New Reviews by Title: A-D

Author Jeanne Thornton performs her novel with a charming casualness that will immediately draw listeners in. In 1998, three queer teenagers bond over creating video games in the early days of Internet chat rooms. Nineteen years later they are all trans women in their 30s, and though they've lost touch and never met in person, they're still haunted by the game they never... Read More

With muckraking fervor, popular podcasters Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson ask a complicated question: What's wrong with how our government operates, and what needs to change? Both authors begin in an optimistic tone but shift into a world-weary tone when discussing how seminal institutions such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects... Read More

"Top Chef" host and alum Kristen Kish beautifully delivers her memoir, displaying her compassion throughout. Adopted and raised in Michigan, Kish never doubted her family's love, even as she struggled with social anxiety. Her deep family bonds and drive to succeed echo throughout her story. A move to Boston marked a turning point; there, she began to embrace her identity, and... Read More

In this engaging collection of short stories by Filipino writer and journalist F.H. Batacan (SMALLER AND SMALLER CIRCLES ), Amielynn Abellera and Ramón de Ocampo alternate narrating the riveting mysteries. Abellera is good at voicing the more suspenseful stories with her faster, clipped style of speaking, while de Ocampo tackles the introspective character studies by languidly... Read More

James Meunier perfectly conveys these agreeable adventures, which will appeal to cat lovers and playful Sherlock Holmes fans. Listeners meet an outraged Holmes as he rescues a black cat from a beating. Since Dr. Watson has married and left 221B Baker Street, Holmes happily adopts "Cat Watson." Chapters are told from Holmes's and Cat Watson's viewpoints and demonstrate Cat's... Read More

British accents such as the one Zeinab Badawi employs in her narration have told a lot of Africa's stories over the years. Here, Badawi puts her British accent toward recounting African history from the African point of view as she shares tales of long-ago kingdoms and struggles against colonial control. Her narration is punctuated by wonder at visits to places such as the... Read More

Taking "alibis" as their inspiration, the six talented authors of this audiobook provide listeners with unique stories ranging from a woman who is on death row to a celebrity chef who is found dead in his freezer. Each story unfolds like a novella in multiple chapters. The narrators are well matched to the characters and settings, and bring the suspenseful plots to life. Each... Read More

This gripping and thought-provoking audiobook will not only please fans of dystopian stories, especially the author's, but will also add new listeners to both groups. In a post-Covid world, Crown Royale, a new virus that is seen as life ending--whether or not the sick recover--is spreading rapidly. All those who do recover experience enlightenment, losing any negative feelings... Read More

Profanity seems to be the only way to adequately describe the outrageous behavior of a classmate of Florence's 10-year-old son, Dylan. Narrator Georgina Sadler's resigned matter-of-fact delivery sets a hilariously irreverent tone in this addictive listen. Just as it seems there might finally be an opening for Florence to revive the pop band career of her youth, Dylan's... Read More

Narrator Ferdelle Capistrano depicts the emotional turmoil of River Santos, who is coping with breaking up with her boyfriend; being abandoned by her mother; losing everything, including her father, in a fire; having $2 million donated to her by an unknown source; yearning for her gorgeous new co-worker, Logan; and having a general sense that something is not quite right.... Read More

In an expressive voice, narrator Holter Graham recounts the long and complicated history of Latin America, beginning with the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Grandin examines the relationship between Europe and the Americas as Europe's power in the hemisphere declined and the United States emerged as the hegemonic power of the hemisphere. Grandin does not shy away from difficult... Read More

Emily Mester's essays describe the typical consumption practices and conflicts she witnessed while growing up in her Midwestern family. She combines her memories with fascinating observations on how class impacts the ways people think about, talk about, and spend their money. Chloe Cannon's performance captures the restrained emotion of a writer who is looking at social... Read More

The true story of the Fox Sisters, as delivered by Sophie Amoss, brings listeners to rural New York in 1848. This story is pieced together from surviving letters, news articles, and other accounts. As children, Kate and Maggie Fox were believed to communicate with the dead. The curiosity of their mother, then a neighbor, then their hometown, and then the world led to... Read More

Elliot Fitzpatrick narrates this dark academic mystery set at an unnamed college of Cambridge University. It's told in the first person by an unnamed student who is immediately branded an outsider because of his northern English accent and modest means. He becomes enthralled by Bryn, a wealthy, charismatic classmate who does magic tricks that may have a dark side. The setting... Read More

When the President discloses the identity of CIA operative Garris Kelley after he kills an international drug lord, Kelley's life begins to unravel. His troubles escalate when he comes to the aid of Senator Frank Beemer after a shooting on the Portland, Oregon, metro. Richard Poe is a skillful narrator, whether channeling Kelley and his various pursuers or portraying FBI Agent... Read More

Karen Russell, the magical realism and prose virtuoso, conjures the American Dust Bowl. Her vibrant imaginings are voiced by a stellar cast. Sophie Amoss shimmers as the Antidote, a "prairie witch" who takes verbal deposits; Asphodel Oletsky, a teen recently orphaned when her mom was murdered, is vividly portrayed by Elena Rey; and the masterful Mark Bramhall inhabits the sane,... Read More

Narrators Tim Paige and Jesse Vilinsky shine in this charming romance as they portray Forrest and Margot with compelling chemistry and emotional depth. Margot, a romance writer, has struggled with love in her own life. When her diary of disenchantment with the genre is maliciously revealed, her career is jeopardized. To help, her sister sends Margot to Alaska to reinvent... Read More

When a girl and her father move from one apartment to another, she becomes homesick and is overcome with emotion. This production of Stead's first picture book is performed by Stephanie Richardson. As the daughter tells her story, Richardson's choice of a high pitch for the girl results in a squeaky timbre at times. But the girl's disappointment is palpable each time her secret... Read More

Erin Bennett narrates the story of Rose Valland, a curator at the Jeu de Paume museum in Paris during WWII. Valland kept track of documents stating provenance and locations of artworks that were looted by the Nazis. She remained in her job by convincing Nazi higher-ups that she was merely a lowly clerk and not a threat to the Germans' pillaging. Her dedication and precise... Read More

Tanya Reynolds gives this stunning novel a luminous performance. Budding journalist Joseph Adelaide is invited to interview the world- famous, notoriously reclusive painter Edouard Tartuffe. "Tata" lives in isolation in Provence with his niece, Ettie. Ettie caters to him, doing everything from answering his mail to cutting his hair while silently enduring his rages, cruelty,... Read More

In her latest audiobook, Perkins celebrates diversity and the fun and adventure of making new friends and learning a new language in an unfamiliar place. Stacy Gonzalez's narration fills young Lissie's voice with nervous excitement as she travels far from home with her father and grandmother, worrying about how she'll communicate when everyone else speaks Spanish. Gonzalez... Read More

This authoritative guide to end-of-life care covers every imaginable issue that older people face as they move closer to death from illness or old age. It was written by a plain-speaking physician whose experiences with patients and his own parents make him skeptical about the value of heroic medical procedures to prolong life. A long-standing part of Western medicine, such... Read More

This collection of 14 stories by Lydia Millet is timely and clever. Featuring four talented narrators, Hillary Huber, Devon Sorvari, Patrick Zeller, and Pete Cross, the stories and characters overlap and interweave. Huber's four narrations are droll and sardonic, with a sassy, smart teen vocalization in "Artist." Sorvari's narrations are leisurely, thoughtful, and clear; one... Read More

Traci Kato-Kiriyama's magnetic performance of this penetrating psychological study is a wonder to hear. Her skilled narration illuminates the complexities of this meditative story of shifting perceptions. With admirable ease Kato-Kiriyama deftly slips into the persona of the unnamed female protagonist, a 49-year-old married theater actress. Her deliberate pacing and subtly... Read More

Jen Zhao narrates an urban fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology, First Nations traditions, and European folklore. The story is set in modern-day Canada. Tam has struggled with her dual human/tiger nature for years. Now that both her father and aunt are dead, an ancient power is chasing her. While Tam seems to be passive, Zhao's performance shows the wide range of emotions that... Read More

Catherine Ho delivers a masterful performance of Susanna Kwan's poignant debut novel about identity and creating a sense of home amid displacement. Set in a rain-drenched near-future San Francisco, the story follows Bo, a young elder-care worker who faces uncertainty after her mother's disappearance. When Mia, Bo's centenarian neighbor, offers the solitary Bo a job, she readily... Read More

Author and narrator A.E. Osworth wonderfully delivers this magical audiobook about trangender witches who must confront a rogue AI. Wilder wakes up one morning able to comprehend every language in the world. Soon, they are invited to join a coven of witches with similarly awakened powers. But just when they find comfort in their new family and magic, an evil AI threatens to... Read More

Sanya Simmons narrates the sixth installment in this eighteen-book series, each written by a different award-winning author. Ayana Ndoum is a shy, quiet student who usually does not stand out among her wacky third-grade classmates. While Simmons individualizes students and adults so that listeners can clearly grasp personalities and relationships, her primary focus is on... Read More

Narrator Cia Court's portrayal of a troubled woman's journey of self-discovery is intriguing and engaging. Heather literally flees from her terminal cancer prognosis with a cross-country road trip and a final confrontation with her absent father over his real and imagined sins. Listeners feel Heather's anger over learning her fate and her refusal to surrender to despair. Court... Read More

Classical music provides an enjoyable background to the story of Cecilia Chiang. She first watched cooking in her family home in China and then was introduced to its varied cuisine as she crossed the country during WWII. Later, she immigrated to the US. Cindy Kay's soft voice transmits Cecilia's dedication to the dishes she loves and grows stronger and more determined as she... Read More

In the days before typewriters and copy machines, there were scriveners--people who meticulously copied documents for lawyers and businessmen. Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini captures the intelligent, genteel, and, finally, compassionate voice of the narrator of this classic story, who hires a quiet scrivener named Bartleby for his law firm. At first, all is well as... Read More

Natalie Naudus embodies anxiety and fear of the supernatural with razor-sharp precision. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cora Zeng's sister, Delilah, is murdered in a hate crime: The killer shouts "bat eater" before pushing her in front of a train. Now Cora is a crime- scene cleaner, and she's noticed an increase in the unexplained murders of Asian women whose bodies... Read More

Narrator David Chandler returns to narrate the newest installment in the Sheriff Joe Pickett series. Pickett might be retired, but that doesn't stop the governor from pressing him into service to find a family member who is missing in the rugged Wyoming backcountry. Chandler's calm, confident portrayal of Pickett is the heart of this series, and he also provides new depth for... Read More

Erika LeonGuerrero narrates this speculative family drama, taking listeners into a world in which human extinction is scientifically predicted to occur within the next four generations. Charlie and Maggie Tannehill, twin sisters on the brink of adulthood, become involved in a government-led program aimed at delaying humanity's decline through incentivized reproduction.... Read More

Natalie Naudus delivers an enchanting performance in this unique romantasy. Bianca has always prepared herself for her arranged marriage to stoic Prince Aric. But on their wedding night she doesn't foresee that his life is in danger. While the assassination attempt goes wrong, Aric is turned into a horse, and Bianca is now being framed for his "murder." They have no choice but... Read More

Traci Kato-Kiriyama's delivery of this memoir about life and reading matches its deeply personal subject matter with an introspective tone. Kato-Kiriyama gives equal weight to the author's reflections on her academic career; personal struggles, including breakdowns and identity issues; and literary encounters. As narrator, Kato-Kiriyama maximizes the author's discussion of... Read More

Listeners are treated to the rich audio experience of being immersed in the uproar of a 1950s community as major deals unfold to bring the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. Jon Hamm returns to masterfully portray PI Jack Bergin in this second installment of the Audible series. He's joined by Ana de la Reguera as Lala Portal, Jack's ex and a classic femme fatale who is in... Read More

Earl T. Kim performs a sci-fi story about an orb that appears in Seoul and absorbs any human it touches. Jeong-su watches as his neighbor is taken and somehow made to split, multiply, and spread across South Korea. Jeong-su is not a hero, but he's driven to reach and protect his elderly parents. Kim shifts among colorful voices that never edge into comical extremes. As the... Read More

Euan Morton takes listeners through the twisted story of two successful brothers, former criminals with a wealth of ruinous secrets. The Opgard brothers have built a name for themselves as men who dream big. When a new highway threatens to bypass their small town, the brothers return to criminal means to try to keep their new business ventures afloat. This is the second novel... Read More

Award-winning NBC News Anchor and Chief Consumer Investigative Correspondent Vicky Nguyen delivers her memoir with the same passion and rapid-fire delivery that she brings to her television work. This audiobook offers great insight into the talented journalist. Born in Saigon, Nguyen fled to a Malaysian refugee camp with her family, finally immigrating to the U.S., where she... Read More

In a conversational but serious manner, pediatrician and infectious disease specialist Adam Ratner explains that effective measles vaccines have existed for more than 60 years. Sadly, the very success of this technology has resulted in a kind of collective amnesia about the risks of measles. Ratner doesn't sound like he's going to give up his medical career to narrate... Read More

Ell Potter delivers a smashing performance of Galland's engrossing novel. The title character is Sander Cooke, an androgynous actor with the Chamberlain's Men in Elizabethan London whose brilliant performances in female roles have made him a celebrity. His best friend, Joan, longs to study, but scholarship is forbidden because she's a woman. So Joan employs cross-dressing to... Read More

Nancy Wu is the beating heart of this queer Asian-inspired fantasy. As a masked dragon-hunting knight, Yeva is a powerful mystery to most. Her deep distrust of the great beasts keeps her aligned with her guild's mission to destroy them and expand the empire. When she's tasked with traveling to Quanbao, however, Yeva is confronted by people who worship dragons. When she falls in... Read More

English actor Hattie Morahan narrates this novel of a secret past, grief mixed with guilt, and the dangerous consequences that result. Beth is a quiet farmer's wife who is living a peaceful existence, but her happiness comes at the cost of keeping silent about her past. When a chance encounter brings wealthy Gabriel Wolfe back into the picture, Beth has to determine whether to... Read More

In a tone of authority and wry humor, narrator Adam Grupper portrays Lev Davidovich Bronshtein--better known as Leon Trotsky--as he visits New York City in 1917. Littell's Bronshtein becomes a hero to the socialists scrambling around the Big Apple's streets as he wrestles with questions relating to his revolutionary ideology, his place in his own family, his relationship with... Read More

The ensemble of narrators adds great depth to this audiobook, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in the richness of well-defined characters. In Garcia's debut thriller, the listening experience is memorable because each of the narrators is superb. There is Hillary Huber as Stephanie, who is presumably murdered on a business trip. There is Jennifer Pickens as Jasmine, the... Read More

Jill Tanner narrates this epistolary audiobook about the life of the infamous Mrs. Lovett, partner in crime to the murderous barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd. Small segments are narrated by Steven Crossley and Amy Scanlon. The DCI of the London Metropolitan Police gathers evidence acquired by a now missing journalist who corresponded with the wicked Mrs. Lovett. In the... Read More

Aaron Mahnke narrates his own audiobook, based on his popular and delightful podcast "Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities" (as well as the earlier "Lore"). As a podcaster, Mahnke certainly knows how to inject the right amount of wonder, humor, and pithiness as he delivers his stories of obscure, coincidental, and highly bizarre events in American history. Included are tidbits... Read More

This audiobook delivers an epic story about the conflict between art and commerce. Micky Shiloah's youthful voice embodies Tobey, who is fleeing the 2024 California fires with a plan to steal three paintings by Di Stiegl from his father for quick sale. In alternating chapters, Nancy Peterson captures the ingenue spirit of Di, whose photorealistic art brings her fame until she... Read More

Loretta J. Ross delivers her audiobook in an authentic-sounding voice. A longtime activist, Ross provides a detailed discussion on the practice of "calling in" people who need education and support on difficult issues. This is different from "calling out" someone, either in person or on social media, an approach Ross asserts may feel good in the moment but has limited positive... Read More

Emily Rankin narrates the story of Lucretia Sanderson, a teen who's recently moved to a Maine island with her mother. They're both seeking solace after her father's accidental death. Using varied accents and intonations, Rankin makes the tension and class differences between the island folk and the summer people apparent. She balances that tension with Lucy's glorious... Read More

This audiobook takes a sideways look at the history of capitalism by profiling some of its critics from the dawn of the Industrial Revolution to today's digital revolution. Some names and movements will be familiar, such as Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes, and the English Luddites. Many others are less widely known. Nathaniel Priestly narrates the work in a steady professional... Read More

Laurie Woolever narrates her memoir about her life in the food industry and her addiction struggles. She gives insights into working with two of the biggest names in the industry, Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain, receiving abuse at the hands of one and compassion at the hands of the other. All the while, she admits to her less than stellar personal choices, especially when it... Read More

Yikes! This tell-all exposé written and performed by a former insider at Facebook confirms concerns about the inner workings of one of the most influential organizations on the planet. Author Sarah Wynn-Williams tells her personal story of her climb to the upper branches of management at Facebook and the disappointment she felt at every move. While acknowledging that most users... Read More

India's most private detective, Vish Puri, heads to London to accept the International Detective of the Year award. He's accompanied by his wife and mother. Plans soon go awry as Puri finds himself and his nephew, Jags, embroiled in the hunt for the Bombay Duck, a billionaire swindler, at the request of a top government official. Vikas Adam brings Puri and his family alive with... Read More

Nicol Zanzarella splendidly captures 1890s Chicago and its diverse communities. Listeners meet 21-year-old "Harry" Morrow, who is delighted at being chosen to be the Prescott Agency's first female detective. After enduring prejudice from fellow detectives, Harry visits an elderly woman who claims her maid is missing. Colorful descriptions of buggies, meat plants, streets, and... Read More

The fighting that occurred in Italy in 1944, which led to the capture of Rome in early June of that year, is described in great detail in this history. Al Murray, who is also a British comedian, has narrated many histories of WWII, including several by Holland. He does a solid job in this production. His style is not as polished nor his accent as refined as those of many other... Read More

Claudette Monica Powell wanted to be a nun since she watched the movie A NUN'S STORY at age 7. Now she is Sister Monica Clare, Sister Superior of the Community of Saint John Baptist, an Episcopal order of women in rural New Jersey. A former acting student at New York University, Sister Monica Clare delivers an approachable, folksy account of her long and often painful path to... Read More

Part memoir, part manifesto--the heroic chef and founder of World Central Kitchen José Andrés's brief audiobook would have greatly benefited from a professional narrator. This is truly unfortunate as the story of Andrés's rise to celebrity chef and food philanthropist is fascinating. He trained at great places and learned his innovative style at the world-famous Spanish... Read More

Dina Pearlman narrates this fictional reimagining of real-life German Jewish painter Charlotte Salomon with conviction and urgency. In 1939, 21-year-old Charlotte is expelled from the Berlin Art Academy because of her religion. She's sent to her grandparents, who are refugees in Nice, and is soon deported to the notorious Auschwitz death camp, where she dies. Throughout this... Read More

Katharine Chin skillfully narrates this middle-grade adventure, capturing all the characters' voices. Natalie "Cincinnati" Lee has stolen her 135-year-old grandfather's diary, which contains details of all the treasures he has taken. In an effort to break the family curse, Cincinnati is determined to repatriate the relics mentioned in the diary. As she grapples with the first... Read More

In this moving memoir, columnist Dave Barry makes fun of life's absurdities with his trademark warmth, humility, and keen insights about the human condition. It's fitting that he narrates his story; his heartfelt performance syncs perfectly with the details of how he grew up to write professionally and eventually become a Pulitzer Prize winner and one of America's favorite... Read More

Biologist Thor Hanson describes how during the Covid pandemic he attuned his senses to the wildlife right in his backyard. Narrator Stacy Carolan strikes a curious tone as he narrates the author's explorations of nature in Kansas City. Carolan's delivery is laid-back yet quickly paced as he presents the author's observations on the daily life that was going on all around him,... Read More

Vivienne Leheny's lively narration perfectly suits this high-stakes thriller. Single mother Adele, desperate for money, joins an extreme game of hide-and-seek at an abandoned island resort hosted by Maverick Dillan, an adventurer who is her son's favorite social media personality. Amid warnings from locals and a raging storm, prize money becomes the least of the contestants'... Read More

Narrator Stephanie Németh-Parker whisks listeners away to the heart of Italy in this second-chance contemporary romance. Max is an ordinary woman working various jobs to get out the huge debt she's dug herself into. When the CIA offers her an exorbitant amount of money to pose as a body double for Europe's youngest female prime minister, Max can't say no. However, when she... Read More

Amara Jasper narrates an eerie horror story set aboard a spaceship carrying mostly frozen bodies. Halley hopes to escape a political scandal on Earth with a high-risk job as a glorified janitor on a massive spaceship carrying a cargo of cryogenically frozen humans. A trio of glitchy AI holograms accompanies her, and there seems to be something in the vents . . . always just out... Read More

Narrator Quyen Ngo delivers a quietly powerful performance in this moving anthology of short stories that explore postwar and contemporary Vietnam through the voices of Vietnamese and Vietnamese American writers. Ngo's fluent narration immerses listeners in 28 translated stories that touch on themes of war, grief, trauma, and reconciliation. She ensures that each work has a... Read More

There are few voices better suited to Angelou's poetry than that of Golden Voice Robin Miles. Somehow, there's a consistent sweetness to Miles's tone, even when she performs Angelou's most emotional and wrenching titles. At the same time, Miles's lovely vocal power is ever present and inspiring, matching Angelou's style. Miles's rendition of the classic "And Still I Rise"... Read More

Amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie tackles her newest challenge in this audiobook, which bridges her personal and private lives. Narrated ably by Sally Masterson, the story becomes complicated quickly when Isabel's husband, Jamie, invites Dawn, a woman involved in a scandal, to stay with them and their two boys. When strange noises come from upstairs, where Dawn is working, the... Read More

This audiobook tells the story of the 1970 legal action that first attempted to desegregate Detroit's schools. Subtitled "Detroit, the Supreme Court and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North," it provides the scope and implications of this significant event, as well as its historical context. Janina Edwards narrates in a compelling tone, a vivid style, and a clear sense of... Read More

Maggi-Meg Reed is at the top of her game in her nuanced portrayal of Sybil Van Antwerp. Sybil shares her life in letters to friends and family, as well as strangers and authors she admires, including Joan Didion and Ann Patchett. However, there's one mysterious letter she writes but never mails. A divorced septuagenarian, Sybil is slowly going blind. As an adoptee who has... Read More

What happens when a pathological liar ingratiates herself into a family of three? The author uses the technique of the unreliable narrator, and narrators Andrew Eiden, Devon Sorvari, Emily Tremaine handle it well. A limited number of characters are involved, but the narrators especially shine while portraying the family's young daughter, Harper. She has clipped sentences, a... Read More

Narrator Jo Yuan gives an animated performance in this witty literary translation about South Korean corporate office life. Kim Jihye is a 30-year-old intern at Diamant Academy, an adult education company. Originally hoping to be hired as a permanent employee, she comes to realize that this is likely never going to happen. Instead, another intern, Lee Gyuok, is brought on.... Read More

Cassandra Campbell skillfully narrates this devastating audiobook about a couple named Addie and Leo as they navigate Leo's diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. As Leo's disease progresses, Addie struggles to come to terms with the loss of her husband as she knew him and an uncertain financial future. After an incident with his sister's family, Leo is sent to a care home and then... Read More

Narrator Timothy Andrés Pabon brings numerous essential skills to this richly detailed history of El Paso, Texas. Most important are his command of languages and accents, and a degree of conviction that supports the author's distinctly Southwestern and multicultural perspective. Parker, a respected journalist who, sadly, died the week this book was published, argues that El... Read More

Robyn Maryke deftly delivers this exploration of a woman's journey into polyamory. The narrator, who never reveals her name, begins the story with recollections of the times her husband, Paul, encouraged her to flirt with and maybe kiss other men. As a wife, she reflects on her role in their marriage, while as a spiritual person, she grapples with moral discomfort as Paul... Read More

Timothy Andrés Pabon narrates the story of Danilo with heartfelt emotions. In 1989, in the wake of the US military invasion of Panama, Danilo's neighborhood, El Chorillo, is destroyed. Recently abandoned by his father, Danilo tries to be strong for his mother and sister. When a baseball recruiter offers him a scholarship to play in California, Danilo is torn between his bright... Read More

Tao Leigh Goffe narrates her audiobook about climate change and its impact on the Caribbean islands. Listeners are provided deeply researched background information on environmental racism, exemplified by the abuses inflicted on the Caribbean region and its people. Goffe is the founder of Dark Laboratory, a collective of artists and researchers who focus on climate and race.... Read More

Amrita Acharia makes the most of this dystopian reimagining of the rise of fascism in Nepal. She narrates the lives of two women whose fates intertwine in a world shaped by revolution, power, and shifting identities. Kranti, the daughter of a revolutionary, marries into a wealthy and influential family, only to find herself entangled in its internal struggles. Rozy, mistress of... Read More

Ramón de Ocampo and Victoria Villareal throw themselves into the portrayal of two dozen kids and a couple of dogs, who are spending the day at a New Jersey beach. First, we hear the voices of siblings Jackie and Simon as they run on the empty beach. Later, the beach becomes crowded with people of varied classes and ethnicities. De Ocampo portrays a Cuban teen idol who is trying... Read More

Poet Maggie Smith's newest audiobook expands her purview to offer all kinds of artists helpful advice about what she sees as the 10 essential elements of creativity: attention, wonder, vision, play, surprise, vulnerability, restlessness, tenacity, connection, and hope. Her light, sweet-sounding voice often assumes a poet's studied rhythmic cadence as she narrates with... Read More

Karen Murray's balanced narration fits this nonfiction account of Jim Jones and the tragedy at the Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana, in 1978. Murray's tone reflects the author's research on the early religious zeal that fueled the imaginations of Jones's followers. Murray presents facts, people, and anecdotes, setting scenes as Jones nurtures followers' trust based on his... Read More

Narrators Claire Skinner and John Hopkins take listeners through this story of a long divorced couple and the crime that led to the end of their marriage. Decades ago, Isabel and Edward were attacked by a violent intruder and forever changed. Now that the attacker, a well-known serial killer, has been caught, the two must face him in court at his sentencing. Skinner's... Read More

Victoria Villarreal and an ensemble of narrators perform this dark literary thriller revolving around a serial killer who brutally mutilates victims. Villarreal performs the section of the novel featuring Professor Cristina Rivera Garza, who stumbles across a body and becomes the first informant in what will be a string of murders. Villarreal's narration is subtle, capturing... Read More

Deepti Gupti infuses a lyrical cadence into the dialogue of this touching cozy mystery. Kausar has always had strong intuition, along with the ability to read people. Over time, she's hidden these skills for fear of others finding them intrusive. Now, her strengths are vital as she seeks to clear her daughter's name after she's been accused of murder. Having spent much of her... Read More

Sarah Mollo-Christensen performs with clear diction and a serious tone that fits this investigative reporting. Social rights journalist Sarah Jones uses personal narratives and tireless reporting to show how U.S. social policy and class discrimination make it almost impossible for America's underclass to survive. Focusing on how such people fared during the Covid years, her... Read More

This audiobook is a delightful, whimsical, and philosophical romp through the values, ideals, and sensibilities of Maurice Micklewhite--known to most of us as British actor Michael Caine. This memoir (he's done others) is mostly about what makes Caine tick. Eddie Marson offers a yeoman's effort in re-creating Caine's Cockney accent and delivers a believable, understandable, and... Read More

Subterfuge is the theme of this production, which is based on an earlier novella of Vo's titled THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CHOSEN. That 2021 novel was a reimagining of THE GREAT GATSBY. Now narrator Greg Barnett again faces the challenge of bringing Nick Carraway to life, but he's actually a poser who's been pretending to be straight and even human for the past two decades.... Read More

Author Neil Sharpson narrates his first picture book, an apparent nonfiction work about animal classes. There's a curious undercurrent of edginess that Sharpson strengthens into a predominant tone with the repeated refrain: "Don't trust fish." Not only do fish defy categorization, they eat "poor innocent crabs who are just trying to have a nice time in the sea." This is only... Read More

Eunice Wong does an outstanding job of narrating this combination of dystopian fantasy, historical fiction, and sci-fi. She captures the atmosphere of each of the three timelines, and the result is an intimate, thought-provoking performance. First, the listener meets Maida in 2106; she has the ability to perceive the history of objects. Second, the listener is introduced to Li... Read More

Christina Traister portrays seasoned Special Agent Constant Marlowe, who has been a bit toughened by years of frustrating cases and hardened criminals. Finding herself downstate from her usual Chicago haunts and surrounded by vast cornfields and seemingly naïve and honest small towners, Marlowe is in search of an organized crime member she hopes to flip as a witness for the... Read More

This dystopian novel, set in an uncomfortably near future, features an innocent woman who is incarcerated for her dreams. Exceptionally well narrated by Frankie Corzo, with brief bursts of affectless officialese delivered by Barton Caplan, the story works remarkably well as an audiobook. Much of the narrative is the protagonist Sara's thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Corzo... Read More

The talented Andrew Fallaize reprises his narration of THE TAINTED CUP, the first in this series. Fallaize aptly narrates this imaginative and suspenseful story in which older, experienced Ana and young Din investigate the unsettling murder of a treasury officer. Through Din's perfect memory and Ana's brilliance, they discover a plot that runs deep, threatening the empire's... Read More

A Victorian adventure-romance proves entertaining, thanks to the vocal stylings of narrator Karen Cass. When antique store owner Alexandra Prince believes she's uncovered a plot to steal the Crown Jewels, she heads to Scotland Yard, where Detective Inspector Benedict Drake serves. As clues to the impending theft are gathered, romance develops. Cass supplies a measured,... Read More

Em Grosland voices trans con artist Phyllis as he uses his magic to steal people's body parts and hold them for ransom--all to satisfy his partner in crime, Lucent. But when one target, Wycliff, can't pay for his stolen nose due to his sister, Adeline's, disappearance, Phyllis disguises himself as a duke and infiltrates the nobility to find her. Grosland smoothly portrays a... Read More

A banquet of sensual delights awaits those who listen to this historical novel narrated by Will Watt and Victoria Aston. Watt portrays the Duke of Brandon, whose dissolute ways have earned him a reputation, an ultimatum to marry from his grandmother, and a daughter, Pandy. Watt's drawl drapes like the velvet folds of a Victorian cape, and he uses it as the Duke woos Lottie,... Read More