New Reviews by Title: A-D

Chris Lintott, British astrophysicist and host of the BBC's "Sky at Night," delivers an engaging performance. He takes listeners through serendipitous discoveries by professional and amateur astronomers. The author's affable hosting style and ease with sharing scientific concepts lend themselves well to a production meant to induce wonder and curiosity. The array of... Read More

Cassandra Campbell and Ashley Klanac work together beautifully to unfold the mystery at the heart of this debut audiobook. Julia, a first-time novelist who is struggling to make ends meet as a bartender in contemporary Brooklyn, receives an offer from photographer Jonathan Aster. He wants Julia to research a photograph he took in 1964 of a woman falling from a bridge in... Read More

Sura Siu's and Emily Tremaine's alternating narrations plunge listeners into the events surrounding a government-sanctioned human-extinction event. Siu's performance shifts in tone and cadence as the AI called "Storyworker" tells the story of Sen, a teenage "Witness" to the end of humankind. The initially straightforward account merges with journals and surveillance footage of... Read More

EJ Lavery brings to life or, rather, death this danse macabre of a tale. Chapters are framed by the 10 stages of grief and follow former wild-child rock star Mal Caldera as she processes her afterlife and what got her there. Even though it's safer for everyone if she stays among the thriving ghost community, she can't help trying to reach out to her sister, Cris, or getting a... Read More

In this informative and entertaining audiobook, Erika Howsare uses deer as a way to explore humanity's fraught and constantly shifting relationship with the natural world. Her narration--even, measured, and relatively unobtrusive--suits the book well. Howsare's observations are so nuanced that a dramatic narration would detract from them. She shares fascinating stories,... Read More

NEW YORK TIMES columnist Frank Bruni narrates his persuasive examination of the outrage that currently dominates American discourse with a tone of authority underlying his overall conversational delivery. Bruni's astute observations have a mix of gravitas and wit that keeps this topic from feeling quite so oppressive. His personal and political beliefs collide when he awakens... Read More

History lovers, rejoice! This audiobook is for you. As it surveys the major and sometimes minor revolutions of the past 500 or so years, Fareed Zakaria takes the listener through their causes and effects. Many of these upheavals, he says, changed the world in ways both obvious and surprising. It may take the listener a bit of time to get used to Zakaria's Indian accent, but... Read More

Narrator Rebecca Stern rises to the challenge of delivering this treasure trove of helpful information. Because women now benefit from longer lifespans but poorer health, aging expert Maddy Dychtwald and coauthor Kate Hanley focus on research, stories, and other resources for women 50 and over--although people of all genders and ages might learn from the advice. Rebecca Stern's... Read More

Robert Petkoff holds a steady course through an audiobook that links the legend of Alexander the Great to archaeological evidence and an array of histories, classic and modern. Alexander is arguably the most celebrated, most storied, most enigmatic figure in ancient history. Most historians focus on the Macedonian general's early conquest of the Persian Empire, slighting his... Read More

NYU professor and popular podcast cohost Scott Galloway urges listeners to consider a new financial freedom playbook for today's challenging world. Galloway's performance seems a bit indifferent to listeners. It lacks the dynamism that would encourage the listener to try his new approach to wealth building. His basic tenets are: Be ready to pivot, don't trust your emotions,... Read More

Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the interdisciplinary Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University, opens and closes this audio production. Her gentle voice is filled with playful curiosity as she sets the stage for Cassandra Campbell's engaging performance. Campbell guides listeners through explorations of the possibility of life on other planets, based on Earth's geological... Read More

Miranda July perfectly delivers the overanxious voice of a quirky, unnamed protagonist who realizes, too late, that she's having a midlife crisis. After planning a cross-country road trip from L.A. to New York City, she impulsively takes an exit a half-hour from her house and stays in a tiny motel. This one decision sends her on a perimenopausal coming-of-age adventure full of... Read More

Amanda Ronconi's spirited narration contrasts with Sebastian York's stoic delivery of this new audio romance. After her relationship with a famous musician ends acrimoniously, Aurora rents a small apartment in her former hometown. Upon arrival, she discovers that the actual landlord, Tobias Rhodes, wasn't informed of the arrangement made by his young son. As she regains her... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini is the perfect narrator for this multifaceted story, which revolves around Patch and Saint, two young teens who live in a Missouri town. Their friendship develops over the 25 years following Patch's kidnapping in 1975 and Saint's quest to find him. Ballerini's talent for characterization allows the principals to develop and age. He creates thoroughly... Read More

Helen Laser gives an extraordinary performance of this inventive story set in the world of reality television. Marsh is a 40-something divorced woman with an unsatisfying career, an unhappy romantic life, and a complicated relationship with her teenage daughter. When she's selected to star in a reality TV show that is a global sensation, she is given the opportunity to redo her... Read More

You think you know the Beatles story? When you hear this audiobook and the performances of Adam Stevens, Anthony Howell, Emma Gregory, and others, you'll be singing, "I thought I knew you, what did I know?" Based on interviews with the Beatles and their intimate associates in 1980 and 1981, the audiobook is nearly 10 hours of history, often shocking. The Beatles talk about... Read More

Jennifer Aquino, Christina Ho, Naomi Mayo, and Kenneth Lee perform this new thriller about two sisters who survived a small plane crash and 12 terrifying weeks in the Washington wilderness. As adults, Fiona and Violet Seng have kept their silence about the horrifying ordeal of their childhood. When their father's former lover comes forward with details, the Seng girls find... Read More

The stentorian voice of Leon Nixon adds gravitas and depth to a sweeping historical study of the Blood family. This noteworthy family embraced the wildness of the American continent, westward expansion, and the mythos of the American Dream as they explored, settled, and developed their claims from the seventeenth century through the beginning of the twentieth. Nixon's rich... Read More

Listeners will be immersed in this fictionalized retelling of actual events that occurred between 1865 and 1869. Louella spent her first 24 years enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation. After Emancipation, she is determined to create a better life for herself and her people. She and Reverend William lead a group of formerly enslaved people to a place they call "The Kingdom of... Read More

Michael Crouch delivers a performance that embodies a sensitive intelligence. He captures the reflections of a creative life and how original thoughts build into compelling stories. Handler's audiobook is not composed in the voice of his beloved Lemony Snicket books; here he explores his growth as a writer, father, and husband. The resulting audiobook is authentic, vulnerable,... Read More

With its compelling story and powerful narration, this audiobook keeps listeners invested until the very end. In 1985, Cuban artist Anita de Monte is found dead in New York City. Her death is briefly the talk of the town, but then she's essentially forgotten. In 1998, Raquel Toro, a Puerto Rican first-generation art student, is seeking a topic for her thesis. The story... Read More

This immersive adaptation of Montgomery's classic features a Canadian ensemble with Sandra Oh as the narrator, and Catherine O'Hara, Victor Garber, and Michela Luci playing the main characters. When 11-year-old Anne mistakenly arrives in Avonlea, she brings her vivid imagination and bright personality to Marilla and Matthew's quiet farm. As she portrays Anne, Luci's infectious... Read More

Carvell Wallace narrates his beautiful memoir with poignant urgency-- and a whole lot of love. Though he recounts trauma he experienced growing up Black and queer in America, he doesn't focus on it. Instead, this audiobook is about healing, connection, and beauty. In short, poetic chapters, he writes about music, making art, cooking, parenting, partnership, sex, and intimacy of... Read More

Justine Eyre once again returns listeners to a world in which angels and vampires exist alongside humans. Archangel Raphael and his consort, Elena, are meeting with the other ruling archangels when the Refuge, the site where young angels are cared for, is rocked by an earthquake. Eyre immediately ratchets up the tension as the pair scramble to save the young. Elena's father,... Read More

Penelope Rawlins's magnetic performance draws listeners into Tonya Mitchell's gothic thriller. Constance Sullivan is charged with poisoning her husband, a known arsenic eater. Everyone believes she's guilty. At her trial, evidence piles up, and she's shocked when those she trusts lie and testify against her. Revealing the dark side of her marriage only adds fuel to the flames.... Read More

Kristen Sieh bats it out of the park with this lively performance. It begins with Daphne heckling baseball player Chris at a game, making him cry, and then sending an apology through social media. They have a few conversations through an app, but Chris still doesn't know who she is or what she looks like. When Daphne begins a job working for his very team, she's torn between... Read More

Studies show people benefit from casual, superficial conversations, so two hilarious improv actors offer a small-talk primer in this entertaining audio. With likable vocal tones and believable spontaneity, they banter with each other as they explain how to connect with people in various situations. They offer six rules for managing when and how to begin small talk, which they... Read More

Gary Tiedemann's strong, well-paced narration adds significantly greater appeal to practical advice that will help make the listener a more empathetic person, mate, and leader. After Amy Edmonson's foreword, Jeff Wetzler offers support strategies that help the listener determine what others are thinking, knowing, and feeling and--as a bonus--how to use these breakthroughs in... Read More

In an impressive performance, Nicol Zanzarella takes listeners into the beauty, sensuality, and deadly dangers of sixteenth-century Venice. Valentina Riccardi is both a courtesan and a paid assassin. She has no moral qualms about her work, believing that her contract killings are for the good of the Venice she loves. That's true until her employer, Ambrogio Malatesta, presents... Read More

Neill Thorne narrates this quirky thriller with gusto. AA meetings take on a whole different meaning as listeners join a reformed assassin named Mark as he comes closer to receiving his chip marking a year of being murder free. When an unknown assailant attacks him, he is thrust into an adventure that takes him from New York City to Singapore and London. Thorne crafts a... Read More

Dr. Dante Lauretta, principal investigator for NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid study and extraction mission, invites listeners to delve deeper into the project's early development and ultimate success. Lauretta creates a companionable experience as he conversationally discusses the trajectories of his personal and professional spheres. These include a sky-gazing youth in the Arizona... Read More

Joy Nash gives a sparkling performance of this enemies-to-lovers story, the first in a new romance series set in small-town Maryland. Athena finds herself stranded in Harlot's Bay when her fiancé, Johnny, breaks their engagement. She has left her teaching position and has impulsively purchased the ten-foot-wide Spite House as a wedding gift for Johnny. Next door lives Johnny's... Read More

Lori Prince delivers this queer romance about a young woman living in Los Angeles. Max works hard, whether working as an assistant to a talent agent or scouring dating apps for a future girlfriend. But she never seems to achieve her goals. Then her roommate, a social media influencer, introduces her to a self-actualization app, and everything starts to fall into place. Prince's... Read More

Narrator Stella Bloom faithfully re-creates the joy, peril, and humor in Kristen Ashley's series opener. Rachel "Raye" Armstrong meets Julien "Cap" Jackson during a daring rescue, and it's instant attraction--with Raye sounding sweet and spunky, while Cap has a gravelly voice. Bloom does a stellar job introducing Raye's found family and her beloved Oasis apartment complex.... Read More

Holly Chandler depicts the romance between wedding coordinator Mae Wallace and actor Kane August. Mae meets Kane when a film company uses the vineyard where she works as a movie set. Mae finds herself thrust together with Kane when she's needed to act as a stand-in for a missing actress. Kane is from Texas, and Chandler gives him a pleasant slight drawl. Mae was betrayed in the... Read More

Narrator Alexandra Grey transports listeners to a working-class neighborhood in 1980-1990s Madrid. The coming-of-age story is told through the first-person perspective of an unnamed trans woman who recounts growing up in a poverty-stricken area of Madrid that is filled with heroin addiction, violence, death. Grey's understated performance of the lyrical writing creates a... Read More

Nancy Wu's stellar performance dramatizes the highs and lows of Korean pop music. She captures the excitement of being a global superstar and the intense personal struggles of singers who are climbing the charts. When K-pop lead singer Sang Duri draws public ire for his lyrics, events are set in motion that threaten to shake the entire South Korean music industry. With her... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Kate Reading brings a charming interpretation to this cozy mystery, inviting the listener to sit back and enjoy the intrigue. Reading's vocal control is impressive as she portrays Dorothy Martin, an American, and her British husband, Alan Nesbit. Throughout the ample dialogue, Reading ensures that all the characters remain distinguishable. With a... Read More

Jonathan Vigliotti's experience covering natural disasters for CBS News gives a journalistic feel to his audiobook about disasters' effects on small towns. He warns of more devastation in the future. As his recollections of the sights and smells of devastation in Hawaii take on the urgency of a news report, his descriptions of attempts to escape flames add dramatic emphasis. He... Read More

This portrait of Founding Father Ben Franklin is part biography, part travelogue, and part personal commentary. Because of that, it's eminently suited to audio. Author Eric Weiner is the narrator, and his presentation exactly fits the material. His pace is easy to follow, and his tone is easy on the ears. As he walks in the footsteps of Franklin in the various places where he... Read More

Shridhar Solanki, Sharmila Devar, and Kemmer Keswani Cope work together to bring to life this well-told family drama. Devar is the voice of the aging matriarch Sultana, who is wasting away from illness. Cope and Solanki dramatize the siblings Imran, Sumaya and Majid, who go in separate directions after their mother's death. Well-versed in South Asian culture, the narrators... Read More

Langan's dystopian thriller is set in the not-too-distant-future. Cassandra Campbell brings to life a dispassionate narrator and a wide range of unique characters. The Farmer-Bowens find themselves in Plymouth Valley, a company town where all needs are met. There Russell snags a job with Better World. Russell's voice sounds distracted and distant as he struggles to succeed.... Read More

Big Panda's soothing voice as delivered by Jason Isaacs would calm the most agitated child (or adult). Isaacs creates a sharp contrast when he performs Tiny Dragon's voice with a bit of nervousness. Listeners will appreciate the Zen-like tone of Big Panda, who soothes his little friend as they take a journey through the seasons. While traveling, they discuss the world and... Read More

Eva Kaminsky had her work cut out for her narrating this very complicated story, which begins with the kidnapping of a young woman named Allie and involves a secret she's not even aware of. Kaminsky gives voice to Allie--and to Anna, a person in Allie's head who is part of the dark secret. Only Grace, who works for an obscure branch of the FDA, is willing to investigate the... Read More

This second novel in the David Blum thriller series is narrated by Dion Graham with the perfect mixture of hope and menace. Interpol agent David Blum must eradicate the latest science experiment being carried out by the evil Global Forces Alliance. This time, the GFA is working with bioacoustics to manufacture sounds that can be used to control human behavior. Graham lends a... Read More

Narrator Mack Sanderson balances several storylines in this jaw-dropping history of the race to identify native birds in early 1800s America. Patiently mounting the evidence, Kaufman recounts, or rather dismantles, the career of John James Audubon, who it seems stole, fudged, misidentified, and miscategorized many of his discoveries, along with shooting birds, owning and... Read More

Aimee Nezhukumatathil's voice is warm and inviting as she performs her essay collection celebrating all things food. In each work, the author, who is Filipina and Malayali Indian, centers her thoughts on one of her favorite foods, giving listeners glimpses of her life. In one essay she connects shave ice with some of the beloved people she's shared it with. In another, she... Read More

Catrin Walker-Booth's performance brings Dr. Greta Helsing to life in this charming novella--part of a series but it can also stand alone. Walker-Booth's skill with pitch, tone, and accents brings each of the characters to life. She beautifully depicts Greta Helsing, a physician who ministers to the undead, with compassion and intelligence. Walker-Booth's vocal range also... Read More

Narrator Jennifer Ikeda reintroduces listeners to power couple Diana and Matthew de Claremont, witch and vampire, and their equally magical children. The couple first appeared in A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES. When a black bird brings Diana a message, she heads to Ravenswood, her Aunt Gwyneth's property in Massachusetts, to uncover the dark side of her magic. Ikeda brings every corner... Read More

Author Willow Smith narrates this audiobook, which is set when the Vikings are raiders who worship Odin. The tale focuses on Yafeu, who is taken from her village in Ghana by slave traders and freed by Alvtir, the female leader of the Viking raiders, only to be enslaved again when the Vikings arrive home. She eventually becomes the personal slave of Freydis, a princess. Each... Read More

An all-star ensemble of historical fiction authors and talented narrators make this collection excellent listening. Each short story features a compelling female character who is breaking barriers, pushing back against limiting expectations, and finding her power. The stories span decades and showcase characters impacted by war, artistic and social movements, cultural shifts,... Read More

This outstanding audiobook opens with an impassioned introduction narrated by its author, LaDarrion Williams. Listeners will be invested from the very first line. Narrator Jalyn Hall introduces Malik, whose mother disappeared the same night he discovered he has magical powers he can't control. Since then, he has lived in foster care and kept his abilities a secret. Now 17,... Read More

Cindy Kay's narration captures this unique take on a jewelry heist. Her voice masterfully conveys the urgency of Rune Sarasin's dilemma: Should she dump the jewels she has stolen or help find her boyfriend's missing sister? Listeners are drawn into a whirlwind of danger and intrigue. Kay seamlessly transitions between the gritty back alleys of Bangkok and the opulent auction... Read More

Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning poet Mary Oliver has written 15 provocative and thoughtful works of prose on topics ranging from nature to understanding and defining poetry and the fascinating life of the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Narrator Kimberly Farr is earnest and heartfelt; she speaks with clarity and certainty. Her tone is playful; her pitch moves up... Read More

Hari Kunzru narrates his novel, set during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jay, once a rising star in the British art world, is now living in his car in the U.S. Kunzru lends his own English accent and gravelly timbre to working-class Jay. One day, on his pizza delivery route, Jay's ex, Alice, opens the door, feels sorry for him, and offers him shelter. She's living with the man she... Read More

Jon Fosse, the Norwegian Nobelist, writes in an interestingly elliptical style. His phrases and sentences loop around, repeating and echoing themselves, much the way many people think--and, in this audiobook, the way the protagonist avoids thinking about certain subjects that are too complicated and too painful for him to process neatly. The story is set in a coastal Norwegian... Read More

This supernatural thriller provides an enjoyable wrinkle in narration. The audiobook doesn't feature a single narrator voicing all characters or a full cast with an individual narrator voicing each character. The members of the ensemble each take a major character and whomever that character interacts with. Rachel Fulginiti shines as Andi Wyndham, who buys a bone pendant that... Read More

Author/narrator Jin Wang introduces young listeners to the pleasures and challenges of life in the tiny village where she lived in the 1980s. Nan Ba Zi in Inner Mongolia, China, was so remote and dry that families took turns fetching water from the nearest town with a functioning well. Wang's warmly evocative narration highlights her memories of a childhood spent hunting... Read More

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld enlivens the characters in this masterfully crafted window onto the 1950s. While there are murders and other crimes, the focus is the individual stories of the women boarders of Briarwood House in Washington, DC. The novel depicts the realities of the McCarthy era: women's evolving roles, racism, and immigrant challenges. While the recipes sprinkled... Read More

The fifth volume of Vo's Singing Hills Cycle, which can be listened to as a stand-alone, would be challenging for any narrator. The fantasy begins as a marriage is arranged in ancient China. Then the story takes a turn toward the paranormal. Narrator Cindy Kay voices protagonist Cleric Chih, as well as secondary characters ranging from haughty royalty to lowly estate workers.... Read More

Nicholas Guy Smith evokes the Arthurian legends of old in this tongue-in-cheek Knights of the Round Table-inspired novel. A young man named Collum dreams of joining King Arthur's Round Table, but by the time he arrives in Camelot, King Arthur is dead. Smith's narration captures the epic qualities of the story as Collum and the knights try to keep the kingdom united after the... Read More

Stephan Watson presents the harrowing true-crime story that marred horse racing's Golden Age. In 1990, Alydar, a great racing stallion, was found in his stall with a broken hind leg. Author Kray, an animal lawyer, believes this injury was not accidental. Alydar's owners were in deep financial trouble, and he was insured for $46.1 million. After the horse recovered, he stumbled... Read More

Brooklyn, the titular protagonist of this novel, is hard to like. Similarly, Keyonni James provides a less-than-stellar narration of the life of this young woman born into a stiflingly conservative family. The telling of this fascinating mixture of drama and thriller is sadly marred by James as she attempts a heavy New York accent that is so overplayed that most native speakers... Read More

Mark Bramhall's slightly scratchy voice, relaxed tone, and amiable manner fit this very American history filled with quotations from the down-to-earth, humorous Lincoln. The history itself, of the role of immigrants in antebellum and Civil War politics and in the conduct of the war, is multifaceted and painstakingly full of in-the-weeds detail. Bramhall's sensitivity to its... Read More

The entrepreneur and founder of the global platform Build Like A Woman, Kathleen Griffith provides women at all stages of entrepreneurship with a blueprint to build a business and a life they love. As she narrates her own work in the voice of a down-to-earth best friend, Griffith openly reveals her personal experiences, including her breakdowns and breakthroughs. Section 1 is... Read More

Narrator André Santana skillfully performs a thrilling Hollywood horror novel. Screenwriter Misha Byrne has just received an ultimatum from the studio executives--their algorithm says to kill off his beloved queer TV characters, or else. Misha refuses, and Santana captures his initial anger, then his terror as he suddenly finds himself facing deadly characters from his horror... Read More

Dion Graham brings Buster the dog to life as he narrates his life story. Highly acclaimed as a narrator and actor, Graham uses his considerable acting skills to share Buster's tale. Graham's voice, deliciously deep and a bit gravelly, lends itself to the voice of this canine. First owned by a family in public housing in DC, Buster is stolen by an abusive, alcoholic man and goes... Read More

Hanako Footman brings gravitas and humor to this psychologically insightful novel based on the true crime of a gourmet cook/con woman/serial killer. Using a clever ploy, journalist Rika secures a meeting with taciturn Manako Kajii in her Tokyo jail cell. Imprisoned for the deaths of three wealthy businessmen, Kajii refuses to talk about her case but willingly talks about food,... Read More

Narrator Helen Laser portrays Billie West, a lonely teen who is growing up poor with a mentally ill mother and a worthless stepfather who eyes Billie like an enticing pastry. Karissa Vacker portrays Cassie, a former rich girl who has high ambitions and the guts to make them happen. The pair meet in childhood and promise each other they'll always be friends. In alternating... Read More

Franz Kafka's legacy can be seen in this series of vignettes. The performances are consistently subtle and deliberately nondescript, adding to the listener's feelings of confusion and claustrophobia. Some highlights: Penelope Rawlins captures a developing feeling of dread as a prospective client tours a new studio apartment with curious design qualities, including a single... Read More

Powerful, enlightening, and entertaining are some of the superlatives that might come to mind as listeners are transported to the world of trial attorney Jack Lee in Virginia in 1968--brought to life by a uniformly outstanding cast. Narrator MacLeod Andrews uses accent, tone, and pace to masterfully portray Lee and the other white male characters. Lee partners with attorney... Read More

George Smiley, the quiet spy with a paunch and an adulterous spouse, is voiced affably by Simon Vance. His friendly approach belies Smiley's steel trap of a mind and reluctance to resort to violence. Vance's mastery of British Isles accents, especially his upper-class inflections, also contributes to le Carré's vivid storytelling. This novel, first published in 1961, is... Read More

Whoopi Goldberg proves to be the perfect voice for John Grisham's fascinating mystery about a haunted island off the coast of Florida settled by escaped enslaved people in the 1700s and now marked for development into a casino resort. She captures the courage and determination of the characters as, each in their own way, they try to save the uninhabited and inhospitable Dark... Read More

McKinley Morganfield's gift for hypnotic guitar playing and powerful singing took him from the cotton fields of Mississippi to widespread acclaim and a secure place among rock-and-roll royalty. In this extensive history, his energy and determination dominate the narrative, which provides details of his life and a gripping portrait of the world he conquered with his talent.... Read More

Jessica Threet narrates a cozy fantasy with romantic elements. Reyna has finally left her position in the Queen's Guard and joined her girlfriend, Kianthe, in the far-away town of Tawney to open the tea and bookshop of their dreams. But the sleepy town of Tawney is not as sleepy as it seems. Threet provides Reyna and Kianthe with accents that differentiate their geographic and... Read More

Alejandro Antonio Ruiz embodies all of the roiling emotions in this compelling queer teen love story. Rafie's intensity comes through clearly in Ruiz's passionate narration. Rafie learned his love of mariachi from his abuelo. He's devastated when his abuelo dies yet is determined to bring home another first-place trophy from the Mariachi Extravaganza. When his family moves to... Read More

Tim Bruce's stylish narration transports listeners to 1920s Scotland as Anty Boisjoly arrives from London to act as a judge in a whiskey competition. When one of the distillers is mysteriously blown up, Anty once again finds himself embroiled in murder and mayhem. Bruce creates a delightfully Wodehousian protagonist in Anty, and his strong characterization results in a fun cast... Read More

Pete Cross's dramatic performance of this fantasy/noir audiobook enlivens a fascinating story about a missing teenager and her connection to a popular video game and a doomsday cult. Cross's emotional commitment to the protagonist, Sid Catchpenny, showcases the messy, washed-up thief with debilitating depression and the ability to travel through mirrors. He can sense mojo, the... Read More

In the great tradition of storytelling, Columpa Bobb tells of a village in Nuu'Chahlnuth territory in southwestern British Columbia. Told from the point of view of Mink, a shape-shifter, the account traces events in Celia's village, particularly her attempt to help her community heal after a brutal incident. Bobb takes advantage of rhythm, riding the emotions of the characters... Read More

Jacques Roy adeptly treads the line between measured and conversational in this excellent performance of Higginbotham's investigation of the 1986 CHALLENGER catastrophe. Roy maintains the listener's attention through detailed accounts of the science and engineering underlying the NASA space program while also bringing to life the people involved. We hear the cheerfulness of... Read More

Jess Moran's light, sweet voice accentuates the many lyrical passages in poet Iris Jamahl Dunkle's biography of Charmian Kittredge, writer Jack London's second wife and frequent collaborator. As headstrong and independent as her famous husband, and five years older, the Los Angeles-born Kittredge was an accomplished horsewoman, musician, and writer. For the 11 years of their... Read More

Thom Rivera pulls out all the stops with this intriguing Latinx retelling of the classic FRANKENSTEIN. A dwindling workforce leads to corpses being reanimated as the solution to cheap, plentiful labor. An unnamed reanimated man working as a paralegal meets a sassy lawyer, Faustina Godinez. Through observing her social circle, he begins to question what his life was like before... Read More

Tony Award-winning actor Cynthia Erivo brings her considerable talent to the long-anticipated final installment of Tomi Adeyemi's groundbreaking fantasy, Legacy of Orisha. With a rich tonal range and depth of feeling, Erivo conveys Zélie's anguish beautifully, projecting the complex emotions of her capture by King Baldyr. Erivo's narration is powerful and nuanced as she voices... Read More

After a foreword by Blythe Danner, each mini-essay in this historical treasure is announced with its title, author, and narrator. All the works are written and read by former Rehearsal Club (TRC) professionals. In a kinder, more caring world there once was a place where young would-be actresses from out of town could find a safe, inexpensive place to live in New York City while... Read More

Narrator Traci Odom's use of folksy accents perfectly sets the scene for this horror audiobook. Kate's Aunt Ellen disappeared without a trace decades ago in the midst of completing her college thesis. Ellen's longtime friend, Judith, approaches Kate with evidence that an unsolved murder in rural Cinderwich, Tennessee, might be their Ellen. Reticent townsfolk and strange... Read More

Samantha Tan's melodic voice carries listeners through a story that spans continents and decades. It follows a group of gay men and the women entangled in their lives from the cinema in Fuzhou, China, where they cruise and find refuge in the 1980s, to Manhattan's Chinatown through the present day. Tan expertly navigates a range of points of view, embodying characters of... Read More

Part detective novel, part fairy tale, this complex story about the hunt for a book that disappears after one has read it is expertly delivered by a trinity of talent. Stefan Rudnicki takes on the majestic tones of mysterious celestial beings that interject their commentary throughout the narrative. Mathematician Delia Welegtabit first discovers the disappearing book; her... Read More

Kirby Heyborne is a lively guide through this history of the world's tallest buildings and discussion of current developments in skyscraper design. Though arguments can be made for why living in them has some drawbacks, the author believes there is much to admire both visually and financially in their evolving role in urban landscapes. And the trend of mixing corporate offices... Read More

Christopher Douyard impressively recounts the meteoric rise and fall of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, as told by veteran CHICAGO TRIBUNE reporter Gregory Royal Pratt--and everyday Chicagoans themselves. Listeners meet the Black, gay, extremely confident Lightfoot as she sweeps 70% of votes, based on her campaign promise of ending Chicago's reputation for corruption, racism, and... Read More

The very word "Belle Epoque" is melodious to the ear. Not surprisingly, a particular appeal of this richly detailed history of France's most fabled era, beginning in 1871, is narrator Paul Daintry's deft rendering of proper names such as Eiffel, Toulouse-Lautrec, Clemenceau, and Proust. Daintry's voice is not the most silken, but he effectively delivers the clamor of a divided... Read More

Christina Delaine narrates with such an engaging conversational tone that listeners will feel they're active participants in this memoir by the FBI's first female forensic sculptor. One minute Delaine urges listeners to prepare for a grisly discussion of forensics practices; the next she's describing hostile bullying by a male manager. The range of the material is broad, and... Read More

Russ Bain flawlessly presents Carys Davies's novel featuring three extraordinary, believable characters in 1840s Scotland. Listeners meet awkward Reverend John Ferguson and his kindhearted wife, Mary as he sets sail for a remote island to evict Ivar, who's lived there alone for decades. Bain seamlessly blends Davies's three disparate viewpoints and moving descriptions of Ivar's... Read More

Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Welsh professor of ancient history at Cardiff University, presents a fascinating look at seven Cleopatras, the strong women who ruled ancient Egypt over generations in the last centuries BCE. His Welsh accent is smooth and consistent; even slight variations between British and American English pronunciations of some words flow smoothly. He is up to the... Read More

Will Patton narrates this entry in the long-running Dave Robicheaux series. This installment focuses on Dave's partner and friend, Clete Purcel. Clete and Dave work to stop a drug-smuggling operation that is moving a dangerous new drug. Patton's gravelly intonation suits Clete; he brings the war veteran to life, capturing his emotional core. Every sentence and conversation is... Read More

Catherine Coldstream didn't start out as a devout person, but after her father's death, she sought to make a major change in her life. So she converted to Catholicism and entered a traditional Carmelite monastery as a nun. Coldstream narrates this memoir detailing her transition from a secular life to the religious order. Her British-accented narration has tonal variation but... Read More

Allen Ginsberg was one of the important poets of the last century, and any opportunity to survey his substantial oeuvre is welcome. Narrator Greg D. Barnett is strong on the meaning and emotional content of the poems. Mispronunciations will take some listeners out of the poems, many of which are distinctly embedded in the political and spiritual events of Ginsberg's time. Other... Read More

Golden Voice Kevin R. Free portrays Calvin Greene's mix of paranoia and anger when his African American family demands that he pass as white in a segregated Pennsylvania community in 1955. Free expresses the longing Kevin feels for his sister, who was killed by racial violence. While pretending to be a white person, he also misses his best friend, his estranged brother, and... Read More

Fans may be disappointed that this is Maisie Dobbs's final adventure, but they will appreciate the tender way the various characters' closing stories are treated. Narrator Orlagh Cassidy masterfully conveys the returning characters, Maisie's extended family, and the newly introduced individuals, male and female, young and old. Cassidy's talented use of accents lends credibility... Read More

Andia Winslow narrates WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner's memoir, which has a strong focus on her imprisonment in Russia. Winslow's delivery is outstanding; she recounts the fear and frustration that Griner went through during her ordeal. Winslow deftly projects Griner's emotions every step of the way, imitating her captors' Russian accents only when appropriate. While the... Read More

Reflection is central to the memoir. In this one, Jill Ciment reconsiders the events she wrote about in her first memoir, HALF A LIFE, 28 years ago. Eileen Stevens's narration embraces the author's candid questioning as she wonders--in the context of the #MeToo movement and her husband Arnold Mesches's death after 45 years of marriage-- how she should think about the... Read More

Filmmaker and novelist Priyanka Kumar narrates her essay collection in a gentle voice. The works focus on her birding experiences, which are infused with personal memories. Sometimes she sees other wild creatures. At one point, she even sees a bobcat out the window of her New Mexico home. Her voice softens as she shares a peaceful experience watching cranes. Kumar doesn't go... Read More

In this ensemble cast, Tia Shearer takes on the roles of narrator and Calic of No House, who is known as Alli. A brave and bold half-fae/ half-human orphan, she is trained to fight deadly battles against fae and other beasties that live in Underhill, home of the immortals. At the same time that Alli is granted a place in the royal court, Underhill disappears. With Alli in... Read More

Matthew Spencer narrates the story that began in Chupeco's SILVER UNDER NIGHTFALL. Vampire hunter Remy Pendergast has a deep bond with two vampiric royal companions. They travel to the Court of Wanderers to recuperate after a battle with the formidable Night Empress and are thrown into vampire politics. Spencer is a superb storyteller. He keeps the plot moving. His skill at... Read More

Narrator Kristine Hvam uses a lively yet laid-back tone for this Covid-era story. Listeners meet 13-year-old Coyote, who is furious that her dad hid her mother's ashes for six years. After finally settling down in one place, the feisty and determined Coyote still longs for her mom. She is further angered to learn that the poetry book containing her mother's notes about her... Read More

Greg Chun and Michelle Lee portray the alliance and the attraction between the two main characters whose alternating chapters tell this 1506 Korean mystery. Lee's narration is suffused with 17-year-old Isuel's desire to free her older sister from cruel King Yeonsan. Lee projects Isuel's willingness to learn sleuthing from Prince Daehyun to achieve her ends. Isuel's hatred of... Read More

Helen Laser delivers a tender and inviting performance of this dual- perspective novel about grief, friendship, and crows. Grad student Frankie has retreated to her family's cabin after a series of disappointments, hoping to make something out of the scraps of her dissertation. When she rescues an injured baby crow, she meets Anne and her son, Aidan. Anne, an Irish musician, is... Read More

Narrators Dion Graham and Mychal-Bella Bowman's grand and lively performances will have young listeners eager to hear every story in this vibrant collection of African- and African-American-inspired tales. Graham creates imaginative and outsized voices for the stories he leads. He excels at portraying heroic and mischievous animals like a greedy baboon and a trickster spider.... Read More

In this short story narrated by Joyce Bean, we follow three elderly friends--Myrna, Leonie, and Chrissy--who gather once a week to taste exotic cheeses. Their routine takes an unexpected turn when they decide to take revenge upon a group of male poets who ruined the career and well-being of their dear friend, Fern, years ago. The story primarily revolves around the themes of... Read More

As the voice of this audiobook's main character, Penny, narrator Shannon Tyo's gentle, soothing tone proves effective and engaging. Penny lands her dream job at the Dallergut Dream Department Store. Each floor of the store sells different types of dreams. As Penny learns about the importance of sleep and dreams from the store owner, Mr. Dallergut, she and her kooky co-workers... Read More

Singular, bold, and intimate are among the many qualities that describe dancer, actor, and fine artist Russ Tamblyn's narration of his immersive memoir. He also brings precision and intoxicatingly good humor. While listeners may hear the impact of a robust 89 years of life in his timbre, his performance is careful and, at moments, caustic. Known for his nimble dancing and... Read More

Narrator Michael Crouch's accent plunges the listener into the Ozarks setting of this YA novel. Willie is most comfortable in his older brother's shadow. He's also at a loss over his parents' separation. Crouch gives listeners a soft-spoken and thoughtful young man whose tone is full of his yearning to better understand his place in the world. At first, the phone game Manifest... Read More

Narrator Johnathan McClain creates a motley crew of memorable personalities that make this thriller compelling listening. The central character is Hardy "Hardly" Reed, a drifter who works in a run-down amusement park with an assortment of losers. When Hardly sees a mother with children who appear to have been abused at the DMV, he sets out to learn who they are and rescue them.... Read More

With her portfolio of British accents, narrator Janine Birkett brings Vera Stanhope to life, along with her team and the other characters in the eleventh book in this series. Birkett's voice for Vera perfectly conveys her rough-edged persona, now somewhat mellowed by the recent death of her former team member, Holly. With Cleeves's masterful descriptions and Birkett's ability... Read More

Charlie Sanderson and Barnaby Edwards narrate a debut fantasy steeped in Slavic folklore, weaving three stories into one tale. Elisya, a naïve noblewoman who is running from an undesirable marriage; Ida, a young woman doing what she must to survive; and Telani, an aged soldier on a mission, cross paths in a castle deep in the woods. The Goddess Morana rules the land, and the... Read More

Jessica Clarke narrates this story told by three foster sisters. When a dead body is discovered under their childhood home, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia must confront their past. Each explores her memories of their makeshift family, which was led by the demanding Miss Fairchild. Clarke delivers this winding story as a masterful blend of suspense, drama, and emotional depth. Her... Read More

The separate elements of this audio thriller sound standard-issue, but Megan Miranda grips you from the opening scene and never lets up. Hazel comes home to small-town North Carolina for her beloved father's memorial. Her brothers are both cops, as was their dad. The whole force would be at the gathering except that an old car has just surfaced in the drought-low water of the... Read More

Rebecca Lam unfolds the incredible events behind Anna May Wong's rise to fame as the first female Chinese actor in American cinema. Lam smoothly transports listeners to the glamorous, tumultuous world of Hollywood in the 1920s. With precision and clarity, Lam captures Wong's journey from her early struggles to her rise to stardom. She recounts the challenges Wong faced as an... Read More

In this energetic full-cast audio adaptation of the loosely autobiographical 1849 Dickens classic, the novel's sharp wit and the hero's romantic adventurism are happily brought to the fore. As Ncuti Gatwa (star of "Doctor Who") leads an outstanding international cast, listeners follow young David Copperfield, a brokenhearted orphan, to boarding school and then to an... Read More

The spirited, engaging voice of narrator Bronwen Price takes listeners back to Edinburgh, Scotland, where a detective duo is solving a very personal cold case in the late Victorian period. In the fifth adventure of the Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe crime-solving team, Angus is searching for the person who murdered his mother 30 years earlier. Uninvited but undeterred,... Read More

Charming and engaging, Zara Ramm's voice adds joy and humor to the narration of this delightful British cozy mystery. When the ladies who run the Charity Shop Detective Agency learn that a woman has been murdered at their local dog show, they decide to take on the case. Ramm's assortment of accents and voices brings both familiarity and uniqueness to the listening experience.... Read More

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini once again invites listeners into the lives of retired legendary spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon and a host of familiar characters. Allon is asked by an acquaintance to unofficially assist in the investigation of an art history professor's brutal murder in Cornwall. With the talented Ballerini as a guide, listeners follow the fast-paced plot from... Read More

Narrator Kurt Kanazawa nimbly delivers the melodic Hawaiian words and names that are central to this police procedural. Detective Kawika Wong leads the hunt for a serial killer who leaves victims in a beautiful Honolulu park. Wong has a gut feeling that the case isn't what it seems. Kanazawa's voice sounds a bit youthful for the veteran officer, but he does well delivering the... Read More

Bill, a pleasant but sarcastic limo driver in Silicon Valley, reliably delivered clients to their destinations without incident for years--until a mysterious passenger, Mrs. DeLong, put him in the crosshairs of the Chinese, the FBI, and patent trolls. Scott Brick differentiates all these characters and smoothly depicts frenetic scenes. His delivery of the technical banter among... Read More

Listeners will be drawn into this atmospheric and compelling historical mystery. In 1895, Oxford University student Toby is murdered--and his close friends know that one of them must have done it. Jem is one of these "Seven Wonders," and ten years later, with his life falling apart, he sets out to solve the mystery once and for all. As the story moves back and forth in time,... Read More

Narrator Cailin Kelly establishes a youthful voice for 12-year-old Tully, who is determined to complete a marathon swim on Lake Tahoe. Kelly captures Tully's tumultuous emotions as she reflects on her past relationship with her mom, also a swimmer, who left her. Now she must learn to face the truth that her mom may not return and appreciate the support that she has from her... Read More

This audiobook features Captain Haven Kayd, who returns to the U.S. after breaking out of an Afghan prison camp. Once back, he faces more struggles and dilemmas. His wife has moved on, and his daughter has been dealing with his "death" for years. The story takes a dramatic twist when Kayd uses the dark web to find out the truth about what happened to him in Afghanistan--and its... Read More

The narration of this mystery begins with Susan Bennett's introduction of Rose, who enrolls in the memoir-writing camp at which her daughter, Jules, drowned. How could Jules have drowned when she was afraid of the water? Bennett performs from Rose's perspective, projecting her discomfort with writing, her need to hide her name and agenda, and her growing suspicion about what... Read More

Director Susan Seidelman's memoir is enhanced by narrator Jaime Lamchick's lively cadence and bright intonation. Seidelman grew up in suburban Philadelphia, but she desperately wanted to escape to seek adventure and excitement. After completing her film studies at NYU, she lived in the East Village and took part in the punk scene. Her first movie, SMITHEREENS, was screened at... Read More

Acclaimed narrator Dion Graham performs this dynamic, artfully crafted novel about a biracial author/academic who becomes the owner of a plantation on the Delmarva Peninsula after the death of his son. This work of literary fiction morphs back and forth from reality to fantasy, from tragedy to dark humor, from past trauma to present emotional upheavals. Graham's voice is well... Read More

Jonathan Booth's narration of Donne's prose is quite strong, although it's handicapped by the necessarily limited range of emotions called for by these two works dedicated to the theology of disease and death. In an era when disease was generally understood to be the punishment for sin, Donne interpreted his near-fatal illness as God's retribution for his adventurous early... Read More

Rachel LeBlang performs this debut memoir by Anna Gazmarian. When Gazmarian is diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2011, she discovers that many of the members of her evangelical community believe that mental illness is merely the result of a lack of faith in God. As Gazmarian grapples with her beliefs in the wake of her new diagnosis, she begins expanding her ideas on religion... Read More

It's impossible to go wrong with this Audible Original, which teams up award-winning author Don Winslow and four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris. Harris puts the growl in gruff Richard Dietrich while unreeling the last case of the washed-up NYPD homicide detective. This once-great, now alcoholic cop should have just phoned it in until reaching his pension. But in the summer of... Read More

This fascinating collection of voices from the disabled community is presented with care by a talented team of narrators. In her introduction to these 40 powerfully affecting essays, activist Alice Wong, who edited this volume, stresses the value of seeking and exploring intimacy. Each essay opens a window that may contain familiar elements or, perhaps, a novel mode of... Read More

Narrators Carly Robins and Aaron Shedlock portray two con artists who are looking to escape their life of crime and start fresh in a new town. Phoebe Graves was raised in a family that lived on lies and corruption. Hoping to start over in Connecticut, Phoebe and her best friend, Hailey, take off. But Hailey's brother, the handsome Rocky, follows them. Robins and Shedlock... Read More

The trials and tribulations of a young person's senior year in high school can make for a gripping listen. Add the loss of a father at the start of high school, as well as the voice of a professional wrestler making occasional snide remarks that only our heroine, Julie, can hear, and you have the makings of an entertaining and heartwarming story. Joy Nash does a great job... Read More

In this audiobook, Doris loses her husband to her best friend. As listeners follow Doris's life, they'll encounter other characters who are also in the midst of various life crises. The story focuses on how people support each other during such hard times. Liz May Brice brings emotional depth to all these folks, allowing listeners to connect with them on a deeper level. Brice's... Read More

Anthony Lee narrates his debut novel, the first in a series. Dr. Mark Lin, an internist working at a hospital, becomes the target of a hacker named Doctor Lucifer. Lucifer hacks into Lin's patient records and changes medication orders--with potentially fatal results. To protect his patients and himself, Lin must work with hospital IT personnel to stop Lucifer. Lee clearly... Read More

Thanks to Golden Voice narrator Grover Gardner, listeners will once more get to accompany irascible attorney Andy Carpenter, who reluctantly agrees to defend a mass murderer as a favor to his formidable colleague Marcus Clark. Gardner brings Andy and the supporting cast to life, including his wife, Laura; digital genius, Sam and his quirky crew; and gruff Marcus. Fans will be... Read More

In this exhilarating audiobook, brought to life by Michael Boatman's exceptional narration, Addison McKellar learns that her husband, Dean, has vanished. She seeks the help of legendary PI Porter Hayes. Hayes soon uncovers far more about Addison's husband than even his wife has ever known, including the revelation that Dean's identity is fake. Boatman delivers a stand-out... Read More

Narrators Anjali Kunapaneni and Vikas Adam create a vibrant and energetic atmosphere in this delightful collection of stories about Desi middle schoolers who gather at the Maple Grove Community Center. These preteens come from a wide variety of family structures, religions, and South Asian cultural backgrounds. Adam and Kunapaneni take care to give every character a distinct... Read More

The fashion magazine industry of the 1940s is wonderfully realized by Carlotta Brentan's energetic, intelligent performance. Many in the fashion industry at that time came from socially prominent families, and Kathryn and Frances McLaughlin, the identical twin fashion photographers at the center of this narrative, were no exception. Brentan's bright tone and lively pace... Read More

Pearl Hewitt narrates this story of intrigue and treachery set in 1923 among the British upper classes. Spies Dora and Rex attend the engagement party of Prince Bertie and Elizabeth, only to find themselves embroiled in a murder. When it looks like their good friend is the only suspect, Dora and Rex set out to find the identity of the real killer. The investigation takes them... Read More

Narrators Zara Hampton-Brown and Shane East delight listeners with this contemporary romance about a single dad. Dax Cove is surprised to find out he's a father as a result of one of his recent one-night stands. Willing to do the right thing, he takes care of his baby girl, but he is in desperate need of a suitable nanny. Both Hampton-Brown and East fully embody their... Read More

Mapuana Makia lends her rich voice to this young adult fantasy. Hanalei, of the island Tamarind, has been living in exile since her father stole a seadragon egg. There she meets Sam, a lost prince, also from Tamarind. Together, they discover they can go home if they find the dragonfruit, a coveted treasure with great power. Makia delivers a balanced cadence and an intrigued... Read More

Keval Shah fully understands the assignment when he narrates this funny, sexy, action-packed story of good vs. evil. Or dim vs. dimmer, as the case might be. It's never a good day when one wakes up with no memory and then learns one is an evil wizard. With all the problems his previous self left him with, Dread Lord Gavrax has picked a fine time to start being "good." Shah's... Read More

Kevin R. Free's performance requires a skilled handling of this material, which he accomplishes successfully. Stoopendaal's story is told from the perspective of a nameless adult male. You likely know the type: a budding intellectual filled with important thoughts who applies conceptual frameworks to everyday life yet is steeped in outdated gender stereotypes. Motivated by... Read More

Narrator Kelli Tager creates a strong sense of place through the Dust Bowl denizens she gives voice to in this fairytale-esque historical drama. Driven by Hollywood dreams and the threat of Depression-era destitution, Stella Fischer operates a small moonshine still in Kansas with her friend Jane and works alongside her aunt and sisters at their boardinghouse. Tager creates... Read More