New Reviews by Title: E-J

Brittany Pressley's engaging performance builds mounting tension and dread as three sisters become trapped in a moneymaking scheme. In Detroit, where the auto industry has long since collapsed and families struggle to make ends meet, Brooke is given an opportunity that's almost too good to be true. She joins her sisters in "The Wheel," a secret group of women who are on a... Read More

Timothy Andrés Pabon and E.J. Lavery narrate this tender exploration of grief. Two years after his older sister disappeared while surfing, Kai Sosa still struggles to find a sense of normalcy. He earns a place on the elite swim team his sister had once dominated but worries that he will let the team down the way he fears he let Cali down. Pabon voices Kai with increasing... Read More

It's up to listeners to decide if they need a deep dive into the early childhood of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who is the protagonist of the international phenomenon WICKED: THE MUSICAL. For those who do, Edoardo Ballerini's storytelling is grand and decisive as he wades through this dark addition to the canon. Elphaba is born to a father who is a pious missionary... Read More

Actor Cynthia Erivo narrates this WICKED prequel about future witch Elphaba's childhood. In the land of Oz, Erivo introduces listeners to precocious Elphie and her missionary family as they travel across the swamps and marshes of Quadling country. Elphie's complex relationship with her disabled sister, Nessarose, and curiosity about the world at large are at the center of this... Read More

Narrator Gail Shalan gives a spirited performance of this ghoulish mystery. Elvira, a half-siren who lives in a trailer park for monsters, is very skeptical of the human world outside it. When they learn that a human detective is on the case of the missing Marfa Monster Festival crown, Elvira and her friends decide to investigate on their own. But more monster residents... Read More

Thanks to James Aaron Oh, listeners don't need to have grown up in New England to fall in step with the East Gladness transients in this audiobook. Oh introduces listeners to the region through the poetic perspective of Hai, a troubled Vietnamese son whose failure to realize the American dream haunts him so much that he's preparing to jump off a bridge. Above the churning... Read More

Karen Hao narrates her blockbuster audiobook about OpenAI with the immediacy of a boots-on-the-ground journalist reporting on an ongoing global crisis. Hao spent seven years researching the company and its charismatic founder, Sam Altman, and she's concerned about the lack of moral oversight, the expense, the exploitative labor practices, and Altman's tendency to tell his... Read More

This feel-good audiobook is the sequel to THE SPELLSHOP. Narrator Caitlin Davies delivers a warm, emotionally rich performance, capturing Terlu's vulnerability and Yarrow's gruff charm with heart and nuance. Davies's character voices, especially that of the lively sentient rose, Lotti, bring the magical world to life. After being turned into a statue for practicing illegal... Read More

Sean Patrick Hopkins and Adenrele Ojo narrate a compelling addition to the world created by Stephen King in THE STAND. The anthology collects stories set during, after, and long after the events of the iconic novel. Hopkins's steady, engaging narration captures the essence of each story. With his clear enunciation and varied pacing, the different characters and harrowing... Read More

A scientist who breeds rare snails encounters sisters who provide "romance tours" in this audiobook. Set against the backdrop of wartime Ukraine, the complex story defies a simple summary or spoiler-proof description. Saskia Maarleveld delivers the female points of view with quiet intensity. Her nimble pace and sincere tone showcase Reva's solid prose. Max Meyers captures... Read More

Peter Noble does a beautiful job narrating Martin Walker's latest Chief Bruno mystery. His French accent (essential for the Perigord setting) is graceful and trustworthy, and he differentiates personalities convincingly. By this time there are quite a few repeating characters in this series, with as much texture provided by friendships, foodstuffs and how to cook them, and St.... Read More

Almost 30 years after his first visit to Trastevere, author and narrator Mark Radcliffe returns, this time with his wife, Bella, and their Cavapoo, Arlo. Five-year-old Arlo provides a delightful twist to this story with his cheerful dog's-eye perspective of their three-month Roman holiday. Radcliffe's English accent and breezy delivery are charming--but it's his portrayal of... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw makes this audiobook mystery equal parts thrilling and comforting as she narrates in alternating sassy and hushed tones. In 1964, mystery-and-romance-novel-loving Billie McCadie is one of the last people in Eastport, Maine, to see Gertrude alive after a mysterious man in a fedora comes to town. Soon, Billie starts receiving odd phone calls. Listeners will... Read More

Narrator Kate Coventry creates an energetic and high-pitched voice for the witch Evelyn, who, much to her initial disappointment, has only enough money to get a mystery pet, rather than the pet of her choice. What's more, the pet is inside an egg--so she doesn't know what it is. Coventry captures Eveyln's frustration as she struggles to wait patiently for her egg to hatch. She... Read More

Ashraf Shirazi's narration brings quiet strength and emotional resonance to the author's contemplations of imprisonment in Iran--her own and that of other feminist figures, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Narges Mohammadi. This unique audiobook focuses on a group of women who bake sweets as expressions of solidarity with those who are imprisoned. Shirazi's delivery... Read More

At the age of 38, Jonathan Gluck fell and injured his hip, and it didn't heal. In his audiobook, Gluck narrates his own story of coming to find out he had multiple myeloma, which upended his young family's life. He and his wife, both magazine journalists, were living an idyllic life in New York City with their 7-month-old daughter when Gluck was given between 18 months and 3... Read More

Joey Florez juggles the many facets of this audiobook. Depicting seventh grader Alex Ramirez, a neurodivergent student, Florez honors both the character and the verse format of the story. He gives his narration a definitive rhythm. Periodically, Ramirez uses fluid Spanish that reflects Alex's heritage and adds another rhythm to the narration. Alex has been in an SC... Read More

Jacques Roy offers a low-key narration of Kelley's novel about the tedious yet illuminating job of a fact-checker for a popular magazine. Roy delivers some priceless fact-checking phone conversations with celebrities such as Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier, as well as a fact- checker's delicate handling of the widow of a dead CIA officer who has purportedly been unfaithful. The... Read More

Susan Dominus narrates her fascinating audiobook about the complexities of sibling dynamics with straightforward authority. Listeners who find themselves pondering assertions on the characteristics of "the middle child" or the leadership acumen of "the oldest daughter" should find this listening experience engaging. Dominus guides listeners through extensive research on... Read More

Zeno Robinson's lively narration anchors the third installment in Flake's series about Black teenagers who are navigating tricky relationships with each other, their parents, and the world at large. John-John thinks he knows what kind of son his father wants, and it's definitely not the kind he is. A little shy and nerdy, he'd rather practice archery than shoot hoops.... Read More

Miranda Raison's understated performance complements this quietly profound production. When an English couple divorce in 1982, it fractures their young daughter's life in ways she doesn't fully understand or heal from until a complex truth is revealed forty years later. The novel shifts between Dawn's romantic awakening with another woman and traumatic divorce proceedings from... Read More

Narrated by an ensemble, Poeppel's novel is delightful. Berliners Greta and her husband need a place to live in Dallas when he takes a one-year position there without discussing it with her. Lucy needs to flee Dallas quickly after her teenage son makes a mistake that puts his future in jeopardy. Connected by a mutual contact, Lucy and her children head to Berlin to stay in... Read More

Nathaniel Priestly ushers listeners into the mind and heart of Sydney Carton, who listeners may remember is the unfortunate protagonist of Charles Dickens's TALE OF TWO CITIES. Author Parry has given Carton a backstory that explains both his uncanny resemblance to Charles Darnay and his dissolution: He was stolen as a toddler by fairies and raised in their Realm. Now Carton is... Read More

Escape with narrator Samara MacLaren on a mystical journey filled with magic and dragons in this Celtic-inspired fantasy-romance. Aemyra, a powerfully blessed blacksmith, has been forced to live in hiding while awaiting the current king's death--upon which she can bond with his dragon and take her rightful place on the throne. However, her biggest enemy, Prince Fiorean, an... Read More

"Forensic ornithologist" are two words few people would put together. But they're the focus of this audiobook about a Smithsonian specialist whose vast knowledge of feathers led to solving mysteries surrounding aircraft accidents, murders, and other incidents. Sierra Prasada offers an able narration of this biography of pioneering researcher Roxie Laybourne. Prasada enlivens... Read More

Will Damron embodies the wacky characters in Hiaasen's latest sardonic look at contemporary America. Damron shines as he portrays the dim-witted Dale Figgo, who, in an afternoon rainstorm, happens upon hitchhiker Viva Morales, a clever but broken divorcee. Damron gives a sympathetic tone to Viva as her troubles increase while working at the Mink Foundation, a crooked... Read More

Michelle Weisborn vividly portrays Evie Steinberg. Weisborn's youthful tone reflects Evie's delight when she moves to Southern California and discovers that Dara, her BFF from summer camp, goes to her new school. Weisborn also captures the anxious yet determined feelings of the seventh grader who demands perfection from herself after messing up her father's cryptozoology work.... Read More

Author Zelana Montminy narrates in a serene and reassuring voice as she coaches listeners on how to enhance focus, handle distractions, and increase clarity in their day-to-day lives. Sounding friendly and understanding, Montminy combines scientific research and easy strategies for overcoming absentmindedness and staying in the present. Breathing techniques, time management,... Read More

When a father disappears one night, a fractured family tries to make peace with what happened. But the discordant echo of that night still haunts them. At a patiently revelatory pace, narrator Eunice Wong portrays the Kang family--Louisa, Anne, and Serk. As the story proceeds with multiple shifts in point of view, Wong expertly voices adolescent caprice, 20-something apathy,... Read More

Narrator Sarah Slimani's stellar characterizations enliven the third installment of the Folded Sky series. Dr. Sunya Song embarks on a deep-space mission to study data from the Baomind, an ancient artificially intelligent construct. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, complete with a scheming ex-girlfriend who is a competing researcher, a surprise visit from her alien wife and... Read More

Audio fans' mouths will water as they listen to the excellent narration of Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. In this novel Isabella Pasternak, a semi-washed-out food writer, reluctantly accepts a new gig to ghostwrite a cookbook for former big-time, always hungover soap star Molly Babcock. The kitchen gets messy, and the relationship equally so. Nothing Isabella tries is good enough.... Read More

Renika Williams-Blutcher's uncanny ability to project a wide range of emotions and attitudes brings this combination of historical fiction and fantasy to life. Rowan isn't happy to spend the summer with her Aunt Monica in New York City even though she's enjoyed these vacations in the past. This year she wants to stay home and grieve the death of her father. Williams-Blutcher... Read More

Dan John Miller's no-nonsense delivery is fitting for this explosive exposé of U.S. Special Forces units. Harp's audiobook paints a dire picture of power abuses deeply ingrained in the military. Listeners who are familiar with Delta Force or Seal Team 6 are likely to find the reporting here alarming. The title refers to a system of funneling opiates and other drugs onto... Read More

With his seasoned delivery, Richard Poe brings a theatrical maturity to this story of a man who is looking for a huge second chance. Charlie and Vivian once met, fell in love, and married--but it didn't last. They were just too young and struggled with his alcoholism and their mutual immaturity. Forty years later, Charlie reappears, hoping to make amends and rekindle the flame... Read More

The year 1963 marked a pivotal turning point in U.S. history, and this audiobook captures its drama and significance in vivid detail. Author and narrator Peniel E. Joseph guides listeners through the era's defining moments and people, including Martin Luther King, Jr., James Baldwin, and Malcolm X; the March on Washington and the assassinations of Medgar Evers and John F.... Read More

Swayam Bhatia helps listeners imagine the feisty spirit of North Indian Simi Singh, a 12-year-old who meets school and field hockey challenges handily. Bhatia reflects Simi's fear when threats come from a prejudiced classmate and the comfort she finds in her loving extended family. Bhatia depicts Simi's personality as her parents' interfaith Sikh-Muslim marriage puts the... Read More

Kristy Cambron's skill as a historical novelist (THE PARIS DRESSMAKER, THE BUTTERFLY AND THE VIOLIN) shines in this complex story of war, recovery, food, romance, and espionage, expertly narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. When Manon Altier signs up for classes at L'Ecole des Trois Gourmandes, she meets Julia Child and begins to confront her own confusing past. Maarleveld switches... Read More

This English translation of a French novella imagines the lives of strangers in an apartment building as described by their neighbor Nathalia in letters to her therapist. Narrator Alex Wyndham embodies the series of characters who tell their stories--or are they all Nathalia revealing herself to her therapist and the listener through first-person fiction? Some of Wyndham's... Read More

This biography of one of America's best distance runners, Steve Prefontaine, captures his spirit, accomplishments, and maverick personality wonderfully. Narrator Roger Wayne sets the pace, so to speak, in a comfortable style. He creates a commanding, almost upper-crust, voice for pioneering coach Bill Bowerman; his accents and cadence seem to fit the legendary running coach's... Read More

Julie Maisey brings verve and well-chosen characterizations to her performance of Griffiths's latest mystery. A departure from Griffiths's successful series featuring archaeologist Ruth Galloway, this new audiobook introduces Ali Dawson and a group of current-day investigators who travel in time. History-oriented instead of science- focused, the story is well researched and... Read More

Listeners meet the very French Gabriële Buffet. An accomplished conductor and composer who was educated at the most elite French conservatory, she was way ahead of her time. But she also set her personal talent aside to be a muse for her husband, a Spanish artist. Barrie Kealoha portrays Gabriële as the brilliant artist and intellectual she was during the Belle poque, when... Read More

Dan Bittner has fun with this space opera. Levi is a con man through and through--narcissistic, privileged, and incredibly lucky he's still alive. He's borrowed money from unsavory characters, but he has a plan that will allow him to pay the debt and get back his collateral (his spaceship). But he needs help. Thus, Vera and her programming skills fall into Levi's orbit, and her... Read More

Sheila Mitchell's gravelly timbre is well suited to this circuitous historical mystery set in 1930s London. In it nothing is quite what it seems. Grisly murders that occur throughout the novel are delivered with a tone of detachment that adds an additional layer of anxiety to the disturbing subject matter. Mitchell leans into an Estuary English accent for the young journalist... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini's excellent storytelling turns this biography into a fascinating listen. Born in New Jersey to working-class parents, James Gandolfini focused on acting after moving to New York City. Before becoming Tony Soprano, he was a hardworking stage actor, who earned the respect and friendship of actors, directors, and critics. Ballerini details a bighearted, generous,... Read More

An unsolved small-town family murder will draw listeners deep into its tangled secrets. Olivia, a ghostwriter who is being professionally ostracized, returns home to collaborate with her estranged father, Vincent, on his true-crime memoir. Vincent's deteriorating health and Olivia's own traumatic childhood complicate the project as they piece together the fragmented events... Read More

Hannah Curtis portrays houseboat dweller Maeve Gardner, who finds a large stash of cash in the bumper alongside the London canal where she's tied up. Soon Maeve's life begins to resemble one of the mysteries she ghostwrites, particularly when her ex-boyfriend shows up dead, floating in the canal. Liam Gerrard brings skilled accents and a lyrical tone to the main narrative,... Read More

Sophie Gilbert provides an informed yet approachable delivery of her research on pop culture and how misogyny framed the narrative of commercial feminine empowerment. Listeners who came of age during the late 1990s through the 2000s, or were plugged into the popular cultural moments then, may have vivid memories of Britney Spears at the Video Music Awards, Kim Kardashian on... Read More

Rachel F. Hirsch gives a stellar performance of this poignant coming-of-age novel. After high school, Hannah and her girlfriend, Sam, drive from Long Beach, New York, to San Francisco, dreaming of a queer life outside the confines of their small town. Working as strippers to make ends meet, they grow apart, and Hannah learns there's more to growing up than moving away. Hirsch's... Read More

Historical fiction is a fascinating way to learn about different time periods and significant events. This audiobook explores 1880s Portland, Oregon, a setting not often examined in historical novels. Cindy Kay gives a solid performance, maintaining a clear voice and a measured pace. Some accents are inconsistent, but the momentum of the story continues with few awkward... Read More

Narrators AhDream Smith, Erin Spencer, and Khaya Fraites draw listeners into the lives of three single teenage mothers--Simone, Emory, and Adela. Through alternating perspectives, the narrations capture each character's struggles and hopes as the women navigate pregnancy and motherhood while coming of age in Padua Beach, Florida. Smith conveys Simone's resilience and heartache... Read More

In a light tone and quick cadence, Kelsey Osgood recounts the stories of seven millennial women who encountered God through different means, faiths, and worship experiences. Chinese American Angela became a Quaker, while Sara, who suffered from the trauma of the Boston Marathon bombing, found healing in evangelicalism. Kate was drawn to the stories and structure of Mormonism.... Read More

It must have been difficult for BJ Harrison to narrate this supernatural audiobook with his tongue so firmly planted in his cheek. Let's lay that obstacle at the feet of Dean Koontz. The master of suspense opts to regularly break the fourth wall in this work, and Harrison spreads Koontz's snarky tone throughout this production. The heart of the audiobook is the "four amigos," a... Read More

Narrator Lois Chimimba's delightful Scottish brogue adds authenticity to this mystery. Forensic scientist Dr. Claudia Atkins O'Sheil fights upper-class privilege and corruption to get to the truth of a murder case involving the possible wrongful convictions of a couple. Chimimba gives an empathetic tone to Dr. O'Sheil as she realizes how disproven techniques in forensic science... Read More

Kaipo Schwab's polished voice and nuanced character portrayals bring warmth to this meditative story about loneliness and reconnections, set during twilight in Tokyo. Schwarb's grounded narration gently recounts each character's story, infusing subtlety, humor, and whimsy as revealed through their interwoven lives. Schwab masterfully conveys the quiet joy and wonder of the... Read More

Robert Fass's performance gives this utterly believable novel the life it deserves. Fictional writer Jed Rosenthal is playing detective--he's curious about why his grandparents, Babs and Lou Rosenthal, and their closest friends, Essee and Irv Kupcinet, suddenly ended a lifelong friendship some years ago. Tracing the two families' histories unveils a series of real events.... Read More

Elena Rey builds sympathy for two characters with an unlikely alliance in this fantasy. She captures the feelings of Graciela Lima, a 12-year-old who is swept into the sea and awakens as a sea spirit a hundred years later. Rey's narration builds the details of this complex undersea realm--complete with creatures of all kinds and purposes. Rey also portrays the blacksmith's son,... Read More

Coincidently, narrator Justice Smith evokes the sensibility and behavior of a man named Smith. He performs this debut novel thoughtfully and keeps the lid on some wild moments of debauchery in New York's demimonde of partying and self-indulgence. The plot concerns the tribulations of an entitled Stanford graduate--his father was a college president and his mother, a surgeon.... Read More

Narrator Piper Goodeve brings listeners to the town of Bramble, Kentucky, where Marlow Heddings has relocated after the death of her husband, whom she was in the process of divorcing. Looking for a fresh start, Marlow is renting a cabin from ex-Marine Cort Easton and contending with her former in-laws. Goodeve gives them strident tones as they insist on Marlow returning to the... Read More

Narrator Patricia Zamora jumps in with full force with over-the-top voices in this fast-paced audiobook, which follows the aftermath of an accident in Texas. A collision that leaves a woman dead and a man on the run sets in motion a chain of events fueled by a selfish politician, several cops, a low-life family member, and a TV reporter. Zamora gives everyone involved--all the... Read More

Gail Shalan and Rock Engle introduce a flawed, hilarious couple: Hannah, a librarian, and Jack, a hitman. After an airplane encounter, Jack pursues Hannah to her Colorado town for a steamy committed relationship. Engle portrays Jack in a breezy, slightly nasal voice. Engle's jocular persona works because Jack doesn't take himself or his work too seriously. Shalan voices... Read More

Golden Voice Cassandra Campbell gives a splendid performance of this historical fiction audiobook with a touch of romance. In the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, Harvey Houses, with their all-female waitstaffs, offered excellent employment opportunities for women in their restaurants at train stations in the southwestern U.S. This novel revolves around two new... Read More

Nano Nagle's witty narration of the second audiobook in this series brings Hattie Cocker to life. Hattie is a freelance theater stage manager, a sometimes tutor at a minor theater college, and an amateur sleuth. Hattie accepts a temp job for a West End theater company, but when she arrives, she discovers the body of the show's composer, Lel Novak. Nagle infuses Hattie's... Read More

Emma Galvin gives a sparkling performance of this contemporary audiobook about a Jewish family who move from Brooklyn to a college town in northern Maine. The four members of the family are soon caught up in a "he said/she said" situation revolving around the high school principal's shocking proposition of Hazel, a senior, on her first day of school, and a campus controversy... Read More

Narrator Mike Zuzel captures these stories about Olympic athletes-- some well known, others not--who went above and beyond in heroic or sacrificial gestures in their careers. Zuzel's deep voice is consistent and calming. He narrates clearly with restrained enthusiasm. The stories that emerge are interesting and include accounts of track athlete Peter Norman and his famed 1968... Read More

In Pablo Cartaya's latest audiobook, 13-year-old Gonzalo goes on a cross-country road trip with his estranged grandfather, an author, and listeners are lucky enough to ride along. Cartaya takes the recurring role of "Your Most Humble Narrator" to provide background and context about the reluctant Gonzalez. He's mourning the death of his father and resenting his mother for... Read More

Listeners will be entranced by the melodic and articulate voice of narrator Angel Pean as she recounts the miserable upbringing, rewarding career, and personal relationships of Lorena Hickok, who was known by many as "Hick." This audiobook reveals not only Hick's ambition for excellence in her writing and journalism career but also the love and admiration she shared with First... Read More

Nicholas Boulton's narration makes L.P. Hartley's discursive novel about difficult class relations and thwarted love more involving than it might otherwise be. He gives each character a distinctive voice, ably indicating gender and class. Most engaging is the main character, Leadbitter, a tough WWI vet, brawler, misogynist, and chauffeur for hire, who has a gravelly voice and a... Read More

A young history professor at a private college, Daphne Ouverture, becomes entangled in the murder investigation of a fellow faculty member when pictures of her are found on the victim's phone. Jasmin Walker's enjoyable narration portrays Daphne's lighthearted approach to the challenges she faces as a young woman of color in academia. The story becomes tense when Daphne is... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw's narration of the first book in this cozy mystery series is delightful. She brings a warm, engaging tone to the story of Prairie Nightingale, a divorced homemaker with two daughters. Her neighbors might call her a busybody, but Prairie's insatiable curiosity drives her to investigate when her neighbor, popular mom and entrepreneur Lisa Radcliffe, goes... Read More

Narrator Nicky Endres shows impressive vocal versatility in this queer sports romance. Professional indoor volleyball players Six and Green, both Asian American trans women, are dating. To avoid any flak, they've decided to play on rival men's teams. They have the world's attention as they prepare for their first in-person game since the pandemic, and when a crisis strikes the... Read More

Jeremy Bobb transports listeners to Russia during the early days of the invasion of Ukraine as Detective Arkady Renko investigates the brutal murder of a Russian minister of defense. Bobb's strong narration, which is marked by authentic-sounding pronunciation and excellent timing, provides the perfect backdrop for this contemporary thriller, which exudes a distinct atmosphere... Read More

This contemporary gothic novel is narrated by Helen Laser. After a breakup and an upsetting incident at work, Cassie retreats to her hometown, where she reconnects with her high school friend, Eli, whose wife, Beth, has just passed away. Eli is immediately drawn to Cassie, and they marry quickly. But Cassie, who struggles with OCD, isn't a good fit for the life Beth left... Read More

Lead narrator Colleen Delany takes on the lion's share of this full-cast dramatization of the second half of Book 3 of the Crescent City series. Plucky, talented Bryce Quinlan, portrayed by Kit Swann, wields a sword and a long knife against evil yet agile foes, including the godlike Asteri, who have conquered her world. Bryce and her warrior husband, Hunt Athalar, voiced by... Read More

Greg Tremblay's wholehearted narration provides listeners with the perfect mystery companion for a summer weekend. When a group of college friends gather at a seaside home, one of them disappears. Little do they know that someone is watching them from the nearby marsh. Each character is given their own voice--except for the narrator, who retains Tremblay's somber baritone. His... Read More

Journalist Amy Larocca narrates with quick pacing that works well with this fast-moving kaleidoscope of observations and insights about today's self-care craze. Her performance has a street-smart quality that's not inappropriate, given the aggressive marketing and snake-oil claims proffered by today's health and beauty marketers. The pervasiveness of ads, images, and expert... Read More

Satire isn't easy to write or to perform. Both the author and the narrator succeed notably in this funny, trenchant debut novel. William DeMeritt uses all his acting skills plus a strong narrative delivery to portray the wide cast of characters who live in this audiobook. He convincingly inhabits the hyperactive mind of Anders, a 15-year-old Tom Sawyer-like youth with a talent... Read More

In Book 2 of this series, Annie's plans to nestle into her newly inherited country mansion are interrupted by the murder of a fortune teller. Alexandra Dowling provides a contemporary no-nonsense voice for Annie, who is determined to understand the victim's puzzling last message and how it relates to the suspicious death of her own great-aunt. Flashback chapters that take place... Read More

Masterfully narrated by Gabra Zackman, Arnold's debut mash-up of CLUE and HOUSE OF HORRORS pits seven authors of horror books against the late but still legendary horror icon Mortimer Queen. In order to leave the Queen's mansion, they must solve six riddles, one in each room before proceeding to the next. If they don't solve each one in time or they guess incorrectly, one of... Read More

The title of this audiobook refers to a style of architecture, Hudson River Bracketed, that was popular during Edith Wharton's lifetime. This is one of Wharton's lesser-known novels. Kate Reading's performance is precise and methodical--therefore, well suited to Wharton's style. Vance Weston is a young man who is finding his footing in early-twentieth-century America.... Read More

In this audiobook, Kate Marvel describes her work in the field of climate science. Courtney Patterson's intelligent, well-developed narration sets the tone for the author's predictions about the world the next generation will encounter--as forecast by predictive scientific models. Patterson's edifying and confident style is an apt complement to the author's accounts of the... Read More

Sharone Halevy's mesmerizing narration envelopes listeners in the disorientating world of an Israeli woman who relocates to the U.S. for a project management position. Soon, this unnamed woman finds herself joining her enigmatic supervisor, David, and other co-workers on frequent hunting trips. As a former member of the Israeli military, she has experience with guns but hasn't... Read More

An ensemble of experienced narrators combine their talents to portray the passengers and crew on a billionaire's superyacht as a death onboard turns fragile relationships into mistrust. Each narrator clearly defines their character, highlighting varied personality traits. The result is a cast of delightfully unlikable individuals. The multiple narrators enhance the listening... Read More

Alma Cuervo's polished narration is perfect for this unconventional, dreamlike tale blending folklore and fantasy, seamlessly translated from Spanish. Listeners are drawn into the final day of Bernadeta's life, which takes place in a remote farmhouse in the rugged Guilleries mountains of Catalonia in northeastern Spain. As she lies dying, the voices of her female ancestors,... Read More

Elisabeth Rodgers narrates with tasteful objectivity yet infuses this engrossing audiobook with all the emotion it deserves. Sounding more like a novel than a true-crime story, this account of the lives of four University of Idaho students before their horrific murders reveals a group of popular young people who enjoyed partying, were part of loving families, and were naïve... Read More

Jen Jayden takes listeners on a quest driven by two determined women who fall in love along the way. Aleya, a noble-born soldier, must travel to the famed city of Nivela to secure a legendary item that will win the hearts of her family and the people of the country she hopes to rule. Kirby heads toward Nivela to break an ancient curse that has left the townspeople of Wall's End... Read More

Mozhan Navabi offers a gentle narration of this retrospective look at the lives of four friends. Her soothing voice carries the necessary gravitas for this tenderhearted novel that explores the ways our chosen families sustain us. Fleeing soul-crushing poverty in France during WWII, Gazala and her brother, Samir, Algerian orphans, find their separate ways to New York City.... Read More

In this poignant, fragmented memoir, poet and novelist Hala Alyan reflects on her journey to motherhood through surrogacy. She narrates with an emotional intensity that matches the intimacy of the prose, her voice sometimes scratchy with grief, sometimes full of love. The memoir unfolds in a series of nonlinear moments and memories--of her marriage, her college years in Beirut,... Read More

Ray Bradbury's collection of 18 interconnected stories is a beloved classic. In "The Long Rain," Prentice Onayemi captures the brooding madness of a group of astronauts who are stranded in the terminal storms of Venus. In "The Rocket," Ari Fliakos delivers the absurd humor of a destitute father who decides that it's better for his children to watch a "simulated illusion" than... Read More

Narrator Cynthia Farrell's strong and steady voice engages listeners as she vocalizes iconic photographer Imogen Cunningham's passion for capturing the world with her art. A childhood love of picture books evolves into a talent for drawing and painting, and eventually Imogen discovers an affinity for photography. Taking pictures allows her to capture the world as she views it... Read More

This talented cast enlivens Becker's engrossing historical novel, bringing 1965 pre-Roe v. Wade America to life, a time when women had little independence, voice, or financial power. Gilli Messer projects Lily's frustration as she yearns for more than a predictable suburban life, tries to understand changing values, and asks, "Is this all there is?" Messer also believably... Read More

In the first installment of The Siren Mage romantasy series, narrator Ell Potter transports listeners to a land of myth and magic. After her siren powers emerge, Imogen begs Theodore, a king who is visiting for her engagement celebration, to rescue her from certain death. Forging a blood bond for their safety, the two wrestle with their feelings for each other and the... Read More

In this queer dark academia fantasy, narrator Zara Ramm is so committed that it's hard to know where she ends and Chetwood Academy's Director of Magic, Dr. Walden, begins. Walden is a magician in her late 30s, a powerful demon wrangler, and an excellent teacher. She's equally responsible for managing teenage angst in the classroom and keeping the demons that infiltrate campus... Read More

Narrator Ali Stroker introduces teen listeners to Bliss, a high school influencer who is tackling misconceptions about wheelchair users. Stroker ensures that Bliss is seen beyond her disability through her exuberant broadcasts to her many social media followers. Lainey, voiced by Nora Hunter, is one of them. Hunter chronicles Lainey's increasing isolation as her brother moves... Read More

Golden Voice Edoardo Ballerini narrates art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon's latest adventure, set largely in Italy and the Vatican. Ballerini's lyrical pronunciation of Italian proper names and places showcases the beauty of the Italian language. Listeners are swept into the intrigue surrounding the discovery and loss of a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, a situation that places... Read More

A mind-control expert examines the coercive and subtle ways people can be made to adopt distorted thinking that works against their own interests and free will. Describing examples like the brainwashing of Korean War prisoners and cults that distort personalities, Rebecca Lemov explains that these corruptions of self-interest and autonomy almost always follow a pattern of... Read More

Narrator Mark Deakins provides appropriately measured enthusiasm for Mark Synnott's account of sailing his 47-foot boat, POLAR SUN, through the Northwest Passage. Synnott funds his plans by selling the idea of searching for nineteenth-century explorer Sir John Franklin's tomb to National Geographic, among others. The author alternates between his own nautical adventure and the... Read More

Anyone who believes the American entrance into WWII was easy and inevitable will be shocked to hear that the path was difficult and paved with spies, lies, and coercion. Stephen Graybill performs this audiobook with the skill of a newscaster who's recounting revelation upon revelation about the spies on both sides of the war (and the Atlantic) who were using their skills to... Read More

Shakira Shute delivers a performance perfectly matching the emotional tone of this romance novel. Amelia, a driven professional who is healing from a breakup, encounters Jude, a charismatic and possessive billionaire, during a visit to a luxury spa. What appears to be a spontaneous connection quickly reveals itself to be a carefully orchestrated encounter. As their relationship... Read More

This audiobook is a clever, slow-burning romantic fantasy featuring Osric, a confident assassin, and Aurienne, a quick-witted healer from a rival Order. When they're forced to collaborate to halt a deadly pox outbreak and treat Osric's mysterious illness, their initial mutual dislike gradually transforms into undeniable chemistry. Heather Long and Thomas Judd vividly bring this... Read More

Narrator Barbara Rosenblat returns listeners to planet Harmony, whose inhabitants are descendants of colonists from Earth. Its population has developed various psychic talents. At a reception for collectors, para-archaeologist Leona Griffin encounters museum curator Oliver Rancourt. Working together, they investigate a long dead cult leader. Rosenblat captures Leona's... Read More

Kristen DiMercurio, Cindy Kay, and Mark Bramhall perform this story of a decrepit mansion that is haunted by the wrathful ghost of a long-dead Hollywood legend and her greatest foe. When Ronnie buys a broken-down mansion following the death of her brother, she expects to find bad wiring in the basement, not a shrine to the actress Venita Rost and not ghosts. DiMercurio keeps... Read More

An American journalist whose grandparents were Sicilian-born offers a delightful collection of observations and insights about the Italian way of life. Based on her family's traditions and her colorful travels throughout Italy, this audiobook provides a deeply satisfying picture of Italians: their lack of urgency, love of conversation and eating, and habit of living in balance... Read More

Ralph Lister narrates this first installment in The Scriver Archives. Jack, the sole survivor of the Scriver Trials, is on a mission to document the monsters who are plaguing every continent on earth and discover how to kill them. Jack has been recruited to kill the High Stryga, in particular, before she uses stolen magic to enslave all humans. But he can't do it alone, so he... Read More

Rima Ahmed, a BBC Radio presenter, delivers a warm and resonant performance of this rich collection of stories about food and family. Ahmed's regional English accent adds curiosity and vitality to Shahnaz Ahsan's memoir, which spans her diverse family history and travels across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Ahmed infuses a balance of quiet awe and trepidation into the author's... Read More

Though the author's history of childhood sexual abuse, poverty, a father's betrayal, a crippling motorcycle accident, and a chronic pain condition is daunting to hear, Amberly Lago's resilient approach to these tragedies and beguiling narration make this a joyful audiobook. With her quiet strength and warm voice, she sounds familiar, matter-of-fact, and inviting--like an old... Read More

The author's youthful tone and timbre, as well as her audible devotion to her profession, give added energy to the fresh ideas she offers about aging joyfully. A tireless researcher and teacher, the gerontologist presents the empowering research she's produced that glows with promise. She says a long lifespan and good health mean little if you're miserable and joyless during... Read More

Narrators Andi Arndt and Sean Masters join forces to depict the romance that sparks between waitress Stevie Palmer and millionaire realtor Caleb Kane. Caleb asks Stevie to pretend to be his girlfriend to help him in a custody battle with his ex-wife. Masters narrates from Caleb's point of view while Arndt handles Stevie's. Both give youthful exuberance to Caleb's 10-year-old... Read More