New Reviews by Title: K-O

Morag Sims and Will Watt provide fittingly erudite performances of this layered audiobook. Cambridge is home to a top-tier academic Magick program. When an esteemed professor is killed, star graduate students Alice and Peter embark on a quest to rescue him from hell. How else to get that coveted recommendation? The underworld is soon revealed to be a university campus of its... Read More

Perfectly cast, raspy-voiced Sean Patrick Hopkins narrates this grief-filled horror story, based on true events. Seventy-seven-year-old Glenn Partridge has never gotten over the brutal unsolved murder of his young son 40 years ago. Partridge kept copious notes and lists of suspects and constantly called the police for updates. His wife, hoping to divert him, enrolled him in a... Read More

Narrator Richard Brake delivers the gruesome urban legend that fuels Stephen Graham Jones's latest before handing the narration over to Isabella Star LaBlanc. She takes listeners to I-80 in Wyoming, where a runaway teen named Harper finds herself, her little sister, her ex-boyfriend, and her two best friends desperately trying to elude Bucketmouth, a killer who eats his prey's... Read More

This dramatic audiobook chronicles the first months that followed the opening month of WWI, a history memorably depicted in Barbara Tuchman's THE GUNS OF AUGUST. This narrative describes the struggle that then unfolded in Flanders. Narrator Paul Boehmer has the range and stamina needed for so vast and bloody a tale. One hero emerges, King Albert of Belgium. Albert's valiant... Read More

Kenny Blyth's warm Scottish accent and facility with creating characters make him the ideal narrator for Ann Cleeves's new series featuring Detective Jimmy Perez and his partner, Willow Reeves. They're now living on the Orkney Islands after moving from the Shetlands. Perez's best friend is found beaten to death with an ancient stone during an archaeological dig on Westray. Then... Read More

Many listeners will remember Malcolm Hillgartner's fine narration of Scott Anderson's compelling, much-admired LAWRENCE IN ARABIA. Here again, Hillgartner's frank, unbiased tone is a fitting complement to Anderson's scrupulous reporting of a history heavily encrusted with bias, controversy, and lingering grievances. America's long support of Iran's repressive Shah, its... Read More

Narrator Lorelei King masterfully voices the second entry in this series. Recovery Agent Gabriella Rose commits to getting her ex-husband's cousin out of trouble by traveling the globe to retrieve missing art and antiquities. With her ex, Rafer Jones, Rose confronts lots of villains. The plot stretches believability, but listeners seeking a fun romp filled with colorful, and... Read More

Golden Voice Hillary Huber masterfully delivers two very different stories that dramatically collide: a tragic family saga unfolding around the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and a fast-paced thriller set in Arizona. In this fourth series entry, Frankie Elkin searches for a missing Afghan immigrant woman, quickly discovering that no one is truly who they seem. New... Read More

This audiobook written and read by award-winning journalist Sara Kehaulani Goo is the story of her family's property on the east side of Maui, which was given to them in 1848 by the King of Hawai'i. They never developed the land but continue to be committed to protecting their ownership. As the value of the land has increased, the taxes have risen, and it's become increasingly... Read More

Relationships between women can sometimes be difficult. And that's the case with this nonlinear LGBTQ+ story. Grace Lynn Kung captures the tricky friendship between Lane Warren, a Hollywood outsider, and Gala Margolis, an adventurous Hollywood socialite. During the 1960s, the women discover they're both aspiring writers. Kung depicts their initial awkwardness, which is followed... Read More

With genuine emotion, Jennifer Riker narrates this story about the demise of a romance. Sydney meets Victor, a wealthy older gentleman who is used to getting his way. He wants Sydney, and from the beginning is overbearing yet charming enough to make it happen. When they decide to marry, a controversial prenuptial agreement involving an Italian villa causes a bitter rift. So... Read More

Carlotta Brentan narrates Giulia Caminito's English-language debut, giving its main character, Gaia, two believable voices. Set in Italy in the 1990s, this novel recounts the struggles of the Colombo family, who seek to rise out of poverty and find their place in a judgmental society. Brentan takes listeners into teenage Gaia's mind, emphasizing her frustration and... Read More

Cecily Bednar Schmidt delivers a captivating performance as listeners are drawn into the isolated village of Mistaken. Warding stones keep its residents inside its borders and the ravenous creatures beyond it, called the Bright-Eyed, at bay. Greer Mackenzie, daughter of a town leader, has always been viewed as "different" by her neighbors. When tragedy strikes, followed by the... Read More

Jilly Bond paints a charming portrait of Eugénie de Montijo, the last empress of France. The Spanish-born aristocrat married to Emperor Napoleon III was a woman ahead of her time. The Napoleonic Code defined women as little more than chattel. They were uneducated, taught only to be good wives and unable to do or think for themselves. Bond's narration portrays a fierce advocate... Read More

Narrator Gerard Doyle fully embodies all the characters in this historical adventure, which includes a splash of social commentary. A 19th-century teenaged aristocrat, Andrew, flees his unhappy English family, renouncing an ill-gotten inheritance to seek freedom as an ordinary sailor. The fast-paced story of his life on the high seas is told by a diverse cast of characters,... Read More

The year is 2092, and humankind has been beaten down by pandemics, floods, fanaticism, isolation, and wars. Narrating in a measured aristocratic tone, Justin Avoth channels the voice of the last man alive as he lays out Mary Shelley's 1826 dystopian vision of the future. All begins happily enough with young love, ambition, and the rise of kings, but constant war, a failed... Read More

Eileen Stevens narrates this slow-paced audiobook based on a true story. In 1956, sweet Midwesterner Carolyn Banks rents her great-aunts' eerie mansion on New York's Upper East Side. Unbeknownst to her, it's inhabited by familial ghosts, including her audacious Great-Aunt Snug. When Alfred Hitchcock and some of his actor friends have a party there in hopes of a ghostly... Read More

This audiobook was inspired by the forbidden love of the authors' grandparents in early-twentieth-century Korea amid its colonization by Japan. Their story, told in alternating chapters, combines history, folklore, romance, and magic. Julia Riew delivers the chapters of Eunji, a Korean girl who is trapped in her wealthy life. Joshua Hyunho Lee portrays Seung, who is trapped by... Read More

Thérèse Plummer and Saskia Maarleveld, both outstanding storytellers, portray Laura and Helaine, two characters who span decades during and after WWII. Years after her traumatic experience volunteering for the Red Cross in Nazi Germany, Laura discovers half of an engraved necklace in England. Recognizing that the necklace is connected to her friend Franny, who mysteriously died... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld narrates this first installment of a new fantasy trilogy called Kingdom of Oak and Steel. Holt Hawley, an outcast soldier, is sent on a mission to find the last member of the Vigilant order, Enelda Drake. In addition, a boy has been kidnapped from a locked room, and if he's not recovered, a war will ensue. Hawley and Enelda confront corrupt soldiers and... Read More

Narrators M.K. Blackwood and Will Damron give hilarious and heartfelt performances in this contemporary romance. Avery has always been attracted to her brother's best friend, Henry. When they both become stranded on a deserted island, she decides it might be time to give in to that long, lingering attraction. But falling in love is definitely not her intention. Blackwood's... Read More

Full of delights and narrated with extraordinary charm, this audiobook invites listeners to take a break from their smartphones and open their senses to the serendipity and randomness of life. The man-about-town British author has been hosting recurring no-phones dinners in London, where guests from all walks of life are encouraged to be present and curious about the... Read More

This audio gem from Indigenous authors features stories in which elders offer guidance to young Native Americans. Various Native voices introduce listeners to Sandy June's Frybread Drive-In, known as SJ's, which magically opens whenever a teen faces a social challenge--for example, fitting in. An elder cooks while listening to the teen's concerns and offers advice. In "Kathy's... Read More

Magical creatures abound in this audiobook. Tiny flying dragons, a giant golem who gardens, and two young humans--Nyssa, a librarian, and Roan, a wandering adventurer--try to bring the Misty Mountain Library back to life before the Tales and Tomes Festival begins. Narrator Jess Moran portrays Nyssa as a bright, bubbly young woman who is in love with books and the characters... Read More

Narrators Sena Bryer, Lisa Flanagan, and Marisa Calin enliven the characters of Jamie, a young witch, and her mother, Serena, along with the text in a mysterious 300-year-old book that weaves through this queer fantasy audiobook. In the present, Jamie, a New England graduate school student who is studying literature and is secretly a witch, has a lot on her plate. She's also... Read More

Narrator Adelaide Fernport performs this opposites-attract contemporary romance. When Sadie Fox agrees to return to her small town to care for her father's pumpkin patch, she makes a deal with the universe: She'll grow a huge pumpkin and win the Indiana State Fair's blue ribbon, and all will be well with her father again. However, some wild hogs ruin her entire patch. Then, she... Read More

Narrator Sorcha Groundsell brings to life 11-year-old Gwen MacKinnon, who is sent to spend several weeks with her Great-Uncle Matthew, sparing her a stay with her inattentive dad. There, she's delighted to make friends with his dog, Pumpkin, who accompanies her to the town library. Groundsell's tone imbues this story with intrigue, also fostering listener interest with her... Read More

This history examines the question of when the American Civil War ended and what its legacy was--or is. Landon Woodson gives it a stalwart narration. Like many historical events, the date of the end of the Civil War depends on who is viewing it. Even the Supreme Court weighed in on this issue in a ruling (Anderson v. United States, 1869.) Like most other conflicts, the Civil... Read More

Actor Javier Muñoz, who also starred in HAMILTON, delivers an engaging performance as he delivers this biography of playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda. Muñoz gives a much-deserved sense of joy to Pollack-Pelzner's careful research, amusing anecdotes, and quotes from Miranda, overlooking nothing from his early life to his later influences. Special attention is paid to Miranda's... Read More

After a decade away, Brent Walker returns to his Southern hometown and an impressive new job in the legal department of its major employer, a huge paper manufacturer. Scott Brick describes Brent's growing concern as labor contract negotiations approach and he discovers some details that don't add up. Brent leans on his old family friendship with one of the labor leaders and his... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Kimberly Farr reflects the shimmering light of Mary Oliver's poetry and amplifies the meaning in her appealing prose. Farr simply gets Oliver's nuance and grace and sound; as narrator, she has a gift for pace and knows just how to intensify and heighten the language. This extraordinary collection of two volumes of poems and a third of prose shows the... Read More

Justin Evans's presentation of his audiobook makes big data and its uses seem nonthreatening and accessible. He's the regular-guy expert you always wanted to explain how data is collected and used: His delivery is direct, easygoing, and friendly.. He seems to be simply speaking, rather than presenting, and his clear intonation and emphases, perfect pacing, and expressiveness of... Read More

With his rich vocal tone and flawless enunciation, Michael Imperioli delivers this expansive work of Buddhist teaching with grace and resonance with the author's message. His beautiful phrasing range and pitch patterns never overshadow the content, and the emotional depth of his delivery makes every detail in the audiobook powerful. The author, a Tibetan lama, filmmaker, and... Read More

In this audiobook, Ruth befriends Maria when the two are children, and their relationship remains a constant as they mature. Shayna Small's gentle voice works well with the text, but she can't make up for the story's weaknesses: The plot is slow and inconsistent in structure and characterizations. Some details are minutely examined, while important moments are glossed over.... Read More

Adam Sims infuses this iconic American coming-of-age story with controlled energy. Considered an autobiographical novel and an example of Southern Gothic literature, the story of Eugene Gant and his family's struggles is rich in detail and poetic in language. Sims's voice has subtle depths that capture difficult scenes with the right amount of emotion. He does well with... Read More

Kate DiCamillo's third installment in the Norendy Tales soars with a controlled narration by a very proper-sounding Allan Corduner. A childless shoemaker and his wife are surprised when a tiny child appears one day in a boot in his shop. He names her Evangeline. Corduner gracefully captures the tension that grows between the husband and wife as they focus on the child's... Read More

Lee Osorio's youthful narration and precise pacing create a chilling listening experience in this middle-grade horror story. Diego is staying with his aunt and uncle in Mexico City while his parents go through a divorce, which he worries he caused. His new school's field trip to La Isla de Muñecas (Doll Island), a magical island with a wish-granting doll, could be the perfect... Read More

Katie Koster and Katie Hafner introduce 10 women from Hafner's "Lost Women of Science" podcast, which focuses on the ways female science pioneers were overlooked due to their gender, and sometimes race. Scientists include pathologist Dorothy Andersen and Black chemist Alice Ball. Each segment includes a summary of the subject's principal achievements and a biography that leaves... Read More

Naomi Wood and Thomas Frost entrance listeners as they narrate this paranormal contemporary romance. Rosemary is a successful horror author who can see ghosts. When she realizes the movie set of an old English manor created for the filming of her hit novel is actually haunted, she's not deterred. Ellis is a hot Hollywood actor who's looking forward to breaking free from his... Read More

Narrator Andi Arndt transports listeners to Lake Tahoe as Lexi Clark returns home after years away. Lexi joins her stepsister, Ashley, and former classmate, Heath, who've been tasked with delivering envelopes to people who were wronged by Lexi's late mother, from whom she was estranged. A free spirit, Ashley is the more joyful of the sisters, while Lexi is more cautious. Arndt... Read More

Kyla Garcia takes listeners to rural Oklahoma with this slow-burn contemporary romance written by and featuring Native Americans. After an ill-advised magazine cover causes backlash and claims of cultural appropriation, pop superstar Avery Fox goes to her mother's hometown, where she hopes to learn about her heritage. Ranch worker Lucas Iron Eyes agrees to help her. As the two... Read More

Xe Sands's strong narration reflects the promise in the title of this children's audio on the topic of a parent's serious illness. Her variations on the refrain "love stays strong" serve as a continual affirmation throughout, and her tender tone sounds like she's addressing an adored child. Sands's lyrical cadences emphasize changes in the natural world and how the seasons'... Read More

Imogen Church and John Hartley perform this warm romantasy. Sloane MacGregor, whose family is hexed, once swore she'd never return home to the town of Briarhaven, Scotland. But on her twenty-fifth birthday, she'll come into her powers, and her grandmother has one request: Break the hex. Mayor Knox Douglas, who's been working hard to keep the town's magical folks safe, doesn't... Read More

Narrator Dion Graham and biographer Eig set the record straight on the triumphant and ultimately tragic life story of Lou Gehrig, one of the best first basemen and consistent hitters in baseball history. But the "Iron Horse," as sportswriters dubbed him because of his consecutive game streak, had his career cut short when he was diagnosed with ALS in 1939 and forced into... Read More

Mara Wilson strikes a serious tone as this existential horror audiobook becomes gradually more absurd. Vera is a passionate statistics and probability professor and soon-to-be author. But a global catastrophe, termed a Low Probability Event, leads to the sudden deaths of millions, including her own mother, under astronomically improbable odds. Years later, Special Agent Layne... Read More

Brian Nishii narrates this uplifting tale of magical realism involving a middle-aged man who believes he's the unluckiest person in Japan. Suichi is going through hard times with his job, his family, and the mounting debt that threatens to cancel their long-awaited trip to Paris. At his lowest point, a mysterious taxi driver appears, taking him on a thought-provoking journey.... Read More

For a fun, witchy listen, you can't go wrong with Aubrey Plaza, who hams it up in a quirky narration. Luna has always wanted to be a witch like her grandma in Puerto Rico. When she finds a real witch's house, she gets the curmudgeonly witch, Pheenie, to teach her all she knows. But first, Luna needs to help get the house ready for a Halloween party. Plaza doesn't disappoint.... Read More

This debut novel based on the author's German immigrant heritage takes listeners back to Pittsburgh as the country faces involvement in WWI and the devastating Spanish flu. Narrator Heidi Housh brings personalities to life, distinguishing individuals in the large cast. Madga is frustrated when she's forced to leave school before her senior year to care for her baby brother and... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini narrates this tale of two kingdoms that were set to enforce an arranged marriage in order to save the princess's kingdom. But right before the wedding, the princess fell in love with a lowly scribe. Anatole, once a prestigious magician, was ordered to create a potion to make the princess acquiesce to the arrogant prince. But Anatole felt fatherly towards the... Read More

Saylor Curda and Teddy Hamilton deliver a lighthearted rom-com. Curda captures Abi Mariano, a high-energy maid who has an independent spirit despite her financial difficulties and nearly overwhelming anxiety. Hamilton voices Declan Powell, a wealthy, workaholic bachelor, with just the right mix of reserve and sincerity. Aby is caught squatting by Declan's parents, who mistake... Read More

Kaipo Schwab's strong narration is the perfect match for this inventive tale, recently translated from Japanese, which blends a murder mystery with a Groundhog Day-style time loop. Schwab excels in his portrayal of Hisato, a teen who uses his time-loop ability to try to prevent his grandfather's murder. Schwab's skillful characterizations provide clear, distinct voices for the... Read More

Narrator Stephen DeRosa imbues this educational kids' mystery with verve and humor. He animatedly voices pirate ghosts, multilingual grandmothers, eccentric artists, basketball-coaching nuns, and two plucky kids. Together, they must use communication, creativity, and historical knowledge to save New Orleans' Mardi Gras festivities from an inconvenient (but not scary)... Read More

Marisa Calin narrates this fraught tale of shipwreck, marriage, and survival. Maurice and Marilyn quit their jobs and embark on sailing the ocean without an engine or radio. They see it as the experience of a lifetime. When a whale sinks their boat and leaves them adrift on a raft in the Pacific, the two struggle for four months to stay alive and maintain their sanity. Calin... Read More

Jamie Renell's narration of this science fiction is primarily told from the points of view of two characters: Christer Johannsen, a UN data analysis specialist, and Dr. Rachel Fereira, a linguist. On Earth a solar flare takes out the power everywhere but in Jakara, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter starts transmitting images of Mars. NASA heads an international task force to... Read More

As the book world celebrates the 75th anniversary of Bradbury's classic, Dion Graham's stellar narration blasts off with a group of astronauts headed to Mars. The production opens with Graham's delivery of an editor's note intended to soften the offensive ideas in Bradbury's introductory essay, written in 1950, which explains his writing process for these interconnected... Read More

This audiobook tells a fascinating multifaceted story about life in Shanghai from the 1920s to the 1940s. Christine Lin narrates this vivid and immersive account of a Chinese orphan girl who, through a series of amazing circumstances, becomes the protégé of a Russian Jewish master jeweler. Anyu Zhang, the protégé, possesses phenomenal talent and achieves acclaim. Lin gives Anyu... Read More

Narrator Paul Woodson's resonant voice, measured pacing, and subtle expression transport the listener to WWII Occupied France through the lens of the artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954). Matisse, aging and in poor health, defiantly stayed in France and considered his groundbreaking new art form an act of resistance. Confined to his bed, he created the famous paper cutouts in bold... Read More

Tlingit narrator Erin Tripp brings an authentic voice to Mary Annette Pember's investigation of the legacy of Indian boarding schools in the U.S. and Canada. Pember's mother, Bernice, attended a government-run and Catholic-operated school in Wisconsin in the 1930s, where she was starved, abused, and worked to the bone while being unable to practice her Ojibwe customs or speak... Read More

Brittany Bradford tenderly narrates this speculative meditation on grief and family connections. Twins Olivia and Ayanna grow up physically together but ideologically separate. Olivia is raised by their staunchly Catholic mother, and Ayanna by their father, who worships a mysterious blue door--one of several that spontaneously appeared throughout the world decades before.... Read More

This audiobook opens as an insightful biography of David Jochelmann, author Rachel Cockerell's grandfather, who helped found the State of Israel. The narrative evolves into an exploration of the Jewish migration to Texas, weaving in the stories of influential figures such as Emjo Basshe and others who shaped this unique chapter of history. Henry Goodman is an excellent... Read More

Channie Waites delivers a committed narration of this queer fantastical thriller about memory and legacy. Key, one of the most celebrated memory hunters of her time, is able to dive back into history to pull out relevant stories for the Museum of Human Memory. Vale serves as Key's guardian, protecting her from black market hunters. When Key dives too far back, she uncovers a... Read More

Eddie Lopez provides the perfect voice for this witty, heartfelt epistolary novel. Lopez captures the spiraling anxiety, intense self-reflection, and endless intellectualizing of the unnamed narrator. In the midst of his first big heartbreak, he wonders if the perfect polyamorous life he thought he was building with his husband, two kids, and boyfriend was just an illusion. In... Read More

Simply perfect! No detail is missing from an enchanting picture-book adaptation that needs no images. An orchestral score is seamlessly layered with the sounds of nocturnal creatures and the frightened murmured voices of Garden Glen residents who are scurrying to light lanterns to keep the darkness at bay. Narrator Elizabeth Knowelden's prim English accent perfectly suits... Read More

Narrator André Santana brings to life a young, gay, Black painter who has freshly relocated to New York City. As Wyeth explores the Manhattan bar scene, the art world, and the gossip that fills both, he goes through a bout of artist's block. When he meets Keating, a white former seminarian, he begins to see the world differently. Santana navigates all of Wyeth's doubts and... Read More

Marnye Young reprises her portrayal of former Army investigator Rachel Hatch in this 13th installment of the popular series. Now Hatch's only assignment is her own promise to deliver a message on behalf of a trusted associate, but, in doing so, she stumbles into chaos in tiny Riverton, Texas. Young depicts Hatch's cool capability as she unravels the surprising scheme that... Read More

New Zealand author Tina Makereti's powerful novel, set in the near future, comes alive with fellow New Zealander Stacey Leilua's narration. Three very different women living in the same neighborhood face climate change, prejudice, and inequality while struggling to survive. Keri is a Maori parent of a teenage daughter, Wairere, and 4-year-old son, Walty. Her intonation is... Read More

Gilli Messer narrates this moving debut audiobook, which revolves around 15-year-old Margarita's turbulent adolescence. Margarita lives with her Israeli-born father, Avi, in Berlin, where he serves as a cantor at a synagogue. Margarita hasn't seen her American-born mother, Marsha, for many years. After visiting her maternal grandparents in Chicago, Margarita is abruptly sent to... Read More

Imagine the sound of a faceless voice in a dark interrogation room. That's the image one can't help but hear when listening to Stefan Rudnicki's narration of this audiobook. It's a fitting way to experience the story of the CIA since 9/11. Golden Voice Rudnicki takes Weiner's impeccable research and storytelling to near cinematic heights as he shares victories and losses by... Read More

The final Shady Hollow Mystery, as always, features various animal characters. Cassandra Campbell conjures them up with fitting voices and fun stereotypical personalities. Bradley Marvel, a wolf who is a famous author, is running from a dead body he found in his apartment. Not surprisingly, his usual braggadocio has been replaced by fear. Vera Vixen, a foxy reporter, has a nose... Read More

Elaine Castillo performs her novel featuring a millennial woman living in Las Vegas with her extended family who is trying to get by after losing everything in the 2008 financial crisis. She spends her days wading through the worst humanity has to offer at her job as a moderator for a major social media company. When she accepts a promotion to work in her company's new virtual... Read More

Corey Snow's baritone is splendid for narrating this account of how the Monopoly board game was used to enable Allied POWs to escape German captivity during WWII. During the war, British and American intelligence services were able to conceal tools, money, and maps in special editions of Monopoly that were given to their POWs by various charities. These tools enabled a number... Read More

Narrator Eva Kaminsky creates a youthful voice for 12-year-old Maisie, whose mysterious text messages on her phone lead her to discover that she's a moonleaper. As one of these special kinds of time travelers, she's tasked with helping her dying Great-Aunt Hazel to change the future by changing the past. Maisie is uneasy at first as she tries to understand what is going on, all... Read More

Narrator Richard Trinder's vocal tone and nuances mirror the author's attitude toward his topic: open-minded, but with an edge of skepticism, even dry sarcasm. The topic is the widespread misunderstanding of resource use. Fressoz argues that the popular idea of "energy transition"--totally switching from one source of energy to another--is fundamentally false. Newer resources... Read More

Eric Jason Martin narrates this timely treatise on writing and AI by longtime English professor and writer John Warner. The author emphasizes that Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT cannot think or write; they merely use algebraic algorithms to deliver tokens (AI-speak for words) that follow a plausible pattern. The author warns that by outsourcing human thought... Read More

Compelling, emotional, and well researched, this audiobook brings to life the stories of four young people from abolitionist families. Using primary sources to highlight the tumult of the time period leading up to and during the Civil War, the coming-of-age story focuses on Lewis Douglass, son of Frederick Douglass; George Garrison, son of William Lloyd Garrison; Lucy McKim,... Read More

This paranormal romance is tenderly narrated by André Santana and Dani Martineck. Jamie, who uses they/them pronouns, creates haunted houses for a living and is frequently fighting their parents' disapproval over their gender presentation, especially as tensions rise with their sister's upcoming wedding. Martineck portrays Jamie's sarcasm, frustration, and passion with... Read More

Arundhati Roy's moving performance illuminates her tumultuous experience of being raised in India by her fierce mother, Mary Roy, whom she refers to as "Mrs. Roy." Narrator Roy delivers her memoir in a calm, yielding voice that intensifies the hardships she overcame. Her mother worked miracles at her private school in Kerala, turning boys into gentlemen and teaching girls to... Read More

When book conservator Tory Van Dyne comes face-to-face with the ghost of Agatha Christie, hilarity and hijinks make this audiobook a must-listen. Because the afterlife is too dull for the Queen of Crime, Christie is given special dispensation to return to Earth to solve a murder. From the Christie Room of the Mystery Guild Library, Christie; Tory; Tory's actress cousin, Nic;... Read More

Former New York City Detective Nico Doyle has retired to Italy to enjoy the quiet life. But his peaceful existence is disrupted yet again when he's asked by a young girl to find her father and clear his name of murder. Scott Aiello's narration brings Nico and a wide cast of diverse characters to life. Aiello creates a highly believable ex-detective in Nico, and his... Read More

When the body of Oliver Beresford washes ashore with two bullet holes in it, the three indomitable belles of Marlowe are on the case. Narrator Nicolette McKenzie's sparkling performance amplifies the charm of this cozy mystery. Her distinctive portrayals capture the warmth and wit of the trio: Judith, the eloquent and plucky 79-year-old leader; Suzie, the incorrigible, spirited... Read More

What makes a killer kill--nature or nurture? Could it be something else entirely? Narrator Patty Nieman guides listeners through this expansive exploration of one theory behind the rise of the American serial killer in the 1970s-80s. The author, herself raised in Washington State during this time period, methodically builds the case that the proliferation of American serial... Read More

Rock-and-roll power couple Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, now with more mature voices, sing and lyrically recite their charming audiobook, which begins with a dedication to their grandchildren and "grands" everywhere. Their lively exchanges include funny comments on hair, clothes, and jobs. Pat makes music by singing--snatches of Led Zeppelin, lullabies, etc.--while Neil... Read More

Hazar Elbayya narrates her picture book, bringing alive the emotions of a powerful story that speaks of war, hope, community, and resilience. In the opening, Elbayya expresses the tenderness between young Salaam and her grandfather, who teaches her the specialness of olive trees: their deep roots in the land and their ability to connect everyone. Elbayya's neutral tone reflects... Read More

An earthy performance by Rae De Vine makes Natalie Guerrero's novel resonate with truth. With her dreams deferred, romance on hold, and disappointment around every corner, singer/actress Xiomara Sanchez has all but given up. She's working two jobs--one at a print/copy shop and the other as a singing waitress at a diner--when a chance encounter propels her into an audition for... Read More

Brian Nishii reprises his narration of HIROSHIMA, the first of a two-volume series that recounts the atomic bombings of Japan in August 1945. Author Sheftall draws on extensive interviews with those who survived, providing detail on the day-to-day lives of the Japanese and a history of Japanese relations with the West. He also provides details on the Americans involved--giving... Read More

Isabella Star LaBlanc skillfully narrates this YA audiobook set in prehistoric Spain. From the time of her birth, Nahia has been expected to lead the Sea People. But when invaders threaten their hunter-gatherer way of life, she challenges the Headwoman, her mother, to move their people inland for safety. Nahia is punished for her audacity: stripped of her rank; apprenticed to... Read More

Any listener who was ever more than a casual fan of the band R.E.M. will find much of interest along with a good dose of nostalgia in this detailed history of the group. Mike Chamberlain provides a straightforward, steady, and clear narration with a bit of an edge, appropriate for a biography of a rock band. Notably, author Carlin doesn't include any firsthand interviews with... Read More

Twelve narrators plus the author perform this multigenerational novel about queer life in Lagos. Though the narrators use a range of voices with distinct accents and tones, it's often hard to distinguish among them. This is partly because it's also hard to keep track of the characters. The novel doesn't have a clear narrative arc; it's a symphonic, nonlinear collection of lives... Read More

This brief audio collection is packed with poems, vignettes, and opinions that range from political (a call to vote) to culinary (cook chicken slowly in butter). It includes Giovanni's homage to Toni Morrison and her takes on Knoxville, Detroit, New York, and Virginia Tech, plus a short Christmas story for children. This miscellany presents the warmth of her heart and the... Read More

What if you could live a double life? Or what about a different life for each day of the week? This quirky speculative novel, joyously narrated by Fleur De Wit, investigates the concept of multiple lives. De Wit's clever, sharp-tongued narration sounds more like a chat with your best friend than a thinly veiled commentary on psychological dissociation. De Wit's voice links each... Read More

Many poets, as they age, start writing more and more about death. Kevin Young, author and narrator of this collection, is only in his mid-50s, but his concern in these works is not only his own death. He thinks about that, of course, but also about the deaths of others and how people deal with the deaths of those they know and love. Young also attends to other issues; poems... Read More

This audiobook excels by blending the tension of a psychological thriller with the structure of a crime novel. This ideal pairing allows narrator Ina Barron to showcase her full vocal range to bring every character to life. At its center are Harry Kugel, the infamous PDQ Killer, who disappeared 15 years ago after committing a string of unsolved murders, and Flynn Martin, a... Read More

Journalist Ronan Farrow narrates his exploration of a socialite who was once Miss Arizona who is linked to attempted murder, jewel thieves, and accusations against a U.S. president. Ronan Farrow began investigating Cece Doane's credibility in regard to a series of messages she posted on social media, vetting her as a source for an article. What he discovered was a woman accused... Read More

Narrator Alex McKenna shines as Jet Mason is this high-stakes audiobook, author Holly Jackson's first adult suspense novel. After suffering a terrifying attack, Jet is told she has a fatal brain aneurysm and has a week to live. Instead of undergoing risky surgery, she decides to use the time to solve the attempt on her life. McKenna excels as Jet, capturing her determination,... Read More

Mary Katherine Backstrom narrates her short audiobook in an irresistibly authentic and warm tone. Backstrom reflects on her life as a so-called "elder millennial" who grew up in an conservative Christian environment. She discusses how, as she engaged more with the teachings of her faith, she found herself asking questions that weren't clearly answered--or were deflected... Read More

This slow-burn novel features two brilliant Harvard undergraduates who are caught up in the intoxicating allure of start-up culture when their biotech brainchild promises to change the world. Zoe, portrayed by Helen Laser, is born into an elite family and destined for greatness. Laser's boldly confident tone is perfect for the sharp, privileged young woman who is studying the... Read More

Shaun Taylor-Corbett provides a layered delivery of this audiobook about the Wampanoag tribe of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. While the island may evoke images of the wealthy elite, the tribe, of which the author is a member, had a thriving culture there much earlier. Lee reflects on tourists' fundamental lack of understanding of tribal history. Listeners will also find the... Read More

This engaging fantasy-romance audiobook features the deadly, fast-paced sport of phoenix racing. Seventeen-year-old Kel Varra is the leader of the underdogs, the Crimson Howlers. Forced to team up with her rival, Warren Coupers, Kel becomes caught in a high-stakes conspiracy involving a powerful tech mogul and her phoenix, Savita. The story mixes action, political intrigue, and... Read More

This audiobook benefits from the fine narration of actor John Grasl. Abe Jacob, a Mohawk living in Miami, returns to his tribal home on the New York-Canadian border. He's a failed poet who's divorced from a polyamorous wife and suffers from a rare autoimmune disease that has no cure. He also has a snarky alter-ego named Dominick Dear Woods, who narrates this compelling debut... Read More

Women's sports are experiencing increasing popularity, and author/narrator Christine Brennan posits that much of it has to do with the rise of basketball phenom Caitlin Clark. Brennan's clear, sometimes adulatory, prose is matched by her resonant tones and energetic cadence. Brennan recounts Clark's journey from the NCAA playoffs through her rookie year with the Indiana Fever.... Read More

Gilli Messer gives a grand performance in this historical novel about two young Jewish women. Miriam Bishop, who goes by Anne, and Delia Goldhush both attend Vassar College in the late 1940s. Jewish students are rare on campus, and while Delia is proudly open about her religion, Anne tries to pass as Christian. After Delia is expelled from Vassar in an incident in which Anne... Read More

These disparate stories demonstrate Park's range, literary skill, and talent for capturing a significant moment. Narrated with guile and energy by Raymond J. Lee, "Machine City" spins the tale of an ill-fated short film and a relationship at Yale. Lee also does outstanding work with Gabrielle De Cuir as the aging director and actress in a send-up of a vintage sci-fi movie in... Read More

Benjamin Fife narrates this first installment of the Turrim Archive. Two friends, Grayden and Wynn, have won scholarships to a prestigious military academy. A mysterious old man, Dalmir, comes down from his tower to accompany them to the academy. When Marik, a pirate, attacks their airship, the adventure begins. Fife does an expert job delivering the distinct personalities of... Read More

The author's gentle speaking voice and relaxed pacing are perfect vehicles for the wisdom and altruistic intentions of this exceptional audiobook. With fascinating research findings, moving stories, and impressive insights, the Stanford professor describes small interventions that can help people feel more worthwhile, productive, and supported by their communities. The kindness... Read More

Weaving together two timelines--1965 and 1978--this is a story of identity, family, and secrets. In the 1978 section, narrator Mia Barron perfectly embodies Betsy Whiting, a recent college graduate who is trying to get some distance from her family after the death of her father, a U.S. senator. The family reconnects at their Martha's Vineyard home to deal with the fallout of... Read More

Hillary Huber's narration of this intriguing mystery is excellent. Logan Monroe is Angelhart Investigations' biggest client. When his sister, Laura, is run off the road and her home broken into, the question of who's behind it all is puzzling and terrifying. Logan calls on private investigators Jack and Margo Angelhart to uncover what's going on and protect his family. Their... Read More

Caitlin Kelly narrates this horror story about a race of alien plants and their impending invasion. Anastasia was forever altered at 3 years old when she went missing in the woods and encountered a cannibalistic plant. Now her mundane adult life includes working at a call center and dating her trans boyfriend, but she'll tell anyone she meets that the invasion is coming. Kelly... Read More

Samantha Summers and Connor Crais deliver a uniquely narrated romance novel. Danica, voiced by Summers, is a divorce lawyer who has been assigned a high-stakes case that could elevate her to partner. Ezra, portrayed by Crais, is the opposing counsel, who is from a powerful family firm. The two have sparred in and out of the courtroom multiple times and are struggling to keep... Read More