The Best Fiction Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way to stay entertained. And bonus: you can listen to them while driving or doing chores and don’t have to sit down in front of the TV or with a book to dedicate your 100 percent attention to them. With so many fictional podcasts out there, where should you start? Here are 10 popular fiction podcasts to start with. 

1. Homecoming: David Schwimmer, Catherine Keener and Oscar Isaac are some of the stars of this popular thriller-genre podcast that spans two seasons of content. The story follows protagonist Heidi Bergman, a case worker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center. This mysterious facility claims to help soldiers transition back to civilian life. But as Heidi goes about her days, she begins to question the true purpose of the center. The podcast also fasts forward to years later and an auditor named Thomas Carrasco who begins investigating the program, unveiling dark secrets along the way.
2. Welcome to Night Vale: This comedic podcast takes place in a fictional desert town called Night Vale. The town is known for having many strange things occur, which are often brushed off as coincidences. The podcast is presented as a community radio show and brings all these situations to light, talking about everything from strange news to local town events, supernatural occurrences, and government conspiracies. It’s known for its darkly comedic tone and eerie sound effects. 
3. LeVar Burton Reads: LeVar Burton hosted the kids’ reading television series Reading Rainbow and also appeared as an actor in everything from Roots to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Now he’s entertaining people via his podcast where he uses his soothing voice to narrate different fictional stories. He puts an intimate spin on the stories he shares, offering his own insights and personal reflections. 
4. The Bright Sessions: This sci-fi podcast follows the character Dr. Joan Bright, a therapist who works with people with supernatural abilities. These individuals are referred to as “atypicals.” Each episode of the podcast is presented as a therapy session in which she explores different patients and their unique powers and struggles. The podcast is popular for exploring many facets of mental health and considering what it’s like to live with extraordinary abilities. 
5.  Limetown: Listen up mystery lovers! This fiction podcast investigates the mysterious disappearance of over 300 people from Limetown, a neuroscience research community. The podcast is hosted by the character, journalist Lia Haddock as she looks into the secrets of the town by talking with survivors and stealth investigations. As she gets close to the truth, she realizes she herself may be in danger. Dun, dun, dun!
6.  The Space Within: This fiction podcast is led by actress Jessica Chastain in the role of Dr. Madeline Wyle, a psychiatrist who begins to work with patients who have had the same, otherworldly experience. The Space Within is a great supernatural mystery with an all-star voice cast.
7. 36 Questions: This podcast is a musical. It follows a couple, Jase and Judith who are on a mission to save their marriage through an experiment that involves answering 36 questions that are designed to make people fall in love. It takes place in a remote cabin and explores everything from love to forgiveness, all told through songs you won’t be able to get out of your head. 
8.  The Amelia Project: A dark comedy, this podcast follows a mysterious organization called The Amelia Project, which helps people fake their own deaths in the hopes of starting over with a fresh new life. It’s funny, suspenseful and features many twists and turns.
9.  Wooden Overcoats: In Wooden Overcoats, the podcast centers on two siblings running a failing funeral home in a quirky English Village. It’s filled with colorful characters, small town adventures and British humor. And you’ll laugh at the rivalry between the two siblings as they become desperate to land whatever business they can. 
10. Hello from the Magic Tavern: In this podcast, the lead character Arnie Niekamp falls through a magical portal where he encounters behind a Burger King. He lands in the fantasy world of “Foon” where he encounters a wizard, a shapeshifter, and other magical creatures. In Hello from the Magic Tavern, Arnie interviews these creatures he encounters and brings listeners through a world of talking animals, mystical beings, and epic quests.