7 Terrifying Book to Screen Adaptations of 2020

Brace yourselves, bookworms, Halloween is going to be extra scary this year, and not just because of COVID-19 and the imminent end of the world. If you’re the type who likes to hunker down with a pile of blankets and binge-watch nothing but horror flicks in October, then you’re in luck because there’s a slew of terrifying adaptations to dive into this fall. From a classic nightmarish Stephen King tale to new takes on old scares, there are plenty of options for those looking to get their horror fix.


The Outsider by Stephen King, narrated by Will Patton

Release date: Currently streaming on HBO

Photo: HBO

It’s just not a proper, spooky October if you don’t watch at least one Stephen King adaptation. Luckily, the latest adaptation of King’s bestseller The Outsider is as creepy as they come. Set in the fictional Flint City, Oklahoma, The Outsider is a classic King horror-thriller that begins with the rape and murder of an 11-year-old boy. The miniseries stars Jason Bateman as Terry Maitland, the once-beloved baseball coach accused of the crime, and Ben Mendelsohn as Ralph Anderson, the lead detective on the case, along with Cynthia Erivo and Bill Camp. Whether you already binged the series when it released back in January, or you’re just getting around to it now, October is the perfect time to dive into this nightmarish tale.

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I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid, narrated by Candace Thaxton

Release date: Currently streaming on Netflix

Photo: Netflix

September brought the chills with the release of I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Adapted from Iain Reid’s award-winning novel of the same name, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is one heck of a psychological thriller about a man and his girlfriend who are on their way to visit his parents at a secluded farm. The adaptation features horror fan favorites Jesse Plemons as Jake and Toni Colette as Jake’s mother, with Jessie Buckley starring as “The Young Woman,” who is Jake’s girlfriend, and David Thewlis as Jake’s father.

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The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock, narrated by Mark Bramhall

Release date: Currently streaming on Netflix

Photo: Glen Wilson/Netflix

Donald Ray Pollock’s award-winning blood-filled Southern gothic is streaming on the small screen with a star-studded cast. The adaptation, set between World War II and the Vietnam War, follows a group of sinister characters living in Ohio and West Virginia and will feature an ensemble cast including Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Jason Clarke, Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, Eliza Scanlan, Bill Skarsgård, Mia Wasikowska, Harry Melling, and Haley Bennett.

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The Turn of the Screw (adapted as The Haunting of Bly Manor) by Henry James, narrated by Jefferson MaysBianca Amato

Release date: Currently streaming on Netflix

Photo: Eike Schroter/Netflix

2020 will see not one but two adaptations of Henry James’s novella, The Turn of the Screw. The first, which released earlier in the year, was a modern take on the 1898 ghost story. The second adaptation will be led by The Haunting of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan and follows on the heels of the highly successful 2018 horror series. The second season, adapted as The Haunting of Bly Manor, follows a governess who, while caring for two orphans in the remote English countryside, begins to experience strange phenomenons. Among the returning cast is Victoria Pedretti, who’s swapping the role of the ill-fated Nell Crain for Dani Clayton, the American governess tasked with looking after the children.

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Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, narrated by Anna Massey

Release Date: October 21, Netflix

Photo: Kerry Brown/Netflix

2020 will see us all going to Manderley again with a new adaptation of Daphne du Maurier‘s 1938 gothic thriller, Rebecca, this time with Lily James taking on the role of Mrs. de Winter and Armie Hammer as her aristocratic, brooding husband, Maxim. The adaptation follows the pair of newlyweds as they begin their new life together at Maxim’s massive country estate. It is only when they arrive that Mrs. de Winter realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives—presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.

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The Witches by Roald Dahl, narrated by Miranda Richardson

Release date: October 22, HBO Max

Photo: Warner Bros.

An all-new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches, the book that’s been fueling every kid’s nightmares since its release in 1983, is set to premiere on HBO Max just in time for Halloween. The Witches follows 7-year-old Luke who stumbles upon a secret coven of child-hating witches, whose plans he must put a stop to with the help of his grandmother. Anne Hathaway leads the adaptation as the evil Grand High Witch, with Octavia Spencer as Luke’s grandmother, and newcomer Jahzir Kadeem Bruno as Luke.

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Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie, narrated by Kenneth Branagh

Release date: October 23

Photo: Rob Youngson/Twentieth Century Fox

Hercule Poirot is back and his mustache is bigger and better than ever! This time, viewers are being whisked to Egypt where Poirot is being pulled into a murder investigation while he’s vacationing aboard a luxury cruise ship. The adaptation will see Kenneth Branagh reprising his role as the Belgian detective along with a star-studded cast featuring Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Letitia Wright, Emma Mackey, Annette Bening, Sophie Okonedo, Russell Brand, Rose Leslie, and Ali Fazal.

Read more and sample the audio →


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February’s Top 10 Audiobooks.com Member Downloads

Listen to last month’s most popular fiction and non-fiction titles downloaded by Audiobooks.com members.


Fiction

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, narrated by Yareli ArizmendiJeanine Cummins

Publisher Summary:

Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.

Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

American Dirt will leave listeners utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity. It is one of the most important books for our times.

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Golden in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel (In Death, Book 50) by J. D. Robb, narrated by Susan Ericksen

Pediatrician Kent Abner received the package on a beautiful April morning. Inside was a cheap trinket, a golden egg that could be opened into two halves. When he pried it apart, highly toxic airborne fumes entered his body—and killed him.

After Eve Dallas calls the hazmat team—and undergoes testing to reassure both her and her husband that she hasn’t been exposed—it’s time to look into Dr. Abner’s past and relationships. Not every victim Eve encounters is an angel, but it seems that Abner came pretty close—though he did ruffle some feathers over the years by taking stands for the weak and defenseless. While the lab tries to identify the deadly toxin, Eve hunts for the sender. But when someone else dies in the same grisly manner, it becomes clear that she’s dealing with either a madman—or someone who has a hidden and elusive connection to both victims.

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Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, narrated by Jennifer Lim

Publisher Summary:

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned—from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren—an enigmatic artist and single mother—who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town—and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides.  Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

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Crooked River by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston, narrated by Jefferson Mays

Publisher Summary:

Appearing out of nowhere to horrify the quiet resort town of Sanibel Island, Florida, dozens of identical, ordinary-looking shoes float in on the tide and are washed up on the tropical beach—each one with a crudely severed human foot inside.

Called away from vacation elsewhere in the state, Agent Pendergast reluctantly agrees to visit the crime scene—and, despite himself, is quickly drawn in by the incomprehensible puzzle. An early pathology report only adds to the mystery. With an ocean of possibilities confronting the investigation, no one is sure what happened, why, or from where the feet originated. And they desperately need to know: are the victims still alive?

In short order, Pendergast finds himself facing the most complex and inexplicable challenge of his career: a tangled thread of evidence that spans seas and traverses continents, connected to one of the most baffling mysteries in modern medical science. Through shocking twists and turns, all trails lead back to a powerful adversary with a sadistic agenda and who—in a cruel irony—ultimately sees in Pendergast the ideal subject for their malevolent research.

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The Outsider by Stephen King, narrated by Will Patton

Publisher Summary:

An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is discovered in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens—Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon have DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.

As the investigation expands and horrifying details begin to emerge, King’s story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.

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Non-Fiction

Open Book by Jessica Simpson, narrated by Jessica Simpson

Publisher Summary:

Jessica reveals for the first time her inner monologue and most intimate struggles. Guided by the journals she’s kept since age fifteen, and brimming with her unique humor and down-to-earth humanity, Open Book is as inspiring as it is entertaining.

This was supposed to be a very different book. Five years ago, Jessica Simpson was approached to write a motivational guide to living your best life. She walked away from the offer, and nobody understood why. The truth is that she didn’t want to lie.

Jessica couldn’t be authentic with her readers if she wasn’t fully honest with herself first.

Now America’s Sweetheart, preacher’s daughter, pop phenomenon, reality tv pioneer, and the billion-dollar fashion mogul invites readers on a remarkable journey, examining a life that blessed her with the compassion to help others, but also burdened her with an almost crippling need to please. Open Book is Jessica Simpson using her voice, heart, soul, and humor to share things she’s never shared before.

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Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don’t Know by Malcolm Gladwell, narrated by Malcolm Gladwell

Publisher Summary:

How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? Why did Neville Chamberlain think he could trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rise? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to each other that isn’t true?

While tackling these questions, Malcolm Gladwell was not solely writing a book for the page. He was also producing for the ear. In the audiobook version of Talking to Strangers, you’ll hear the voices of people he interviewed–scientists, criminologists, military psychologists. Court transcripts are brought to life with re-enactments. You actually hear the contentious arrest of Sandra Bland by the side of the road in Texas. As Gladwell revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, and the suicide of Sylvia Plath, you hear directly from many of the players in these real-life tragedies. There’s even a theme song—Janelle Monae’s ‘Hell You Talmbout.’

Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don’t know. And because we don’t know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world.

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Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson, narrated by Roger Wayne

Publisher Summary:

For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. ‘F**k positivity,’ Mark Manson says. ‘Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it.’ In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.

Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—’not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault.’ Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek.

There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.

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Educated by Tara Westover, narrated by Julia Whelan

Publisher Summary:

An unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a Ph.D. from Cambridge University.

Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

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A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump’s Testing of America by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig, narrated by Hillary HuberCarol Leonnig, and Philip Rucker

Publisher Summary:

“I alone can fix it.” So went Donald J. Trump’s march to the presidency on July 21, 2016, when he accepted the Republican presidential nomination in Cleveland, promising to restore what he described as a fallen nation. Yet over the subsequent years, as he has undertaken the actual work of the commander in chief, it has been hard to see beyond the daily chaos of scandal, investigation, and constant bluster. It would be all too easy to mistake Trump’s first term for one of pure and uninhibited chaos, but there were patterns to his behavior and that of his associates. The universal value of the Trump administration is loyalty—not to the country, but to the president himself—and Trump’s North Star has been the perpetuation of his own power, even when it meant imperiling our shaky and mistrustful democracy.

Leonnig and Rucker, with deep and unmatched sources throughout Washington, D.C., tell of rages and frenzies but also moments of courage and perseverance. Relying on scores of exclusive new interviews with some of the most senior members of the Trump administration and other firsthand witnesses, the authors reveal the forty-fifth president up close, taking readers inside Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation as well as the president’s own haphazard but ultimately successful legal defense. Here for the first time certain officials who have felt honor-bound not to publicly criticize a sitting president or to divulge what they witnessed in a position of trust tell the truth for the benefit of history.

This peerless and gripping narrative reveals President Trump at his most unvarnished and exposes how decision making in his administration has been driven by a reflexive logic of self-preservation and self-aggrandizement—but a logic nonetheless. This is the story of how an unparalleled president has scrambled to survive and tested the strength of America’s democracy and its common heart as a nation.

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New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

17 Most Anticipated Book to Screen Adaptations for 2020

Fret not, bookworms, 2020 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for book to screen adaptations. From beloved classics to contemporary bestsellers, there will be no shortage of movies and TV shows to bask in as our favorite characters and worlds are brought to life.

The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver, narrated by Jeff Harding

Release date: January 10

If you’ve devoured the Lincoln Rhyme series by Jeffrey Deaver, then you’ll definitely want to take note of the new television series based on the nine books in the series! This new series follows NYPD officer Amelia Sachs (Arielle Kebbel) as she joins forces with disabled forensic criminalist Lincoln Rhyme (Russell Hornsby) to solve cases surrounding infamous serial killer, the Bone Collector.

The first episode just premiered on NBC on January 10, so you can catch the next episode this Friday, January 17.

Read more and sample the audio →

The Outsider by Stephen King, narrated by Will Patton

Release date: January 12

Let’s be honest, Stephen King has a knack for penning tales that are just too good not to be adapted into movies and television shows. The Outsider is no exception there. HBO just released the first episode of this 10-episode miniseries with the same title, based on The Outsider, on January 12. Starring Ben Mendelsohn and Jason Bateman, The Outsider features a police investigation in a small town following the murder of a young boy. Detective Ralph Anderson is on the case, but his suspect is a beloved father, husband, and friend with an alibi. Anderson’s case seems ironclad, but as his investigation unfolds, new and terrifying secrets are unearthed.

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Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting, narrated by James Langton

Expected release date: January 17

Doctor Dolittle, a classic favorite, is getting a 2020 remake! The original novel by Hugh Lofting was released in 1920 and has since had countless adaptations to the big screen, television, and even on stage!

This star-studded version will feature Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Dolittle, the physician who discovers that he can talk to animals (and they talk back), Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, and boasts a voice cast of Emma Thompson, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, and Selena Gomez. Get your popcorn ready, this flick hits theaters on January 17!

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The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, narrated by Jefferson Mays, and Bianca Amato

Expected release date: January 24

Since Henry James’ novella, The Turn of the Screw, was released in 1898, it has inspired countless adaptations in film, television, literature, and theater productions. The staying power of this spooky tale is proven again in the 2020 remake titled The Turning. The story follows Kate who is hired as a nanny by a man who becomes the guardian of his niece and nephew after the deaths of their parents. As Kate’s employment progresses and she uncovers the dark secrets of both the house and the children, she realizes that things may not be what they seem. Starring Mackenzie Davis and Finn Wolfhard, this creepy film will make its debut on January 24.

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The Rhythm Section by Mark Burnell, narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden

Expected release date: January 31

The Rhythm Section has everything you could want in an action drama: tragedy, deceit, revenge, assassins. Not to mention the fact that the film adaptation is produced by EOS Productions, known for producing the James Bond movies. Blake Lively plays Stephanie Patrick, whose life takes a devastating turn after a plane crash kills her family. When the crash is revealed to be an act of terrorism and not an accident, Stephanie vows to stop at nothing until she can seek her revenge on the people to blame.

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P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han, narrated by Laura Knight Keating

Expected release date: February 12

The characters you adored in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before are back for a sequel in P.S. I Still Love You. The Netflix film will star Noah Centineo and Lana Condor (of course), alongside others. The story picks back up from where To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before left off with a new love interest added to the mix.

Can’t get enough of Lara Jean? Luckily this isn’t the end! You can follow Lara Jean through senior year in the third audiobook in the series, Always and Forever, Lara Jean.

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The Call of the Wild by Jack London, narrated by Frank Muller

Expected release date: February 21

The Call of the Wild was originally published in 1903 and has since had multiple film adaptations. This time around, the flick stars Karen Gillan, Harrison Ford, and Cara Gee. Although, the real star is Buck, the St. Bernard/Scotch Collie mix that makes CGI look real-life adorable. When Buck is taken from his home in California and sold into the Alaskan sled dog trade, Buck’s struggle to survive tells a story of resilience that has been cherished for over a century.

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All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, narrated by Ariadne Meyers, and Jennifer Niven, and Kirby Heyborne

Expected release date: February 28

All the Bright Places premieres on Netflix on February 28. The film, starring Elle Fanning and Justice Smith, is based on Jennifer Niven’s best-selling book of the same name. Fanning and Smith play the pair Violet and Theodore, respectively, whose story of love and strength is a hit with romantic-drama fans and will surely have you sobbing into your popcorn.  

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Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, narrated by Jennifer Lim

Expected release date: March 18

Celeste Ng’s bestselling novel about an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend the lives of one picture-perfect family during their stay in Shaker Heights, Ohio, is finally making its small screen debut on Hulu. Reese Witherspoon, who bought the rights to Litte Fires Everywhere after selecting it as her book club pick in September 2017, is co-producing and co-starring alongside Kerry Washington as Elena Richardson and Mia Warren, respectively.

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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, narrated by Flo Gibson

Expected release date: April 17

Another beloved classic is getting a big-screen remake — this time it’s Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, which was last adapted into a movie in 1993. Starring Dixie Ederickx as Mary Lennox, The Secret Garden follows the spunky 10-year-old as she moves in with her reclusive uncle, Archibald Craven (Colin Firth), following her parents’ deaths and discovers a hidden magical garden on the grounds of her new home.

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Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, narrated by Nathaniel Parker

Expected release date: May 29

After languishing in development hell for the better part of two decades, Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series is finally seeing the light of day. The movie, which was slated for release on August 9, 2019, was pushed back to May 29, 2020. Based on the first two books in Colfer’s bestselling series, Artemis Fowl follows 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl (Ferdia Shaw) who uncovers an ancient underground world of fairies while searching for his missing father.

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Without Remorse by Tom Clancy, narrated by Michael Prichard

Expected release date: September 18

Tom Clancy fans certainly can’t complain about a lack of adaptations of the author’s works. Following the success of Amazon Prime’s Jack Ryan series, Paramount Pictures is adapting Clancy’s John Clark duology in a two-part film series starring Michael B. Jordan as the title character. The first movie, Without Remorse, will be the first time fans will see John Clark, who until now has only been a supporting character in various Jack Ryan adaptations, center stage in his own story.

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Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie, narrated by David Suchet

Expected release date: October 9

Fans of Hercule Poirot can rejoice, the famed detective is returning to the big screen after the success of 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express! With Kenneth Branagh back at the helm as director and once again starring as Hercule Poirot, Death on the Nile is bringing to life another one of Agatha Christie‘s famous mysteries, this time set aboard a luxury steamer cruising down the Nile River.

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Dune by Frank Herbert, narrated by Scott Brick, Simon Vance, Orlagh Cassidy, Ilyana Kadushin, and Euan Morton

Expected release date: December 18

Frank Herbert’s Dune is being resurrected for the big screen, although fans of the classic 1965 science fiction novel will have to wait a little bit longer to see it after Warner Bros. bumped its release date from November 20 to December 18. This new iteration will be helmed by Denis Villeneuve, who already has Arrival and Blade Runner 2048 under his belt. Villeneuve envisions Dune as a two-part film, and although no news has been confirmed about the potential second movie, fans already have lots to look forward to with the incredible cast assembled for Dune which stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgård, Zendaya, and Josh Brolin, just to name a few.

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The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, narrated by Nick Podehl

Expected release date: TBD

Daisy Ridley, Tom Holland, and Nick Jonas are joining forces to bring to life Patrick Ness’ bestselling Young Adult series. Based on the first novel in the Chaos Walking trilogy, The Knife of Never Letting Go, the story will set in a dystopian town called Prentisstown where everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts. When the only boy in town, Todd (Holland), discovers an awful secret, he’s forced to run for his life.

Read more and sample the audio →

New to Audiobooks.com? Get your first book free, PLUS a bonus book from our VIP selection when you sign up for our one-month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking, and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobooks!

8 Stephen King Audiobooks That’ll Scare Your Pants Off

Tomorrow is Stephen King’s birthday, so why not celebrate the King of Horror by highlighting some of his most terrifying audiobooks. These are just eight of his freakiest tales, but you can find over 100 audiobooks on Audiobooks.com by King or featuring King.

From the staple King classics to some of his newer releases, pick up one of these if you’re in the mood for a good scare.


Pet Sematary by Stephen King, narrated by Michael C. Hall

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

When Stephen King himself considers a novel he has written as taking things too far, then you know it’s going to be real freaky. Pet Sematary is a classic from King, and the audiobook is a gripping listen with Michael C. Hall putting on a very convincing Maine accent if you ask me, ayuh!

In Pet Sematary, Dr. Louis Creed gets a new job and moves his family to Ludlow, Maine – a seemingly normal little town. It’s only when he feels a pull to venture to a burial ground that lay just beyond a children’s pet cemetery that he sees why sometimes dead is better.

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It by Stephen King, narrated by Steven Weber

It by Stephen King

This beast of an audiobook is not for the faint of heart. Emphasis on beast… The reason that It has held up all these years and now has three motion pictures and even a mini series to its name is because the monster in this listen isn’t just Pennywise the Clown, it’s fear itself. This one has a major creep-factor, so buckle in and prepare to immerse yourself in the world of Derry, Maine and become a member of The Losers’ Club.

Seven kids get caught up in an evil that resides in their hometown of Derry, Maine. Now, they’ve grown up, moved away, and found success, but they feel that pull back to their hometown to finish what they started.

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The Shining by Stephen King, narrated by Campbell Scott

The Shining by Stephen King

I’m sure you’re all familiar with The Shining. Whether you’ve listened to the audiobook, you’ve caught the 1980 film adaptation starring Jack Nicholson, or maybe you’ve just heard people quoting, “Here’s Johnny!” for the past 40 years (give or take) – The Shining is one of King’s most popular and most frightening releases.

If, for some reason, you don’t know what The Shining is about, it follows Jack Torrance and his family as they move to the remote and idyllic Overlook Hotel. It seems like just the getaway that the family needs until winter creeps in and weird things start happening that only Danny Torrance seems to notice.

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Misery by Stephen King, narrated by Lindsay Crouse

Misery by Stephen King

We’ve all been there…when our favorite character or series plays out in a way that we don’t agree with. It can certainly be frustrating, but my first thought isn’t to go out, kidnap the creators, and force them to right their wrongs like Annie Wilkes does in Misery. This listen will give you a glimpse into how fandom can take a seriously dark turn.

In Misery, Paul Sheldon takes a risk in his writing career and kills off the main character of his romance series, so that he can move on to something new. He later ends up injured in a car crash and who should rescue him, but his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. She is not happy with what Paul has done to her favorite series, so she demands that he resurrect both the character and the series. He has no excuse…as Annie’s prisoner, he has all the time in the world.

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Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, narrated by Ron McLarty

Salem's Lot by Stephen King

King blessed us with ‘Salem’s Lot back when vampires were actually vicious and terrifying monsters as opposed to sparkling in the sun, and using their super speed to play baseball. Being the second release from King after Carrie, it’s been quite a while, but this suspenseful audiobook will still keep you on the edge of your seat after all this time.

In this spooky tale from King, we follow fiction writer Ben Mears as he moves into this big mansion in Jerusalem’s Lot to gather inspiration for his new novel. After two boys enter the woods near his house and only one returns he gets the feeling that something dark and sinister is lurking in his small town.

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The Mist by Stephen King, narrated by Will Patton

The Mist by Stephen King

If you’ve seen the film adaptation of King’s The Mist, then you know what it’s like to be filled with hopelessness and to ugly cry at the TV screen. Don’t let that deter you from giving the audiobook a listen. The story definitely plays out a little differently, but still gives you the same claustrophobic feeling.

In The Mist, David Drayton, his son Billy, and their neighbor head over to the local grocery store following a storm. While there, a mysterious mist overtakes the whole town. Holed up in the grocery store with an array of characters, they have to decide whether it’s better to deal with people they may not trust or face the unknown.

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The Outsider by Stephen King, narrated by Will Patton

The Outsider by Stephen King

Take a look at that cover. Need I say more? The Outsider is part mystery, part horror, and it definitely has that “give-you-the-chills” factor. Plus, if you frequent Stephen King’s audiobooks, then you’ll recognize the narrator, Will Patton, who has lent his voice to many of King’s novels.

The Outsider opens with the corpse of a little boy being found in town. It seems all evidence points to the local Little League coach as the main suspect. The detectives believe that they have this case in the bag, but as the coach reveals his alibi and they unearth more about the crime the story gets kicked into high gear. Did they get the right guy?

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The Institute by Stephen King, narrated by Santino Fontana

The Institute by Stephen King

The Institute is Stephen King’s latest release and even though there are supernatural elements to the story, the monsters in this listen are real people, which make it that much scarier. After listening to this audiobook you’ll surely wonder what terrible things people are truly capable of.

In The Institute Luke’s parents are killed and he is kidnapped and taken to The Institute. He and other gifted children are being used for their extranormal talents and if they cooperate all is fine, but if they refuse the punishment is severe. The really bad kids get sent to the “Back Half,” which the other children want to avoid at all costs. Their only hope is to escape and get help, but no one has ever escaped The Institute.

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