If you’re in search of short audiobooks, we've listed some of the best-selling audiobooks under 6 hours for you and your family.

Audiobooks under 6 hours

Audiobooks are a more convenient way to enjoy literature. They are ideal for multitasking and can be used for entertainment, for example, during a road trip. Listening while the narrator ignites the author's words can help take the content to another level.

However, depending on the reading speed and the book’s length, the average audiobook takes approximately 11 hours to complete, making it slightly less convenient.

If you're searching for short stories, you may be interested in our compilation of some of the best audiobooks to enjoy in under six hours.

The best audiobooks under 6 hours

These stories may be short, but their storylines are just as action-packed, adventurous, passionate, life-changing, thought-provoking, and heartfelt as lengthier stories. These short listens cover all genres, including sci-fi, comedy, bedtime stories, full-cast audiobooks, and non-fiction audiobooks. They are available from many audiobook platforms, including Amazon and Audible, to download on your preferred device.

“Remote Control” by Nnedi Okorafor

The “Remote Control” follows Sankofa on her multi-year journey to recover an extra-terrestrial object gifted to her. The main character also has a special, albeit frightening, ability; she can kill someone without touching them. As she searches for the object, she also seeks to uncover the truth about who she once was.

Author Nnedi Okorafor has received the highest honors in fiction, including the Nebula. Her much-admired “Binti” trilogy took place partly in deep space and her acclaimed new novella, “Remote Control,” takes place in Ghana. Adjoa Andoh a seasoned audiobook narrator, and Bridgeton actress, delivers an award-winning audio performance.

“Clap When You Land” by Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo's Odyssey Honour audiobook is a powerful story about two half-sisters who become acquainted following a tragedy. Camino Rios lives in the Dominican Republic with her mother and waits all year for her father to visit. Yahairo Rios lives in New York City with her parents.

The sisters navigate what it means to be sisters when meeting after their beloved father dies in a plane crash.

Acevedo's first book, “The Poet X,” won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She's dedicated “Clap When You Land” to the lives lost on American Airlines Flight 587.

“And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie

“And Then There Were None” is Agatha Christie's global best-seller mystery, narrated by British actor Dan Stevens. The storyline is about 10 strangers lured to a deserted island who begin to die one by one. All victims had something in their past that they preferred to remain hidden.

Who is the murderer and will there be any survivors? With a GoodReads score of 4.3 out of 1.1 million reviews, you’ll be riveted from the first word until the climactic revelations come to light.

Agatha Christie published her first book over 100 years ago. Her popularity spans the screen, stage, and page, and she continues to be the most prominent best-selling novelist of all time.

“Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)” by Mindy Kaling

“Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)” is a memoir by actress and comedy writer Mindy Kaling. This book was on the New York Times best-sellers list for five weeks. Kaling shares her own experiences on several topics, including characteristics of a great guy and best friend, dieting, and, as she says, “other concerns.”

This short audiobook is just over four hours of laugh-out-loud material on topics you may find surprisingly interesting.

“Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris

Humorist David Sedaris's new audiobook is a story collection of essays about his life. The story starts with his childhood in North Carolina until his life as a young adult pursuing a career as a performance artist and writer. The “Me Talk Pretty One Day” audiobook includes exclusive live recordings.

“Before the Ever After” by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson's books tackle serious issues in an accessible style for young adults, including drugs, race, and classism. Her latest book is written in the voice of a 12-year-old boy. The main protagonist’s father is a professional football player father, a big star on TV, and the neighborhood kids’ hero. However, he suffers from a degenerative brain disease common in several collision-sport athletes and his changed behavior strains their relationship.

J.K. Rowling's “Bedtime History: Inspirational Stories for Kids and Families”

“Bedtime History” is a podcast series of short educational stories for kids. It's intended to inspire your child to discover or try something new. Your child can learn about inspirational people, and each story highlights the principles that made people like George Lucas great. Each historical character’s story features values such as courage, determination, kindness, and patience.

This podcast series is suitable for middle-grade children.

Speechify - audiobooks aren’t the only text you can listen to

Speechify is the No.1 App Store app for text to speech services. It allows you to listen to everything from web page content to your own written text, documents, and more.

Speechify uses AI technology to convert text into speech and optical character recognition (OCR) technology to turn the image of text into speech. It works through a Chrome browser extension or you can install the desktop or mobile apps.

In addition, you can control the reading speed and choose from natural-sounding voices in an accent of your choice. You can even choose from a selection of celebrity voices, from actress Gwyneth Paltrow to rapper Snoop Dogg.

Listening can be a better way to read, enhancing your focus and understanding. As a bonus, your hands are free to do something else. Try Speechify and join over 20 million satisfied users.

FAQ

What is the title of the shortest audiobook?

Audiobooks under one hour include “The Red Signal” by Agatha Christie (48 mins), “The Body Snatcher” by Robert Louis Stevenson (35 mins), and “Suspect Zero” by Richard Kadrey (57 mins).

What is the name of a short series of audiobooks?

“Binti” by Nnedi Okorafor is an example of a great short-series audiobook.

What author has the shortest audiobooks?

There are several great authors with audiobooks under one hour, including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Richard Kadrey, and Agatha Christie.