Are you always on the hunt for amazing podcast recommendations? And would you love podcast recommendations for the best fiction podcasts the world has to offer? As avid lovers of audio fiction, we can confidently say that tuning in to expertly-executed fiction podcasts is a great way to escape reality and immerse ourselves in captivating narratives.
From thrilling crime dramas to whimsical fairy tales, there’s a wide variety of fiction podcasts available for all kinds of listeners.
So we’ve rounded up the best fiction podcasts for your listening pleasure.
With so many amazing podcasts to choose from, you’ll never run out of stories to indulge in. So sit back, relax, and let these talented storytellers take you on a wild, imaginative ride.
The Best Fiction Podcasts
1. Welcome to Night Vale
First up, we have Welcome to Night Vale. This fiction podcast is a must-listen for fans of horror and sci-fi. Told through the lens of an old-time community radio program, Welcome to Night Vale shares the not-so-average updates of the desert town of Night Vale. In this fictional town, weird and creepy events are just a part of daily life.
Radio host Cecil Baldwin guides you through the bizarre happenings of Night Vale, from the mysterious government agency known as the “Sheriff’s Secret Police” to the ominous glow cloud that hangs over the town. The show’s unique blend of horror and humor will keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat. It is truly one of the great fiction podcasts.
2. Homecoming
Next up, we have Homecoming. This fiction podcast is set in a mysterious government research facility and follows the story of caseworker Heidi Bergman as she works with returning soldiers reintegrating into civilian life. Even more intriguing, the plot is presented and developed through an enigmatic collage of telephone calls, therapy sessions, and overheard conversations.
But besides the intriguing plot and premise, this fiction podcast also features a star-studded cast including Catherine Keener, David Schwimmer, Oscar Isaac, Amy Sedaris, and many other well-known voices, making Homecoming a fantastic piece of audio fiction.
3. Limetown
Next up in our list of best fiction podcasts, we have Limetown. Set in a small town with a dark past, Limetown follows journalist Lia Haddock as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of an entire community. But this isn’t just an ordinary missing persons case. As Lia delves deeper into the story, she uncovers a web of lies and secrets that make for a heart-pumping thrill ride.
Limetown is a creepy tale and a classic fiction podcast. It’s a good production with an interesting plot, and will most certainly keep you enthralled.
4. The Bright Sessions
Another fiction podcast that falls in the realm of “creepy” is The Bright Session. This podcast follows Dr. Bright, a therapist who has a unique set of patients – ones with supernatural abilities. From telekinesis to time travel and mind-reading to teleportation, these patients have it all. But, here comes the twist – Dr. Bright has an ability of her own! This show is an absolute rollercoaster ride of emotions, suspense, and, of course, some good ol’ sci-fi action.
The plot will have you hooked, and the episodes are really well-written. This is another great example of just what fiction podcasts can be. And with the series complete, The Bright Sessions makes for a fantastic binge listen.
5. Passenger List
Are enthralling thrillers more your speed? Then the two seasons of Passenger List should be on your list! Atlantic Flight 702 disappeared mid-flight between London and New York with 256 passengers on board. Kaitlin Le, a college student whose twin brother vanished with the flight, is determined to uncover the truth.
Told through phone conversations and interviews, Passenger List takes you on an intriguing journey as you unravel the truth along with the main character. It’s a fascinating journey (excuse the pun) and a fun option if you’re looking to dive into fiction podcasts.
The next three fiction podcasts offer a fun change of pace, and all fall under the banner of the RomComPods.
6. Honeymoon for One
Honeymoon for One is the first season of RomComPods! We start the season by meeting Claire, a 28-year-old Chicagoan who seemingly has her life totally and completely together… until she catches her fiance cheating on her the week of their wedding!
Heartbroken (and broke), Claire decides to go on her non-refundable honeymoon — a romantic couple’s tour of Italy — alone.
If you love Rom Coms, you’ll love the fun of Honeymoon for One.
7. Vote for Love
Season two brings us Vote for Love…
What if your job depended on the guy who ghosted you? Lucy is an intern for the Governor of Texas… who has a VERY cute son. They had the perfect first date… until Lincoln disappeared! Now, eight years later, her boss is running for President… and they need Lincoln’s help to turn the campaign around!
Another trope-y (in all the best ways) rom-com fiction podcast to binge-listen if you love a bubbly, light audio adventure.
8. Showmance
And for season three we have Showmance…
Recently jilted by her boyfriend (who also happens to be her boss…yikes!), Casey is offered a dream job launching the British spin-off of the cooking TV show she produces, and heads to London looking for love. What she doesn’t expect is to find it TWICE! Showmance stars Skyler Samuels (Scream Queens), Jack Turner (One Winter Weekend), and Elliot Knight (Life Sentence).
Pop up a batch of popcorn, and enjoy these fun takes on fiction podcasts.
9. Alice Isn’t Dead
Or if you’re looking for something edgier, you could try Alice Isn’t Dead.
A truck driver searches across America for the wife she had long assumed was dead. In the course of her search, she will encounter not-quite-human serial murderers, towns literally lost in time, and a conspiracy that goes way beyond one missing woman.
This fiction podcast will keep you on edge from start to finish. The twists and turns she encounters along the way will leave you guessing until the very end. The characters are so well-developed that you’ll feel like you’re right there with them as they navigate their way through the dark and dangerous world they find themselves in.
10. Tagged
With the ‘dark side’ of social media revealing itself in all sorts of ways, the premise has found its way into an intriguing fiction podcast, Tagged. While traveling through Europe on their honeymoon, newly-wed influencer couple, Karlie (Jessica Plummer) and Tre (Ben Hardy) notice an almost identical couple is following them and posting the same content – imitating their photos; same poses, filters, and tags.
Their inquiry snowballs into them being interrogated for a double homicide and discovering an influencer-targeted cult.
11. The Leviathan Chronicles
The Leviathan Chronicles is a full-cast audio drama about a race of immortals that have been secretly living in a hidden city called Leviathan, deep under the Pacific Ocean. For centuries, the utopian society has existed in peace, gently influencing world events on the surface.
But soon, a civil war erupts between the immortals that wish to stay hidden and those that want to integrate fully with the rest of mankind on the surface. A clandestine division of the CIA known as Blackdoor discovers the immortals’ existence and seeks to eliminate the perceived threat that they represent to U.S. sovereignty. Soon, a three-way war erupts across the globe as each faction fights for supremacy, leaving the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
12. Midnight Burger
Another fantastical fiction podcast is Midnight Burger.
When Gloria took a waitressing job at a diner outside of Phoenix, she didn’t realize she was now an employee of Midnight Burger, a time-traveling, dimension-spanning diner. Every day Midnight Burger appears somewhere new in the cosmos along with its staff: a galactic drifter, a rogue theoretical physicist, a sentient old-timey radio, and some guy named Caspar.
No one knows who built Midnight Burger or how it works, but when it appears there’s always someone around who could really use a cup of coffee. “When the waves of the universe crash unrelentingly when the stars seem indifferent to your plight, suddenly there is a diner.” We open at 6.
13. Wolverine Season 1 and 2
If you love the Marvel franchise, then I’m pleased to tell you there are a whole bunch of Marvel podcasts! But for the purpose of this list, we’re featuring the Wolverine podcast, season one or two.
Season 1 brings us The Long Night.
Special Agents Sally Pierce and Tad Marshall investigate a series of mysterious deaths in the seaside town of Burns, Alaska, following the arrival of a strange newcomer – a loner by the name of Logan.
And then for season two, you can dive into The Lost Trail
Following the events of Marvel’s “Wolverine: The Long Night,” Logan (Richard Armitage) returns to New Orleans in search of redemption, only to discover that dozens of humans and mutants have gone missing.
14. The Penumbra Podcast
The next fiction podcast to check out is The Penumbra Podcast. At the Penumbra, you might follow Juno Steel, a brooding, sharp-witted private eye on Mars, as he tangles with an elusive homme fatale, tracks dangerous artifacts of an ancient alien civilization, and faces his three greatest fears: heights, blood, and relationships.
Or you might enter the world of the Second Citadel, where the merciless Sir Caroline must corral a team of emotionally distraught all-male knights to defend their city against mind-manipulating monsters…even the ones they’ve fallen in love with.
15. Dirty Diana
Another really intriguing fiction podcast is Dirty Diana. This is another show with a very interesting plot and premise.
As an escape from her carefully curated life and dying marriage, Diana (Demi Moore) secretly runs an erotic website where women reveal their intimate sexual fantasies. This show both stars and is executively produced by Demi Moore.
It’s a top production with some of the best voice acting around.
16. Borrasca
Finally, if you love a good psychological thriller, then check out Borrasca. This fiction podcast stars Cole Sprouse as Sam Walker. In the first season, we followed Sam as he painstakingly recounts the summer his sister disappeared; the friends he made, the legends he heard, and the pain and confusion of loss.
Over nine episodes, we uncovered the unspeakable secrets of Drisking, Missouri, and the people who live there. After leaving the audience with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, we are finally returning to Sam and the terrible truths of Drisking.
Across seven episodes of Season 2, a ghost of Sam’s past arrives to drag him back to Drisking for revenge. Back to the forests that color his nightmares. Back to the mysteries he never solved. Back… to the gates of Borrasca.
Epilogue
After exploring the many genres, plotlines, and stories encapsulated in some of the top fiction podcasts, we hope that you now feel confident to start your own exploration. Whether it be comedy, thriller, or sci-fi, there is something out there for everyone. Dive deep into a podcast world full of mystery, characters you can’t forget, and unexpected twists & turns.
If you’ve never explored the wonderful world of fiction podcasts, there are incredible worlds that await you! Check out any and all of the podcasts on this list and let your imagination run wild!
If you’re always on the hunt for great audio fiction, then you should consider signing up for Evo Terra’s The End. More than a newsletter, The End focuses on sharing completed works of audio fiction. There are all types of genres, so you’ll always be sure to find your next enthralling listen.
Related read: The Ultimate List of Binge-worthy True-Crime Podcasts
Thanks for the mention of my fiction podcast ‘Tagged;” as the creator of the show, I was so pleased to see you selected it!
Thanks for the great show!