About the Book
A Head Full of Ghosts is a horror novel by Paul Tremblay that works on two levels simultaneously. On the surface, it follows the Barrett family, whose teenage daughter Marjorie begins exhibiting disturbing behavior that her father believes is demonic possession. A documentary crew moves in to film what becomes a reality television series about the supposed exorcism. Underneath that premise, the book is concerned with faith, exploitation, and how audiences consume suffering as entertainment.
The story is narrated by Merry, the younger Barrett daughter, who is recounting events from her childhood to a writer working on a book about the case. That framing device adds a layer of retrospective unease, Merry is now an adult, and what she remembers, and what she chooses to share, becomes its own source of tension. The novel also weaves in excerpts from a blog written at the time of the events, which adds texture and a kind of meta-commentary on horror as a genre.
Tremblay is working in the tradition of literary horror, readers who come in expecting a straightforward supernatural thriller may find the book more ambiguous and psychological than anticipated. It draws comparisons to Shirley Jackson and William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist, though it is doing something more self-aware than either of those influences.
Narration & Audio Performance
Joy Osmanski narrates, and she is well-suited to the material. Her default register is calm and slightly guarded, which matches Merry's adult retrospective voice, someone recalling childhood trauma with a degree of controlled distance. That restraint works well for most of the book, where the horror is more atmospheric than overt.
Osmanski handles the shift between Merry's narration and the in-text blog excerpts cleanly, giving each a distinct enough feel that listeners can track the structural layering without getting lost. Character differentiation is adequate rather than exceptional, the family members are distinguishable, though not through dramatically different voices. The mother, father, and Marjorie don't get wildly separate vocal treatments, but the prose carries enough weight that this rarely becomes a problem.
Production quality appears standard for the release. There are no sound effects or music layered in, which is probably the right call for a book that relies on psychological tension rather than jump-scare mechanics. Listeners who prefer a quieter, text-forward audio experience will find this easier to settle into than those looking for a more produced horror audiobook.
The Audible Verdict
A Head Full of Ghosts is a well-regarded horror novel and the audio version is a competent production. Osmanski's narration suits the tone and the format works reasonably well for linear listening. That said, the blog-within-the-novel structure means some readers get more from seeing the text on the page, the visual rhythm of those excerpts is slightly flattened in audio. It's a solid free trial pick, but not a title where the audiobook format adds something the print version doesn't.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
The core structure of this book, a retrospective first-person narrator working through a single sustained story, is a natural fit for audio. Linear, voice-driven fiction generally translates well, and this is no exception. You won't miss visual elements to follow the plot.
The one complication is the embedded blog posts. These appear throughout the novel as a kind of secondary text layer, and in print they carry their own visual identity. In audio, Osmanski differentiates them through tone and pacing rather than any formatting cue, which mostly works but loses some of the effect Tremblay builds through the contrast between the two modes of storytelling. It's a minor limitation, not a dealbreaker.
Listeners who do well with psychological horror, steady dread rather than sudden shocks, will find this a comfortable audio experience. It holds up during long listening sessions without demanding the kind of close visual attention that denser or more technical books require.
Popular Listener Questions
Is A Head Full of Ghosts part of a series?
No. It is a standalone novel. You don't need any prior familiarity with Paul Tremblay's other work to follow it.
Is this book actually scary, or is it more psychological?
It leans heavily psychological. The horror comes from ambiguity and atmosphere rather than explicit scenes. Readers expecting something like a conventional possession story may find it more restrained and literary than anticipated.
Does the audiobook version handle the blog sections clearly?
Osmanski uses a slightly different tone and pacing for the blog excerpts, which helps listeners distinguish them from Merry's main narration. It works, though you lose the visual formatting contrast that the print edition uses.
Is the narrator Joy Osmanski the same person throughout the audiobook?
Yes. This is a single-narrator production, not a full cast recording. Osmanski voices all characters and both narrative layers.
Is the book appropriate for listeners who don't typically read horror?
Possibly. It's more concerned with family dysfunction, faith, and media exploitation than with gore or explicit horror content. Readers who enjoy dark literary fiction may find it accessible even without a strong horror background.
Similar Audiobooks
The Exorcist
A Head Full of Ghosts is in direct conversation with The Exorcist, Tremblay references it deliberately. Listeners who want the source material the book is reworking will find this a natural companion.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Shirley Jackson's novel shares the unreliable female narrator, the isolated family under pressure, and the slow accumulation of dread rather than explicit shocks.
The Cabin at the End of the World
Paul Tremblay's follow-up novel. Readers who respond to his style in A Head Full of Ghosts, ambiguous menace, ordinary settings, will find similar territory here.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novel occupies similar space, literary horror with a strong narrative voice, psychological tension, and genre awareness. A likely crossover audience.
Both books use layered, self-referential structures and are preoccupied with how horror stories are told and consumed. House of Leaves is a much denser read, but the audience overlap is real.
Shirley Jackson's most famous novel shares the ambiguity about whether supernatural events are real or psychological, and the same focus on a woman's interiority under pressure.
Audiobook Details
| Title | A Head Full of Ghosts |
|---|---|
| Author | Paul Tremblay |
| Narrator | Joy Osmanski |
| Genre | Literary Horror |
| Year | 2017 |
| Publisher | Noura Publishing |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | No |
| Language | ID |
Ready to listen?
A Head Full of Ghosts is available on Audible and is a reasonable choice for a free trial credit if you're drawn to psychological horror with a literary lean.
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