New Reviews by Title: A-D

Tom Straw, the original author of the Richard Castle books, brings his signature fast-paced plot, snappy dialogue, and gutsy characters to this mystery. Celebrity Chef Sebastian Pike is coerced into letting the CIA use his food show as cover to extradite a high-ranking mole from Russia. CIA Agent Cammie Nova, acting as show producer, provides the spy connection and the love... Read More

Asa Siegel narrates this memoir of discovering both the personal and international impact of the accordion. Growing up, Noe Alvarez knew little about his grandfather except that he played the accordion and was the family pariah. As an adult, Noe explored the impact of accordion music on various cultures and then journeyed to Mexico, where the story of his grandfather revealed... Read More

British narrator Emma Hussey delivers an exploration of volcanoes throughout the earth's past, present, and future. Transported from the ancient eruption at Pompeii to active volcanoes in Nicaragua and Hawaii, listeners are drawn into a layered understanding of their global impact and cultural significance. Hussey's grounded performance cedes center stage to these awe-inspiring... 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

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

Listeners will feel like they're nestled in the small town of Bethany, Vermont, in the 1960s. Bostonian Franklin Warren is new in town, having just moved there to take a position as a state police detective. Just as he settles in, there is a disastrous barn fire on Agony Hill. When Warren goes to investigate, he shakes up long forgotten secrets of the town. This mystery is... 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

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

Family dynamics can be complex, and that's true in this audiobook. Ostensibly, the story is about four adult sisters who were orphaned early and forced to take care of themselves and--in their own ways--each other. The novel sketches their personal lives, professional ambitions, and interwoven histories when one sister goes missing. Sarah Bolger, Aisling Franciosi, Caoilinn... Read More

James Baldwin's three-act play focuses on the power of religion to shield people from the perils outside church walls, as dramatized by an African American family. The cast are quirky, protective, gossipy, dogmatic, and spirited. Dion Graham begins the production as Baldwin, clearly and confidently sharing the importance of this story. A chorale then swells--warm, collective,... Read More

Hannah Choi captures the thrill of learning to fly as she opens Ankeny's account of Hazel Ying Lee's experiences with flight training during WWII. The story of Lee, the first Asian American woman to earn a pilot's license, is fascinating as it contrasts her former efforts at invisibility as an elevator operator with the freedom she found in flight. As the story expands to... Read More

A moment occurs towards the end of this classic novel of crime and punishment when Grover Gardner delivers the voices of men on death row. Some sound resigned, others complain, one moans. These emulations of misery are palpable and demonstrate Gardner's subtle expertise as a narrator. A master performer, he elevates this naturalistic novel, an account of the strivings and... Read More

Craig Foster narrates his lyrical meditation on our human connection with the wild in a gentle voice that reflects the limpid ocean from which life evolved. The documentary photographer and producer of many films, including MY OCTOPUS TEACHER, has written a mix of memoir and personable treatise on nature and our place in it. While he sometimes pauses unexpectedly mid-sentence,... 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

Golden Voice January LaVoy has a broad range of characters to give voice to in this Afrofuturist audiobook. Cinnamon Jones has long been a leader in her community. Since the Water Wars, which were triggered by conflicts over climate catastrophes, Cinnamon has been working to provide housing, healthcare and education to refugees. Characters include an 8-year-old girl, who is... 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

Cindy Kay's neighborly performance works well with this kind of self-help audiobook. Fascinating information offered in the language of social science is combined with careful prescriptions on how to adjust our social connections to improve our satisfaction with life. Kay's careful phrasing makes everything clear while her palpable belief in the author's intentions invites... 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

Longtime series narrator Elizabeth Knowelden's performance brings two occasional government agents to life: Lady Hardcastle, a genteel widow with a less-than-genteel past, and Florence Armstrong, her companion and confidante, who is also a martial arts expert. In the 11th Lady Hardcastle mystery, it's 1912, and the Secret Service Bureau dispatches Lady Hardcastle and Florence... 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

This quest fantasy builds an imaginative world of nightmarish horrors, and Alyssa Appleton's methodical narration keeps listeners putting one foot in front of the other as they journey through it. For Karys Eska, speaking to the dead isn't just a skill that enables her to pay her rent. It's part of a contract that keeps her tethered to Sabaster, an eldritch being with vicious... Read More

This intelligent and important overview of ocean science and climate change by an oceanographer and a science journalist is narrated by Suzie Althens. Sadly, her over-enunciation and slow pace result in a ponderous delivery of its fascinating details. In addition, Althens's upspeak is distracting, and her tone may confuse some listeners as it doesn't always match the content.... 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

This very personal work chronicles patterns of Chinese history through the lives of the author and his father. Edward Wong, a NEW YORK TIMES correspondent, provides an adequate narration of his prologue and epilogue. Narrating the body of the work, Will Dao provides superb pronunciation and enunciation as he presents the moral dilemmas of the Mao and Xi eras. Dao tends not to... Read More

Narrator Callie Dalton brings the steam to the second Big Shots title. Tallulah accepts a live-in nanny job for Boston hockey star Burgess's daughter even though a traumatic past experience makes cohabitating difficult for her. The audio starts off a little stiffly, and Tallulah and Burgess are difficult to differentiate in conversation during the introductory chapters. Once... Read More

The author of this important audiobook about autocrats and their dealings is also its narrator. That isn't unusual in nonfiction, and it has its advantages: A committed expert brings authority and, often, experience with public speaking to the role. Thus, this author/narrator compellingly describes her rogues list of autocrats, ranging from China's Xi Jinping and Russia'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

Merissa Czyz narrates a YA romance that takes place over the course of 24 hours. Darcy believes in love at first sight but has never experienced it--until she is stranded at a bus station and meets Russell. Czyz captures the giddiness Darcy feels at meeting a cute boy who actually seems to like her back. As Darcy gets to know Russell, it's clear they have much in common, but... Read More

Sisters Jessie and Brea, and bandmate Flo, all portrayed by narrator Kristen Sieh, are tight as a cover band and even more so as a crew of vigilante hit women with verve and style. Youers writes action scenes like a house afire, but the real enjoyment of this audiobook is the women's sisterhood, which is depicted with love and affection. A serial killer called The Wren pops up... Read More

A native speaker of Japanese is essential for this audiobook, which takes the listener inside the world of Nippon Professional Baseball. Tokyo-born Brian Nishii is an ideal choice, not only for his handling of the Japanese names, but also for his seeming familiarity with baseball terminology. The gaijin (foreigner) in the title is Tony Barnette, an American Minor League pitcher... Read More

Matthew Lloyd Davies's British accent blends surprisingly well with this story of two young American orphans. Listeners meet shrewd Basil and Dahlia Bloom, who hop off a freight train to avoid ending up in separate foster homes. When they find themselves lost in New York City, Gutsy Dahlia implores celebrity baker Laurel Fox for help. Fox is Davies's best creation. Davies... Read More

Sophie Amoss performs this quiet novel about two sisters who have spent the last 10 years caring for their ailing mother. At their home on an island off the coast of Washington, Sam and Elena fight to make ends meet working menial jobs and taking paid surveys online. But when a strange brown bear returns to their neighborhood again and again, the two sisters have very different... Read More

Joe Ochman narrates in a resonant voice and crisp style that suit this audiobook about earth science. He does nice work with subtle modulations of tone when he emulates a quoted person's accent. The text combines reporting, research, and a dollop of personal experience. Jabr travels widely to corral his immense subject; destinations include the Russian arctic; Iceland; England;... Read More

Beep is a monkey, and in Bill Roorbach's offbeat fantasy tale, he's the central narrator, communicating to the listener in a kind of childlike animal-speak akin to his species. Roorbach provides the words and voice to this amusing and disorienting story about the relationship between nature and humans. Listeners follow Beep's travels from his homeland to New York with young... Read More

Maggie Mertens narrates her detailed exploration of women, running, and the bizarre treatment of athletic women throughout history. Though women have proven time and again that they have the speed and endurance to run and break records, false beliefs and out-of-date advice continue to pervade the world of women's sports, often to the detriment of the athletes. Mertens's... Read More

Shaan Dasani narrates this story about what we might lose if we insist on winning all the time. Bijan loves nothing more than being the best--whether it's at drawing birds, playing at being a dinosaur, or even tying his shoes. When his friends decide they don't want to play with someone so focused on winning, Bijan has to figure out how to succeed at simply being a good friend.... 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

Allyson Johnson performs a story revolving around generations of Black women in a small Kentucky town named Opulence. Minnie Mae, the matriarch of her family, strives to keep her secrets buried deep. In another family, a young widow named Francine Clark mysteriously becomes pregnant long after her husband has died. Johnson captures these beautifully written characters, imbuing... Read More

Exuding warmth and enthusiasm, Sneha Mathan transports listeners to India and the world of Reeni and her friends. Reeni's teacher requires the class to do a survey on something they care about. For Reeni, it's birds, and since it's time for Bird Count India, she goes all in. Mathan's slightly quick cadence renders Reeni's impulsive energy--sometimes she forgets to listen! The... 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

Ron Butler narrates a fantasy novel set on a magical Caribbean island. Residents of Chynchin have lived undisturbed by the greedy Ymisen for two hundred years, but that is about to change. After a water pipe repair goes awry, Veycosi finds himself embroiled in endless drama. Butler's laidback narration style suits Veycosi's meandering travails: He has lost standing in his... Read More

This audiobook immerses listeners in a fictionalized season in the life of a black-throated blue warbler, chronicling a female bird's trials and tribulations in undertaking migration, finding a mate, and interacting with other birds. Narrator Jess Moran's small, feminine voice complements the petite stature of the lead character in this avian drama. Sporting a band on her leg,... Read More

Stephanie Németh-Parker speaks with a Southern accent in this audiobook, which takes place in southeast Texas. In 1999, four generations of Evans women run the only funeral parlor in town. When people suddenly begin rising from the dead, it's time for Evans matriarchs Ducey, Lenore, and Grace to tell teenager Luna about the family business. Németh-Parker voices the Evans women... 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

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

Mark Easter narrates in a calm voice that makes his performance a little soft-edged. His delivery is clear, and his experience as an ecologist is always present. His highly informed text gives listeners an understanding of where our food comes from and how its production affects the planet. Happily, he gives some suggestions anyone can follow--eat more plants, grow your own... Read More

Dan Aykroyd, part of the famous Blues Brothers musical duo that evolved from a series of sketches on "Saturday Night Live," narrates this great look at the phenomenon he helped to create with the late John Belushi. Aykroyd narrates in a theatrical voice, describing how the band was formed and the movie that followed was made. He brings in a cast of folks--band members, movie... Read More

A cadre of stunning narrators--including both authors--bring this unusual tale to life. The focus is an immortal warrior who is seeking the release of death. Unute was born untold ages ago to a human woman and a literal bolt of lightning. In modernity, Unute works alongside a military group as they seek to cure his immortality. Keanu Reeves and China Miéville narrate a few... Read More

Sneha Mathan crisply narrates this story of a girl who jumps into action when a former teacher--nicknamed "Book Uncle"--is ordered to license his community lending library, which she and her neighbors use. As presented by Mathan, 9-year-old Yasmin's voice is young, curious, and cheerful--until she realizes the injustice being meted out to Book Uncle. Mathan portrays the other... Read More

Oxford professor Adam Smyth narrates his book with considerable brio and, of course, a deep understanding of the subject. Ranging from Wynkyn de Worde (assistant and successor to William Caxton, Britain's first printer) to contemporary zine publishers, he tells the history of the book in English through the lives of 18 people who represent different aspects of publishing.... Read More

Jay Myers narrates this fascinating audiobook about American bookstores with enthusiasm for its subject, neutrality toward its facts, and admiration for its stories. The wealth of topics discussed is astounding: early bookstores, past and present bibliophiles, particular bookstores' scents, and more. Myers's pacing is leisurely, and he highlights meaningful quotes, such as the... Read More

David Crellin narrates this gloomy novel set in 2001 in Northern England, featuring sheep farmers Steve Elliman and William Herne. Their flocks are suffering from deadly foot-and-mouth disease and must be euthanized, a calamity that is destroying other generations-old family farms, as well. In the aftermath, the dour men rustle healthy flocks in an attempt to survive. With the... Read More

Bahni Turpin delivers this story of feminist entrepreneurship and second chance love with the humor and hilarity it deserves. Toni is a single mother of twins with big dreams. Turpin captures Toni's spunkiness as she balances motherhood and a demanding job with her aspirations for entrepreneurship. Turpin deftly portrays Toni's loving, if chaotic, world, which includes... Read More

Author, narrator, and mother of three sons, Ruth Whippman dives deeply into the complexities of raising boys in an environment in which masculinity has become politicized. With a mix of personal stories and interviews, Whippman, narrating in an English accent, explores how masculine norms deprive boys of connecting with people emotionally and authentically. She examines a boys'... Read More

Matt Haver forthrightly narrates this audiobook about a preteen who is navigating upheaval in his family due to addiction. When Reese's dad is sober, he's charming and easy to be around--but eventually the pain pills are too tempting for his father to resist. After Reese has to call emergency services to save him from another overdose, his mom moves them out of their apartment... 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

Narrator Mara Wilson uses an urgent and precise tone as a middle-aged millennial looks back at the murder of Karlie Richards, a North Carolina college student. Pearson uses the framework of the standard whodunit to explore a variety of colorful characters. Joy Brunner, Karlie's former roommate, finds a letter in a book that may exonerate the mentally challenged young man who... Read More

Part literary mystery, part astronomy lesson, this audiobook, narrated by Casey Withoos, provides listeners with a compelling story set in Australia in 1997. Sylvia Knight is recovering from the hit-and-run that made her a widow more than two years ago. She believes she knows who killed her husband, but no one has been held accountable. Sylvia is working as an assistant in a... 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

This noir audiobook cries out for a female narrator. Mexican American Victoria Villarreal is the optimal choice. The story features two undocumented Mexican factory workers who collide with a couple of wealthy gringos. Villarreal's accents for both the Latinos and the upper-class Southern whites bring these characters to life. She gives the arrogant men appropriate tones of... Read More

Ben Miles does an exceptional job narrating Dostoevsky's masterpiece. The novel revolves around the three Karamazov brothers and their father. It includes many of the themes found in the author's other works: murder, courtroom drama, toxic relationships, sensuality, as well as some of Dostoevsky's most profound and deepest philosophical and theological ideas. The Karamazovs are... 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

Julia Turshen's performance sparkles in this brief audiobook about her introduction to powerlifting and her discovery that exercise helped her overcome self-consciousness about her body and take delight in her newfound strength. Turshen is well known for her love of cooking and creating recipes. At one of the weakest times in her life she learned her true strength. From her... Read More

Biz and Wyatt's anxiety about impending fatherhood grows as the couple travel on their "babymoon." Ryan Spahn and Michael Urie capture the impending dads' feelings with their nuanced narrations, told in alternating points of view. Wyatt wants to stick to the itinerary as they drive from New York to California, where their baby will be born via surrogacy. Fun-loving Biz is... Read More

Narrator Kathleen Mclnerney returns to voice Chief Kate Burkholder in the sixteenth audiobook in this series. McInerney masterfully differentiates the returning characters, along with new folks good and evil, male and female. A crime scene at which an Amish man has been burned at the stake begins a new investigation that involves the detective's deep dive into the history of... 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

Zoë Bossiere gives a quiet, thoughtful performance of their memoir about their trans boyhood in an Arizona trailer park. Their stories of boyhood in the desert are full of contradictions: the ease of being known and understood as a boy by their friends and neighbors, and the alienation caused by teachers who tried to force them into a gender that didn't fit. Their narration is... 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

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

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

Sarah Gerard narrates her audiobook about the murder of her friend, Carolyn Bush. Gerard neutrally recounts the viewpoints of the people closest to Carolyn, who was nicknamed Carrie and Coco. She captures the emotions that arise in the quotations of interviewees, which create vivid pictures of Carolyn's vibrant personality and the writing-reading community she helped establish.... 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

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio narrates her debut novel about undocumented immigrant Catalina Ituralde. Facing an uncertain future after her Harvard graduation, Catalina reflects on her time as a student and her childhood with her grandparents. Villavicencio speaks with a smile in her voice, capturing Catalina's skepticism and wry humor. Her melodic intonation lends itself well to... 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

The second book in Katie Siegel's Not a Detective series finds Charlotte Illes, now 10 years out of middle school, trying to move beyond her past as a kid detective. This becomes complicated when, as a substitute teacher, she returns to Frenchem Middle School, where her best friend, Lucy, also teaches. Lucy presents Katie with a mystery to solve. Chapters begin with a short... 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

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

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

In this love letter to bookstores, narrated by Cindy Kay, employees fight to keep their store from closing. Fifty-year-old Jo's life revolves Bruebaker's Books, the behemoth of a bookstore she has managed for years. When Mr. Bruebaker, the owner, has a stroke, the store's CEO and his daughters order the iconic establishment to close immediately. Jo and several of the store's... 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

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

With its stellar cast and sprawling story, this audiobook is outstanding. Jane, an archivist at Harvard, returns to her childhood home on the coast of Maine to get her late mother's affairs in order. She discovers that her dream house there has been sold, and the new owner hires her for historical research on the house, which could be haunted. Told by several narrators, the... 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

Prepare to be swept away to Scotland's northernmost reaches, wrapped warmly in the voice of narrator Eilidh Beaton. She pipes out quiet, unassuming Gertie MacIntyre's daydreams as she works in the local grocery store, knitting constantly. In contrast, opinionated pilot Morag sounds definitive, even as she proposes that Gertie fill in at the airfield, a miraculous new start for... Read More

It was a great decision by author Madhumita Murgia to narrate this account of her investigation into artificial intelligence (AI) and its global impact on societies. Murgia is the artificial intelligence editor for Britain's FINANCIAL TIMES, so her multilayered understanding of the topic helps create an impactful audio performance. She is curious and sensitive, skeptical and... Read More

Fans of stories about mismatched people are certain to enjoy Brian Craig's narration of this novel. Hank is a curmudgeon who mostly wants to be left alone, except for one last attempt to rekindle a very brief, very one-sided high school romance. Luis is a good-natured guy living in unfortunate but not insurmountable circumstances. Together, the pair make an odd couple, and... 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

Cory Richards is well known for his photographs published in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, including photos on Everest and a famous self-portrait immediately after surviving an avalanche. Narrating his brutally honest memoir, he lays bare his mental health struggles with bipolar disorder, addiction, and a drive to sabotage all of his relationships. Richards's voice is smooth and... Read More

Baron Ryan's first collection of short stories explores a semester in the lives of Charlie and his friends, who are students at Harvard. The author narrates his own work, lending his youthful voice to stories featuring the 36 questions to ask to fall in love, a tongue-in-cheek correspondence with a professor regarding a writing assignment, the "story behind the story," and... Read More

Listeners will find this frolic enjoyable due to the skillful narration of Billie Fulford-Brown. Emma Oxley and Nellie Yarrow are lifelong friends and con artists who only go after deserving men. Here they find themselves in the middle of a heist of a wildly valuable bracelet and the kidnapping of a girl. Fulford-Brown creates two distinct voices for the protagonists, as well... Read More

Narrator Lessa Lamb exuberantly presents journalist Julia Hotz's reporting on the topic of social prescribing, which is founded on the belief that socialization is vitally important to good health. Hotz even believes that joyful activities and community can banish symptoms of illness. Lamb recounts patients' stories of being treated for their ills using movement, nature, art,... Read More

The early part of Connie Chung's narration is a bit uneven--perhaps because of the personal nature of discussing her Chinese heritage and her parents' high expectations for her achievement in life. Once she settles in, her performance of this evocative, informative, and insightful memoir is flawless. Heavy with acerbic wit and "teases" for upcoming chapters, it frequently... 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

Traci Sorell re-creates the excitement of the 1911 World Series, which featured two Native Americans on opposing teams. Listeners meet New York Giants pitcher John Meyers and Philadelphia Athletics catcher Charles Bender. Meyers was from the Cahuilla tribe in California; Binder was from Minnesota's Ojibwe tribe. Sorell demonstrates how Meyers and Bender used their courage and... Read More

Victoria Villarreal's narration reflects the magical mayhem and quirky comedy that break out in the small town of Owl's Hollow. Chanterelle Cottage witch Charlie Sparrow and her two moms worry about the business's survival when competing mages Fitz and Eleanor set up shop nearby. Villarreal depicts Charlie and Fitz's sworn-enemy vibe, along with their sarcastic banter. Soon... Read More

Fourteen narrators give superb performances in this collection of coming-out stories. Their range of accents, tones, inflections, and styles brings the stories to life. Some works are funny and some heartbreaking, but all are honest, open, and full of heart. Though Maggar mentions in her introduction that the stories are from all over the world, the audiobook's settings are... Read More

Andy Stevenson doesn't make a misstep while presenting this compelling and unusual novella. During a delivery, Bob, a well-educated, luckless courier briefly glimpses enchanting Natalie. He imagines her as the desperate "prisoner" of her suave and confident husband. Stevenson conveys Bob's passion and intensity in imagining Natalie--who's also engagingly rendered--as his ideal... 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

This pleasant fantasy is given an appropriately lighthearted narration by Nikki Massoud. The magical Quigley sisters--Anne, Violet and Beatrix--run the Crescent Moon Tearoom, serving enchanted cups of tea and hopeful readings to their satisfied clients. All is serene until the Council of Witches appear, demanding that the Quigleys coach three other witches who haven't properly... Read More

Gabra Zackman's narration fully embodies a balance of deep insight and affability--a perfect fit here. Nussbaum's approach to the topic of reality television transcends the usual narrative history as it captures key social commentary of programs unique to their time and place. The audiobook traces a detailed timeline from PBS's "An American Family," considered a touchstone 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 Angel Pean voices Jerusalem, an 18-year-old with powers that make her fearless. She hates the vampires that tortured her and joins the Union army to fight against them, even if it means being trained by another vampire, a Russian named Alexi. While youthful voices suit the teenage characters, a Russian vampire with an American accent and slight inconsistencies in... Read More

A bevy of talented narrators delivers an iconic science fiction anthology. Ellison's legendary short stories once kicked off a new sub-genre known as New Wave Science Fiction. Thirty-three stories from thirty-two legends in the sci-fi genre are narrated by a selection of talented narrators. A few standouts include Mara Wilson and Edoardo Ballerini. Jim Meskimen shoulders most... 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

Peter Ganim adopts the voice of a broadcast reporter. His trustworthy tone grounds this unbelievable but true story of an FBI sting. It begins in 2018, when the fibbies shut down an encrypted phone business and then create a "legit" start-up that will sell supposedly encrypted phones to international criminals. The faux start-up becomes more popular with international crime... 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

Si Chen takes listeners to 1930s Shanghai in this historical fantasy. Cabaret dancer Jingwen has one foot in the world of lavish clubs and wealthy foreigners and the other in Shanghai's black market: Her grandmother is involved with money laundering. Chen's performance is smooth and steady, with little differentiation between characters. Delivering on Lin's vivid portrait of... Read More

Suzy Jackson's vibrant narration brings out the youthful emotions in this second-generation take on Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET. Rosaline Montague, the eldest daughter of Romeo and Juliet--who are NOT dead--finds herself a spinster at the age of 20. After several unsuccessful matchmaking attempts, her parents agree to a courtship by Duke Stephano, a man with a history of... Read More

Stina Nielsen narrates this alternate feminist history. Sylvie sets out to tell her life's story for her twins whom she gave up at birth because she was unmarried. In 1862 she moved from Kentucky to Nashville in search of her sister. She brought with her a lost play by Aristophanes, which is centered on a cult serving Artemis that seeks chaos to disrupt the patriarchal business... Read More

Author and narrator Roxana Robinson weaves together the many pieces of her great-grandparents' memoirs, letters, and journal entries, adding threads that turn them into a novel. Her inviting delivery engages listeners with English-born Frank Dawson, who embraces African American civil rights after surviving battles in the Confederate Navy and becoming editor of the Charleston... Read More

Lynnette R. Freeman narrates a fantasy featuring assassins and gods. Eveen is a member of the Dead Cat Tail Assassins Guild, and one of the best assassins in the city of Tal Abisi. When her newest commission puts her in an unforeseen quandary, she must use all her wits to survive. Freeman's narration highlights the shifts between drama and the humor in Eveen's story: an... Read More

Narrator Oliver Hembrough vividly describes the journey of ex-detective Jake Jackson from London to an off-the-grid sanctuary. Listeners join Jake as he dives into frigid water, jogs, and makes mouthwatering meals. Despite his hermitic existence, he regularly sees veterinarian Livia and her daughter--both tenderly rendered. The peaceful idyll is disrupted when Jackson helps a... 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

Fajer Al-Kaisi delivers a dynamic performance of this mystery set at Samsara, a luxury spa in India. After leaving his demanding job, Ro Krishna takes a much needed rest at Samsara, where he meets other members of the one percent. When a holiday event goes awry, leaving one guest dead and others under suspicion, Ro must rely on his instincts to uncover the killer and prevent... 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

DEEP WATER is both a call to action to combat climate change and a celebration of the marvels of the ocean. Narrator Stephen James King's performance expresses those twin intentions with grace notes of wonder alongside clear worry and concern. King's gentle Australian accent is a constant reminder that rising ocean temperatures are a global catastrophe. Bradley casts his net... 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

Akira Matsumoto impressively presents an array of characters in this mystery set in post-WWII Japan. Listeners meet Detective Kindaichi, who is attending a divination held by the Tsubaki family to determine if several deaths accompanied by eerie devil's flute music were really murders. The complex Agatha Christie-esque story written in the 1950s is rich with well-rendered... Read More

Kirsten Potter's performance skillfully brings to life a tight-knit unit of firefighters who double as a heist crew. Engine 99 of the NYC Fire Department uses blazes as covers to pull off high-stakes crimes. Potter captures the dual nature of the characters, especially Andy Nearland, the newest member of the unit, who has a hidden agenda. As the crew prepares for their most... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell handles this nonfiction audiobook about the discovery of dinosaur bones in the early 1800s as effectively as she does the contemporary novels of Judy Bloom and John Grisham. Her brisk, commanding, highly flexible voice maintains its hold on the listener's ear even while traversing species names and fossil characteristics. A mismatched... 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

Hyeseung Song narrates her memoir with a rhythm that balances her poetry with the hardships she experienced as the daughter of Korean immigrants. Early on, she expresses her discomfort with the dichotomy between her father's get-rich-quick schemes and her mother's endless work to support his whims. In painful vignettes, Song details the narrow views of Texas teachers, peers,... 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

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 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

Gabra Zackman gives a stellar performance of Jane Rosenberg's memoir of her forty-year career as a courtroom sketch artist. Each chapter details a court proceeding wherein Rosenberg was commissioned to produce sketches of the principals, many of whom were well-known politicians, mob bosses, sports figures, and celebrities such as Donald Trump, John Gotti, Tom Brady, and Martha... Read More

Narrators Phillipa Soo and John Cho portray two rival journalists who have three weeks to uncover an intriguing story in a mysterious mansion. Nadine Barbault, an obituary writer for the TORONTO HERALD, wants to be the first to report the death of famous author Dot Voline. Finally, she hears that Dot has expired, and she releases the obit, but a problem develops--Dot isn't... Read More

Two childhood friends, Melissa and Leo, reconnect through the death of a friend's grandmother. When they arrive at the remote island where they lived as kids, they find their friend missing, and their grief quickly turns to sleuthing. Narrator Mara Wilson keeps the plot moving as the pair slowly uncover dark forces on the island. Wilson expresses their frustration through their... 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