New Reviews by Title: A-D

Soneela Nankani narrates this delightful contemporary romance with her whole heart, drawing listeners in with her enthusiasm. She embodies Reena Manji, capturing her anxieties about her meddling Indian Muslim family, her boring finance job, and a series of lackluster boyfriends. When she bumps into her new neighbor, Nadim Remtulla, she's initially intrigued by his British... Read More

This is a fascinating listen about a part of history not taught in schools. Olivette Otele does a nice job telling this overlooked history of the presence of Black people in Europe throughout the ages. Although not a professional narrator, Otele nonetheless has a confident and engaging style that keeps listeners wanting to learn more about relationship between Europeans and... Read More

Narrator Adam Barr uses a persuasive style to emphasize the core message of this audiobook, which is that calls for civility actually fuel racism, rather than combat it. Barr's delivery is polished and consistent throughout the 200 years of history covered in these chapters. His measured pace allows listeners to ponder the wide range of ideas being presented on a variety of... Read More

Author and narrator Andrew Steele is a specialist in the "new science of getting older without getting old." No one dies of old age, Dr. Steele argues, and as we reduce the underlying causes of death, we increase average longevity. Putting aside the question of where we'll put all these additional old folks, Steele offers a fascinating survey of contemporary medicine and the... Read More

Narrators Heather Alicia Simms, Anne Twomey, and Gabra Zackman harmonize to memorable effect in Dorothy Wickenden's remarkable examination of three friends who led twin battles for abolition and women's rights in nineteenth-century America. Simms gives a witty and rousing rendition of Harriet Tubman, freedom fighter extraordinaire; Twomey is gentle and steely as Francis Seward,... Read More

A full cast performs this novel about an all-girls boarding school during the 2017 academic year, before the #MeToo movement. Told from the perspectives of a variety of students and staff, the plot revolves around a twenty-year-old rape allegation for which the male teacher has seemingly suffered no consequences. Each character reveals issues in her own life--for example,... Read More

At first, this audiobook appears to be a simple whodunit, but that is not the case. Narrator Chris Sharpes smoothly voices Alex Bryn, a one-album wonder who is now scratching out a living as a music critic. Alex's life is turned upside down by the reappearance of Ciara, a singer who is his ex-girlfriend from long ago. The character, along with her dazzling jazz performance, is... Read More

Like some memoirs, this audiobook is a cathartic one for the author, a sports journalist whose father, Chris, contracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The work serves the dual role of peeling back the layers of their relationship while laying out what a person and their loved ones go through in dealing with the debilitating fatal illness. It would be difficult to imagine... Read More

Grover Gardner surely had fun narrating this rollicking adventure. He doesn't miss a beat and is spot-on in his voicing of the Texas protagonist and the French, German, British, and North African characters who inhabit the fantastical Kingdom of Mur, the novel's fictional North African location. The homespun hero, Lincoln Smith, finds the turn of the twentieth century too... Read More

Narrator Ben Onwukwe brings out the humor and pathos in this story of Jamaican widower Hubert Bird, who discovers friendship in unlikely places. Hubert's daughter, Rose, thinks his life is full of friends and fun, but Hubert actually lives an entirely solitary existence. When Rose announces an unexpected visit, Hubert knows he better find some fake friends right away. Hubert's... Read More

This blend of romance and sports is told from dual perspectives. Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt voices Carli, a reluctant but gifted high school basketball player whose parents are in the middle of a messy divorce. Preston Butler uses a sonorous voice in his portrayal of Rex, another basketball superstar, who blames himself for his mother's death. After a chance meeting, they... Read More

In this creative pastiche of mystery, history, mythology, philosophy, and magic, listeners follow the entwined fates of two children in ancient Greece. The "amber" is Melisto, an impetuous, aristocratic Athenian girl. Rachel Botchan narrates her story using crisp enunciation and slightly strident tones that accentuate Melisto's tempestuous character. The "clay" is Rhaskos, an... Read More

Fred Sanders's somber tone reflects the complex and conflicted relationship between modern-day Iran and the United States. His precision as a narrator is a good match for the academic nature of this historical examination. Sanders deftly transitions between the perspectives of the two nations throughout a variety of important moments. From the coup in 1953 to the Iranian... Read More

Narrator Soneela Nankani sounds warm, wry, and believably youthful as Rani, an Illinois high school student who finds first love and hard-won confidence in this coming-of-age audiobook. Responsible, smart, and talented in photography, Rani is surprised when she falls for Oliver, a charismatic fellow artist. Their chemistry is powerful, but their romance has to stay clandestine... Read More

Narrator Danny Campbell delivers this eloquent appreciation of our national parks in his somewhat hoarse-sounding and sometimes wavering voice. Once the listener is accustomed to his timbre, this audiobook delivers an informed celebration of the National Parks System (NPS) but also offers a critique of its management. The authors say the system has focused more on visitor... Read More

One has to admit that Joyce Carol Oates's poetry is sometimes a bit prosy. Fortunately for the listener, her prose is particularly fine. Even in a poem like "To Marlon Brando in Hell," which could afford to be shorter, we are gripped and propelled by the language. Cheryl Smith's narration is as controlled as the words themselves, which reveal the emotional content of the text... Read More

Narrator Soneela Nankani returns to voice seventh grader Amina, whom listeners met in AMINA'S VOICE. Nankani's sweet voice perfectly matches Amina, who spends a thrilling summer vacation visiting family in Pakistan and is bursting to share details with her friends at home. She's disappointed to discover they aren't that interested. And when she makes a class presentation on... Read More

Fred Berman returns to narrate the second in Rosenfelt's K Team series. Berman's regular-guy voice makes former detective, now private investigator, Corey Douglas a sympathetic character, especially when he works with his partner, Simon Garfunkel, a German shepherd. The story also includes characters from Rosenfelt's popular Andy Carpenter series. Berman masterfully delivers... Read More

Elizabeth Knowelden skillfully narrates this lengthy Russian novel with gravitas. The classic story of a woman who is torn between her cold husband and a lover travels the drawing rooms of St. Petersburg and the rolling fields of Russia. Knowelden's narration captures the richly emotional nature of this literary work, providing clear representations of the many characters and... Read More

Narrator Elizabeth Wiley provides steady, empathetic guidance through this speculative story featuring time travel and Wild West heroine Annie Oakley. Ruth McClintock continues to work on her theory that Oakley was sexually abused as a child--despite that theory having caused Ruth to fail her doctoral thesis in history. Wiley brings insight and tenderness to disparate... Read More

Newspaper reporter and would-be TV news anchor Alex Vane gets a crazy tip that could send the journalism world into a tailspin. What's more--uncovering the rest of the story could cost him his life. Narrator Joe Hempel gives us a reporter's-eye view of the seismic changes taking place in the newspaper business in 2002. Hempel carries the story easily, offering subtle... Read More

Listeners visit the famed Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon, with chef Jules Capshaw, who owns a bakeshop named Torte. To start, artistic director Lance discovers the body of the troupe's lead actor, Antony. Narrator Emily Durante particularly shines with her flamboyant portrayal of Lance. She captures Lance's terror, his anxiety upon the disappearance of the body, and... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini's subtle, fluent narration is perfect for Ozick's subtle, exquisitely fluent narrative voice. The revered storyteller seems to transcend time and place in this long story set in the late 1940s but rooted in the customs and prejudices of an even earlier era. Her aging narrator looks back on his time at a privileged boys' school, where he befriended an outcast... Read More

Senator Amy Klobuchar delivers the introduction, first chapter, and conclusion of her audiobook with intellectual confidence. The familiarity of her speech helps connect this richly detailed economics lesson with the likable Minnesota lawmaker. Nan McNamara narrates the remainder of the audio with more vocal color than the senator and equal skill with her often complex... Read More

Laura Knight Keating returns to narrate this sequel to ANYA AND THE DRAGON. Set in tenth-century Eastern Europe and rooted in Jewish and Russian folklore, the story follows 13-year-old Anya Miroslavovna's next adventure with her friend, Ivan Ivanov, and Håkon the dragon. As they search the kingdom of Kievan Rus' for Anya's father, they find the Nightingale, a powerful and... Read More

In this final installment of the Marquess House Trilogy, listeners hear an alternate history of the transition of power from Queen Elizabeth I to King James I. Narrator Anna Gregory clearly differentiates the two alternating sections--one recounting the events of the year 1603 and the other recounting events 400 years later. Gregory effectively portrays the imperious carriage... Read More

Mira Sethi narrates her debut collection of stories with a refreshing confidence that produces a mesmerizing audiobook. Warm, full tones pull listeners into the works, which feature relationships explored through various lenses. Thoughtful pacing adds depth to engrossing characters whose actions play out against the culture and landscapes of Pakistan. Characters' warring... Read More

Danice Cabanela is the perfect narrator for this cozy mystery. Lila Macapagal returns home to Illinois after a messy breakup. She is committed to rejuvenating her Tita Rosie's restaurant, but her ex-boyfriend, Derek, runs a smear campaign to ruin its reputation. When Derek dies after Lila serves him a dish, the Macapagals find themselves under investigation. Cabanela adeptly... Read More

Leila Buck's dexterous performance captures the members of the Nasr family. Although they are scattered around the world, their former home in Beirut remains their touchstone. After the death of their patriarch, son Idris--now the head of the family--decides to sell the beloved house. Not surprisingly, objections abound. Buck is especially successful at conveying the competing... Read More

Narrator Soneela Nankani once again shows her versatility as she narrates the fourth Aru Shah adventure. When Aru wakes to find herself locked in the lair of her father, aka the Sleeper, she finds herself staring into the eyes of Kara, her previously unknown half-sister. Nankani provides notes of tension as Aru attempts to defeat her father's powerful army. She secures aid from... Read More

Emily Tremaine narrates a quirky coming-of-age story that has the feel of a memoir. Twenty-something Phoebe moves to New York City in the 1980s. While Tremaine's pacing can be halting and her phrasing a tad deliberate, her character portrayals are distinct and believable. In a youthful timbre and hesitant tone, she captures Phoebe's struggles with identity and self-reliance.... Read More

In an engaging journalistic style, Peter Ganim narrates this epic tale of Egypt, set in the time leading up to the Egyptian revolution of 1952. Although the novel is heavily populated with characters, Ganim's steady storytelling and clear pronunciation of characters' names make it simple to keep track of the various plotlines. The action revolves around the fortunes of the six... Read More

Mike Lenz narrates in the voice of a friendly postgrad tutor. He's engaging and informative--a smart choice for an audiobook that dissects the myth of the tech genius. According to the author, the mystique surrounding founders of companies like Uber and Groupon is partially a case of the Emperor's New Clothes. Lenz subtly sells that premise as Livermore deconstructs an array of... Read More

Using her versatile narration style and husky voice, Sophie Amoss traces Mallory's journey from victimized wife to self-possessed law office manager. Amoss delivers an immersive first-person storytelling experience as Mallory leaves New York for New Jersey, where she plans to help clean out the home of her Aunt Maggie, a hoarder. As Mallory works with Maggie's neighbor, Nick,... Read More

Narrator Rebecca Lowman portrays "Mac" Woods, a young professor who is embroiled in a web of relationships that are rooted in hidden motives and manipulation. Mac's mentor, Bethany, is urging her to try for a prestigious award, which will pit her against her friend, Gwen. Lowman balances the women's voices as well as that of Bethany's husband, Rocky. Bethany has a slightly... Read More

Narrators Pej Vahdat and Hend Ayoub work together to create an immersive listening experience of this contemporary love story. Anvar and Safwa are two teenagers from Afghanistan and Iraq brought together by fate when their families immigrate to the United States. Vahdat brings across Anvar's plucky, sarcastic tone through a lively delivery that contrasts with Ayoub's dreamy and... Read More

Narrator Pete Cross brings an energetic and delightful personality to the characters and relationships in this story of a young gay teen who is on a quest to win the cosplay competition at his local comics convention. Told in alternating "then" and "now" chapters, the story involves the budding romance and eventual breakup of Raffy and his now-ex-boyfriend, Luca. The worst... Read More

With this stellar audio production, listeners can journey by ear to south-central Alaska's little known yet spectacular Katmai National Park. Narrator John Pruden moves briskly through the author's vivid descriptions of the park's geology, beginning in 1912 with the largest volcanic eruption of the twentieth century, which occurred in Katmai. The author worked as a park ranger... Read More

No one could narrate this punch-in-the-gut memoir more powerfully than its author, Hunter Biden, President Biden's younger son. It is his story: raw, unvarnished; filled with despair, anger, and redemption. An alcoholic who first drank at the age of 14, he later added crack cocaine to his pharmacopoeia. In his view at the time, he was functioning just fine--until his brother,... Read More

This is a remarkably special audiobook listening experience--difficult, challenging, not entirely coherent, but nonetheless moving. Internationally known beauty, philanthropist, social activist, and skilled actor Sharon Stone narrates her own courageous memoir, which she wrote after her recovery from a massive stroke. Her brain injury seems apparent throughout her narration.... Read More

Narrator Hillary Huber's wry intonation perfectly matches the personality of loner amateur detective Frankie Elkin. AA meetings and prickly law enforcement officials are the only constants in her life as she travels around the country searching for missing women and girls, especially those from marginalized communities. Driven and haunted,, she keeps looking even though the... Read More

Taking a cue from his young daughter's curiosity and enthusiasm for trying new things, author Tom Vanderbilt embarks on his own journey to learn new things. Narrating himself, he describes how his outlook was transformed as he learned to play chess, sing, draw, surf, and juggle during adulthood as a novice, asserting that this beginner status for hobby-type activities is often... Read More

Roya Hakakian's voice softens as she recalls her first view of America, which took place from a plane after fleeing Iran in 1984. Even as she describes Iran's customs in calm tones, her voice takes on excitement when she describes her new freedom from strict dress codes. Her writing offers advice for new immigrants with a passion that comes from her own "bifurcated life" in... Read More

Classical musician and cultural icon Yo-Yo Ma treats listeners to a unique and exquisite aural gem, seamlessly blending self-discovery and musical storytelling. In his innovative take on a memoir, Ma recounts various details of his life while inviting listeners to ponder humanity and hope with a beginner's mind. His soft-spoken voice exudes a sense of calm and meditative... Read More

The conversational styles of narrators Wesleigh Siobhan and Emmanuel Ingram match this flirty workplace romance. Logan Byers is helping love interest Pierre Perry III produce his TV script for "One Day Sober." Siobhan's rounded tones mirror Logan's emotions. She emphasizes certain words to demonstrate Logan's analytical nature. For Pierre, she has a deeper voice, and she... Read More

The best audiobooks succeed when narrators such as George Guidall perform so exceptionally that listeners can visualize every moment. Such is the case with the latest Marcus Ryker thriller, in which the U.S. operative finds himself one of three captives held by a group of bloodthirsty Hezbollah special forces. The longer Ryker and his prominent companions are held, the more... Read More

In this prequel to the Tearling trilogy, narrator Mandy Williams takes on a dark fantasy story about magic set in the period leading up to the birth of the future Queen Kelsea. Williams tells a story of hard times in a harsh kingdom. Many people are starving, and some never get to leave their underground ghetto. Williams guides the listener through the trials of the main... Read More

Shiloh Gray expertly narrates a paranormal romance filled with snarky humor and biting social commentary. Joe Peluso is on trial for a murder he undeniably committed and has no remorse for. Lawyer and psychologist Neha Ahluwalia feels drawn to Joe, despite the obvious danger. When the two are forced to go on the run together, their relationship ignites. Gray perfectly captures... Read More

Narrator Johnny Heller is an inspired choice for this fun audiobook about the fourth rock from the sun. Not so long ago, people believed Mars had intelligent life that roamed its surface, constructing canals. Now humans dream of visiting there. Heller is equal parts tour guide, scientist, and observer as he shares this comprehensive look at why Earth's inhabitants are so... Read More

With inviting warmth, narrator Andrew Eiden creates a cozy atmosphere for this sweet audiobook about loneliness and friendship. Little Mouse and Big Bear live alone on the same road, and they each long for a friend. They have never met until one day they bump into each other and begin a friendship. When a scary storm threatens their next meeting, Big Bear comes up with a clever... Read More

Musical sensation Billie Eilish narrates this quick memoir about her extraordinary rise to fame. Her signature rasp permeates her delivery. There are only a few chapters, and these race by via Eilish's casual delivery. In addition to talking about her music and her brother, musician Finneas O'Connell, Eliish is joined by her parents, Maggie Baird and Patrick O'Connell, at... Read More

Spoken-word poet Jasmine Mans narrates her poetry collection. This audiobook serves as a call to oneself and a return to one's truth. Mans speaks openly and honestly about race, womanhood, sexuality, and family. She begins with a list poem about her hair. Her words are thick and intentionally punctuated. She is clear, strong, and purposeful in both content and tone. Although... Read More

Multitalented writers/performers Daveed Diggs (HAMILTON) and Lena Waithe (QUEEN AND SLIM) bring warm tones of empathy and naturalism to their narrations of dozens of poems and short prose pieces written by some of America's most promising and edgier Black writers and performance artists. By its very nature, Black people discussing Black culture, Black sexuality, and the Black... Read More

Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano smoothly alternate delivering the chapters of their memoir, which is part reminiscence of their friendship and part the story of the restaurant business they built together. Bailey's warm, sincere tone holds listeners close as she details her experiences as a Black female chef. Morisano, who is white, has a humorous take on getting to know... Read More

Narrator Ferdelle Capistrano introduces 12-year-old Analyn "Apple" Yengko and her mother, who have moved from the Philippines to Louisiana. Listeners will hear their conversations and join Apple and her classmates at school. Apple is a huge Beatles fan who treasures a music tape that has her late father's name printed on it. Capistrano vividly portrays those who bully Apple for... Read More

This audiobook has it all--mystery, mayhem, and sci-fi in a story that flashes forward and back as it revels in the lost world of late 1970s Manhattan. Narrator Rebecca Lowman presents the many complex characters at just the right pace. She carefully delivers the various voices--male and female, accented and not--and keeps the reality-stretching doings moving along. Lowman... Read More

Narrator Jonathan Yen has fun with this scientific and historical exploration of the color blue. Listeners who are looking for a unique title that approaches a deep topic from a variety of angles will be pleased with this experience. Yen creates the persona of a broadcaster, and his jovial tone and quick pace sustain interest. From India to Egypt and elsewhere, he explains, the... Read More

The prolific author says that this is the first of his books "written to be heard rather than read." Gladwell himself delivers the compelling story of the renegade WWII soldiers who pioneered precision aerial bombing--a tactic that might have saved civilian lives had it been more widely accepted. He narrates with delightful spontaneity and engagement, and the production... Read More

For those who appreciate the history of baseball, the Negro Leagues are a rich trove of anecdotes on what players achieved on the field and endured off of it. The late Lonnie Wheeler's biography captures one of the greats, James "Cool Papa" Bell, known for his speed around the bases and his gentility off the field. David Sadzin narrates with an interested tone and an emotional... Read More

Narrator Linda Emond capably reprises the role of forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan in the latest installment of this long-running crime series. When a barrel containing two bodies washes ashore in Charleston following a coastal storm, Tempe discovers a disturbing connection with a cold case in Québec. Emond's mature timbre anchors the stalwart anthropologist as she follows... Read More

Narrator Soneela Nankani performs this fantasy about "bone magic." She portrays a group of five heroes who saved the world 25 years earlier and are needed again. Listeners are introduced to Kreya, the group's leader, who gives Nankani an opportunity to express an array of emotions that range from vulnerability as she explores forbidden magic to decisiveness as she commands the... Read More

Narrator James Cameron Stewart's precise diction and cool tone illuminate Ross King's detailed introduction to bookmaking, ink production, parchment and papermaking, and the various methods for distributing books in Renaissance Florence in this engrossing biography of Vespasiano da Bisticci. Fifteenth-century Florence was a city in political turmoil. Vespasiano, born in 1422,... Read More

Shiloh Gray and Nathaniel Black's engaging dual narration adds zest to this fun, sensual, "age-gap romance," set in Melbourne, Australia. Physical therapist Samira Broderick and stuntman Rory Radcliffe meet by chance after a stressful day. Gray and Black generate playful yet electric chemistry in alternating chapters as the lovers resolve to keep their sexual relationship... Read More

Actor/writer/director Andrew McCarthy's immensely enjoyable audiobook, which he narrates himself, is about his early years in Hollywood--especially his love of acting and his development as an artist. Sure, some juicy celebrity tidbits are included--listeners will find out who his ST. ELMO's FIRE crush was and what really happened the night a reporter coined the "Brat Pack"... Read More

This fast-paced audiobook is all about survival. In the Ravenhill Correctional Facility, Jack, a former cop who's now incarcerated, is fighting to escape two converging hurricanes and his fellow inmates. Narrator Jason Culp captures Jack's world-weary doggedness as he guides listeners through a Job-like series of disasters that include the record-setting storm and massive... Read More

Ina Allen's clever audio adaptation of Grimm's well-known folktale about embracing uniqueness is a joy to listen to. John Pruessner is an engaging storyteller who identifies each of the characters--a spritely old man, a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster--with quirky, easily recognizable voices. After each animal's introduction, he delivers a lilting refrain of encouragement... Read More

Narrator Lameece Issaq makes the most of this dramatic family saga in which a mother and father split up, forever changing their own lives as well as that of their daughter. Issaq capably handles the Arabic words and phrases sprinkled throughout this contemporary story of love gone wrong, as Saeeda and Muneer, two young Saudis, try to save their marriage. The narration is light... Read More

This listen will educate--and infuriate. The authors and JD Jackson describe how poverty could be eradicated and why it hasn't been. Listeners get explanations on why bad policy, not personal failure, lies at the root of poverty. Jackson conveys just the right amount of exasperation, frustration, and understanding to make this a compelling listen. It's never preachy or... Read More

Jenny Lawson returns to narrate her third installment in a disheveled saga of finding the light at the end of a long, winding, ludicrous tunnel. Lawson--journalist, blogger, and ambassador of disarray--has rewarded fans with previous memoirs on sobering yet hilarious aspects of her life and deepest thoughts. The author recounts her incredibly relatable, awkward social... Read More

In this audiobook, singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile recounts her path to success. Carlile describes her childhood in a town close to Seattle, leaving nothing out with respect to her childhood traumas, family dysfunction, or sexuality. At 16, when she wanted to be baptized, she went through all the preparations, but at the last minute her pastor refused to perform the sacrament... Read More

You don't have to be a grandparent to enjoy this brief but compelling compendium of wisdom on grandparenting. Author/narrator Paula Span completely engages listeners with her heartfelt, often very funny account of becoming a first-time grandparent. With her warm, friendly delivery, Span expresses her delight at her daughter's pregnancy, her attempts to control herself from... Read More

Narrator JD Jackson's husky voice creates a neo-noir atmosphere for this short thriller. Jackson adds drama and personality to a well-plotted but rudimentary story, and his bemused narration hints at his understanding of the genre. Jackson's approach elevates the catch-a-serial-killer setup and accelerates the pacing. Deaver has some surprises up his sleeve, and like a... Read More

Narrator Gemma Whelan introduces Reverend Jacqueline Brooks and her 14-year-old daughter, Flo, who move from the city to a church in rural England. Narrator Richard Armitage convincingly portrays a mysterious figure who stays in the background. In this horror story, people burn twig dolls to remember the martyrs who were burned at the stake 500 years ago during Queen Mary's... Read More

Narrators Heather O'Neill and John Keating put their natural Irish brogues to fine use as they share the narration of this cautionary tale. A mysterious order of Irish cattle butchers who travel from farm to farm offering their services find their ancient ways threatened during the 1996 outbreak of mad cow disease. The narrators give voice and emotion to a butcher's wife who... Read More

This beautifully written and deeply human novel about the complicated relationship between Nigerian twin sisters Taiye and Kehinde is not always served by newcomer Amaka Umeh's heartfelt but uneven narration. She excels at bringing Ekwuyasi's evocative descriptions of food to life, and her lively tone perfectly captures the everyday bustle that makes this novel feel so real:... Read More

In this audiobook, set in 1791, a murder victim has been placed in a coffin dug up from its grave. In the spirit of a classic mystery, narrator Esther Wane prevents this macabre event from becoming one of horror. Someone has dumped a skeleton out of its coffin and put the body of actress Dulcibella in it, and then surrounded the coffin with candles. When Colonel George Tretower... Read More

Narrator Noel Davies gives authentic pronunciation and cadence to the Jamaican patois in which the author writes this historically accurate novel. Told from the perspective of 14-year-old Moa, a cane cutter of Akan origin, the story follows Tacky's Revolt of 1760 as carried out on a sugar plantation. Every character of African lineage--from Moa and his siblings through those in... Read More

Narrator Mark Redfield performs the hilarious story of an American family caught up in their very own ghost story after purchasing an estate in England. Redfield provides the perfect inflections and timing for this story of cultural miscommunication, secret murders, and a ghost who is as malleable as any good actor. Redfield is joined by Mackenzie Menter, who provides the... Read More

Baraka Rahmani brings emotional sensitivity to her narration of the memoir of Badeeah Ahmed, an 18-year-old Yazidi woman who was kidnapped and held in captivity by Isis forces in Iraq. Rahmani is gifted at delivering context. In matter-of-fact tones she weaves information about Badeeah's family, her small town of Kocho, and the Yazidi people, a Northern Iraqi sect with a unique... Read More

Narrator Susan Bennett brings considerable acting talent, interesting and innovative voices, and spot-on accents to this time-travel love story. In 1844, in Ireland, Liam O'Connor, handsome rogue and thief, fell in love with a squire's shy and beautiful daughter, Cora McLeod, altering the future. With the help of Heaven's Angels, Liam is given a chance to correct this error.... Read More

Lesa Wilson narrates this debut audiobook featuring a teen romance. The summer before college brings several surprises for Maya, a science whiz. When her boyfriend breaks up with her, she is determined to get him back using the experiment her mother, a science researcher, was carrying out before she passed away. Can science provide a formula for love? Wilson has a pleasant... Read More

Narrator Graham Halstead gives children a true voice in this heartbreaking, infuriating, and devastating account of the impact of gun violence on kids and their families. When quoting children, he treats them with respect by making them sound youthful without infantilizing their voices. Cox has done a truly remarkable job of humanizing the horrific effects of gun violence on... Read More

Food historian Dave DeWitt offers listeners the ability to travel the globe through their earbuds with this comprehensive volume on those brightly-colored plants that add spice to life--commonly known as chiles. It's all here: botanical classifications, history, varieties, and uses--from the lowest to the highest on the Scoville heat scale. Gary Tiedemann provides a well-paced,... Read More

The titular city is Jerusalem, with parts of the audiobook also set in Hebron, Bethlehem, Tel Aviv, and Ramallah. The characters live in all those cities. There is no single story; instead there are numerous points of view, and narrator Lameece Issaq relies on subtle accents and the text to keep listeners oriented. This seems to be an interpretive choice, as it stresses the... Read More

Narrator Derek Perkins brings the enigmatic Egyptian queen to life in scenes drawn from ancient historians. This extensive volume revealing the background and myths surrounding one of the most famous women in history is aided by Perkins's British intonation and authoritative tone. Cleopatra is not only beautiful and sexy, she also proves to be an equal match to Rome's most... Read More

Booby-trapped Egyptian tombs, tomb raiders, an Australian heartthrob, and buried treasure--what's not to like in this debut adventure in the Maggie Edwards mystery series? This audio production has exciting moments and a wonderful description of the desert sky, but somehow, despite its many attributes and a satisfying narration by narrator Cathi Colas, it is less than... Read More

Narrator Julia Whelan delivers a smart, sassy pair of cousins who share a love of aviation. In the summer of 1937, in Big Coulee, Montana, 14-year-old Houston "Huck" Finn crashes his glider into a trout stream while trying to teach himself to fly. In the water he finds a dead man who is wearing a valuable Lindbergh watch. Huck reports the crime but takes the watch--an act that... Read More

Narrators Mimi Chang and Josh Hurley bring youthful energy to an unlikely friendship in this audiobook set in the 1980s. Ro, who is half-Chinese, is a new student and a total science nerd. Benji is artistic, obsessed with comic books, and doodles all day. Still, Benji promises to help Ro finish her rocket, and Ro offers to help Benji find his long-lost famous father. The... Read More

Narrator Jennifer Fitzgerald brings her Irish accent to Alice Taylor's evocative memoir of living in social retreat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offering a gentle yet non-idealized version of all the great and small changes in her own life and that of her village, Taylor describes a way of rural Irish living that seems to hew close to what she describes in her novels. Trading... Read More

Listeners will experience genuine excitement as the protagonist of this novel escapes from the man who has kidnapped her and hides in the Alaskan wilderness. Narrator Suzie Althens knows when to exercise restraint and when to unleash the power that makes this audiobook both scary and fun--for example, when a landslide uncovers a frozen body. Athens's method of increasing energy... Read More

Susan Lyons's remarkable performance of Shirley Hazzard's stories is a gift to all who love the author's wry wit and rapier adjectives, and all who have yet to discover them. The child of diplomats, Hazzard traveled throughout her life, honing her observational skills with every move. Set in the 1950s through 2000, the resulting stories are timeless examinations of the human... Read More

A fantastic team of narrators personalizes this wonderful story, a memoir of the author's initial mission to connect Negro League ballplayers with each other. The project soon evolves into serious research to seek confirmation of their careers so each player can receive a rightful pension. The ensemble narration works well. Aden Hakimi takes the role of the author, whose... Read More

Cambodian-American actor François Chau seems to inhabit the anonymous narrator of this novel--a young man of Vietnamese and French parentage who flees Vietnam at the fall of Saigon and heads to California and France. Chau's narration is so stellar that the listener sees the action through the narrator's eyes, yet Chau's soft voice remains unobtrusive. The writing in this novel... Read More

Internet marketing guru and podcast superstar John Lee Dumas is the Energizer Bunny in this high-impact guide to entrepreneurial success and financial abundance. He speaks incredibly fast, but his advice is always understandable, his ideas enlightening and affirming. These are practical, energy-conserving ideas, delivered with humanity and tireless enthusiasm. Dumas wants... Read More

Bahni Turpin's versatile narration pulls together the many threads in Nicole Glover's debut novel, a heady mix of historical fantasy, magic, and mystery set in post-Civil War Philadelphia. Hetty and Benjy Rhodes, once conductors on the Underground Railroad, now use their magical powers to investigate crimes in Philadelphia's Black community. When one of their friends is found... Read More

Judging by his own account, Rousseau must have been a difficult man to know. Irritable, paranoid, and egomaniacal, he is nonetheless portrayed on his own terms by narrator Jonathan Keeble in this audio version of one the first autobiographies. It would be easy to dismiss many of Rousseau's claims about his former friends conspiring against him, or to tone down his anger, or to... Read More

Narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies does a lovely job performing this array of stories, research, and expert advice on how productive disagreements can lead to better outcomes. At first, the polish of his British accent and his obvious delight with the material seem mismatched, but that soon becomes a nonissue. With his engagement and sincerity never in doubt, his performance... Read More

Nigella Lawson exuberantly narrates her latest cookbook, sharing her passion for food and cooking. Lawson's background as a chef, food writer, and TV personality all come into play in this well-rounded audiobook. Each chapter's long introduction has Lawson displaying her love of food in lushly expressive language. Listeners will be clamoring to try her recipes after the first... Read More

Narrator Kevin R. Free captures the heart and mind of 16-year-old Alex Rufus, who is suffering in ways most teens can't imagine. Since his parents' death, he can touch objects and see people's futures. Free sensitively depicts Alex's experiences and growing anxiety. He envisions breaking up with his girlfriend, then, worse, views the imminent death of his 12-year-old brother,... Read More

Moira Quirk narrates an intricate fantasy with historical and political elements. When the Queen of Elira dies suddenly, it is up to Lysande Prior to step into the role of Councillor and choose the next monarch from the available candidates. Quirk perfectly captures the nerves and fear Lysande experiences in her new position, as well as the deep grief she feels at the loss of... Read More

Narrator Stina Nielsen builds a nuanced personality for Nesta, who is known to listeners of this series as the prickly and sometimes cruel older sister. Nesta is in a bad way and is ripe for an intervention by her family, who whisk her off and force her to begin physical training with Cassian and to work the remainder of each day shelving books in the library. She becomes... Read More

Four narrators deliver this mystery involving an affluent family and their secrets. Four teens are summoned by their wealthy, estranged grandmother to spend the summer with her. She disinherited their parents years ago, and now the parents see dollar signs in getting back in her good graces. Sarah Skaer embraces Milly's youthful point of view. Kate Reinders's sulky delivery of... Read More

Narrator L.J. Ganser helps listeners understand the complex, well-researched creation stories that are presented in the five sections of this title. He brings an easy, rolling style to the scientific explanations for the origins of life that are grouped with the cultural ones. Ganser makes sense of a range of answers to our search for meaning. His delivery brings a personal... Read More

The author's memoir of growing up in a tough Philadelphia neighborhood and finding a haven in a nearby barn where he learns to play polo reads like a novel. Narrator Landon Woodson delivers the story perfectly, bringing out its range of emotions. The sport sticks with Rosser, who goes off to military school and continues to play polo. Eventually, it becomes his salvation.... Read More

This audio publication of a 2000 print book is still relevant today. An uplifting work, it explains how and why consistent human contact is important to good health. It's full of concise research summaries and moving anecdotes about those with social lifestyles associated with premature death--people without partners, folks who are widowed, people who don't connect with others... Read More

Author Michelle Zauner's quiet, measured narration matches the graceful power of her prose in this poignant memoir about her mother's life and death. She writes about their complicated relationship, her Korean-American identity, the uneven terrain of grief, and, perhaps most vividly, food. There's a beautiful sureness to her narration throughout, but her voice comes alive when... Read More

Dion Graham's whispery baritone delivers a quietly commanding performance of Colum McCann's beautifully written novel inspired by ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev's life. Growing up behind the Iron Curtain in the postwar Soviet Union, young Rudi faces deprivation, hunger, and government repression. Graham wisely doesn't attempt character voices yet deftly takes us through Rudi's... Read More

Narrator Shannon McManus returns for the long-awaited 14th installment in the Wings of Fire series. Hundreds of Pantalan dragons narrowly escape Queen Wasp's mind control by braving the long flight across the ocean to the IceWing Kingdom. There Queen Snowfall wants nothing to do with the strangers and is intent on keeping her kingdom safe from other tribes at all costs. McManus... Read More

Narrator Fenella Woolgar's performance of this terrific novel, based on a true story, is as satisfying as a full-cast recording. In 1841, the Rajah leaves London with 180 women prisoners sentenced to transportation to Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania). Also on board are the captain, a physician, a clergyman, and optimistic 23-year-old Kezia Hayter, the ship's matron. Kezia chooses... Read More

Rebecca Soler's superb narration makes this collection of horror stories irresistible. She skillfully commands accents and tone with such finesse that it seems like there are multiple narrators. These socially conscious stories are unconventionally macabre--at times achingly, gruesomely, yet utterly fascinating. Set in modern-day Argentina, these eclectic works feature zombie... Read More

Narrator Kristin Atherton takes command of the seventh title in this fantasy-adventure series. Between tracking down rare books, maintaining a supernatural peace treaty, and training her new fae apprentice, librarian/spy Irene Winters has plenty to do. And then the assassination attempts begin. Each scheme Irene and her companions uncover leads them deeper into a tangle of new... Read More

Narrator Alex Allwine performs this domestic thriller involving an inappropriate relationship between Roan, an Olympic-class equestrian, and her controlling father, who is her coach. Friends and fans see Roan as blessed; she's wealthy and beautiful, a skilled athlete, and well loved by her charming father. What they don't know is that her father dictates her every move--as a... Read More

This audiobook brings to life one of the early twentieth century's most noteworthy advocates of the labor movement--the famed attorney Clarence Darrow--and his sympathetic wife, Ruby. Graham Winton's skillful narration also illuminates this era's fierce battles between industrialists and labor, which culminated in the October 1, 1910, bombing of the LOS ANGELES TIMES building,... Read More

This fascinating audiobook changes the focus from three of the men who helped win WWII to their daughters, whose collective efforts were surprisingly helpful to the war effort, particularly at the Yalta Conference in 1945. In attendance were Kathleen Harriman, Sarah Churchill, and Anna Roosevelt, daughters of the U.S. ambassador to Russia, the British prime minister, and the... Read More

The native New Zealand accent of narrator Tameka Sowman Vahatau brings the setting to life in this audiobook about a biracial--white and Samoan--girl. Through 12-year-old Sofia's first-person diary entries, listeners hear about the political unrest in 1970s New Zealand. When Sofia's brother joins the Polynesian Panthers, a group protesting government injustices against native... Read More

Narrator Kaleo Griffith is methodical, precise, and steady in his delivery of this look at the dangers of consumerism. He treats listeners to this in-depth examination of how current purchasing trends are intertwined with climate change. Griffith's narration has an academic tone that reflects this well-researched work. This will be a popular title for those who would like to... Read More

First published in 1910, this work is part of Gordon Holmes's Winter and Furneaux mystery series. Jack de Golia narrates the brief yet complex story of the murder of French actress Rose de Bercy. Chief Inspector Winter is flummoxed due to the many suspects. When Winter's partner, DI Furneux, enters the picture, events and motives begin to coalesce. De Golia changes his voice... Read More

Nathalie Pownall narrates an unconventional young adult romance audiobook. After her father dies, Josie takes a gap year before starting university. As she begins to renovate the English estate her father bequeathed to her, she comes across letters addressed to her that were written by someone 200 years earlier. Pownall's performance, though spirited, is far from stellar.... Read More

Listeners join junior barrister Daniel Pitt as he seeks to uncover the mystery behind the savage murder of his colleague and how it may affect Britain's shipbuilding plans in the years just before WWI. Samuel Roukin is a confident narrator whose steady timing allows this mystery, with its many twists and turns, to unfold at a good pace. His subtle characterizations of the key... Read More

This brief yet moving audiobook written in verse features Stevie, an 11-year-old Irish girl who keeps her anxiety at bay by trying to learn absolutely everything. The one thing she most wants to know, however, she can't learn from her caring mom and doesn't know how to find in a book: Why does she get such a fizzy feeling around her friend Chloe? Narrator Heather O'Neill's... Read More

Narrator Cassandra Morris delivers an enchanting performance of an orphaned mouse's journey to uncover her past, set within the world of Disney's CINDERELLA. Delphine's exceptional skill as a dressmaker earns her the privilege of designing the mouse-princess's dress for the ball. Legends of past "tailor mice" point to a silver sewing needle with magical properties that could... Read More

In an unnamed West African country, a group of politically active university students decide to use street performance and the works of Samuel Beckett to battle against a repressive authoritarian regime and change the world. Award-winning Canadian actor Kevin Hanchard readily captures the sense of innocence, fear, and betrayal that one student feels when he is arrested and... Read More

"Manifesto" is the perfect word to use to describe this compelling, provocative listen. Narrator JD Jackson's gravelly voice and deliberate delivery match the insightful content and thoughtful argument presented. Blow's argument challenges listeners to think beyond the current conversations about race, politics, and white supremacy. Instead, he presents a step-by-step... Read More

Multilingual Risa Mei is the perfect narrator for this combination mystery/rom-com involving Indonesian-Chinese-American Meddy Chan, her mother, and her Aunties. The author's introduction states that the Aunties' broken English straddles a fine line between authenticity and stereotype and is not a reflection of their intelligence; this note is important in our age of cultural... Read More

This audiobook is much more than a mystery; it is an intimate record of the poverty, the misery, and the aspirations of those living in marginalized and vulnerable communities in India where children are disappearing. Narrator Antonio Aakeel voices 9-year-old Jai, a fan of police television shows who decides that he and his buddies will find the missing children. While Aakeel... Read More

At a slow pace that reflects the author's introspective tone, Charley Flyte narrates this melancholy memoir. The author is a Navajo woman who had few connections to her Native family until the death of her alcoholic mother took her on a journey--both literal and metaphoric--to her roots. In a languid voice, Flyte recounts Geller's rejection of her abusive parents and her... Read More

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld displays impressive vocal versatility in this gentle fantasy. Wren's gift for healing magic is unparalleled, but it's not enough to save her from the Queen's wrath when Wren's reckless actions go too far. Dismissed from the guard, Wren travels to the estate of a lord who is seeking her assistance, only to find Hal Cavendish, her kingdom's sworn enemy,... Read More

Lippman's ingenious, allusive, and daring new thriller makes for a massively entertaining audiobook. It nods to REAR WINDOW, MISERY, and a host of other iconic suspense fictions, even including a brief appearance by Lippman's own trademark PI Tess Monaghan, but Lippman spins them all. Narrator Jason Culp creates vivid characters and delivers emotion, color, humor, and momentum... Read More

Narrator Rosalyn Landor tells the first Bridgerton story with heaps of heart. One of an alphabetically named group of eight siblings, Daphne Bridgerton has always imagined she will marry and start her own family. Then she meets her brother Anthony's friend, Simon, the Duke of Hastings, whose childhood trauma has him vowing never to marry and never to father children. Landor... Read More

Narrator Mary Jane Wells doesn't miss a step in delivering this entertaining and well-crafted love story. When beautiful Lucy Coover, an art student at the Royal Academy, stumbles across a drunk, naked, and very handsome man passed out in an alley, she can't help but later paint him in his magnificent and easily recognizable "altogether." Happily for the listener and Lucy,... Read More

Narrator Peter Baker's rich tones help to create the convincing backdrop of 1930s England in this vintage-style mystery. The bizarre deaths of 11 members of the Harding family start to worry brothers Lars and Loris only when they realize they are next to inherit Harding Hall. That will put them at the top of the death list, so they call in the brilliant Indian detective Depak... Read More