The award is given by AudioFile to truly exceptional titles that excel in narrative voice and style, characterizations, suitability to audio, and enhancement of the text.
R.C. Bray narrates the fast-paced sixteenth entry in the Expeditionary Force series. Army soldier Joe Bishop is all but retired, making his two-star general duties pretty much nonexistent. His current assignment is a punishment for all the shenanigans he's pulled--even though he saved the world. But everything is thrown into chaos when an attempt to activate a Sentinel leads to... Read More
Rabbi Sharon Brous, the senior rabbi of a Jewish community in Los Angeles, is an accomplished preacher who speaks clearly and quickly. Her fast pace becomes compelling as Rabbi Brous gets into the heart of her book, which rests on this statement that ". . . we who hold a dream of building a different kind of society must begin by building a different kind of community." Rabbi... Read More
Alexandra Hunter narrates this complex exploration of grief with tender sincerity. Atlas James is utterly shattered by the death of her father, the only person she feels ever understood her. After a series of poor decisions, Atlas (newly rechristened "Maps") ends up alongside a group of total strangers in a community service project devoted to rehabilitating the wilderness... Read More
This ode to the berry-rich land by Tlingit author and Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade finds its ideal narrator in Erin Tripp, who is Lingít Deisheetaan. Tripp's skill with the Tlingit language is matched by her feeling for the ebb and flow of Goade's English text. The audiobook opens with a recitation of the many different berries of Sitka, Alaska, in both Lingít and English... Read More
Performing this revealing look at the complexities of the revered jazz pioneer Billie Holiday, actress Maya Days connects with every ounce of the brilliance and tragedy of the singer's life. Strategic pauses in Days's phrasing and spot-on dialect for dialogue make her sentences sing with auditory variety. But it's her heartfelt resonance with Holiday's difficult life that makes... Read More
Happily, Paul Theroux's latest masterpiece is available as an audiobook, narrated authoritatively by Charlie Anson. Eric Blair, a callow policeman in colonial Burma, will eventually become known as writer George Orwell. In a clear baritone, Anson describes the lush landscapes of Burma, its trees, foliage, dusty roads, and muddy rivers, along with its natives, who are subjugated... Read More
Narrators Karen Chilton and Caroline Hewitt combine their considerable vocal talent to portray two legendary entertainers in this audiobook set primarily in the 1950s. There are no words to express how compelling Chilton's performance is as Ella Fitzgerald, "the Queen of Jazz." Chilton mesmerizes listeners as she imbues Fitzgerald with subtle emotion, poise, and practicality.... Read More
David Tennant is at his best with his narration of this whimsical fantasy for children and adults alike. The audiobook was Pratchett's first published novel in 1971 and was rewritten 30 years later. Whether viewed as a parable of war, apropos of current events, or as a mere humorous tale of little creatures living in your carpet, it's a story that begs to be listened to.... Read More
Narrator Dion Graham, with his ability to tap into a wide variety of voices, is the right pick for this blues-heavy novel, first published in 1998, featuring music, violence, sex, and a psychopath. Nick Travers is a former pro football player turned blues historian at Tulane University in Louisiana. He is sent to find a music professor who went missing while researching the... Read More
Thanks to Stig Abell's remarkable debut novel, Oliver Hembrough has the material needed to provide hours of engrossing listening. When former police officer Jake Jackson inherits his uncle's remote farm, he decides to disconnect from his London life and move in. Leaving behind all modern conveniences, Jake finds contentment he never dreamed possible, but when human bones are... Read More
Shayna Small delivers a variety of accents as a group of New Yorkers gather on the rooftop of their dilapidated building during the COVID-19 pandemic, telling stories to pass the time. The audiobook features a "pots-and-pans symphony" that applauds the healthcare workers who risk their lives to treat the sick. Small shines in this reboot of another plague novel, Boccaccio's... Read More
André Santana artfully re-creates Brazil in the 1920s as he introduces capoeira, a blend of martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality. Listeners meet Salvador Bimba, who advocated for capoeira. Santana enthusiastically delivers lyrical descriptions accompanied by spirited background music, with Indigenous and Portuguese words adding atmosphere. Heartbreaking... Read More
The chemistry between narrators Tyla Collier and Benjamin Charles is unmistakable in their compelling performance. Kayla is finally living her dream of becoming a rock star, but amid the glow of fame comes an unexpectedly public lifestyle. This and her budding romance with her tour bus driver, Ty, are making her life complicated but exciting. The unique romantic setup and the... Read More
Music piracy meets murder in this fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable audiobook. The story features criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck and focuses on Imani Nichols, a pop superstar who is at odds with her estranged husband. Jonathan Davis delivers a superb performance, giving every character a distinct personality that reveals the depth of author James Grippando's story.... Read More
Narrating her memoir, Sloane Crosley delivers ironic humor that balances the horror of back-to-back traumas. Admitting the unlikelihood and disorientation of what happened, Crosley links the vulnerability she felt at a burgled apartment and, a month later, at the suicide of her boss and friend, Russell. Their shared history in the shifting publishing industry serves as a... Read More
Pop culture drag star RuPaul's soft narration opens with sensory details that evoke the power of memory. His gentle voice allows listeners to enter early scenes of his life in San Diego that are not always easy--waiting for his father who never shows up, arriving home for lunch to find a locked door. Within those scenes are wise reflections about the world around him and his... Read More
Hip-hop artist Tony Keith, Jr., narrates his free-verse coming-of-age memoir. His pacing and tone allow listeners to feel the power of his words and imagine his world. His skill as a narrator is evident as he delivers lyrical imagery mixed with dialect. Sound effects illuminate the poems' themes: Drums aid listeners in picturing the richness of African imagery in one poem; in... Read More
Not every listener has felt that Tana French's stand-alone novels have lived up to the pleasures of her psychologically shrewd Dublin Murder Squad series, but THE HUNTER marks a return to form, at least in Roger Clark's thrilling audio performance. Here Cal Hooper, an American emigré like French herself, has moved to a ferociously insular Irish village. He's a retired Chicago... Read More
Amy Scanlon takes over from longtime series narrator Jenny Sterlin to provide an exemplary debut performance of King's 18th Holmes/Russell adventure. Sterlin's distinctive voice and extraordinary characterizations will always echo in our memories, yet fans will welcome Scanlon's unique, engaging approach. Holmes and Russell arrive in the French countryside to visit Holmes's... Read More
This near-future dystopian novel is set in a time of ecological disaster in the mostly underwater community of Island City. Carlotta Brentan portrays the cast of characters smartly by subtly shifting tone, cadence, and timbre. She smoothly portrays the protagonist, who begins as a gangly 11-year-old named Sylvia. Brentan contrasts Sylvia's size and temperament with those of her... Read More
AudioFile Golden Voice Simon Jones delivers Agatha Christie's classic locked-room mystery to perfection. After the overdose death of Mrs. Ferrars and the murder of his friend Roger Ackroyd a short time later, Dr. Sheppard recounts a story of guilt, blackmail, and despair. Hercule Poirot is renting the cottage next to Sheppard's and soon is drawn into the investigation. Jones... Read More
History consists of events conducted mostly by men and recorded by men. In her clear, uncompromising voice, Philippa Gregory turns the tables, taking listeners through 900 years of abuse and betrayals, yearnings and near-miraculous accomplishments of women. Frequent interjections by Clare Corbett, Tania Rodrigues, Nneka Okoye, James Goode, and Joe Jameson provide voices for the... Read More
Author Jill McCorkle joins a talented group of narrators in a memorable performance of her terrific new short story collection. Sly, funny, perceptive, and searing, the stories explore what gets us through our days and years. Hayden Bishop, Teralyn Davis, Marcella Cox, Kathy Bell Denton, and Cary Hite bring a euphonious mix of Southern accents and helpful interpretations of the... Read More
Peabody Award-winning journalist Michele Norris and a full cast deliver a must-listen performance of Norris's riveting examination of race in America. Based on 12 years of submissions to Norris's Race Card Project--six words about race from over half-a-million people--the audiobook shifts between Norris's clear, warm, thoughtful commentary and participants' contributions, all... Read More
Joniece Abbott-Pratt performs this multigenerational novel set over several decades in the American South. In the 1830s, a mysterious woman named Saint frees enslaved people from plantations throughout Arkansas and brings them to a town they call Ours. There they find a safe haven from the rest of the world. But when Saint tightens her control of the townspeople, they begin to... Read More
Bert Seymour and Clare Corbett narrate this delightful historical fantasy, set in the mid-eighteenth century. Abel, a London watchmaker who creates fabulous automata, has disappeared. His son, Zachery, endowed with second sight, is being raised by his eccentric Aunt Franny. Many years later, Zachery sets off to rescue him from a sultan in Constantinople. Seymour, the primary... Read More
Rose Dioro and Quinn Riley mesmerize listeners in this sapphic academic romance. Having been raised by women, Lex Gorgon has always been empowered by the females in her life. When she enrolls in college and her male professor tries to destroy her, she vows to never let a man hurt another woman. Luna Pallas, is the straight daughter of the university president and the perfect... Read More
Soneela Nankani's talents are in full force in this monstrous and magical fantasy series. Serwa has trained her whole life as a slayer of Ghanaian vampires and monsters. Then she discovers her parents have a big secret--she's actually an obayifo, a vampire witch. Nankani's dynamic voice and boundless energy match all of the action and Serwa's roiling emotions. She's now in... Read More
Avery Kidd Waddell delivers a commanding narration. He confidently conveys the scope of this new edition of one of the most influential audiobooks on the history of race, which dismantles the myth of a post-racial society. Kendi's work investigates the histories of six historical figures, including Thomas Jefferson, W.E.B Du Bois, and Angela Davis. Their actions, writings, and... Read More
Tyla Collier and Raymond Lee offer a spicy yet sweet performance in this fun romance. Liyah and Daniel bump into each other as adults, and it seems that Liyah hasn't forgiven Daniel for a mysterious mistake during their childhood. But she needs Daniel's help so she can secure her dream job as a museum curator, and a bumpy romance blossoms. Both characters are Jewish people of... Read More
Communication expert and podcast host Matt Abrahams delivers useful advice on how to think on one's feet with the relaxed polish of a seasoned voice professional. With his pitch range and natural pacing, he draws listeners in with his enthusiasm. His voice and ideas sparkle with energy. The guide is intuitively organized and covers a wide range of speaking situations, such as... Read More
January LaVoy and Michael Crouch perform this historical novel with a supernatural twist. LaVoy delivers the perspective of Laura, a nurse who has recently returned from a WWI battlefield to her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Crouch narrates the viewpoint of Laura's brother, Freddie, a young soldier who has gone missing in the cold, wet trenches of Belgium. LaVoy conveys all of... Read More
A.A. Milne called THE WAY OF ALL FLESH the second-best novel in the English language, but it remains one of the least known. In this audio version David Timson brings out all of its wit and charm, although some knowledge of Victorian Britain may be necessary to appreciate the extent of its satire. Among the five generations of the Pontifex family, there are a fair number of... Read More
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