The Witch by Freida McFadden: audiobook vs book, which should you choose?
Freida McFadden’s dual timeline thriller: Julia in the present day, and Caroline in 1692, accused of witchcraft, in the same Massachusetts house.
Short answer: for The Witch audiobook vs book choice, we say listen on Audible (56% confidence, close call). Each viewpoint has its own narrator, confirmed by a named review, which counts as full cast and favours listening. The story cuts between two centuries, which favours print. The two are close, with listening just ahead.
Listen on Audible
Listen for the two narrators, Marin Ireland reading Julia's present day and Saskia Maarleveld reading Caroline's chapters, so you always know which century you're in. Read it if you like to track the jumps, as the book cuts between the present and 1692 at each turning point.
Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. It never changes a verdict.
Confidence 56%, which puts it in the close call band. Bands run from close call at 50 to 64, through leaning at 65 to 79 and clear at 80 to 94, up to clear cut at 95 and above. Is listening the same as reading? See what the research says.
The audiobook at a glance
| Recording | UK edition, our verdict | US edition |
|---|---|---|
| Narrators | Marin Ireland and Saskia Maarleveld | Marin Ireland and Saskia Maarleveld |
| Length | 9 hours 31 minutes (9h 31m), unabridged | 9 hours 31 minutes (9h 31m), unabridged |
| At 1.5x | about 6h 21m | about 6h 21m |
| At 2x | about 4h 46m | about 4h 46m |
| Audio publisher and date | Dreamscape Media, 6 October 2026 | Dreamscape Media, 6 October 2026 |
| Audiobook price | £15.14 on Audible UK | $20.66 on Audible US |
| Kindle price | £3.72 on Amazon UK | Not confirmed |
| Poisoned Pen Press paperback, 320 pages, 6 October 2026 | Poisoned Pen Press hardcover, 356 pages, 6 October 2026 | |
| Listener rating | Performance 4.65 from 561 ratings | Performance 4.57 from 7,375 ratings |
Who reads which viewpoint comes from one named review (The Caffeinated Reviewer); Audible does not say. Whether the UK and US listings are one recording is not confirmed. No PDF companion was found.
Ratings and prices checked 2 November 2026. They change often. Amazon US does not show Kindle prices outside the US, so US Kindle prices are not given.
Lengths checked 2 November 2026. Speed times are calculated.
The Witch
Freida McFadden
- Genre
- Psychological thriller
- Series
- Standalone
- UK edition
- 6 October 2026 (Poisoned Pen Press)
- Length
- 320 pages
- On audio
- 9 hrs 31 mins, Marin Ireland and Saskia Maarleveld
On this page
Why we reached this verdict
Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions. They are based on research into what most people find easier to follow in each format, not on whether the book is any good.
Listening: full cast or produced audio (10), 10 points. Reading: jumping timelines (8), 8 points. 56% of the confirmed points favour listening, so the verdict is listen on Audible at 56% confidence (close call).
The recording in detail
- Scored
- Marin Ireland, Saskia Maarleveld, Dreamscape Media, 2026, 9h 31m, unabridged
- Critic review
- None found
- Alternatives
- None
- What you miss
- Easy turning back to check a detail before a reveal
What this book actually is
The Witch is a standalone thriller by Freida McFadden, told through two viewpoints. Julia lives in the present day in a Massachusetts house where, in 1692, a young woman called Caroline was accused of witchcraft. The chapters alternate between the two.
It reached number 3 in the UK top 10 in the week ending 10 October 2026. Content includes execution, strangulation, threatened sexual violence, gun violence, dementia, elder neglect and medical horror. Neither of the book’s reveals is covered here.
The case for reading it
The book cuts between the present day and 1692 at each turning point, and in print the switch is easy to see.
The chapters are short, mostly three or four pages, so it is quick to read too.
The case for listening to it
Marin Ireland reads Julia’s present-day chapters and Saskia Maarleveld reads Caroline’s chapters set in 1692, according to The Caffeinated Reviewer, so each century has its own voice.
Listeners rate the performance 4.65 on Audible UK and 4.57 from over 7,000 ratings on Audible US. At 9 hours 31 minutes it comes down to about 6 hours 21 minutes at 1.5x.
The audiobook in detail
Dreamscape Media publishes the recording on both stores at 9 hours 31 minutes, unabridged, read by Marin Ireland and Saskia Maarleveld.
The split of one narrator per viewpoint comes from one named review, not from the publisher. No PDF companion was found.
Who should ignore this verdict
Lean towards print if you like spotting clues and turning back to check them. Lean towards audio if you want each century in its own voice.
Audiobook
- Read by Marin Ireland and Saskia Maarleveld
- 9h 31m, or about 6h 21m at 1.5x
- One narrator per timeline
Read differently from most people? The app, coming soon, will let you switch off any of the thirteen checks. Get notified →
Related verdicts
The Housemaid
One extended flashback in Part II, with nothing confirmed that favours audio.
The Housemaid Is Watching
A second narrator for the second viewpoint, and nothing confirmed pointing to the page.
Verity
The story alternates between Lowen’s present day and Verity’s retrospective manuscript; nothing confirmed points towards listening.
Mad Mabel
Two narrators and an award-winning recording pull towards listening; chapters alternating between the 1950s and the present pull towards reading.
Start hereHow we decide
The thirteen questions behind every verdict on this site.
Questions people ask
Who narrates The Witch audiobook?
Two narrators. Marin Ireland reads Julia’s present-day chapters and Saskia Maarleveld reads Caroline’s chapters set in 1692.
How long is The Witch audiobook?
9 hours 31 minutes on Audible UK and US, as of November 2026.
Is it abridged?
No. It is unabridged.
How many pages is The Witch by Freida McFadden?
320 pages in the UK paperback. The US hardcover has 356.
Is The Witch part of a series?
No. It is a standalone.
Is there a film of The Witch?
No adaptation of this book had been announced when this page was checked on 2 November 2026.
Should I read or listen?
Listen, at 56%, a close call. One narrator per timeline helps listeners keep the two centuries apart, but the timeline jumps keep print close.
Do you agree with this verdict?
We said listen on Audible. One tap, no sign-up.
Spotted a mistake on this page? Tell us and we will fix it. Or tell us how the site could be better.
How this verdict was reached
Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions, set in advance and applied identically to every title. They are based on research into what readers and listeners generally find easier to follow in each format, not on personal preference, and they are published in full so you can check the reasoning yourself. Verdicts are never paid for, sponsored or influenced by affiliate partners.
- The criteria: read the thirteen questions in full.
- What we checked for this book: Audible UK and US, The Caffeinated Reviewer, The AU Review, Bookishelf, NetGalley, Penguin New Zealand, Easons, Waterstones and Goodreads.
- Verdict last reviewed: 2 November 2026. Editions and narrators change, so verdicts are rechecked annually.
- Prefer different criteria? The app, coming soon, will let you change which of the thirteen questions matter to you.
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