New Reviews by Title: E-J

Narrator Frankie Corzo brings her velvety voice to this Argentinian story featuring a character who has visions of violence that has taken place against women. As a child, Eartheater discovers that her desire to consume earth is matched by an ability to magically see into the lives of others. After alarming her school by revealing her teacher's grisly death, she's expelled, and... Read More

Michael Kramer returns to narrate the fourth audiobook in the Butcher's Boy series. Michael Schaefer, a retired hit man, has been enjoying the good life in England with his aristocratic wife. But one Mafia boss, who has a long memory and a particular grudge against him, seeks revenge. Kramer's voicing of Schaefer is easy to listen to and conveys the personality of this smart,... Read More

It may not have been until Hillary or Michelle that a first lady garnered nearly as much acclaim as Eleanor Roosevelt. Gabra Zackman narrates Michaelis's biography at just the right pitch. It is never overly dramatic, despite many tragic and heartbreaking events, and steers clear of hagiography. The audiobook engages by recalling life during the late-nineteenth and... Read More

Strachey's relatively brief lives of four prominent Victorian personalities set a new tone and standard for biography: witty, honest, and not always full of praise. Jonathan Keeble's narration captures the wit, irreverence, and drama, as well as the poetry and stylishness of Strachey's prose. Even though Cardinal Manning and Dr. Arnold are mostly forgotten now (the other two... Read More

Yareli Arizmendi takes on the daunting narration of Martinez-Belli's epic historical novel recounting the tempestuous reign of Maximillian of Austria and his princess, Charlotte, better known as Empress Carlota of Mexico. To quash the current Mexican regime, Napoleon III places Maximillian and Charlotte on the throne. Married to a man who does not love her and who will not bed... Read More

Narrators Staci Mitchell and James Fouhey do an outstanding job keeping listeners grounded in the bizarre world of this sci-fi novel, the sequel to ESCAPING EXODUS. Reformers Doka and Seske are determined to lead their society into a more just future. Rather than exploiting the space beast they live inside and rely on for sustenance, they're attempting to live in symbiosis with... Read More

Narrator Erin Moon shares her talents in an audiobook revolving around a woman's misconceptions about her family members. After her older sister, Tam, dies from cancer, 35-year-old Eve returns home to the city she couldn't wait to escape. Each day, as the family sits shiva, Eve discovers more about her sister's secrets and works through her changing view of their relationship.... Read More

Folks picking up this audiobook because it is narrated by Dan Stevens ("Downton Abbey") will not be disappointed. Stevens proves once again that his acting training translates perfectly to audiobook narration. The postapocalyptic ice world of this fantasy features a spoken language that is an amalgamation of English, Spanish, and a bit of futuristic slang that derives from... Read More

With a voice like a film noir femme fatale, narrator Kirsten Potter takes listeners through the frequent twists and turns of forensic expert Maggie Gardiner's latest murder case. Her investigative partner, Jack, is also a serial killer who views it as his mission to bring justice to those who have escaped it through other means. Now Maggie has to solve a case to protect Jack... Read More

This audiobook is the fourth police procedural in the Ellery Hathaway series. Ellery, who as a youth was the victim of a sadistic madman, is now a police officer in Boston and a fierce champion of crime victims. Danielle Gensler portrays Ellery as strong yet vulnerable, her voice both resolute and compassionate. Ellery is the lead detective in the case of a missing preteen who... Read More

With a generous measure of sweetness and a dollop of spice, Emily Ellet narrates this heartwarming romance. In a warm tone, Ellet portrays Shay Goldstein, a public radio producer who has worked her way up from intern. Now she is clashing with the station's latest hire--the wunderkind Dominic Yun, a brash journalism school graduate. With the threat of station layoffs, Shay and... Read More

This audiobook recounts the true story of the Five Deeps Expedition of 2019-2020, a quest launched by equity investor and well-known explorer Victor Vescovo. The goal was for a manned submersible to reach the deepest points of the Earth's five oceans, with side trips to the TITANIC, the Horizon Deep, the Challenger Deep, the Sirena Deep, and the Diamantina Fracture Zone. The... Read More

With bright-sounding innocence, Sarah Drew portrays an American zoologist working in Australia who makes the discovery of a lifetime when she finds that the endangered carnivorous marsupial the tiger quoll may still exist in the wild. However, to save the species she may have to make a deal with the devil--a timber baron, portrayed by American actor Seamus Dever, who sports a... Read More

Natalie Naudus narrates with a welcoming warmth that suits this sweet and affirming audiobook, which is enhanced with gentle music. A Taiwanese girl worries that her eyes are different from the big, round eyes of her classmates. But then she sees that her eyes mirror her mother's, her Amah's, and Mei Mei's and that they all have eyes that "kiss in the corners and glow like warm... Read More

Narrator Nancy Peterson impeccably delivers the multiple accents required for this novel covering the years leading up to the Russian Revolution. Set in St. Petersburg, in 1903, the fictional account follows Prince Dimitri Markhov; his vindictive wife, Lara; Czar Nicholas II, and Czarina Alexandra. The plot illuminates Prince Dimitri's awakening to the filth and poverty of the... Read More

The lives of four teen girls in a changing Nassau neighborhood are vibrantly brought to life by four expertly matched narrators. Robin Eller's youthful and rounded voice is ideal for her portrayal of Eve, a devoted preacher's daughter whose church is in the way of a hotel development. Eve's best friend, Faith, is an outsider whose father, a politician, is supporting the hotel.... Read More

Narrator Susan Ericksen returns the listener to the world of New York City police detective Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, in this series, which takes place 40 years in the future. Eve's investigation of the murder of a sculptor leads to a sinister cult-like group. Roarke is Irish, and Ericksen gives him a slight brogue. Eve has a no-nonsense tone, and the... Read More

Therese Plummer's narration will have listeners running the gamut from laughter to tears as they fall in love with Dakota Jones. Dakota is visiting his family in Sullivan's Crossing after leaving the army. While he is adjusting to civilian life, he falls for Sidney, a bartender. Plummer takes the listener on an emotional roller-coaster ride as the story also recounts what is... Read More

Narrator Simon Vance grabs listeners' attention and doesn't let go until the final credits of the 23rd Inspector Rutledge mystery by Charles Todd (a pseudonym for a terrific mother-and-son writing team). Rutledge is out of favor with his boss, again, and is sent to a remote Welsh village to investigate the death of an unidentified man who fell or was pushed into a river. As... Read More

With his English accent and languid yet expressive voice, author/narrator Charlie Gilmour is charming company. His deep, abiding love for his family is obvious. He adores his wife, Yana--he sounds almost amazed by her--and he finds purpose and healing in caring for their accidental pet, a magpie they name Benzene (for the industrial site where they found the little chick).... Read More

Pete Cross does an excellent job narrating this timely, hard-edged audiobook, which takes on the Ebola epidemic in West Africa but has relevance to today's COVID-19 pandemic. He reads crisply and is equally adept at the historical, biographical, and anthropological parts of this story. Cross's controlled pace and reportorial voice work for revelations of medical deserts, human... Read More

Narrator Nan McNamara brings an enthusiastic and relatable voice to this fun and fulfilling story of discovering birding. She expresses the author's transformation with the zeal of someone whose new hobby has taken over her every thought. Effervescent tones and buoyant pacing bring listeners into this new source of rapture in Zarankin's life. Growing up in a family of music... Read More

With a Southern accent and a deep, dramatic voice, narrator LaQuita James brings to life the inspiring story of Booker T. Washington, an emancipated slave with a dream of earning a college degree. From Washington's uneducated childhood to his determination to teach himself to read and his five-hundred-mile journey on foot from West Virginia to Hampton Institute in Virginia,... Read More

Who has not stared at a darkened bedroom ceiling and fantasized about what they would do if they could live life over? To the hero of this audiobook, Peter Wyatt, this is a reality. One day, the 65-year-old man wakes up in the body of himself at age 15 in 1970. Narrator Michael Crouch sounds like a desperate yet earnest teenager who is equipped with decades of knowledge of... Read More

Narrator Kaipo Schwab becomes the author, Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson, as he describes his life and accomplishments as the leader of the Westbank First Nation and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. As a businessman and chief, Derrickson has increased his tribes' wealth and position more than 3,500% since the 1970s through leasing and logging rights and through... Read More

Marisol Ramirez and Frankie Corzo alternate narrating as mother and daughter in this drama based on true events. Ramirez displays her range as Estelita, an actress who perseveres through many hardships, only to meet an untimely death. Her daughter, Nina, reflects on their complicated relationship--the two were often separated by acting assignments and Estelita's multiple... Read More

Narrator Prentice Onayemi returns for the second audiobook in The Burning series. Tau now holds the title of Queen's Champion, despite his Lesser origins. Tau and Queen Tsiora must work together to end the civil war among the Omehi to have any hope of defending themselves against an impending attack by Xidda. Onayemi's gentle narration offers listeners a detached performance... Read More

Saira Ayers and Neil Shah narrate a budding romance. Bollywood star Dev Dixit and Pakistani-American beauty influencer Jia Ahmed, who don't know each other, nonetheless agree to pretend to date. He's on a lark, and she is trying to fend off her family's traditional Muslim intentions for her. Shah's voice is a treat for the listener's ears. Full of emotion, his rich, smooth... Read More

A full cast re-creates the horrific 1889 flood that killed 2,209 Johnstown, Pennsylvania, residents. Listeners meet the townsfolk, including young people like Taylor Meskimen's thoughtful and spunky Gertrude Quinn, whose diary has supplied first-person information about this event. William James's poetry writing comes alive through Christopher Gebauer's skilled delivery. The... Read More

It's not uncommon for an audiobook to have a plot that challenges the listener's sense of realism but still succeeds because of the narrator's compelling performance. This entertaining work, ably narrated by Braden Wright, fits that description. Riley Wolfe, a world-class thief, must steal a fresco from the Vatican or face certain death. As the suspense builds, Wright's precise... Read More

Stop everything and listen to this stunning eco-thriller, first published as a BBC podcast. Narrator Pearl Mackie's earnest, affable portrayal of a librarian who is lured by a recording of a rainforest that her government inexplicably deems dangerous will immerse listeners. Tanya Moody, in turn, offers a chilling, and quite sultry, performance as a villain. Pippa Haywood's tone... Read More

Four estranged friends reunite as one of them is about to get married, and narrator Erin Mallon brings the listener on the emotional journey that ensues. The bride, Cat, persuades Maze, Heather, and Walker to spend the week. Mallon gives each a distinct voice that allows listeners to easily follow along. The youngest, Heather, has a light voice. The pacing quickens as Cat's... Read More

The dual narration of this audiobook is unique in that both characters are voicing the same character, Will, a forger being extorted into doing a special job. At first, it might take the listener aback, but it does not mar the performance as both voices are woven seamlessly into the story. When Will's wife, Meghan, speaks, Christina Delaine shapes her voice with appropriate... Read More

Narrator Doug MacKechnie introduces Nick Weissman and his Northwestern University medical school classmates, who spend two weeks in 1968 working for the Chicago Maternity Clinic. Listeners will be awed and shocked as Weissman and a midwife journey around one of Chicago's most dangerous areas to deliver babies for the very poor. They use kitchen tables, newspapers, sheets, and... Read More

Narrator MacLeod Andrews's subtle Southern accent and gentle cadence help establish the Nashville setting of this coming-of-age story. It's about what happens when Charlie, who was raised on the wrong side of the tracks, is given the opportunity to attend a prestigious private high school. After he and his single mother move into their benefactor's pool house, the teen gets an... Read More

Behind the tongue twister "she sells seashells by the seashore" lies the largely untold story of one of the world's pioneering paleontologists. Mary Anning grew up in an impoverished English home and dug up fossils to sell to tourists and collectors to support her family. Her contributions to the fossil record undergird Darwin's evolution theories. Rachael Beresford narrates... Read More

An outstanding cast brings these essays and poems vividly to life. Of the many incandescent narrators, JD Jackson ("Upon Arrival"), Kevin R. Free ("Cotton"), January LaVoy ("Sally Hemmings"), and Robin Miles ("Maroons and Marronage") are masterful. But at least two dozen more could be mentioned. Ninety entries, including 10 poems, encapsulate the African-American experience... Read More

Narrator Julia Whelan brings vivid characterizations to Kristin Hannah's bestselling saga about the 1930s Dust Bowl, as told from a woman's perspective. Elsa Wolcott is tall, gangly, unloved by her family, and trapped in a spinster's life in a Texas Panhandle town when an encounter with handsome Rafe Martinelli leads to a shotgun wedding. Life on the Martinelli farm offers... Read More

Reanimating the dead. Shunning the living result. Terrible revenge. By combining radio-drama sound effects and performance styles with novelistic descriptive passages, this 2018 stage adaptation brings a theatrical energy and immediacy to Shelley's classic horror tale. A scientist's relentless search for immortality leads to mankind's loss of innocence at the dawn of the age of... Read More

This series retells the Star Wars movies through the perspectives of various supporting characters. In this second entry, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is presented as 40 short stories by a rotating cast of talented audiobook narrators. Listeners may benefit from rewatching the movie in order to fully visualize the stories, especially those featuring aliens, droids, and other Star... Read More

The first of two audiobooks in the Warrior Witch duology introduces Askia, heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh, who tells her own story. Narrator Imani Powers instills her with an air of imperiousness, which is seen as the young woman pushes norms of protocol. Powers conveys the sense of impatience and urgency that Askia feels as she seeks allies. In exile and seeking aid from... Read More

Narrator Justine Eyre deftly moves between Irish, English, and Scottish accents in this penny dreadful-inspired novel of love and thievery. Ana Newport's secret life as the "Phantom Fox" allows her to reclaim items unjustly taken from her family. Hollis Darby, a member of a secret organization and writer of pseudonymous penny dreadfuls, has fallen for Ana, and both are working... Read More

Narrators JD Jackson and Cassandra Morris make the most of this audiobook's format of letters and emails between Vivy, an 11-year-old girl, and VJ Capello, her major league baseball pitching idol. Vivy is determined to play baseball and use her knuckleball pitch in a real game, not just while practicing with her brother. But her mother has concerns about her being the only girl... Read More

Narrator Kaleo Griffith's playful tone and youthful timbre convey a cheerful optimism that's essential for a message like this to hit home. He makes listeners want to answer yes when the author asks if they are ready for a change. The audiobook is compact, compared to similar works on happy productivity, and this aspect of the production is also served well by Griffith's tone.... Read More

If you're looking to rise to the challenge of creating naturally leavened bread, these two able companions will instruct, entertain, and accompany you. Self-confessed bread nerds Chad Robertson, cofounder of the esteemed bakery Tartine, and Jennifer Latham, Tartine's head bread baker, lead listeners through the process of making Tartine's exceptional country loaf. After sharing... Read More

This collection of 15 short stories by award-winning author Tananarive Due spans several genres, including the supernatural, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and futurism. The author herself narrates several and is joined for the rest by practiced narrators Robin Miles and Janina Edwards. Three of the stories are set in the haunted fictional town of Gracetown, Florida, while... Read More

Harold Ramis's daughter, Violet Stiel, narrates most of her memoir about growing up with her father. Ramis was the mastermind behind such comedy classics as GHOSTBUSTERS and CADDYSHACK. Stiel recounts how her father made her laugh--and at times cry--throughout her childhood. This is a meditation on life and times with a father who was a household name, and Stiel alternates... Read More

Tovah Feldshuh's mature voice and acclaimed acting skills make her an excellent choice to perform this heartfelt advice from a 93-year-old Jewish-Hungarian clinical psychologist and Holocaust survivor. Feldshuh's lilting phrasing is incredibly varied, beautiful to hear in itself, and finessed to match every nuance in the shifting themes of this work. Her performance really... Read More

Lex was known as Girl A after her escape from her abusive parents. Listeners join Lex when, years later, her mother dies in prison. As the executor of her mother's will, Lex is forced to face her past once again. Ell Potter's strong yet subtle narration helps to build the tension in this story. The narrative shifts time frames, and Potter's characterization helps to distinguish... Read More

Author and narrator Nikita Gill eloquently unfolds the story of Paro, a young woman from India who is navigating various hardships that shape her journey to womanhood. There is a poetic quality in the content of this story and in its narration. Gill's voice is airy and soft yet commanding. It is not difficult to imagine Paro as a divine being, given the combination of Gill's... Read More

In this audiobook offshoot of his film project SIDE BY SIDE, filmmaker Glenn Morey presents moving first-person accounts of 15 people who were separated from their families in South Korea and adopted by people in Western countries. Morey, himself a South Korean adoptee, narrates with earnest warmth, explaining what inspired him and his wife to follow up with the South Korean... Read More

The reissue of basketball star Bill Russell's memoir on audio will remind listeners that he was a champion of racial justice when few discussed the topic, and certainly not with his candor. Narrated by JD Jackson, who sounds like Russell, even down to his uniquely patient style of speaking, the book is as timely now as when it was first released in 1968. Whether addressing the... Read More

This is an audiobook for sports fans, particularly fans of sporting events large and small over the past half century. As a sports journalist, Callahan worked throughout the country over his long career. Listeners will hear a mix of memoir and behind-the-scenes stories, all delivered by Danny Campbell. Combining anecdotes about greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Roberto Clemente,... Read More

Joe Jameson narrates this impressive work of humanistic philosophy with the seriousness, clarity, and style that it merits. His English accent and educated tone amplify the listening experience of this excursion into the idea of how one can be a "good ancestor." First posed by American scientist Jonas Salk, this question launches Krznaric's treatise on the kinds of... Read More

Jill Blackwood gives a lively narration of this audiobook--part memoir and part lesson on religion. Blackwood capably conveys Passarella's intention to bridge the divide between her conservative Christian upbringing in Memphis and her present-day life as a New York City writer, wife, and mother of three. Passarella is an admirably honest storyteller who reveals many intimate... Read More

Ann Richardson deftly narrates this empowering story of breakthrough medicine. Following the doctors, donors, various families, and countries involved, the author chronicles the remarkable discovery that made the miracle of birth attainable for mixed Rh factor families. The journey begins with a sick boy who undergoes enough transfusions to completely replace his body's blood... Read More

Narrator Marin Ireland expertly shares the story of two couples through the ups and downs of their complex, long-standing friendship. The Good Company of the title is a theater group that three of the four friends were active in. It could also refer to the value of long-term, intertwined relationships as their dynamics shift. Ireland serves as a sympathetic narrator and... Read More

This interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 masterpiece by narrator Sean Astin adds new layers of pathos and empathy to the classic story. As portrayed by Astin, young Nick Carraway reveals his entanglement with the mysterious and eclectic millionaire Jay Gatsby in a youthful timbre and naïve tone. Astin also adds new insight into the tragic love story between Daisy... Read More

In this middle-grade fantasy audiobook narrated by Emily Wheaton, 13-year-old Grace longs to go on missions to protect the citizens of Moreland, just like her older brother and their mother. When the opportunity unexpectedly presents itself, Grace jumps at the chance--unbeknownst to her family. Both the production itself and the story's chapters begin with the same light, airy... Read More

From "Hansel and Gretel" and "Rumpelstiltskin" to "Snow White" and "The Brave Little Tailor," narrator Rebecca K. Reynolds brings charm and zest to 12 of the Grimm brothers' most popular stories, making these old classics feel new and fresh. Her breathy voice projects a sense of wonder at the magical elements. And with artful delivery, she laughs along with the humorous... Read More

Listeners will enjoy the beginning of this new series. Priest Rahandras is the leader of his people, who have the ability to perform magic and shape-shift into their spirit animal. After Kateri Falsen's parents are murdered, her grandmother brings her and her brother to Priest for protection. Narrator Nicole Poole does a good job with the masculine tones of Priest's voice,... Read More

This audiobook is a chilling psychological thriller that explores the ways grief, loss, and fear can change a person and make them question who they are. The story is told from the perspective of Jane, who has recently relocated after the death of her daughter. When her new community starts experiencing abductions and murders, Jane is forced to ask herself if she could be... Read More

Rosalyn Landor's narration helps build believable characters and an atmosphere full of tension. Listeners join troubled Simon Brandon, a recently enlisted, underage soldier in 1900. Despite the discovery of his secret, he is sent to India under the watchful eye of Colonel Crawford. There he grows increasingly close to the Colonel's family. Later, when he finds himself accused... Read More

At the opening of this exciting audiobook full of global intrigue, Jim McGill, the "president's henchman," takes a case in Paris while his wife, a politician, is in London at a G8 meeting. A former police colleague has killed a man while trying to rescue a young woman the man was beating. There are just two problems: No one can find the woman, and the people of France want to... Read More

Listeners will delight in Jordan Cobb's enthusiastic and vibrant narration of this sweet rom-com. Biracial Tessa has always had a special talent for writing romance stories, despite sharing them only with her Filipina-American BFF, Caroline. But after being accepted at an elite creative writing program in Long Beach--which gives her a new school, new friends, and a new... Read More

Rock legend Tina Turner begins and ends this audiobook with a powerful recording of her chanting. While moments from her life illustrate her path, her story focuses on her fifty-year practice of Buddhism. Narrator Adrienne Warren's tone is open and generous as she delivers Turner's teachings. Through tragedy, abuse, and health problems, Turner found strength in Buddhist... Read More

JD Jackson portrays a character named Harlem without overdramatizing the violence and brutality of his life. This subtle approach works. Harlem is a killer who is locked up in a mental hospital. It's strangely compelling to hear his cruel crimes described in such casual--or even sometimes wronged--tones. Jackson's rough-hewn voice is very appropriate. There's nothing soft about... Read More

This exceptional audiobook proves that there are still unique stories of Holocaust survival to hear. Alan Haft's biography of his father, Harry Haft, who used brawn and boxing skills to survive under the Nazis, including imprisonment at Auschwitz, is one listeners will long remember. Narrator Price Waldman tells Harry's story with a sense of rage, determination to survive, and... Read More

Austen fans will appreciate Molly Greeley's clever rendering of a little-known character from PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Ell Potter's narration as Anne de Bourgh starts soft and dreamlike. Anne, a fussy baby, was prescribed laudanum to quiet her. The opium derivative keeps young Anne docile, compliant, and out of the way of her domineering mother, Lady Catherine, who arranges Anne's... Read More

Rebecca K. Reynolds's enthusiastic narration ably differentiates the many characters in this complex tale and highlights its whimsical language. Henry, an artist who is much more imaginative than his classmates, draws a chalk dragon on his bedroom door. When it escapes, Henry finds himself on a quest to catch it in order to save his entire elementary school. Reynolds emphasizes... Read More

Mary Jane Wells wrote and performed this play, now an audiobook, based on the life of Danna Davis, U.S. soldier, veteran, and survivor of military sexual trauma during the Iraq War. It's a difficult story of a lesbian before "don't ask, don't tell." Wells vocally becomes this ten-year veteran with vibrant and graphic, disturbing accounts of battles and other military... Read More

This eerily beautiful tale draws on Scottish folklore, creating a unique listening experience. Narrator Elle Newlands's Scottish brogue is the perfect voice for young Alva, who is planning to escape her isolated, fearful life on the loch with her father, who is suspected of having murdered her mother seven years earlier. Newlands will have listeners on the edge of their seats... Read More

In this cozy mystery listeners gain insight into the life of the first female Episcopal priest to serve in Apple Springs in Northern California. When Hope Taylor shows up for her first day on the job, she finds the murdered body of the meanest man in town and decides to channel her inner Trixie Belden to identify the killer. Jennifer Jill Araya helps listeners find Hope highly... Read More

Cassandra Campbell narrates this biography of Alcott's formative years. Campbell's performance suggests the cultured speech of the educated elite in nineteenth-century Massachusetts. Most of Alcott's large family were prolific writers, and the audiobook includes quotes from letters and diaries. Bound only by her family's extreme but genteel poverty and their transcendentalist... Read More

Narrators Taylor Meskimen and Ozzie Rodriguez portray teenagers who are having an unforgettable--and terrifying--summer romance. James and Amelia, both 17, go canoeing on their first date. They paddle to an unexplored lake where, under the water, they discover a house that is fully--impossibly--intact and furnished. In the following weeks, the couple form an intense bond while... Read More

NPR host and podcast star Guy Raz interviewed more than 200 entrepreneurs to find out what made them successful. As a narrator, he has perfected the type of vocal drama and glitzy enthusiasm that make this audio program so much fun to hear. It's an intense, in-your-face performance that might sound over the top at first but works well with business sagas that are teaming with... Read More

Narrators Robert Petkoff and Christine Lakin adopt hard New England accents as they perform this mystery set in Maine. Opening with Lakin's portrayal of Kimmy Crepeaux's terse confession to her role in the murder of Jackie Pelletier and Ian Kelly, the story picks up speed as FBI agent Rob Barrett, portrayed by Petkoff, seeks out the real truth behind their deaths. Lakin softens... Read More

Set in Barbados, a paradise to all but those who live there, this audiobook captures the mythical qualities of Jones's debut novel. Narrator Danielle Vitalis's slow, dreamlike performance is perfect for the tragic story of Lala, a hair-braider; Adan, her husband, a sadistic, small-time crook; Mira, who once lived on the island; and Peter, the white man she married. Mira and... Read More

Karen Chilton narrates a royal love story. Sanyu, crown prince of Njaza, must wed, but he vows he will not fall in love with Shanti, the bride chosen for him. Shanti approaches marriage with equal pragmatism, as her goal since childhood has been to become a queen. Chilton is compassionate in her portrayal of Sanyu, who has suffered years of emotional abuse but is still... Read More

This installment of McCall Smith's beloved African novels finds Mma Ramotswe faced with two niggling problems: a distant relative asking for money and a strange smell lingering in her precious white van. Narrator Adjoa Andoh enlivens Mma Ramotswe with the rich, measured tones of a person who has weathered plenty of difficulties and will face the new challenges with forbearance.... Read More

At the start of this touching audiobook, Curtis Jackson, known as the rapper 50 Cent, says that while he's never been shy talking about his success, he's screwed up many things and is reluctant to call himself an expert on life. Yet his achievements in the entertainment world and his harrowing life as a drug dealer before that taught him lessons on managing himself and his... Read More

Sunny Hostin's expressive narration of her absorbing and thought-provoking memoir offers entertainment and education whether you're already a fan or have never heard of her. For the uninitiated, Hostin is a journalist, lawyer, and former prosecutor who now cohosts ABC's "The View" and serves as the network's senior legal correspondent. She is biracial--with a Black father and a... Read More

Author Michelle Duster delivers her biography of her great grandmother, Ida B. Wells, with obvious admiration and love. She moves smoothly from past to present as she documents Wells's life from her birth into slavery through Reconstruction, her role in establishing the NAACP, her work in the suffrage movement, and her lasting impact as it is acknowledged by today's Black... Read More

Actor Alex Hyde-White deftly handles the narration of this heartfelt and candid assessment of the entertainment industry from Emmy-winning producer Frank Pace. Network television production has its own set of challenging rules, which are well explored. Pace has enjoyed a wide array of clients and projects, along with personal interests that include coaching a high school... Read More

Karen Peakes narrates this true-crime story of Shelly Knotek, a woman who knew no bounds. Peakes's performance sucks the listener into the scenes of abuse, torture, sadism, and, eventually, murder committed by Shelly. Her victims were her three daughters, Nikki, Sami, and Tori; her husband's nephew, Shane; and her friends, Kathy and Ron. Peakes delivers the narrative in an... Read More

Emily Woo Zeller returns to narrate the final installment of the Grave Kingdom trilogy, an Asian-inspired fantasy, complete with dragons and plenty of magic. In response to a prophecy, Bingmei, a young warrior, sets out to save the world from the seemingly unstoppable Dragon of the Night. Zeller portrays Bingmei as vulnerable yet fearless. Her relationship with her traveling... Read More

British business coach Max Dickins reminds us that work interactions today are more unstructured and unpredictable than in the past, making your ability to be creative more important than ever. Narrator Steve West's British enunciation and pacing sound out of sync with the freewheeling spirit of this audiobook. His delivery is technically flawless and a delight to hear. But for... Read More

In this short story, set in 1952, Jean is an unusual but naïve woman. She's trying to be her own person, but, ultimately, she's defined by her status as a woman. The author introduces her as the wife of a U.S businessman who is looking for oil in the Middle East. Narrator Soneela Nankani captures her manipulativeness, boredom, feelings of superiority to the other wives on the... Read More

Claire DeWitt is a private eye like no other, and narrator Madeleine Maby embraces her feisty personality. Three subplots covering three time frames make up DeWitt's latest story. In the present, someone has just tried to kill her and may try again. In flashbacks to her childhood, listeners learn how she came to be a detective. And in the middle, linking the two, DeWitt solves... Read More

An ensemble cast cleverly captures the details of coping with COVID-19, particularly the irritations of being confined at home. Of the stories, "Crimson Parrot" is the standout as narrator Scott Aiello introduces Mafia boss Mickey "Thumbs" DeGraw, who struggles during Zoom meetings with his less technologically adept henchmen, Sal "Jughead" Vincent and "Wheels" McIlvenny. Their... Read More

This is a no-frills one-hour audio lesson in the form of an interview with a Nigerian wealth mindset consultant. Narrator Aurora Jade, with her generic American accent, reads a transcription of the interview--both questions and answers--with straightforward clarity. Her reading style is dry but sounds somewhat warmer as she "gets more into character" when reading the author's... Read More

Narrator Dani Martineck captures the horror and suspense in this grim novel about one person caught among three realties. In one, Quinn is captian of the resistence in a brutal war; in another, a teenager trapped at a gay conversion camp; in a third, a genderqueer person in a world full of terrifying monsters. Martineck doesn't alter their voice much as the point of view shifts... Read More

It can be difficult for a slow-burn whodunit to gain steam, especially when the story is told from multiple perspectives. Happily, narrators Donna Banya, Katherine Kelly, and Connor Swindells manage to keep listeners engrossed when a British teen suddenly goes missing after stalking her sketchy former child psychologist. The narrators' skill with U.K. regional accents makes it... Read More

Kim Mai Guest returns to narrate this continuation of CRIER'S WAR, which focuses on two girls who are in love--Ayla, a human, and Crier, the sovereign's daughter, who is from a race referred to as the Automae. Originally a handmaiden to Crier, Ayla has become central to the movement to overthrow the Automae, who are oppressing the humans. Guest adopts a light tone to tell the... Read More

Nicola Barber narrates a teen romantic dramedy. Audrey wants nothing at all to do with love, so why does the cute boy she works with flirt with her at every opportunity? Barber's narration is solid and breezy, highlighting the fronts that Audrey and Harry present to the world, as well as their true inner selves. Some awkwardness that Barber's strong narration cannot overcome is... Read More

Kathie Lee Gifford's narration of her encouraging audiobook about following your passions and living your best life benefits from the congenial persona that made her a successful television celebrity. Her soothing tones, emotional moments, and impromptu laughter accentuate these stories about joy and heartbreak in her personal and professional lives. Singer-songwriter Dolly... Read More

Naturalist John Muir is best known for his intimate writing about the Sierra Mountains in California, but he was far more complex, as this audiobook shows well. His entire life was shaped by religion, literature, an inquiring mind, and a love of nature, especially wilderness. John McLain offers a solid narration. The audiobook is packed with details about Muir's life, but... Read More

A surprisingly delightful audiobook takes what might be a dry topic--the migrations of forests and trees--and turns it into a compelling listening experience. Part of the credit goes to Daniel Henning's lively narration. He animates this fascinating collection of stories and scientific studies at a steady pace and gives a nuanced performance. Make no mistake--this audiobook... Read More

Maggi-Meg Reed's versatile narration envelopes listeners in this classic story about the first year of a marriage in the early twentieth century. The narrative begins when Annie leaves Brooklyn to marry Carl and settle in the Midwest, where Carl is attending law school. Annie is an enormously appealing character, made even more so by Reed's evocative performance. Her curiosity,... Read More

A stellar narration by Theresa Buchheister, Lori Gardner, and Machelle Williams transcends this deeply emotional story of mutual support after a loved one passes away. The late Judge Donaldson designates three women in his family to divide his assets--if they agree to live together at the family lake house. Once they move in, resentment ensues between Jeanie, Donaldson's second... Read More

Allyson Ryan delivers a measured narration of Stevie Phillips's gossipy account of her life as agent to Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, and many other stars. While Phillips covers her struggle to be accepted in the male-dominated theater industry, her main focus is on the darker side of Garland--from her addictions to her self-mutilations. Phillips was there through several of... Read More

Golden Voice Simon Vance recounts the prodigious life and lively times of writer Jules Gabriel Verne (1828-1905), most famous for 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, AND AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS. One of the inventors of science fiction, his numerous books are replete with adventures, science, and engineering. Vance's performance smoothly... Read More

Narrator Kirby Heyborne channels a bookish superhero in a way that is incredibly effective, given the narrative arc of this novel. Initially, listeners may view Heyborne's choice to give weight to every--single--word a bit curious until they realize that the protagonist is a tongue-tied teen who simultaneously grapples with the trauma of losing his mother and the agony of being... Read More

After a deeply touching foreword by Oscar-winning actor Viola Davis and an introduction by the indomitable force that was Cicely Tyson (1924-2021)--narrator Robin Miles picks up the torch and delivers 16 riveting, thought-provoking hours on the life and times of the author. She was born in Harlem to parents who were West Indian immigrants. Her career in modeling and show... Read More

Brenda Scott Wlazio's enthusiastic narration makes up for this audiobook's lackluster dialogue, and her quick pace keeps the sluggish plot moving. Her energetic tone enhances comedic moments. After being jilted on her wedding day, Adrian is determined to move on by diving into work. But when her magazine editor pairs her up with Jackson, a sexy, smug novelist, the collaboration... Read More

Narrator Leah Horowitz allows listeners to bask in the rhythms of Schmidt's writing and be moved by the story of two vulnerable teens. Meryl Lee is grieving the death of her best friend after his sudden accident. Horowitz embodies the lonely-lost feelings Meryl Lee labels "The Blank" so clearly that listeners feel her deeper hurt when her parents send her away to a school where... Read More