At long last, it has finally arrived: fall, and with it, the best holiday of them all – Halloween. Horror movies and TV shows are not the only scary stories you can dive into this season, as horror fiction podcasts are abundant and perfect to get you into the spooky spirit. These fully voice-acted and sound-designed horror stories are fit to give you the scare you have been looking for, with no visuals needed.
General Horror
Want a truly horrifying tale that will keep you up at night? Try one of these horror podcasts meant to give you a scare.
The Magnus Archives
Winner of numerous podcast awards, such as Audio Drama and Fiction Podcast prizes at the Discover Pods Awards in 2019 and one of the most popular modern horror podcasts, “The Magnus Archives” is a must-listen for any horror fan. The story takes place in The Magnus Institute, an organization that researches the paranormal, esoteric and weird. Head Archivist Jonathan Sims, voiced by an actor by the same name, thinks the statements they research are all a bunch of lies until specific names begin to appear in more and more statements, threads of truth begin to pull together and the Institute becomes a target for a creature that wants him and his coworkers dead.
Malevolent
“Malevolent” follows Arthur Lester, voiced by Harlan Guthrie, a Private Investigator in 1930s America, who wakes up in his office with no memory of who he is, a dead body by his feet\ and a mysterious voice inside his head that has taken control of his sight. Arthur and the monster inside his head must work together to untangle the curse that has forced them into the same body and uncover the secrets of a cosmic horror that seeks to destroy them all.
The Silt Verses
In the world of “The Silt Verses,” the earth is inhabited by gods, described as powerful entities who protect those who earn their favor. Some are kind, some are wrathful, all are dangerous. The story follows Carpenter and Faulkner, voiced by Méabh de Brún and B. Narr, two worshipers of the Trawler-Man;, the outlawed god of rivers and floods. They begin their search for other survivors of their faith and a way to bring their god to full power against those who have wronged them. They soon find themselves under threat of a police manhunt, worshipers who seek to make their gods prevail above all the others, and terrible monsters that have flourished in the dark.
Old Gods of Appalachia
“Old Gods of Appalachia” is a horror anthology podcast. Each episode features a new horror tale delving into a dark and grisly world inspired by Appalachian folklore. With impressive sound effects, original music inspired by Appalachian murder ballads and a full cast of Appalachian voice actors and writers, “Old Gods of Appalachia” will keep you up at night, wondering if there really is a monster hidden within the pines.
Dark Comedy
Seeking a story with a macabre touch but not as likely to give you nightmares? Try one of these dark comedy podcasts.
Welcome to Night Vale
One of the most famous audio dramas ever made, “Welcome to Night Vale,” began in 2012 and is still running today. Listen as community radio host Cecil Palmer, voiced by Cecil Baldwin, describes the paranormal and strange events occurring within the fictional desert town of Night Vale, including characters such as The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home, Hiram McDaniels, who is a Literal 5-Headed Dragon and the ever-present Glow Cloud, which runs the Night Vale School Board. Known for its satirical humor and LGBTQ representation, “Welcome to Night Vale” is a great place to start with fiction podcasts.
Wooden Overcoats
“Wooden Overcoats” follows siblings Rudyard and Antigone Funn, voiced by Felix Trench and Beth Eyre, respectively, who run the only funeral parlor in the dismal town of Piffling Vale. Or they did, until jolly undertaker Eric Chapman, voiced by Tom Crowley, opensed a new funeral parlor right across the street, stealing all of their business. Chaos soon consumes the small town as the Funn siblings concoct more and more absurd plans to sabotage Chapman’s business. “Wooden Overcoats” is the most fun you can have while listening to a story about dead bodies.
Death by Dying
“Death by Dying” follows the Obituary Writer, voiced by Evan Gulock, of the small town of Crestfall, Idaho. But instead of simply writing the obituaries of the deceased, the Obituary Writer finds himself in over his head as he tries to solve the strange and mysterious deaths of the town. Every episode features a new obituary, a new cause of death to be solved and encounters with strange phenomena such as haunted bicycles, murderous farmers and man-eating cats.
All these shows are free to listen to on any podcast streamer of your choice, including Spotify, Apple Music and even YouTube. There’s no time to waste—plug in your headphones, put on some amazing horror and get ready for the spooky season!
