New Reviews by Title: A-D

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

Narrator Lynn Bradford's steady pace and clear voice allow this detailed analysis of the most popular and most misunderstood museum in the world to shine. Paris' Louvre houses iconic works such as the MONA LISA and the WINGED VICTORY OF SAMOTHRACE--yet its name's origin remains a mystery. Once a fortress and then a royal palace, the Louvre became a public museum after the... Read More

British Nigerian actor Wunmi Mosaku ushers listeners into a sinister "land of wonders" inspired by--and darker than--Lewis Carroll's Alice stories. Afia, 16, who longs for adventure, impulsively follows an itinerant market vendor into the forbidden forest that encircles her home of Dafra. There, she encounters wonders aplenty--along with terrors. Mosaku modulates between a... Read More

Can we make lifestyle changes that will help our brains live to 100? Golden Voice narrator Robert Petkoff brings tremendous energy to this exploration of how brains age and lose function, and what can be done about it. Dr. Bredesen's research into neurodegeneration and its reversal ranges from the basics of common-sense behavior--get more sleep and eat more vegetables--to... Read More

This audiobook discussing the hype surrounding artificial intelligence is one long unsubstantiated finger wag at the technology and anyone in favor of using it. The audiobook's 100% negative take on AI makes the choice of narrator Jade Wheeler--whose robotic cadence sounds AI generated--perplexing. One of the authors was personally insulted by ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman, and the... Read More

Ruffin Prentiss captures the angst of 13-year-old Malcolm Montgomery as the teen balances the uncertainty of foster care with the daily turmoil he experiences in middle school. Tops on Malcolm's list of things to do: Be adopted "before it's too late." When his new school begins to implement an AI-powered robot in the classroom and he is chosen to maintain it, the bullies pounce... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell becomes the characters in this enchanting novel set in the gardens of Le Château du Paradis. Soft-spoken Eloise Bourn, a flower whisperer who is hoping to remake her life, has taken a job at the Château, where she's bound to strict rules set by the owner. But Eloise senses all is not as it appears and is ever questioning as she settles... 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

Rose, the octogenarian narrator of Australian writer Bruce Nash's American debut, captures listeners' hearts, tickles listeners' funny bones, and challenges listeners' mystery-solving skills. Narrator Abbe Holmes tells the indomitable Rose's story, projecting her determination to find the right words and make sense of the strange happenings at her care home. Holmes uses a vocal... 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

Join spirited narrator Caitlin Kinnunen for a coming-of-age story filled with quirky adventures. Amelia is panicking after asking her celebrity crush, famous YouTuber Walter Holland, to her prom online. Then she takes her dream a step further and plans a road trip with friends to see him in person. Surely, he'll then notice her, and her romantic fantasies will come true!... 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

Three generations of women face love, war, friendship, and death in Dasher's new audiobook, gracefully narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers. WWI veteran Charles woos Dellie, the daughter of an oilman in Oklahoma. Rodgers delivers just the right notes of love and respect between Charles and Dellie, along with the grit of their daughter, Georgeanne, whose passion is flying. During WWII,... 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

Will Watt's warm, empathetic performance makes this stand-alone fantasy set in the world of SERAPHINA a must-listen. In a story in which past crimes and present troubles converge, Watt flawlessly moves from character to character, giving each one a distinct and instantly recognizable voice and keeping listeners spellbound as the action unfolds. Charl's unassuming town of St.... Read More

Moira Quirk brings her signature emotive and immersive talent to this fast-paced fantasy debut, keeping listeners on edge at every step. Anji has just slain a king--and now her story begins. She's quickly captured by the Hawk, a member of the infamous bounty hunting gang known as the Menagerie. With supernatural abilities, a deadly addiction, and a grumpy personality, the Hawk... Read More

Mitch Crawford's narration of this business advice is youthful and workmanlike. Today's venture capitalists often make fortunes by buying in, reorganizing (i.e., laying off), and then selling. Silicon Valley venture capitalist Dave Whorton argues for a better way: creating long-lasting companies, which he calls "evergreen." White Castle is an example of one such company.... 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

Narrator Justine Eyre pulls the listener into Singh's world of angels, vampires, and humans in this long-running series. Illium, a powerful angel, is facing ascension, upon which he will transition into an archangel. At his side is his friend and lover, Aodhan. Part of the story takes place before Illium's transformation, when he and Aodhan are part of archangel Raphael's... Read More

Jennifer Jill Araya and Jarman Day share the narration of this poignant fantasy-romance. Jean is a young man in a family portrait painted in 1917 by his father, Henri Matisse, and Claire is a present-day museum custodian with a troubled past. Day delivers the chapters from Jean's point of view in a low, cultured voice filled with underlying youthful passion. Araya's alternating... 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, and... Read More

Ferdelle Capistrano enlivens this biography about WWII Filipina resistance fighter and Hansen disease survivor Josefina "Joey" Guerrero. Capistrano deftly manages the action of Joey's story, along with the many explanatory passages scaffolding it. She adds a visceral tenderness when Joey describes her reverence for Joan of Arc and the deplorable conditions people with leprosy... Read More

Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio beautifully narrate a queer love story. Whelan, the main narrator, portrays Joan, a professor of astronomy with a quiet life. But her whole world changes when she's accepted as an astronaut candidate at NASA in 1980. Whelan's rich narration makes each character come to life for listeners, and she excels at portraying Joan's romance with her... 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

Narrator Lucy Scott is quite good as Aurora Leigh, who tells her own story in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's novel in verse. Scott hints at the various voices and deftly expresses the Victorian (often exaggerated) passions of the characters. The poetry is clear without undue vocal emphasis. There's not much she can do, however, to speed up the story. To a contemporary listener,... Read More

Although six narrators are at work on this short story collection, they all share the same vocal palette. The narrative tone features absurdity and black humor, two examples of which are Sacha Chambers's narration of "The Future Is Not What It Used to Be," which combines time travel and weight loss, and Matt Godfrey's delivery of "A World Without Selfie Sticks," in which a man... Read More

Em Grosland deftly juggles robotic voices and human emotions in this cozy postwar sci-fi. Four robots--Sweetie, Hands, Cayenne, and Staybehind--have survived a devastating war, only to be left alone in a flooded San Francisco burger joint. With no humans to interfere, the robots decide to turn the old restaurant into a sophisticated noodle bar, using their wartime skills to... Read More

An emotive narration by Stella Bloom lands listeners in a madcap adventure. As Harlow and her group of stylish crime fighters investigate an unscrupulous online dater, her romance with investigator Javier Montoya heats up. Bloom makes this Avenging Angels installment a must-listen by fully expressing Harlow's rapid-fire dialogue. Whether Harlow is pondering an impromptu... Read More

The majority of the poets Ben Palpant interviewed for this book write mostly overtly Christian poetry, and all of them are people of faith whose work is shaped by that to a greater or lesser degree. In this audiobook, Palpant delivers both sides of the interviews, as well as a poem by each interviewee. He doesn't try to replicate their voices, but there is never any doubt about... Read More

Lucy Boynton gives an emotionally wrenching performance of this enemies-to-lovers story. She uses differentiated voices for Andie, a New York City senior publicist from England, and her newest author, the suave Jack Carlson. Thrown together, they keep secret their earlier relationship at Edinburgh University. Andie still feels deeply wronged by Jack. As the pair stumble into a... Read More

Social media personality B. Dylan Hollis narrates his audiobook on American desserts with charm and charisma--making his storytelling almost sweeter than the treats. Hollis takes listeners on a culinary trip around the country. Beginning with the Northeast and ending with the Pacific Northwest, he discusses nostalgic and iconic desserts from all over. The audiobook doesn't have... Read More

Karissa Vacker and Brandon Francis delight listeners with their narration of this rivals-to-lovers contemporary romance. Josie manages a literary fiction bookstore, and Ryan manages a romance novel bookstore. Neither has ever interacted with the other until the owner of both their shops decides to merge their stores into one. Now they're competing even harder--yet they're also... Read More

Emotive piano music introduces this biography of Civil Rights activist Angela Davis. Zoleka Vundla's gentle voice describes Angela's carefree youth in the Alabama countryside. When the family moves to Dynamite Hill in Birmingham, things change: The KKK is terrorizing people, and signs proclaim "Whites Only," a phrase Angela hates and that Vundla delivers with outrage. Angela's... Read More

Vanessa Johansson adds charm and texture to this light mystery with a twist. Her warm, approachable tone fits Mia Crawford's book-loving, anxious personality, which contributes to her transformation into an accidental detective. Johansson navigates the changing moods of the story with ease--balancing beachside flirtation, quiet introspection, and rising suspense without losing... Read More

Nano Nagle chronicles the lives of three sun bears--Tan-Tan, Kitud, and Boboi--from the time they're saved as cubs to their release back into the Borneo rainforest. Nagle's caring tone perfectly complements the story. While describing the bears' stay at Dr. Wong's Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Center, Nagle uses a dramatic voice to inform listeners about this special species... Read More

Matt Godfrey narrates the emotionally charged story of Connor Bradley, a secondary character in Bowling's other Cactus audiobooks. Connor has Tourette syndrome, and Godfrey uses a sarcastic tone as Connor describes his recent move and his anxiety over attending a new high school where no one knows him. As Connor's estranged father reenters his life, Godfrey recounts the painful... 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

Barrett Leddy lends his youthful-sounding voice to this YA sci-fi set in the near future when the climate crisis and pandemics have worsened. Xavier Oaks reluctantly spends the night at the lake house with his father and his pregnant stepmom. When he wakes up, he finds their cabin has been transplanted to a farm inside a dome. Three years later, another family arrives, raising... Read More

Author Cara Bastone's latest Audible Original is reminiscent of a radio play, complete with a full cast of narrators, sound effects, and singing. When former BFFs Mona and Duncan travel to their hometown for a New Year's Eve party, they manage to drive through a snowstorm--and a wormhole. Why their families now seem to believe they're a married couple who are divorcing is as... Read More

Gisela Chípe's immersive narration makes for an excellent companion to this multigenerational horror story. In 1908, Alba suspects supernatural forces are behind the mysterious disappearance of her brother in Mexico. Chípe narrates this section in a Spanish accent. In 1934, Beatrice, a budding horror writer, is inspired by the disappearance of her college roommate. In this... Read More

Emely Rumble, LCSW, has written an important and meaningful resource for those working in counseling, social work, and public libraries or for anyone interested in achieving emotional growth through literature. It's wonderful that there's an audio version. That said, Wesleigh Siobhan is not the best choice for its narration. Her lilting, animated tones and emphasis on verbs and... Read More

Erin Tripp narrates this brief and interesting history highlighting scientists, events, and discoveries that led to our modern science of biology. From the Islamic Golden Age of the 8th century through the Renaissance, the field of biology lurched forward in fits and starts until the scientific method firmly took hold and erased millennia of superstition and philosophical... Read More

The embarrassment of riches among Naxos's narrators doesn't benefit this production, sadly. Wilkie Collins's melodramatic romance involves troubled marriages and religious intrigue. Nicholas Boulton's third-person narration also includes interpolated sections (mostly letters), in which the same characters Boulton has portrayed are acted by others. A long, final section of diary... Read More

Narrator Caroline Hewitt deftly presents this novel about a fictional friendship between Marilyn Monroe and a young Reno hotel maid. The story takes place in 1960 during the dissolution of Monroe's marriage to playwright Arthur Miller. Chambermaid Pauline fails to recognize the actress when she first cleans her suite--but soon observes Marilyn's transition from sleepy Mrs.... Read More

Keylor Leigh's narration makes it immediately understandable why Kaylani McKinnon doesn't want to leave Brooklyn for a summer in Martha's Vineyard with family friends. Once there, she finds herself sharing a room with one of the mean-girl siblings and unable to communicate with her beloved dad, who's incarcerated. That's before Chadwick, a popular boy and one of the only people... Read More

In her cool tone and British accent, Evie Butcher narrates the indecision and fear of two characters who echo the emotions of everyone around them as Hitler attempts to invade England. Eleanor Rand is a brilliant military mathematician working in the British RAF. Using probability theories, she predicts where the Luftwaffe will attack next. Johnnie Shaux is a Spitfire pilot and... 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

Emily Rankin's performance is so subtle that she disappears completely into this novel. Michelle Huneven's family saga combines tenderness, sadness, joy, and grief with exquisite prose and psychological insights. The story begins in the 1970s and spans decades. An upper-middle-class family with issues, the Samuelsons, fractures after their golden-boy son, Ellis, dies in a... Read More

Narrator Kitty Bang breathes life into the romance between contractor Harper Ross and designer Reid Dorsey. The two have teamed up to renovate a brownstone in New York City as part of a reality TV show. At first, they butt heads, and Bang demonstrates liveliness in their dialogue as they trade barbs. Harper's mother harasses her about the family business, and Bang gives her a... Read More

Ciaran Saward's zany delivery is perfect for a young audience that thrives on silly nonstop action and striking sound effects. Selfish, bullying Monkey is sent into space but soon crash-lands in a forest, which he decides to colonize. When genial Bunny realizes this, he gathers Pig and Weenie Squirrel--all humorously rendered--to save their peaceful home from the intruder.... Read More

A full cast of experienced narrators breathe life into this thrilling supernatural tale filled with magic, mystery, and a hunt for objects with enormous power. Marissa Clay portrays kindhearted, self-assured private investigator Nevada Baylor, whose power is instantly recognizing lies. She teams up with Connor "Mad" Rogan, portrayed by Henry Kramer, a ruthless killer who has a... Read More

This audiobook is a story of vampires from different times whose immortal lives converge. In 16th-century Spain, María is hungry for more than her restricted life. Taking on a new name, Sabine, she learns to satiate her hunger by exacting revenge and playing games. Julia Whelan skillfully narrates Sabine's story of bloodlust and decay. In the 20th century, Alice is changed... Read More

Daphne Kouma impressively brings to life an array of endearingly eccentric characters in this delightful book-oriented mystery. Listeners meet flighty Nova, who initiates a reading club at the community center; outspoken Miss Marple superfan Phyllis; shy Star Wars loner Ash; sweet romantic fiction enthusiast Arthur; and new mysterious member Michael. When $10,000 is stolen and... Read More

This expansive audiobook by a thoughtful journalist with a longstanding interest in linguistics looks at the biological, cultural, and historical evolution of language. Narrator Stephen Caffrey projects a consistent connection with the author's views and dedication to his subject. It takes several chapters for the philosophical musings to coalesce around a focus, but once they... Read More

Rob Jones's warm English accent matches the friendly and nostalgic tone of this delightful novel. Vienna 1966 is reinventing itself twenty years after the devastation of war, and a new generation is turning the page on the past. Robert Simon, a war orphan, opens a café in a bustling working-class neighborhood. Jones narrates the story of a small slice of Vienna with both humor... Read More

Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem return to the Skyland series for its last installment. While entertainment agent Hendrix Grady has seen both of her best friends find their happily-ever-afters, she's content to remain single--if that's what the universe has in store. But when she meets tech mogul Maverick Bell at a colleague's party, sparks fly. Later she learns her new man is... 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

Unless you have a time machine, the best way to visit the court of Henry VIII is to listen to this flawlessly researched audiobook. Accomplished narrator Rosalyn Landor delivers this lengthy fictionalized account of the life of Cardinal Wolsey in a low-pitched smoky voice that captures the drama, intrigue, and uncertainty of the time and place. Listeners learn how powerful... Read More

Narrator Matthew Lloyd-Davies takes on the first installment of this series featuring a somewhat OCD barrister who becomes involved in a copyright case and a murder investigation. In a story based on true events in the Inner Temple of the Inns of Court (UK) in 1901, Ward stumbles upon the dead body of the Lord Chief Justice of England. Pompous magistrates and judges team up... 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 eventually deported to the notorious Auschwitz death camp, where she dies. Throughout... Read More

In this engaging memoir, author Joe Dunthorne narrates his own investigation into the dubious moral legacy of his grandfather, a chemist whose career evolved from creating mundane consumer products to developing chemical weapons for Nazi Germany. Dunthorne's skill as a novelist and storyteller comes through in both his prose and his narration. His tone is energetic and well... Read More

Narrator Michael David Axtell excels in ease, clarity, and pacing, qualities essential to audiobooks that address the active mind, rather than the edge of the seat. In Poland in the 1980s, copies of Orwell's 1984 and other forbidden books circulated hand to hand, fueling a popular uprising that by decade's end had spread across Eastern Europe. American operatives fueled 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

Richard Armitage brings the Great Plains of England in 2500 BCE vividly to life. His deft use of tone, pacing, and nuance differentiates the large cast of characters. The kindness and intelligence of Seft, a miner, sharply contrast with the brutishness of his father and brothers. Troon has an autocratic tone that reflects his ironfisted rule of the farmers and his scheming to... Read More

Anelise Chen narrates her memoir quietly--as if depicting the timidity that led to her reclusiveness after her divorce. She dubs herself "Clam," a name suggested by her mother's oft-sent misspelled texts to "clam down" when she was in a high emotional state. These texts launch Chen's discoveries of truths about herself. Led by serendipity, reading, introspection, and insights,... 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

Narrator Adenrele Ojo returns to portray intrepid attorney Avery Keene and her resourceful crew of talented friends. Author Stacey Abrams tackles the world of AI and its potential for enhancing patient care and reducing biases in medicine. Ojo masterfully differentiates a wide cast of characters ranging from human players to the AI entities central to the story. Listeners will... Read More

Gregory Abbey's excellent narration creates a diverse cast of characters who work for the National Park Service's Investigative Services Branch. Agent Michael Walker is investigating the smuggling of artifacts in Alaska. When he uncovers clues linking the crimes to FBI Agent Gina Delgado's investigation of the death of an environmental science intern in Florida, the two find... 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

Machelle Williams delivers this sweeping, detailed history of Harriet Tubman's work with a consistent, engaging voice that doesn't waver. While Tubman's name is widely associated with the Underground Railroad, Fields-Black's Pulitzer Prize-winner provides a vivid account of Tubman as an embedded spy who collected information for the Union Army to attack the South's resources of... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw delivers a heartfelt performance of this quirky YA romance. Evie is tired of being the nice girl. At her new boarding school she asks her dorm mate, Salem, an easygoing slacker, to help her become cool. In exchange, Evie will help Salem become a model student. They grow closer, but Evie is harboring a secret relating to why she's enrolled at this school.... Read More

Narrated by the author, this collection of 12 short stories, a finalist for the National Book Award, is an exploration of being human--the good, the bad, and the ugly. The accounts of love, loss, family, passion, and heartbreak are enhanced by Amy Bloom's experience as a psychotherapist. Her pacing and conversational delivery engage listeners, as does the diversity of the... Read More

For a comedy audiobook, the words "over-the-top" should be welcome. Alas, Larry Charles's narration of his memoir about 40 years in show business is just too much. His delivery pushes so hard that he ends up sounding like an amateur actor trying to impress. A winner of many prestigious awards, the writer and director of such successful shows as "Seinfeld," "Curb Your... Read More

Narrator Lucy Boynton conveys an unsettling blend of glamour, paranoia, and detachment when 20-something Lily wakes up and inexplicably finds herself participating in a reality TV show. Boynton's calm tone aligns with Lily's internal disconnection, giving the listener space to feel the tension mounting as contestants are placed in increasingly dangerous challenges. Boynton... Read More

Narrator Stina Nielsen portrays Bernadette, a copy editor at a New York publisher in the 1960s. After joining a feminist book club, she pursues a much-deserved promotion and advocates for equal rights. She finds two unexpected allies at her job who bolster her influence. Nielsen's clear voice delivers the narration at a steady pace that aligns with Bernadette's calm demeanor... Read More

Lydia Leonard's narration of a rocky yet meaningful relationship will ring true for many listeners. Australian Coralie moves to London for work and meets Adam, a political writer with a young daughter, Zora. Leonard chronicles Coralie's romance with Adam through the arrival of two more children--all of which takes place amid the additional stresses of Brexit and the pandemic.... Read More

Jim Frangione impressively conveys the 1920s San Francisco atmosphere in these seven Dashiell Hammett stories. Listeners meet private investigator Continental Op, a self-described short, chubby, unathletic guy. In "Arson Plus," Frangione humorously conveys Op jumping into a citizen's car to follow his quarry. "Bodies Pile Up" finds three bodies tumbling from a closet, each... Read More

Jason Culp delivers a top-notch narration of this entertaining biography of writer Elmore Leonard. Culp's relaxed pacing and acting chops come in handy when he delivers excerpts from Leonard's work and when he quotes the myriad sources for the bio. There's a wealth of information on Leonard's private life, including significant events like his battle with alcohol, as well as... 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

This short performance by Mark Sanderlin will surely charm listeners. A crow, who only responds in caws, sits on a telephone pole and squawks up a storm, refusing to move whenever his animal neighbors ask him to come down. He ignores Squirrel, Hummingbird, Rat, and Bat as they ask him to play or spend time with them, and none of them can understand why he's so cranky. But... Read More

Narrator Carly Robins delivers the romance between Hailey Donovan and Max Calloway. They meet when Hailey's cousin and Max's brother get married, and they spend the weekend together, parting because they live in separate states. A month later Hailey realizes she's pregnant. Robins expresses Hailey's shock and then her growing acceptance of the situation. Hailey returns to Max's... Read More

Listeners are introduced to forthright Egyptologist Amelia Peabody in this new full-cast adaptation. Nanette Savard consistently presents Amelia as she travels through Egypt on her way to Cairo, recounting her knowledge of the archaeological wonders around her. Amelia maintains her calm as she manages her companion; spars with the growly, brooding Emerson Radcliffe, voiced by... Read More

Artist Robert Crumb did the impossible--he turned the medium of comic books into something both inspiring and repellent while securing a place in comic history. Rob Shapiro's understated delivery of this authorized biography is as captivating as Crumb's bizarre life. Listening to it will make people seek out not only Crumb's work in Zap Comix, Fritz The Cat, and others, but... Read More

Comedian Tamara Yajia narrates her debut memoir with dynamic energy. Her stories of her childhood in Argentina feature her hilarious yet often inappropriate Jewish family. After they move to the U.S., her grandfather's declining health brings them back to Argentina. Inspired by Madonna, Yajia almost becomes a child star, but an economic crisis forces another move to America,... Read More

Stacy Carolan convincingly delivers most of this AI-focused novel. He is an engaging narrator with a good tone and a tempo that adapts to the story's sometimes urgent pace. Noah, a lawyer, is the husband of AI genius Lorelei Shaw. In a tragic accident, the family's autonomous-driving minivan hits a car and kills an elderly couple. January LaVoy does an exceptional, though... Read More

Like a singer-songwriter performing her own work on stage, Niko Stratis really HAD to be the narrator of her own memoir. In a gentle voice tinged with strength, humor, and vulnerability, she shares stories as a kind of "soundtrack of my life," weaving commentary on popular music with her experiences as a trans woman. Reflecting on the lyrics of bands such as R.E.M., Pearl Jam,... Read More

Brian Nishii is the perfect narrator for this outstanding alternate history. A U.S. bomber carrying an atomic bomb heads for Japan in early August 1945, but the B-29 crashes and the undetonated bomb falls into the hands of the Japanese. Nishii's performance is riveting as he delivers the events that follow. The Japanese don't know what the bomb resembling a "big, black daikon... Read More

In this follow-up to THE DALLERGUT DREAM DEPARTMENT STORE, narrator Shannon Tyo expands on the whimsical world-building of the bestselling predecessor. Penny returns after a year of selling dreams at the department store and embarks on new endeavors: delving into the intricacies of dream production, tackling customer complaints, and winning back lost regulars. Tyo's exuberant... Read More

Author Drew Daywalt serves as primary narrator of this first book in a new Crayon Series. Daywalt describes Duncan's surprise when he learns his errant crayons have left again. They all send back letters that recount their adventures and discoveries, and the new friends they've met. A large cast, including narration luminaries like Michael Crouch and Tara Sands, portray the 10... Read More

Tanya Eby's bright voice and precise delivery help illuminate the story of Frances Perkins's humanitarian work during World War II. Perkins was a woman of firsts. The first female to serve in a presidential cabinet (Franklin Roosevelt's), she became the country's longest serving labor secretary and an architect of the New Deal. As historian Rebecca Brenner Graham discovered... Read More

Near a picturesque Dorset village, the corpse of a publican is found seated in a chair on an empty road with antlers glued to his head. This dramatic opening certainly captures the attention of listeners, who will be caught up in this police procedural by the creator of the television series "Broadchurch." Jessica Gunning, an actor familiar to many television viewers, narrates... 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

Set in a small island community off the coast of Iceland, this audiobook immediately captures the attention of listeners. A death at a diplomatic dinner sets the stage for all that follows. Denica Fairman depicts a wide range of characters, but the majority of the story is told from the perspective of Jane Shearer, the wife of the Canadian ambassador to Iceland. After the... 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

Journalist Todd S. Purdum narrates his absorbing, well-researched, and beautifully delivered examination of actor, producer, and musician Desi Arnaz--also known as comedienne Lucille Ball's husband in the sitcom "I Love Lucy" (1951-1957) and in real life. This enjoyable performance is pure perfection--well enunciated, paced for understanding, and delivered in an entertainingly... Read More

James Fouhey deftly finds the voice of an emotionally torn boy--half Black/half white--a child of the plantation. Joniece Abbott-Pratt digs deep to deliver the tones of a clairvoyant who speaks to ghosts. And Robin Miles uses her theatrical background to give a storyteller's ease to this haunting narrative. Where there's slavery, the Devil can't be far behind, and in this... Read More

Steven Pacey's range of voices perfectly serves this fantasy audiobook with a large cast of characters. Brother Diaz is tasked by the pope to escort the newfound princess across the continent, along with a protective force composed of murderers and monsters. As the story shifts perspectives, Pacey adjusts his tone, cadence, and pacing. Alex was a gutter thief before becoming a... Read More

Jacinda Ardern believes empathy and kindness should be central to politics. Her warm voice and Kiwi accent embody authenticity, earnestness, and self-effacing humor. At a young age and newly pregnant, Ardern unexpectedly became New Zealand's prime minister, heading a coalition government from 2017 to 2023. She was the face of the government's response to a terrorist attack at... Read More

The impact of this powerful novel is heightened by Golden Voice narrator Nicholas Boulton's keen understanding of its author's purposes. Kehlmann's episodic multi-perspective imagining of the wartime career of Austrian director G.W. Pabst is technically a satire, but it registers as more of a horror story. Pabst, a leading European director, discovers Greta Garbo and Louise... Read More

Daniel Henning's talent for voicing larger-than-life characters brings a group of drag queen witches to life. It's 1989, and Joe plans to spend a summer bartending on Fire Island, a known gay hotspot. Joe is heartbroken over the loss of his boyfriend and is quickly taken in by a couple of older gay men who are secretly disco witches tasked with protecting the island and other... Read More

Amanda Stribling juggles a gentle-sounding Southern character, a dangerous redneck, and a Northern gangster in Book 5 of Burke's Holland Family Series. At the turn of the 20th century, 14-year-old Bessie Holland faces a violent and racist world. She figured out her father was dating a madam and that the local sheriff was trying to run her teacher out of town for being gay--and... Read More

Listeners must pay close attention to follow the many personas of this mystery's frighteningly sinister main character, expertly performed by Richard Armitage. The man shifts names, identities, and relationships as he jumps from one woman to another--each of whom he's conning, may be married to, or has children with. The women, all emotionally entangled, are masterfully voiced... 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

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

Gail Shalan gives a dynamic performance of this light, fun queer romance. Ramona leaves her dream of becoming a Hollywood costume designer to take care of her sister in their hometown of Clover Lake; some years later she's still stuck there, working as a waitress. In comes famous bad girl Dylan Monroe, who moves to town. When the two meet, sparks fly, and Shalan energetically... Read More

This Regency romance narrated by Kimberly M. Wetherell and Jay Myers sparkles with charm, wit, and classic mistaken-identity hijinks. Lady Meg goes undercover as a maid to learn the truth about her enigmatic fiancé, James Clay, the new Duke of Earnhurst. She's unaware that he's also hiding his true identity. What unfolds is a cleverly plotted farce featuring two interwoven love... 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