20 Best Zombie Audiobooks to Satisfy Your Cravings

The rise of the living dead may be one of the most frequently explored apocalypse scenarios by modern authors, and with good reason. A great zombie audiobook combines visceral action, the distress of watching the dead rise, and the inexorability of the human will to survive. There are almost as many titles on the subject as there are zombies in each work, and with so many great audiobooks to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to get the zombie fix you’re looking for. In our list of the 20 best zombie audiobooks, you’ll find every kind of zombie scenario.

Trudge

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse, Book 1

By: Shawn Chesser

Narrated by: Chris Patton

Series: Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse, Book 1

Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

Release date: 11-09-15

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 1,330 ratings

Former Special Ops member Cade Grayson is just settling in for a quiet weekend when reports of violent rioters exhibiting strange, cannibalistic behavior begin to spread. Cade, whose wife and daughter are on a trip across the country, watches helplessly as major cities fall victim to a fast-spreading viral infection that gives its hosts a taste for human flesh. Unable to contact his family, his only choice is to draw on his old combat training and cross the treacherous miles alone. Narrator Chris Patton expertly handles both frightening, powerful action sequences and Cade’s vulnerable moments with alternating energy and tenderness, underscoring the duality of the world in Trudge. Patton’s pace is steady but unyielding, and the relentless drive of the story—mile after zombie-laden mile—turns a long car ride into an epic quest alongside Cade.
Feed

The Newsflesh Trilogy, Book 1

By: Mira Grant

Narrated by: Paula Christensen, Jesse Bernstein

Series: Apocalypse Scenario, Book 1

Length: 15 hrs and 10 mins

Release date: 05-03-10

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 2,399 ratings

Feed is the first of a trilogy that focuses as much on political intrigue as it does on zombie-driven action. In Grant’s world, humans’ successful cures for both cancer and the common cold lead to a viral outbreak that turns those infected into zombies. The story begins 20 years after the initial outbreak, and uninfected people and monstrous zombies live in side-by-side territories where paranoia and fear are understandably rampant. Listeners follow along with brother and sister Shaun and Georgia Mason, (deftly brought to life by Jesse Bernstein and Paula Christensen), a team of bloggers working on a presidential campaign. As Shaun and Georgia find themselves uncovering a potential conspiracy behind the Rising, this audiobook begins to feel like listening to a journalist’s personal recordings, heightening the tension in such a way that drives home the intense fear that permeates the world Grant has created. Feed isn’t just a thrilling zombie joyride—it’s also a smart, snappy political thriller.
World War Z: The Complete Edition

An Oral History of the Zombie War

By: Max Brooks

Narrated by: Max Brooks, Alan Alda, John Turturro, Rob Reiner, Mark Hamill, Alfred Molina, Simon Pegg, Henry Rollins, Martin Scorsese

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Release date: 05-14-13

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 22,764 ratings

This Audie Award winner is a special, star-studded edition of one of the most acclaimed zombie stories in recent memory. The new content and talented voice cast—including show-stopping talent like Mark Hamill, Rob Reiner, Simon Pegg, and Martin Scorsese—enliven the already unforgettable story, in which survivors give firsthand accounts of the Zombie War that nearly wiped out humanity. The audiobook conveys the survivors’ harrowing stories in a frighteningly realistic documentary style, with author Max Brooks acting as the interviewer. From an astronaut safely isolated in space to everyday suburban families in the thick of the outbreak, each character’s story provides a fresh perspective on the pandemonium and heartbreak of society’s collapse. Brooks’s deft narrative makes it so that even in retelling, accounts are filled with fresh tension and mystery, and the emotive performances by the cast are gripping from start to finish.
Zombie Fallout

By: Mark Tufo

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Series: Zombie Fallout, Book 1

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Release date: 03-03-20

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 3,485 ratings

Michael Talbot knew the apocalypse was coming, and in Zombie Fallout (the first installment in a multi-volume series of the same name), narrator Sean Runnette gives an excellent performance of Talbot’s I-told-you-so attitude. The story opens with a modern nightmare: a rushed flu vaccine that leads to a mass infection, killing millions only to then resurrect them as brain-craving monsters. Talbot is one of the few prepared survivors, and he does his best to keep himself, his family, and his friends alive without losing his sense of humor. Author Mark Tufo gave main character Michael more than just his initials; he also gave him his own zombie fanaticism. Talbot is continually referencing other zombie works that came before Zombie Fallout, even as the horror and gore of his own reality spreads before him. When combined with the genial, sarcastic narration by Runnette, the resulting ride is an equally funny and horrifying listen filled with winks to long-time lovers of the genre.
Dark Recollections

Adrian's Undead Diary, Volume 1

By: Chris Philbrook

Narrated by: James Foster

Series: Adrian's Undead Diary, Book 1

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Release date: 06-18-14

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,313 ratings

This first installment of the Adrian’s Undead Diary series introduces us to Adrian Ring, a lonely survivor of the zombie apocalypse that killed almost everyone he cared about (except his moody cat, Otis). As he struggles to keep his sanity, Adrian begins dictating journals to his laptop, whom he calls Mr. JournalDark Recollections makes it easy to suspend disbelief and become immersed in the story. Experienced narrator James Foster perfectly captures the heart-rending loneliness of Adrian in his subdued emotional performance; he brightens up the exciting, funny moments of the story, showing his expert command of pacing, before pulling it back to a vulnerable place that keeps listeners feeling for Adrian and entirely invested in his story.
Patient Zero

The Joe Ledger Novels, Book 1

By: Jonathan Maberry

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Joe Ledger, Book 1

Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins

Release date: 10-05-10

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 16,768 ratings

Expert narrator Ray Porter lends his deep, smooth voice to Maberry’s leading man, Joe Ledger, in this dark audiobook about a top-secret government initiative to contain a potential zombie virus outbreak. Ledger is a hardened Baltimore detective with a sharp wit, cynical outlook, and impeccable career history when he’s recruited to the Department of Military Sciences for a rapid-response mission with national security on the line. Porter plays his journey from bravado to disbelieving horror with deftness and subtlety. Because this selection is focused on a mission to prevent a zombie outbreak, the story comes with a built-in countdown clock that raises the stakes to a nerve-wracking level and turns a casual listen into a heart-pounding thriller. At turns funny and stomach-churning, Patient Zero is great as a standalone listen or as an introduction to best-selling author Maberry.
Day By Day Armageddon

By: J. L. Bourne

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Series: Day by Day Armageddon, Book 1

Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins

Release date: 07-13-10

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 6,333 ratings

In another journal format novel to add to our list, J. L. Bourne has crafted a zombie survival story that is so engrossing it makes real life a bit scarier too. Listeners meet Bourne’s main character, a pilot for the Navy stationed in Texas, through a personal diary as the horrifying reality of his situation slowly unfolds over several entries. From there, listeners are all in, following his attempts to make contact with and protect other survivors, outlast the undead surrounding him, and find reasons to maintain hope. The gaps left in the narrative whenever the protagonist was under attack are maddening, and that tension, coupled with narrator Jay Snyder’s intense, emotive performance, can make it incredibly difficult to resist listening to this selection in one sitting.
Plague of the Dead

The Morningstar Strain, Book 1

By: Z. A. Recht

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

Series: Morningstar Strain, Book 1

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

Release date: 08-25-09

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 3,016 ratings

Two United States military commands on opposite sides of the world deal with the same world-ending calamity: a fatal viral outbreak that reanimates those who die. One struggles to keep those depending on him alive, while the other contemplates whether to leak the cause of the viral outbreak to the public. Audie Award winner Oliver Wyman’s crisp, clipped diction mirrors the military focus of this title, and the recitation of zombie-related horrors in his precise tone adds a chill to the immensely difficult survival decisions the two commanders must make. Plague of the Dead is a selection with a laser focus on strategy as much as on human emotion that asks listeners if we have what it takes to survive the end of the world.
The Rising

By: Brian Keene

Narrated by: Joe Hempel

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Release date: 07-07-17

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 452 ratings

Joe Hempel is no stranger to horror audiobooks, having narrated a number of them over the course of his prolific career thus far, and his expertise is evident as he guides listeners through this twisted, dark story. Devoted father Jim Thurmond searches for his son across a ravaged country, beset by hordes of zombies that are completely sentient and controlled by an external evil. These undead legions can think and plan with bone-chilling intent, so Jim must act with near perfection to get past them—but even if he does, listeners can’t be sure his son will be on the other side. Jim’s driving force to find his son translates into an insatiable need to keep listening. The Rising was first released in 2003, and in this updated version with Joe Hempel narrating, there’s space (literally, at times, with expertly-placed silences) to feel the sinister, desolate atmosphere of the story more acutely than ever.
The Girl with All the Gifts

By: M. R. Carey

Narrated by: Finty Williams

Series: The Girl with All the Gifts, Book 1

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Release date: 06-10-14

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 39,101 ratings

Critics, listeners, and even Audible Editors won’t say much about the plot of this unique title— except that it’s surprising, moving, and, overall, great. We can’t say much more here either, as the twists are too good to risk spoiling. But what we can say is this is a story about a special young girl named Melanie, zombies, and being human. The thrilling plot is carried by deep, multi-faceted characters, and though listeners may think they know where this story is headed, author M. R. Carey will surprise them at every turn. Narrator Finty Williams is at the top of her game as she tells Melanie’s mysterious story; the voices she gives each dynamic character are at once distinctive enough to identify and cohesive as a listening experience. Made all the more pause-resistant by Williams’s melodic English accent, The Girl with All the Gifts is an excellent candidate for your next listen.
Raising Stony Mayhall

By: Daryl Gregory

Narrated by: David Marantz

Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins

Release date: 10-18-11

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 1,535 ratings

After a mysterious zombie outbreak, Wanda Mayhall discovers a dead young mother cradling her similarly deceased baby. But Mayhall soon discovers that, like so many of the changed humans shuffling outside, the child is both dead and alive. With the help of Mayhall and her own daughters, the baby, who they name Stony, grows up hidden from authorities. When they’re eventually exposed, Stony is forced to run, and what follows is a journey of self-discovery and a testament to the strength of familial love. From the first minute of this audiobook, it’s clear that award-winning author Daryl Gregory had fun crafting this zombie story, and narrator David Marantz captures that lightness without losing the story’s careful balance between humor and drama. Raising Stony Mayhall feels like a partnership between author and narrator, and the listening experience is better for it, striking a unique tone for an uncommon story.
Warm Bodies

A Novel

By: Isaac Marion

Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly

Series: Warm Bodies, Book 1

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

Release date: 05-17-11

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 2,133 ratings

Warm Bodies puts listeners directly into the fuller-than-expected head of a zombie, R, as he roams around looking for brains to eat and thinking about the nature of his mostly empty existence. In a flash, his purpose shifts from brains to romance, when he experiences the memories of his latest meals’ girlfriend and discovers he still has the capacity to love. His choice to pursue Julie—and go against his zombie nature—has implications not just for him but for all of his reanimated kind. This blend of teenage rom-com and zombie thriller is an enjoyable, sweet listen already, but narrator Kevin Kenerly elevates its quirkiness with his performance as R. The contemplative, hushed tone with which he delivers R’s introspection on what it means to be a human when you’re mostly dead lends a further softness to this quirky, love story that makes for a dreamy listen.
Cell

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins

Release date: 04-21-06

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 7,363 ratings

No horror list of any kind would be complete without a Stephen King selection, and for zombie action, Cell is our pick. King plays on our fear of technology going too far in this thriller when he introduces a virus that is transmitted to millions through devices we keep on hand almost constantly: cell phones. Narrated by the experienced Campbell Scott—who’s more than proven his mettle by narrating tales like The Shining and Oryx and Crake—this selection is a well-paced, well-acted listen. Scott knows when to pull back and when to dial up the dramatics, making for narration that’s neither overacted nor underplayed. In short, it’s a balanced performance that brings to immersive life yet another of King’s frighteningly plausible works, filled with equal parts gory zombie annihilation and existential questions about our relationship with technology.
Married with Zombies

By: Jesse Petersen

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Series: Living With The Dead, Book 1

Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins

Release date: 01-04-11

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 1,396 ratings

Hall of Fame Narrator Cassandra Campbell’s endlessly versatile voice switches seamlessly between wife Sarah and husband David in this zombie horror and romance crossover. She brings a flair to each character and capably carries the dry wit of author Jesse Peterson’s story about a struggling couple who realize, on their way to marriage counseling, that they may have to work out their issues on the way through unexpected zombie carnage. Married with Zombies is a gem that combines the tropes we love from romance with the tropes we love from zombie horror, and manages to balance the seemingly opposed genres. Sarah and David learning to live with each other and the undead is genuinely funny, shocking, and heartwarming. It’s an easy, enjoyable listen, available as a single listen or through our romance package, Audible Escape, which packs a sassy punch and leaves you smiling.
My Life as a White Trash Zombie

By: Diana Rowland

Narrated by: Allison McLemore

Series: White Trash Zombie, Book 1

Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins

Release date: 07-03-12

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 5,518 ratings

Angel Crawford feels like her life is more or less set—she’s a high school dropout living in the swamps of southern Louisiana with a drug addiction, neglectful parents, and a criminal record. When she gets into a car crash and becomes a zombie, though, her drug addictions disappear and she finds herself craving different matter entirely. This Audie Award-nominated audiobook eloquently tackles the difficult issues that plagued Angel’s human life while also satisfying listeners’ desire for classic zombie themes like brains, guts, and gory adventure. In a story that weaves together intense topics with the irreverent, darkly humorous tone of a teenager, an expert narrator is key to keeping the story balanced. Allison McLemore is so talented, wielding a wide range of genuine Southern drawls, but what we love most about her performance is how well she seems to understand the intricacies of this listen’s scrappy heroine.
Alice in Zombieland

By: Gena Showalter

Narrated by: Natalie Gold

Series: The White Rabbit Chronicles, Book 1

Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins

Release date: 10-01-12

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,094 ratings

Alice in Zombieland explores the more serious aspects of love in the time of the apocalypse. The heroine is Alice Bell, who loses her entire family on her 16th birthday and gains a thirst for vengeance and drive to survive. Her only ally is the untrustworthy and inconveniently handsome Cole Holland. Without him, she can’t survive and defeat the mysterious zombie creatures that took everything she knew from her, but with him, she might be opening herself to other kinds of pain. This paranormal romance has plenty of sinister aspects for those looking to indulge in a zombie horror thriller as well as a seductive, darkly enticing romance story. The way the plot unfolds through Alice’s eyes makes listening a thrill in and of itself—listeners encounter everything in this strange and scary world through her, played with genuine innocence and childlike wonder by the exceptional Natalie Gold.
Zombie Rules: Zombie Rules, Book 1

By: David Achord

Narrated by: Graham Halstead

Series: Zombie Rules, Book 1

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Release date: 01-06-15

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,500 ratings

Zombie Rules starts with a classic premise—mutated viral disease becomes zombie apocalypse—and an unconventionally young protagonist: a precocious teen who picks up combat skills with the air of someone far more experienced. When Z-Day comes to call, 16-year-old Zach Gunderson skips town to a remote farm with veteran and doomsday prepper Rick. On the isolated farm, the pair make a last stand for humanity against both a seemingly endless sea of insatiable zombies and threats imposed by their fellow survivalists. It’s clear that author David Achord loves the genre he writes for, and the intensity that permeates his prose comes through in Graham Halstead’s voice with steady, near relentless energy. His genuine delivery gives a lifelike sensation to each hair-raising sequence, crafting a story that feels distressingly real.
Zombie Road

Convoy of Carnage

By: David A. Simpson

Narrated by: Eric A. Shelman

Series: Zombie Road Book Series, Book 1

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Release date: 02-03-17

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 1,195 ratings

This fresh take on the genre offers twists to traditional zombie tropes. This apocalypse was no accident, and everyone knows it. And the traditional apocalyptic hero’s journey is undertaken in a giant, armored truck caravan occupied by a fascinating cast of characters, helmed by disgraced veteran and de facto leader, Gunny. The whole crew is racing for survival, sometimes literally plowing through zombies to reach safety, but Gunny is racing against the clock too— his wife and son are trapped, and it’s only a matter of time before the zombies breach their independent strongholds. Narrator Eric A. Shelman has dozens of distinctive character voices to act out in Zombie Road, but he is certainly up to the task. His thoughtful treatment of each character makes listeners feel like a part of the caravan as it makes its way across the country. Nonstop action, high stakes, and a skilled narrator make Zombie Road an easy addition to our list.
The Zombie Survival Guide

Complete Protection from the Living Dead

By: Max Brooks

Narrated by: Marc Cashman

Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins

Release date: 08-30-06

Language: English

4.5 out of 5 stars 2,484 ratings

Our second Max Brooks selection isn’t a story about a zombie apocalypse—it’s a how-to guide to survive one. It can be difficult to tell if Brooks is joking or not at points in this audiobook, and that’s much of the work’s charm. Narrator Marc Cashman’s matter-of-fact performance perfectly encapsulates the deadpan, dry humor Brooks infuses into The Zombie Survival Guide. When he describes the biology and physiology of the zombie, ideal weapons for taking down zombies, and exit strategies from infested areas, it’s done with the sarcastic edge of an expert zombie writer who knows the threat isn’t real...yet. On the flip side, the more serious moments of Cashman’s performance encourage listeners to pay close attention to Brooks’s extremely solid survivalist advice—in case the worst should happen.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!

By: Seth Grahame-Smith, Jane Austen

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Series: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Book 1

Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins

Release date: 05-19-09

Language: English

4 out of 5 stars 4,201 ratings

Jane Austen’s original Pride and Prejudice is almost certainly funnier than you remember, and Seth Grahame-Smith’s additions capitalize on the source in unexpectedly creative ways. Practical Elizabeth Bennett, one of five daughters to a steadfast father and charmingly ridiculous mother, meets and eventually marries the taciturn Fitzwilliam Darcy. Then of course, there is the most inconvenient zombie invasion, which fits into the work so seamlessly it feels like it was always intended to be there. Grahame-Smith gives the aspects of Elizabeth’s character that we most admire, like her quick thinking and strong will, a new stage on which to shine. Hall of Fame Narrator Katherine Kellgren is a force to be reckoned with as she effortlessly articulates Austen and Grahame-Smith’s combined, fast-paced dialogue at a rollicking clip. Her delivery of every character is adept, but it’s her tremulous, dramatic Mrs. Bennett that draws in listeners right from the start.

No results