Podcast Trends

10 of the Best Fiction Podcasts

A list of 10 of the best fiction podcasts that any audio lover should start binging… Immediately.

Alison Osborne VP of Marketing Last updated on

Illustration of an open book with audio bars rising from its pages, surrounded by sparkles, on an orchid purple background.

Personally, fiction podcasts are up there on my favorite podcast formats list. The ability to get so creative with your story as well as the amount of sound production that tends to go into these types of podcasts just amazes me. Fiction podcasts are some of the most highly produced podcast formats. We break this down a little more in our article on creative branded podcast formats.

We decided to make a list of 10 of the best fiction podcasts that any audio lover should start binging… Immediately.

1. Alice Isn’t Dead

Cover art for Alice Isn’t Dead: a black truck seen head-on against an orange sky and yellow sun, mirrored below as a white skull-like reflection on black, with the title in yellow block capitals along the bottom

Definitely one of the more spooky fiction podcasts, Alice Isn’t Dead is incredibly well produced and has truly outstanding sound design throughout the series. It also released a novel as well as a variety of merch to go with the series.

Description:

A truck driver searches across America for the wife she had long assumed was dead. In the course of her search, she encounters not-quite-human serial murderers, towns literally lost in time, and a conspiracy that goes way beyond one missing woman.

2. Limetown

Cover art for Limetown: the title in white slanted capitals struck through by a line, over a black-and-white photograph of a boarded-up window in a rough wall

Limetown is among the most popular fiction podcasts although it’s safe to say it’s pretty much wrapped up since the last episode aired in 2018. Similar to Alice Isn’t Dead, Limetown also has a novel that you can check out.

Description:

Ten years ago, over three hundred men, women and children disappeared from a small town in Tennessee, never to be heard from again.

In this podcast, American Public Radio reporter Lia Haddock asks the question once more, "What happened to the people of Limetown?"

3. Homecoming

Cover art for Homecoming, from Gimlet: the title in thin white capitals with its last letters blurring, over mirrored dark teal palm fronds, the Gimlet logo above and Now a Prime Original TV series below

I really loved this podcast and binged through the entire series at quite a rapid rate. I found the acting and sound effects to be engaging and really bring you into the story. Homecoming was also turned into a Prime Original TV series (which I also binged). It was really interesting to see the podcast get moved over to a video format.

Description:

From Gimlet, Homecoming centers on a caseworker at an experimental facility, her ambitious supervisor, and a soldier eager to rejoin civilian life, presented in an enigmatic collage of telephone calls, therapy sessions, and overheard conversations.

4. The Two Princes

Cover art for The Two Princes, from Gimlet: an illustration of two smiling young princes in gold laurel crowns embracing under a flowered arch at sunset, torches either side, the title in ornate lettering along the bottom, with the Gimlet logo and a Spotify Original badge

This show is incredible for a multitude of reasons. First, it’s geared towards children, which we rarely see in popular podcasts (but to be fair, I still loved listening to it), and it’s also about two queer princes, which is something we support whole heartedly. The Two Princes is already on its 3rd season so its success can clearly be seen throughout the years.

Description:

Season 1: When Prince Rupert sets out to break the mysterious curse that’s destroying his kingdom, he’s ready to face whatever dastardly villain or vile monster stands in his way. What he isn’t prepared for are the bewildering new emotions he feels when he meets the handsome Amir, a rival prince on a quest to save his own realm. Forced to team up, the two princes soon discover that the only thing more difficult than saving their kingdoms is following their hearts.

Season 2: Princes Rupert and Amir can’t wait to settle down into happily ever after. But on the eve of their wedding, a powerful sorceress named Malkia invades their kingdom. Driven from their castle, the princes set off on a quest to collect an assortment of magical items that will give them the power to defeat Malkia and save their realm.

Season 3: Rupert and Amir are finally getting married and this time nothing is going to stop them. Not the handsome new prince who’s rolled into town and only has eyes for Rupert. Not the mysterious disappearance of half the kingdom’s population. Not even the End of the World. Yes, this time the princes are definitely, absolutely, 100% getting married, even if it’s the last thing they do.

5. Hello From the Magic Tavern

Cover art for Hello From the Magic Tavern, from Earwolf: the title in black blackletter script on a bright yellow ground, with a black crow pecking at a microphone and an Earwolf production badge

This series has been running for quite a few years with episodes released every Monday, something quite rare in the fiction podcast space due to the amount of production that tends to go into each episode. By reading the description below, it’s easy to tell that Hello From the Magic Tavern is among one of the quirkiest fiction series.

Description:

Arnie Niekamp fell through a dimensional portal behind a Burger King into the fantastical land of Foon. He's still getting a slight wifi signal, so he uploads a weekly podcast from the tavern the Vermilion Minotaur where he interviews wizards, monsters and adventurers. It's a major discovery!

6. Sandra

Cover art for Sandra, from Gimlet: the title in pink block letters set into the top of a freckled face cut off above the nose, a small robin perched on the letters, the names Kristen Wiig and Alia Shawkat either side, on a pale blue ground

This series gives me Black Mirror but in podcast format vibes. The series revolves around the creation of an A.I., Sandra, that turns out to not be what the lead character expected… I’ll leave it at that for you to find out the rest.

Description:

Helen’s always dreamed of ditching her hometown, so when she lands a job at the company that makes Sandra, everyone's favorite A.I., she figures it’s the next-best thing. But working behind the curtain isn’t quite the escape from reality that Helen expected.

7. Welcome to Night Vale

Cover art for Welcome to Night Vale: a large purple eye with a white crescent moon for a pupil, over a black silhouette of a utility pole, a rooftop antenna and a water tower, with the title in white capitals along the bottom

After the podcast’s description there’s one more line that says “turn on your radio and hide,” and I basically wanted to do just that. Welcome to Night Vale is incredibly produced and I highly recommend adding this series to your listen list.

Description:

Welcome to Night Vale is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.

8. The Truth

Cover art for The Truth, from Radiotopia: the title in black and white handwritten script across a three-by-three grid of coloured squares, a black pipe drawn across two of them, with the Radiotopia mark in one corner

Overall, The Truth is just an incredibly cool series. Every episode is unique, featuring short stories that always have different themes and plots. This series keeps me engaged and hooked from just plain curiosity, wondering what the next story that I’ll be listening to will be like.

Description:

The Truth makes movies for your ears. They're short stories that are sometimes dark, sometimes funny, and always intriguing. Every story is different, but they all take you to unexpected places using only sound. If you're new, some good starting places are: Silvia's Blood, That's Democracy, Moon Graffiti, Tape Delay, or whatever's most recent. Listening with headphones is encouraged!

9. The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel

Cover art for The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel: a red silhouette of a child looking upward, standing apart from a row of grey silhouettes on black, with the title in red and white capitals

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel is another show that’s been created for the younger generation, and like I mentioned, that’s not common among popular fiction podcasts. As mentioned in the description, not only is it geared towards kids but it also is performed by kids.

Description:

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel is a high-quality serial mystery story for middle graders, performed by actual kids. Think Goonies, meets Spy Kids, meets Stranger Things for 8-12 year-olds. Listen along as eleven-year-old Mars Patel and his pals JP, Toothpick, and Caddie set out on a audacious adventure in search of two missing friends. The mysterious tech billionaire Oliver Pruitt might have a thing-or-two to say about their quest, because as he likes to say, To the stars! In fact, that’s just where they might be headed…

10. Wolverine: The Long Night

Cover art for Wolverine: The Long Night, from Marvel: the Marvel logo and the title in distressed white capitals over snow-covered mountains and pine trees, with two small figures walking across the snow

This series is really interesting to listen to, even if you’re not a huge fan of Marvel or the series in general. It’s unique in that they took a popular comic book character that so many people see and love on film screens and brought it into a podcast format. We highly recommend checking this one out.

Description:

Following a string of mysterious deaths in Burns, Alaska, Special Agents Sally Pierce and Tad Marshall arrive to investigate. They soon find there’s more going on than meets the eye. The first scripted podcast from Marvel, starring Celia Keenan-Bolger and Ato Essandoh as Agents Pierce and Marshall, with Richard Armitage as Wolverine. Also featuring Scott Adsit, Bob Balaban, Zoe Chao, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

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