Horror fiction has long been a source of popular entertainment among enthusiasts. From the early works of legendary figures such as Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft to Stephen King’s prolific portfolio, horror lovers have relied on the written word to fuel immersion and fear beyond the big screen and haunted house attractions.

However, until the rise of a Facebook group named Books of Horror, many had noticed a slump in the horror fiction genre. Now, thanks to the Internet and digital technology, the love and hype for horror fiction are facing a resurgence. With more than 21,000 members, the Facebook group quickly became a safe space for horror fans to recommend, read, and discuss their favorite spooky reads.

In a previous post, we discussed the horror survival game Dying Light 2‘s exclusive in-game event, The Frightening — one of many community experiences for horror game lovers to experience new content and gameplay. As you can see, with the dawn of digital technologies, the horror fiction genre has been translated to immersive experiences like video games and audiobooks, adding new formats and layers to what was previously just written text.

Compared to traditional books, audiobooks provide an auditory element to the horror experience, transporting readers — or listeners — to atmospheric horror settings with immersive narration and, at times, background music or sound effects to elevate the fear factor. In this post, we’ll be sharing our recommendations for horrifying ebooks and audiobooks for a thrilling evening in:

Finn by Stephen King

If you’re more accustomed to experiencing horror through haunted houses, immersive experiences, or horror games, it can be daunting to think of reading to get your fill of scares. To start, you may want to check out horror icon Stephen King. While some of his works are long, there’s Finn, a short story about a “wildly unlucky” Irish boy kidnapped on a walk home alone at night.

Finn is available on the Everand ebook and audiobook subscription service and was written in partnership with the platform. Published by Everand Originals, the book is also available as a 57-minute audiobook for horror enthusiasts who may not have the time to read. The short story is also set to be part of King’s upcoming horror collection, You Like It Darker, with 11 other stories. Set to release in May 2024, Everand users can enjoy and access the story much earlier.

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

If this title sounds familiar to you, it’s because the book is a love letter to Shirley Jackson‘s The Haunting of Hill House — which many may know was the loose source material for the Netflix series from horror director Mike Flanagan. Elizabeth Hand’s book follows a group of friends renting the original Hill House for a weekend getaway.

While a constant homage to its acclaimed predecessor, the novel also manages to put in its twists. Critics note that this iteration of the Hill House may be slightly gorier, with other fiction elements rooted in contemporary horror. The novel also features a lesbian couple among its leads, another nod to the queer celebrations found in the original. An audiobook version is also available, narrated by Carol Monda, and a good, atmospheric listen with over ten hours total length.

Ghost Stories: Stephen Fry’s Definitive Collection by Stephen Fry

Finally, another benefit of experiencing horror fiction by listening is you’re occasionally graced by master storytellers. In Ghost Stories’ case, actor Stephen Fry collates — and narrates — his favorite terrifying tales with short stories from Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and many more.

Ghost Stories is available exclusively on Audible and supports Dolby Atmos spatial audio to add to the atmosphere and immersion. Listeners can enjoy stories featuring the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow, Poe’s take on the doppelganger, and many other stories of ghosts, ghouls, spirits, and other apparitions.

If this post was helpful or interesting, you can check out many more of Haunting‘s horror insights, updates, and experience guides.

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