The Top 15 Best-selling Fiction Audiobooks

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We turn to audiobooks for joy, for laughter, and comfort; for stories that stir the soul, expand the mind, or bring us some much-needed fun. Get caught up in a mystery or tangled family drama; laugh or cry over characters that don’t exist. After all, that’s the power of a great fiction title, and that’s what keeps us listening. Here’s our list of the top 15 best-selling fiction titles for you to add to your library.

The Alchemist

A Fable About Following Your Dream

Written by: Paulo Coelho

Narrated by: Jeremy Irons

Length: 4 hrs

Release Date: 26-12-04

Language: English

2,093 ratings

Brazilian author and internet presence, Paulo Coehlo, has written numerous titles in his extensive career, but one stands out from the rest: The Alchemist. This international literary sensation spent years on the New York Times bestseller list and became one of the top-selling Brazilian titles of all time. This simple but profound performance follows the journey of an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago, on his quest to find treasure in the Egyptian desert. What begins as a journey to discover worldly goods turns into a lesson about finding the true treasures from within. Santiago’s story is one about following dreams and listening to the heart.
To Kill a Mockingbird

Written by: Harper Lee

Narrated by: Sissy Spacek

Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins

Release Date: 08-07-14

Language: English

671 ratings

A household name in the world of dramatic fiction, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is revitalised in a new recording by Sissy Spacek in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Told from the view of a young girl named Scout living in the deep South of the United States in the 1930s. This story makes a powerful statement about injustice and racism as Scout’s lawyer father represents a black man who is falsely charged with rape. Set across a backdrop of prejudice, violence and hypocrisy, the listener is immersed in the Southern writing tradition and experiences the reality of the 1930s South through the eyes of a curious child.
1984

Written by: George Orwell

Narrated by: Andrew Wincott

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Release Date: 05-11-15

Language: English

333 ratings

As one of the most recognised examples of dystopian fiction, George Orwell’s 1984 is evolving to become more and more relevant in today’s chaotic times. Gripping the listener into the controlling regime from the very first sentence, this timeless classic grabs your attention and leaves a lasting impression. This audiobook transports the listener to the disturbing and totalitarian superstate of Oceania, where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police are at every corner. Through the eyes of protagonist Winston Smith, who spends his days 'editing the past' at the Ministry of Truth, the listener experiences the inexplicable desire to escape an oppressive regime and pursue a personal rebellion against a system that increasingly removes the right of basic freedom of expression.
Godaan (Hindi Edition)

Written by: Munshi Premchand

Narrated by: Sameer Goswami

Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins

Release Date: 26-02-20

Language: Hindi

586 ratings

Munshi Premchand’s Godaan paints a picture of the life of an Indian farmer. This audiobook describes the ups and downs of one of the most important yet humble professions on the planet and provides an insightful view on not just the aspirations and dreams of the farmer, but his despair as well. Paying homage to this farmer’s sincerity and religious piety, Premchand introduces the listener to the virtue of the farmer. Nonetheless, there is the reality of hardships, which show the vulnerabilities of helplessness and innocence. Narrated in its original language, Hindi, by Sameer Goswami, the listener can authentically accompany the farmer on his journey.
Norwegian Wood

Written by: Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin - translator

Narrated by: Adam Sims

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Release Date: 29-10-20

Language: English

496 ratings

Japanese writer Haruki Murakami encompasses nostalgia, longing and sadness in his masterpiece Norwegian Wood. Protagonist Toru Watanabe hears the novel’s namesake Beatles song and is transported back to his life as a student in the 1960s, being reminded of his first love Naoko - the girlfriend of his best friend Kizuki. Alongside Toru’s normal adolescent experiences of uneasy friendships, casual sex, passion and desire, comes the impromptu arrival of Midori; a young girl who has a strong impact on Toru. However, the relationship between Toru and Midori is obstructed by the pain of Toru’s past and his hesitance to face the future. In an audiobook that will take you directly into Toru’s memories, the listener will experience how painful experiences can be formative and give important lessons about life and love.
And Then There Were None

Written by: Agatha Christie

Narrated by: Hugh Fraser

Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins

Release Date: 27-12-06

Language: English

239 ratings

This ingenious performance of an Agatha Christie classic grips listeners with deftly dropped clues and 'oh snap!' bombshell endings. Written by one of the best-selling fiction authors of all time, this thriller audiobook follows ten strangers, with little in common, as they are lured to a mansion on an island by the mysterious U.N. Owen. Over dinner, a record begins to play, accusing each individual of hiding a guilty secret. That evening, former reckless driver Tony Marston is found murdered by a deadly dose of cyanide. The tension escalates as the survivors realise the killer is not only among them but is preparing to strike again...and again.
Circe

Written by: Madeline Miller

Narrated by: Perdita Weeks

Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins

Release Date: 19-04-18

Language: English

508 ratings

International best-selling author of The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller, returns with Circe, the story of a mythological witch inspired by Homer’s Odyssey. Scorned and rejected by her father, the god of the sun, due to her looks and her lack of a voice of divinity, she finds solace in mortals, who soon introduce her to a forbidden power: witchcraft. This audiobook follows Circe’s journey as she harnesses her power from nature, and how her fate is entwined with many others along the way. A tale of a fiercely independent and powerful witch, this listen will grip the listener into an extraordinary and superhuman world.
One Hundred Years of Solitude

Written by: Gabriel García Márquez, Gregory Rabassa - translator

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins

Release Date: 28-01-14

Language: English

187 ratings

From the Nobel Prize-winning writer Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the tale of the rise and fall of the mythical town of Macondo through the history of the Buendía family. A powerful narrative that explores the flourishing beginnings of Macondo to its eventual decay, the listener is immersed in love and lust, war and revolution, riches and poverty, and the variety of life. This rich and brilliant masterpiece, which has been translated into 46 languages, is a shining example of an account of the history of the human race.
Poonachi

Or the Story of a Black Goat

Written by: Perumal Murugan, Kalyan Raman - translator

Narrated by: Subhav Kher

Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins

Release Date: 30-07-19

Language: English

143 ratings

Following the life of a female goat received as a gift from the cosmos, Poonachi makes a strong statement about solidarity with the animal world and the female condition. With the female goat surviving against the odds, as she battles from forest to habitation and from independence to motherhood, the listener is reminded of their own significant moments and milestones as they realise the depth of their fears and longings, which are fueled by the instinct for survival that is possessed by every living being.
Crime and Punishment

Written by: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Constance Garnett - translator

Narrated by: Anthony Heald

Length: 20 hrs and 28 mins

Release Date: 03-12-07

Language: English

307 ratings

In this classic thriller by Fyodor Dostoevksy, the listener is thrown into a conundrum where they are forced to question whether it is moral to transgress the law in the name of benefiting humanity. Through studying an instance where an impoverished student murders a despised pawnbroker, to use their money to perform good deeds in the future, Crime and Punishment is a philosophical, religious, and social commentary about the psychological impact of murder and the real-life consequences of the protagonist’s actions.
The Handmaid's Tale

Written by: Margaret Atwood

Narrated by: Amy Landecker, Ann Dowd, Bradley Whitford, Elisabeth Moss

Series: The Handmaid's Tale, Book 1

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Release Date: 30-04-19

Language: English

285 ratings

The inspiration for the recent TV series of the same name, this audiobook of The Handmaid’s Tale is narrated by one of the series’ stars, Elisabeth Moss. Set in the dystopian Republic of Gilead, women are stripped of all rights and reduced to one function: to breed. Rebellion will have you publicly hung or sent away to die slowly of radiation poisoning. Told from the perspective of Offred, a 'Handmaid' whose job is to bear children for infertile couples, has her name changed depending on the man she is serving. Despite the oppressiveness of the regime, desire is never fully obliterated. A powerful piece about women’s rights, government control, and autonomy, this audiobook is a harrowing tale from start to finish.
The Forty Rules of Love

Written by: Elif Shafak

Narrated by: George Blagden

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Release Date: 06-06-19

Language: English

606 ratings

From the perspective of Ella Rubinstein, a woman with a seemingly perfect life, with a husband, three wonderful children, and a pleasant home, The Forty Rules of Love takes the listener along on a journey of self-discovery and fulfilment. Having stumbled across a manuscript from the 13th-century about Sufi poet Rumi, Ella discovers her 40 rules of life and love and the revelation hits her hard. In a piece inspired by Sufi mysticism and verses, we follow Ella as she abandons her family life and goes on a momentous and exotic journey to meet the mysterious author of this work. This audiobook drags the listener into an exotic world, where the relationship between faith and love is explored through the inspiring journey of a relatable woman.
Rise of Kali

Duryodhana's Mahabharata

Written by: Anand Neelakantan

Narrated by: Siddhanta Pinto

Series: AJAYA: Epic of the Kaurava Clan, Book 2

Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins

Release Date: 28-11-18

Language: English

305 ratings

The Rise of Kali compels the listener to question the truth behind the Indian great epic The Mahabharata. From the genius of Anand Neelakantan, who is known for giving voice to Ravana in the best-seller Asura, we are taken to the dark age of Kali, where men and women alike must choose between duty and conscience, honour and shame, life and death, and more. In this dramatic tale of the Kauravas, Neelakantan gives voice to the people who were brutally obliterated down to their last man.
Metamorphosis

A BBC Radio 4 reading

Written by: Franz Kafka

Narrated by: Benedict Cumberbatch

Length: 1 hr and 38 mins

Release Date: 04-01-18

Language: English

308 ratings

Performed by esteemed actor Benedict Cumberbatch, this audiobook of Franz Kafka’s terrifying story of a man transformed into an insect is the perfect example of a nightmare come true. An ordinary man wakes up as a gigantic, cockroach-like creature, and thus the story begins to explore the concepts of the absurdity of life and the disconnection between mind and body. As the protagonist comes to terms with his new state, his family are disgusted and see him as no more than vermin, and as his condition makes him more of a burden, he becomes the victim of alienation and the terrible indifference of his family. This dark and captivating audiobook will have the listener both terrified and fascinated.