21 spine-tingling but not TOO scary audiobooks for fall

The Haunting of Tram Car 015

by P. Djèlí Clark

Hats off to MMD team member Shannan for introducing me to Clark’s Dead Djinn Universe, a fantasy series set in an alternate 1912 Cario. When a tram car is reported to be haunted, Cairo’s Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities sends "odd couple" Senior Agent Hamed al-Nasr and his new partner Agent Onsi to investigate. Technically the third installment in the series, The Haunting of Tram Car 015 is an eerie and interesting novella that can be read as a standalone. Whispersync narration available by narrator, Julian Thomas.

The Widow of Rose House

by Diana Biller

Young widow Alva has two priorities: restoring a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion so she can write her interior design book and moving past the death of her abusive husband. Only one problem: the house is haunted and the workers refuse to come near the house. Enter scientist and ghost hunter Sam. Alva can’t afford any complications in her life, nor does she want to risk her heart. But Sam wants nothing more than to prove she deserves her very own happily ever after. As soon as he figures out how to get rid of the ghost, that is. An enjoyable, humorous historical romance set during the Gilded Age.

Bunnicula

by Deborah Howe, James Howe

Told from the perspective of Harold, the Monroe family’s clever and friendly dog when they arrive home one dark and stormy night with a frighteningly suspicious new creature—a vampire bunny!

Mexican Gothic

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I heard great things about this book, though the "Gothic horror" label made me a little afraid to dive in, as I stay away from the scary stuff. But I needn't have feared: this novel is deliciously creepy, but not frightening. Moreno-Garcia situates her novel firmly in the tradition of Gothic country house classics like Wuthering Heights and Rebecca, and even references some of these titles in her novel. When Noemí's father appoints her to see to some business on his behalf, the beautiful, intelligent young socialite agrees to do her duty for the family. Her recently married cousin Catalina has sent an odd, urgent letter to the family, pleading for someone to save her—but from what? When Noemí visits her new marital home High Place, a remote and lavish estate built by ill-treated mine workers, she discovers her cousin's predicament is worse than she feared: her husband is a brute, her father-in-law a terror, the staff deeply hostile, and even the house itself seems set against her—and worse, determined to entrap her. No spoilers here, but if you like the sound of a deeply strange and spine-tingling read about a smart heroine who saves herself, this is the book for you. Excellent on audio.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires

by Grady Hendrix

If you are looking for a wild ride that is on the more scary side and don’t mind some gory scenes, this campy and frightening vampire book is for you! When a group of women living in Charleston start a true crime book club, they are soon infiltrated by a mysterious and dangerous stranger who wants to do more than discuss books with them. I normally shy away from horror but luckily the amazing audiobook performed by one of my all-time favorite narrators, Bahni Turpin, sucked me right in! Vampire pun intended. Set in the 90’s, Hendrix’s writing reminded me of The Lost Boys meets Designing Women. Content warnings apply.

When No One is Watching

by Alyssa Cole

This new thriller, described as Rear Window meets Get Out starts with a bang and never lets up; her familiar voice is put to good use in this shocking tale of history, lies, and gentrification. Sydney’s Brooklyn neighborhood is turning over fast, with longtime older tenants moving out and upstart young couples moving in. But when she accidentally discovers a sinister connection, these moves suddenly begin to look threatening. Add in a tortured past, present family challenges, a budding romance with a hot new neighbor (and heads up, f-bombs galore), and you’ve got a thrilling read.

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good

by Helene Tursten

An entertainingly dark short story collection, translated from the Swedish by Marlaine Delargy, following 88-year-old Maud whose solution to most of life’s problems is murder. She’s gotten away with it so far because, well, who would ever suspect an elderly lady of such crimes? Without friends or family and no rent thanks to a fortunate clause in her lease, Maud is free to travel and do basically whatever she wants. That is, until cops arrive to investigate a murder in her apartment building. Content warnings apply.

The Echo Wife

by Sarah Gailey

A sci-fi twist on the domestic thriller, The Echo Wife centers on Evelyn Caldwell, a brilliant award-winning scientist, her obedient clone Martine, and Evelyn’s cheating husband. Gailey’s unique books vary so much in style and this one definitely stands out! The intimate first-person narration amps up the tension—and the enjoyment. Perfect for fans of the movie Ex Machina and “mad scientist” vibes. Content warnings apply.

The Ex Hex

by Erin Sterling

A witchy rom-com that proves vodka, heartbreak, and spells cast with Bath & Body Works candles are a great recipe for laugh-out-loud reading. Modern day witch Vivienne and her warlock ex Rhys have to team up to save her hometown of Graves Glen, Georgia and may have a second chance at romance along the way.

The Whispering House

by Elizabeth Brooks

With a compelling narrator, absorbing atmosphere, and loads of literary references, this modern gothic novel is a stunner. While attending her cousin’s wedding in the gardens of Byrne Hall, a drunken Freya can’t resist stumbling into the off-limits house to investigate. When she ducks inside she discovers a startling portrait on display: it looks just like her sister Stella, who, years before, died mere miles from the historic seaside grounds. Once safely home in London, Freya can’t get the house—or its portrait—out of her head. When she returns to investigate, she gets tangled up with the residing family and their eerie house—and the consequences could be disastrous. Read this if you love a brooding character study or a slower-paced mystery with a strong sense of place. (Content warnings include suicide and abuse.)

A Death in Door County (A Monster Hunter Mystery Book 1)

by Annelise Ryan

Set in Door County, Wisconsin at a uniquely strange book and artifacts store filled with skeletons, Edger Allen Poe novels, and Ouija boards, A Death in Door County is the first in a new series of cozy mysteries. In addition to running her family’s store, Morgan Carter follows in her late parent’s footsteps as a part-time cryptozoologist who studies rumored and legendary animals like Bigfoot or Nessie. Soon Morgan is called in by the authorities as a consultant for a number of mysterious deaths in Lake Michigan, making this a perfect read for fans of The X-Files. Narrator Susan Bennett’s unique voices create a memorable and entertaining audiobook!

The Dead Romantics

by Ashley Poston

Set in the world of publishing, this delightful novel gives “ghostwriting” a double meaning. Florence Day makes her living writing bestselling romance novels that are published under somebody else's name; only one person knows the truth behind her facade as a personal assistant. This puts her in a tricky spot when she tries to tell her handsome new editor that she—er, her boss—won't be able to meet her deadline. She doesn't tell him the true problem: after a bad breakup, she doesn't believe in love anymore, so she sure can't write about it. Before she can force words on the page, her father dies. When she returns home for the first time in a decade she finds the family she loves (and the funeral home they run) the same as they've ever been, even though her father is gone. She also finds a ghost standing at the funeral home front door who looks remarkably like her editor, who seems to have died with unfinished business that's somehow connected to Florence. This open door ghost romance sounds bonkers, but it's sweet and fun and—as far as the audiobook was concerned—compulsively listenable.

Rebecca

by Daphne du Maurier

This 1930s Gothic classic is an un-put-down-able mystery. Don't be put off by its age: this thrilling novel feels surprisingly current (and Mrs Danvers is as creepy as ever). Du Maurier's approach is unusual: the woman of the title is dead before the action begins; the young second wife, our narrator, is never given a name. Because she doesn't understand what's going on for a long time, neither does the reader. And by the time you find out what really happened, you may find yourself one of the many readers who feel almost complicit in the crime. Suspenseful but not scary, and it holds its tension on a re-reading: a sure sign of a well-crafted thriller.

A Most Agreeable Murder

by Julia Seales

What’s feisty young lady, Beatrice Steele to do when an eligible bachelor is murdered at the local ball? Use her secret true crime knowledge to investigate, of course! This hilarious debut Mystery-Comedy set in the English countryside has it all: games of whist, a disgusting swamp, dashing gentleman, needlepoint, bioluminescent frogs, footnotes, romance, a guest list of quirky characters, and scones. What We Do in the Shadows meets Jane Austen with dashes of The Addams Family and the Bridgerton Series in a truly unique cozy mystery. Full of laugh-out loud moments and fun twisty turns! For fans of Juneau Black’s Shady Hollow, Tizrah Price’s Pride and Premeditation, and Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan Is Killing It.

Of Monsters and Mainframes

by Barbara Truelove

Brigid says: The best way to describe this endearing sci-fi/ horror is Dracula, Frankenstein, and more in space! Delightfully filled with callbacks and Easter eggs inspired by classic monsters, I quickly fell in love with the found family of both human and non-human crew and passengers. There is the ship’s main AI, Demeter, who awakes after deep space travel to a ship full of dead passengers and a monster on board. Stewart, the snarky med bot, who is just trying to keep a tidy medical bay. And my favorite character I’ve met in recent years, the extremely charming and hilarious “Steve” who may not be there for the right reasons. With a full cast narration, the audiobook is fabulously immersive but heads up: there are binary code sequences read out loud at the beginning of chapters that can be easily sped up if they become tiresome. Unique, fun, and a tad bit gross, this is the type of entertaining read that I just want to push into readers' hands or earbuds!

Yellowface

by R. F Kuang

June and Athena first met at Yale and now are rival authors, though one has far outstripped the other in success and sales. When the brilliant, bestselling Athena chokes on a pancake and dies in front of June, June takes the opportunity to steal her friend's nearly-finished manuscript and pass it off as her own. June tells herself there are no victims here: it's not like her friend is going to use it. And if readers of the stolen manuscript wrongfully assume June is Chinese because of the story, she tells herself that's nobody's fault but theirs. As June gets in deeper and deeper with her lie, she grows increasingly crazed and desperate, going to jaw-dropping lengths to keep her deception secret. I could hardly wait to see exactly how this author would get her richly deserved comeuppance.

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

This was "a book good enough make you want to turn off the tv" in this recent episode of What Should I Read Next. I really enjoyed the audiobook, read by Jim Dale.

I Choose Darkness: A Holiday Essay

by Jenny Lawson

Looking for a fast and funny read? This weird micro-memoir by Jenny Lawson is full of her year-round love for Halloween.

Crooked House

by Agatha Christie

Crooked House is a short, haunting, and intriguing stand-alone story about The Leonides family. When the head of the family is found murdered in their large and ramshackle mansion, everyone starts pointing fingers at each other. If this sounds familiar, the movie Knives Out seems to be quite inspired by Crooked House! Christie said writing this novel "was pure pleasure and I feel justified in my belief that it is one of my best."

Cemetery Boys

by Aiden Thomas

In Thomas’s debut YA Fantasy, Yadriel decides he doesn’t need his family’s approval or acceptance of his gender in order to become a brujo and decides to perform the ritual himself. But instead of summoning the ghost of his recently deceased cousin, he summons the ghost of bad boy Julian who demands Yadriel find his killer. The more time they spend together, the less Yadriel wants Julian to leave. But what kind of happily ever after can you have with a ghost? This magical novel remains grounded thanks to the LA setting, Latinx culture, and fantastic cast of secondary characters.

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts

by Kate Racculia

Kate Racculia wrote the very weird book that so many of you LOVE, 2014's Bellweather Rhapsody. Erika Swyler, bestselling author of The Book of Speculation said, "Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts is so much fun it should be criminal. A mystery hidden in a game, hidden in a romp around Boston, with intrigue, a little romance, and a ghost? Perfection. Racculia has a gift for both humor and creating deeply relatable oddballs. Genuinely funny, whip-smart, and at times profound, it is a novel that reminds us both of the pure joy of play, and the importance of finding people who matter."

21 spine-tingling but not TOO scary audiobooks for fall

a gateway

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summer reading starts May 16th