our Favorite Audiobooks for Halloween

No One Goes Alone

“Erik Larson brings us the perfect spooky season audiobook! A good, old-fashioned ghost story, set on an island. When a team of people sail to an island to disprove that it is haunted, they get much more than they bargained for. Great narrating and a suspenseful story.”

Mary, Skylark Bookshop

Slewfoot

“A dark and vengeful historical fantasy full of excellent storytelling. This book is both a mystical fairytale, and an intense horror novel that will keep you listening to see what happens next! Fans of Guillermo Del Toro films will devour this book.”

Courtney, Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers

My Heart Is a Chainsaw

“This frequently amusing and ultimately satisfying meta-horror novel follows Jade, a Native high-schooler with no friends, no extant future outside her janitorial job, and a deep love for slasher flicks, which are her coping mechanism in the face of an alcoholic father and absentee mom. Film trivia pervade the narration at every turn, but slasher newbies (like myself) will find the references easier to follow thanks to Jade's essays, presented in between chapters. Soon enough, a series of deaths convince Jade that a real slasher cycle is starting. Is this the overactive imagination of a struggling teen? And if not, what is it? My Heart Is A Chainsaw balances its obligations to both developing real characters of the sort not seen in pulp films, and functioning as a slasher itself, one that will keep you guessing until the end. On the way there, horror tropes are used to examine Native American identity, economic inequity, and childhood trauma. If you're into slashers, this is one you can't afford to miss; otherwise I would suggest listening to a sample to see if the narrational style is up your alley.”

Graham, Next Chapter Booksellers

We Ride Upon Sticks

“This is such a fun romp! It has everything you could possibly want in a book: field hockey, witches, and ’80s bangs that have literally taken on a life of their own. Set in Salem in the 1980s, we follow a group of high school field hockey players as they struggle with their new dark powers and attempt to end their losing streak. One of the strangest, most satisfying books I have read in a long time!”

Hillary Smith, Copperfield's Books Calistoga

Meddling Kids

“I have an abiding fondness for kooky premises executed well, and Edgar Cantero's Meddling Kids is as kooky as they come. In 1977, the tween members of the Blyton Summer Detective Club solved their last case and went their separate ways. Now it's 1990 and the man they sent to jail has been paroled. These former detectives have unfinished business, so one of them resolves to get the gang back together to find out the dark truth behind that final case. Meddling Kids is a pop-culture savvy, uproarious romp but also an action-packed horror-thriller. Highly recommended for fans of Christopher Moore and Ernest Cline, or anyone seeking a little laughter, nostalgia, or escapism.”

Susan Tunis, BookShop West Portal

Mexican Gothic

“Creepy and romantic, Mexican Gothic is easily one of my favorite books of 2020! Upon receiving a strange letter from her cousin, Noemi Taboada goes to investigate the happenings of High Place, a decaying manor filled with secrets, and is plagued by terrifying dreams and visions. Moreno-Garcia delivers a fresh take on a classic gothic novel that will grab your attention from the very first chapter!”

Tyrinne Lewis, Rakestraw Books

Ninth House

“The charter of the Leahy house is to manage and police the secret houses of the veil on the campus of Yale University. When a murder is connected to the magical activities of the houses, Galaxy Stern, Alex, the newest member of the Ninth House must find out what happened even if it means losing her place at Yale or her life. Ninth House grips you from the beginning and Alex is a wonderfully crafted edgy protagonist with deep scars. In the pretentious ivy league world Alex tenaciously pursues evil through unexpected twists and turns. If you like mystery and magic this is for you!”

Ellen, Avid Bookshop

Stephen King's classic #1 New York Times bestseller and the basis for the massively successful films It: Chapter One and It: Chapter Two as well as inspiration for HBO Max’s upcoming Welcome to Derry—about seven adults who return to their hometown to confront a nightmare they had first stumbled upon as teenagers...an evil without a name: It.... Read more »

Coraline

“Exploring her new home, Coraline discovers a mysterious locked door - which she is determined to open. She is rewarded (?) for her efforts when the door finally opens to reveal a hidden passageway. Curious, Coraline naturally goes through. The adventures and people that she encounters along the way make for a Neil Gaiman tale unlike any other.”

Bud, Quail Ridge Books

Respectable Lady Seeks Dependable Shop Girl. Those averse to magic need not apply. New York in the spring of 1880 is a place alive with wonder and curiosity. Determined to learn the truth about the world, its residents enthusiastically engage in both scientific experimentation and spiritualist pursuits. Séances are the entertainment of choice in... Read more »