New Reviews by Title: E-J

Narrator Martin Nicolaus's voice has the perfect blend of wisdom and perseverance to illuminate the depth of the author's life work. Anthony is a social and environmental justice leader; this audiobook weaves his personal history with stories of his coalition-building work confronting the intertwined social problems of racial and environmental injustice. Anthony discusses his... Read More

Listeners will stay captivated until the shocking end of this ethically charged whodunit. After racy pictures of a teacher go viral, three students working on a project together are suspected: Drew, the charming jock; Mouse, the nerdy computer whiz; and Jenna, the wholesome girl turned outcast after risqué photos of her went public. But each denies leaking the photos. A skilled... Read More

Imogen Church's stellar narration highlights the vivid detail and poetic language of this beautiful contemplation of our cosmos. In just under three hours, author Ella Frances Sanders whimsically explores our universe, considering carbon, stars, and our planet--among a myriad of other things--and how they relate to us. Church takes on the lyrical nature of the narrative with... Read More

AudioComics' deliciously grisly full-cast recording captures the campy horror of EC Comics' 1950s stories, filled with werewolves, vampires, gravediggers, and other unsavory creatures. The perfectly selected cast features Phil Proctor, Denise Poirier, and an outstanding performance by Kevin Grevioux as the Vault Keeper, whose rumbling voice and wicked laugh nearly steals the... Read More

Thomas Edison's daughter once said that biographies of her father focused on what he did, not who he was. This new audiobook portrait of the famed inventor seeks to rectify that. Arthur Morey offers an able narration, carrying listeners along despite the book's length and sometimes jarring jumps from one technological topic to another. The author relied on corporate archives... Read More

Gary Ferguson's sensibilities as a prolific travel and nature writer are in full bloom in this thoughtful reminder of how our souls and DNA are inextricably connected to the natural world around us. He says that birds, bees, and wet forests have been part of our lives for millions of years, so it stands to reason that living amid these things has shaped our genetic wiring. As a... Read More

Narrator Graham Halstead voices Malcolm Kershaw, crime fiction bookstore owner, with a perfect next-door-neighbor tone that simply seduces the listener into trusting him. Several years ago, Kershaw posted a blog describing eight mysteries in which the murderer succeeds in committing the perfect unsolvable crime. Now an FBI agent approaches Kershaw with that list because she... Read More

Antony Ferguson is an engaging narrator who does a nice job delivering Albert Einstein's (and the author's) passion for science. The audiobook focuses on the impact that living in England had on the great physicist. The story also includes a thorough account of his life before and after his time in England and a summation of scientific ideas and principles that made him one of... Read More

Eliza Foss offers a masterful narration of Louise Aronson's revelatory new work about old people (a.k.a. elders) and Western medicine. Don't skip on! You will be old one day. Your friends and family may be old right now. You need Aronson's humane and engaging reflection on what she has learned during her decades as a gerontologist and primary care physician. It's full of... Read More

Walter Mosley's contemplative essays give narrator Mirron Willis room to put emotion into the discussion of writing fiction. Willis brings sensitivity to Mosley's description of the "loose pebbles" on the path to a story. And he's emphatic as Mosley explains that a creative writing degree doesn't make a writer and tells writers to go ahead and let the story get away from them.... Read More

Narrator Roshina Ratnam drops listeners straight into the African bush, conveying the urgency and passion of running Zululand's Thula Thula Game Reserve and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. As the memoir opens, Ratnam is perfectly understated when voicing Malby-Anthony's shell-shocked bewilderment at her husband's sudden death. She must continue running their reserve on her own,... Read More

This suspense, narrated superbly by Johnathan McClain, shows how the best audiobooks grab the listener at the outset and maintain their attention to the end. Linwood Barclay's story begins when four people board a New York office building elevator, which ascends to the top floor and then suddenly plummets. What seems to be a random accident repeats the next day and the next,... Read More

Narrator Suzy Jackson's youthful voice brings out the poignancy in a story that celebrates the joys of coding, creating, and trusting in new friendships. Although her parents are both talented musicians, new kid Emmy chooses a different path, signing up for computer coding instead of music. Right away, she realizes that coding is special. She is able to be beautiful and... Read More

Narrator Colleen Delaney, supported by a full cast of talented voices, provides an evocative delivery of one of Sanderson's most delightful novellas. In a world in which everything can be magically re-created, or forged, Shai, a master forger, is coerced into composing an intricate soul stamp that will restore a comatose emperor to his former glory. The story dives into the... Read More

Corey Carthew gives an amusingly unflappable performance of Walsh's audiobook about the various events that could take down the human race. Walsh's riveting, encompassing work doesn't mince words; he provides backstories on the demise of species past and gives a straightforward analysis of the existential threats to human existence in our midst today. Artificial intelligence is... Read More

Narrator Madison Lawrence exuberantly introduces 26-year-old Mia West, who is anticipating a proposal from her boyfriend. When the big moment doesn't materialize, Mia spontaneously joins Humanitas, an international organization that helps the needy. Billionaire Lars Lindquist, a well-rendered eccentric, entertains the volunteers on his private island before they depart.... Read More

In a clear, welcoming voice, Shauna Ahern narrates her candid memoir in which she describes how she found her own version of "enough." Ahern was pushed to achieve by her parents, while her mother's abuse and fears kept her isolated. As an adult with celiac disease, Ahern founded the blog "Gluten-Free Girl," through which she and her husband shared slices of their life, along... Read More

Talented Scottish narrator Sarah Barron takes listeners through concrete steps and important practices aimed at achieving gender equality in our culture. This richly detailed audiobook emphasizes women in politics, the fight against violence perpetrated upon women and those of non-traditional genders, the dangers of the advertising and beauty industries, and what can be done to... Read More

Listening to this audiobook is a visceral, bizarre, unsettling experience. After leaving earth, humans have settled inside giant space beasts, using them as habitat, sustenance, and ship. The story centers on two young women: Seske, the future matriarch of the ship, and her childhood friend, Adalla, one of the lowly beast-workers who keep it running. Both are caught in the... Read More

This wonderful collection of essays is greatly enhanced by Alex Hyde-White's attentive narration. Orwell's essays span many topics--from his observations on Charles Dickens to his experiences in colonial Burma. His prose is varied in purpose, whether it is to relate a story, as in "Shooting an Elephant," or to explain his writing philosophy, as in "Why I Write." Throughout this... Read More

Nontombi Naomi Tutu is the wise voice leading us through the 14 essential lessons of the Ubuntu philosophy. She captures the essence of these principles in a gentle, purposeful voice. We are guided by the ear through a listening experience that hopes to ground us in our shared humanity. In so doing, Tutu transmits the nurturing leadership style of the author Mungi Ngomane,... Read More

Narrator Robert Petkoff captures the wit and humor of this award-winning novel, which sheds light on a forgotten piece of Jewish history--and which became a movie. Petkoff easily switches between different accents and distinct voices as he portrays a fictional Jonathan Safran Foer, the work's author and main character, and his friend Alex Perchov, who butchers the English... Read More

This short story is ideal for multiple narrators as it is composed solely of a series of letters. Julia Whelan starts the correspondence as Carrie finds letters to her husband from a woman with whom he is having an affair. Whelan sounds convincingly apologetic when Carrie writes to David, the husband of the "other woman," hoping to find letters from her husband so she might... Read More

Madhuri Shekar's play is a truly original and entertaining genre-bending story of a New Delhi mother who is desperately trying to steer her Americanized daughter into a proper marriage. It's full of wonderfully comic lines like "Do not use that American voice with me" from the award-winning breakout playwright. When the daughter thinks she's found the perfect match, the fine... Read More

Narrator Trevor Thompson's deep voice isn't one that listeners would associate with Mister Rogers, at first. However, he softens his tone to read quotes from the famous puppeteer and children's show host. Thompson also uses a singsong voice to read lyrics from Rogers's show, including the song that gives the audiobook its title. Rogers, who was ordained by the Presbyterian... Read More

Debbie Harry is best known for her vocal work as a singer, but here the musician becomes a narrator to regale us with stories of her unique life as the lead female singer of Blondie in the mid-to-late 1970s. Fans of the group will be delighted that this book is punctuated with cameos by her band members Clem Burke and Gary Valentine, who pepper the drug-filled escapades with... Read More

From the opening lines of this highly accessible audiobook, the tone of Eve Rodsky's narration is arresting in its authentic desire to help. Her appealing voice makes her sound comfortable, confident, and quietly determined. She conducted more than 500 hundred interviews with couples who live together before putting together this package of insights and guidance. As a writer,... Read More

Father-and-son narrators deliver this literary collaboration between Christopher Tolkien and his father, J.R.R. Tolkien. Samuel West narrates various incomplete versions of Tolkien's story of Tuor's journey to Gondolin and the fate of that city, handling the elevated style and the many fantastic names of people and places with aplomb. Timothy West interjects with Christopher... Read More

Narrators Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland, and Dominic Thornburn shine in Jewell's latest dark, twisted story about history, family, and sacrifice. When Libby turns 25, she receives a long awaited letter notifying her about her biological parents and about the inheritance of an abandoned mansion in London. At the same time we meet Lucy, a young, homeless woman with two children who... Read More

Narrator Saul Reichlin delivers this true story of Abu Laith, the zookeeper of Mosul, Iraq. Reichlin's accurate pronunciation of Arab names of cities and people adds to this listening experience, which immerses us in a war zone. We are drawn into the daily experiences of Abu Laith as he travels a city marked by increasing violence and, at the zoo, a malnourished lion cub.... Read More

Narrator Craig Lauzon flawlessly captures 1970s small-town Canada and introduces Jake, a trusting Boy Scout and altar boy. Lauzon deftly inhabits Jake, who loves his younger brother, Jamie, and his clueless parents. At age 12, Jake is robbed of his innocence when Father Sweet molests him. Sweet is perfectly rendered as the perfect predator--an intellectual whose preaching and... Read More

Narrators Erin Mallon and Jacob Morgan treat listeners to an enemies-to-lovers story in this dual point-of-view audiobook, the second installment of the All In series. New neighbors Stevie and Bishop antagonize each other from the start. But when pro-hockey player Bishop is hurt in a game, they agree to help each other. Bishop will get physical therapy from Stevie, and she will... Read More

Narrator JD Jackson delivers 44 short biographies of the most influential black Americans of all time, chosen by the staff of The Undefeated, a sports and pop culture website. Jackson's warm baritone makes an excellent companion to chapters featuring familiar icons, such as Barack Obama and Oprah, as well as lesser-known figures, such as Robert Abbott. This inspiring collection... Read More

Author Amy Shira Teitel narrates her portrait of women aviators Jackie Cochran and Jerrie Cobb. While the two women had significant achievements as airplane pilots, both dreamed of being the first American woman in space. While Teitel's delivery is strong overall, she could have varied her tone and pacing somewhat to better match the levels of excitement in her stories. In... Read More

Mitch Albom and his wife didn't raise kids of their own, but when he talks about having become guardian to a Haitian girl named Chika, his voice takes on a father's tone. The couple brought Chika from their orphanage in Haiti to the U.S. to have a brain tumor treated. The story is framed as an imaginary conversation with the girl, who died at age 7 after beating the odds for... Read More

This dragon fantasy rife with political intrigue has three narrators. Christian Coulson portrays Leo, the last living member of the ousted ruling class, who is hiding in plain sight as Lee, a dragon rider who is competing for the coveted Firstrider position. Candice Moll voices Annie, another contender for Firstrider, whose family was murdered by Lee's father. Steve West's... Read More

World-renowned professor of oncology and related specialties, Azra Raza has written a devastating critique of current treatments for cancer. Narrator Sheherzad Preisler, the author's daughter, takes a deliberate, almost clinical, approach that drives the author's message home. Through painful anecdotes and historical analyses Preisler states that modern cancer treatments are... Read More

Narrator Janet Metzger has her work cut out for her in this confusing audiobook full of Icelandic words, along with two main characters who have similar names, each of whom has a traumatic past and whose paths cross only obliquely. Ellen is a theater prop maker in her 70s with no friends who is obsessed with a young playwright who is the illegitimate daughter of a famous writer... Read More

Narrator Natasha Soudek tells the true story of the Edelweiss Pirates, a group formed by teenagers to resist the Nazis and Hitler Youth before and during WWII. Numerous members with a whole host of experiences are chronicled throughout the audiobook, including those who were captured and tortured by the Gestapo for information leading to other members. Soudek excels at adding... Read More

A diverse ensemble of narrators breathes life into these 22 quirky and genre-bending stories on war, politics, family, and memory. The stories are intimately and compellingly performed as the narrators take turns, beginning with the titular work "Fly Already" and moving to more downbeat works like "The Birthday of a Failed Revolutionary" and to the somber standout, "Pineapple... Read More

Animatedly narrated by Jayme Mattler, this lightly dystopian story brings the listener into a reimagining of post-2016 election events. It tracks two storylines. In 2015-16, best friends Orla, a B-list pop culture writer, and Floss, an ambitious influencer, become the stars of their own reality show. In 2051, Marlow, who grew up in the Truman Show-esque town of Constellation,... Read More

JD Jackson's exemplary narration draws listeners into this account of the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is part of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. With his warm and inviting tone, Jackson fully inhabits the thoughtful and perceptive persona of the author, who was the museum's founding director, to such a degree that... Read More

The daughter of the late astrophysicist Carl Sagan narrates her own work with self-deprecating wit, nostalgic remembrance, and a dash of joy. Sasha Sagan isn't religious, since her parents instilled science as a belief system from an early age. Still, she has a fascination with the rituals religion provides. Her thoughts about Christmas take listeners from a December visit to... Read More

Narrator Imani Parks guides listeners deep into the heart of a creepy ghost story that explores America's segregated past. Iris is the captain of her school's step team, and Parks gives her a light, youthful voice perfectly suited for her wide-eyed eagerness. After Iris and her friend Daniel uncover the name "Avery Moore" on a tombstone in an abandoned cemetery, the ghost of... Read More

Lisa Flanagan and Tim Campbell narrate alternating chapters of Merbeth's gritty sci-fi. Flanagan provides the voice of Scorpia, the beleaguered Kaiser family daughter who's always played second fiddle to her brother, Corvus. Scorpia participates in her family's smuggling business, piloting a space transport ship and sometimes smelling of whiskey while she does so. Corvus... Read More

Narrator Corey Allen's voice is soft but strong as he delivers this biography of Frederick Douglass, whose fortitude changed the history of America. Born a slave, Douglass discovered reading early in life and recognized its importance in learning and in making one "unfit to be a slave." Allen's precise enunciation emphasizes the theme of this work--the power of words and... Read More

Narrator Ramón de Ocampo's use of accents and emotions adds much to Rex Ogle's middle school memoir. De Ocampo defines Rex's Latinx mother and her stuttering boyfriend with characteristic accents, but even more by their anger, which goes from mean to menacing. His little brother's innocent comments offer relief from the frequent tension in the story. De Ocampo excels at... Read More

Ring in the new year and celebrate freedom with Bahni Turpin's lively narration and a Haitian Creole "kompa" beat. Ti Gran's warm, gravelly voice and Belle's youthful excitement place listeners right in the kitchen with them as they prepare a holiday feast. Listeners can imagine all the chopping and toe tapping as Belle learns about a culinary tradition with roots in the... Read More

Narrator Liisa Ivary explains the basic principles of establishing and maintaining friendships. She does so in an empathetic voice that makes the listener feel as though we are in a caring therapist's or life coach's office and getting excellent advice. She brings to her performance a personable quality that enhances the listening experience. While many may think friendships... Read More

Marisa Calin gives a splendid narration of this account of the targeting of Russian expats by the Russian government. Although the Soviets did the same thing, the often sensational news coverage of the deaths now gets more attention. Buzzfeed News editor Heidi Blake's account may bring more speculation. Calin has a quick and expressive delivery that one can easily follow and... Read More

Author and narrator Michael Ruhlman gives both new and seasoned cooks an in-depth look at 10 classic dishes and how to achieve them "from scratch." This audiobook is filled with stories from Ruhlman's life as it relates to these meals, all of which he recounts with appropriate emotions. He delivers the instructions to his dishes and how to alter them clearly, and the included... Read More

An exceptionally moving memoir voiced with great steadiness by its author, this audiobook is brimming with details of a life that truly does seem to rise from the ashes. A Métis-Cree man who, for various harrowing reasons, was abandoned by his parents as a child, Thistle tells the entirely engrossing story of his life from a young age to the present day. From his fraught and... Read More

This audiobook succeeds because narrator Johnny Heller flawlessly delivers White's exceptional murder mystery, making it into one that listeners won't want to turn off. The story features attorney Dan Grant, who inherits a homicide defense from his colleague, Robert Carter. Even though his client appears guilty, Grant is skeptical. He begins to investigate and confirms his... Read More

Narrator Catherine Ho brings the conflicted mountain region of Adranna to life, whisking listeners away to an icy tundra where few survive. Voicing protagonist Sabira as she makes her way up to the dangerous and revered glacier, Adarast, to bond with her very own frostsliver, Ho initially weaves quiet, indecisive tones into the heroine's dialogue. After an avalanche and... Read More

Narrator Gordon Griffin skillfully depicts the rivalry between the Bow Street Runners and twin detectives Peter and Paul Skillen. Their cases involve egotistical actress Hannah Granville and a woman who is trying to learn the fate of her elderly father. The Runners are consistently bested by the brothers, a detail that Griffin cleverly plays up, particularly focusing on jocular... Read More

In a comfortable Irish lilt, Dublin-born narrator Emma Lowe captures the author's adventurous spirit, courage, and gritty determination to ride a bicycle more than 5,000 miles from London through the Italian Alps, across Eastern Europe and Turkey, through northern Iran and Afghanistan, over the Hindu Kush mountains to Pakistan, and on to New Delhi. There's an amazing calmness... Read More

Narrator Gerry O'Brien returns to transport listeners to the bleak and brutal world of former Irish Guard and reluctant private investigator Jack Taylor. Taylor, barely hanging on from the murder of his daughter, is stalked by a psychotic young woman who is intent on destroying him. Like an Irish shawl, Bruen's intricate weaving of literary, musical, sports, and political... Read More

Natalie Naudus creates personas for a quirky cast of characters, most of whom have attitude. In the postapocalyptic world of the 22nd century, climate change has had a wide effect, and cultural change has been widespread. Enter Rubi, a star of multiplayer virtual reality games who has become a lawyer. In her role as public defender, she is defending a bad actor who is rude and... Read More

Nonfiction fans have a well-delivered audiobook to add to their listening queue with this true story of the first Olympic basketball team. Set at the 1936 Berlin games, the story combines grit and foreboding as the horrors of World War II are just beginning. Angelo Di Loreto's straightforward style allows listeners to focus on the structural racism that surrounded the early... Read More

Narrator Hannah Curtis's light and airy British accent adds even more legitimacy to Rippon's dispatching of misinformation, shoddy research, and sexist assumptions relating to the myth of male and female minds. Her voice proves welcoming in its warmth and energy but is equally assertive and filled with conviction as she narrates Rippon's prose. She proves adept at communicating... Read More

Jonathan Davis's sensational narration engages listeners with this volume on noteworthy contributions by Jewish artists, scientists, and politicians from 1847 to 1947. His narration significantly enhances listeners' enjoyment of this audiobook, which is intended for a general audience. Davis's clear enunciation and assured pacing help listeners absorb the abundant research, as... Read More

Finding answers and hope through post-Holocaust fiction is a challenge, yet this gripping audiobook succeeds because of the power of the dialogue as delivered by narrator Nina Franoszek. From the beginning, Annette Hess's novel uses an unusual approach to the 1963 Auschwitz war crimes trials in Frankfurt. The story focuses on Eva Bruhns, a naïve 24-year-old who accepts a job as... Read More

In a secretive, intimate tone, narrator Jonathan Davis involves listeners in this tense spy drama set in Berlin during the Cold War. Only months after the Wall goes up, CIA cryptographer Wallace Reed decodes a message from a double agent about a mole in The Cabin, a joint U.S.-West German listening station. Paranoia runs rampant as the Stasi in the East, composed mostly of... Read More

Narrator and editor Tanya Eby has done a nice job pulling together this audio production of a just-off-the-presses collection of 11 contemporary horror and supernatural stories. A house that is not just haunted but is a ghost itself. Apparitional footprints that lead across a lonely field and then just stop and disappear. And a small boy who swears a phantom cat rubbed up... Read More

Cornell Collins and Victoria Aston narrate an enemies-to-lovers story that also has a strong mystery element to it. Jewel thief Templeton Lane is accused of a violent double murder and turns to Susan Lazarus, a private detective who bears him a grudge, for help. Dual narration makes sense for a story with dual points of view; Collins voices Templeton, and Aston voices Susan.... Read More

Will Watt and Mike Ortego provide the main narration of this novel about the multigenerational impact of the Armenian Genocide. The story blends the worlds of wrestling and backgammon with scenes of political intrigue and violence. Both narrators do not overemphasize the most devastating moments, focusing listeners' attention upon the effects of historical events on the course... Read More

Narrator Sandy Rustin gives voice to the naïveté of a young woman living in a glorified cult. When Grace was a child, she and her family witnessed a horrifying vision of wicked creatures known as the Fury, who are shown to them by a supposed angel. Since then, the faithful have gathered in a hidden religious community deep in the woods, seeking safety behind a red rope that... Read More

Narrator Ewan Chung tells the story of a girl named Sisi through the eyes of her younger brother, Da. The pair are trying to survive Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution in China during the 1960s. Since their family used to hold wealth and position, they are now struggling to be accepted in their community and are shamed because the old social structure has been turned on its... Read More

Narrator Anna-Maria Nabirye's warm, rhythmic voice embraces listeners from the first rush of words in this Booker Award-winning kaleidoscope of a novel about a group of interconnected black women in England from the 1980s to today. A playwright for whom being black and lesbian is important; her straight daughter, who doesn't see what the fuss is; a friend who's jaded after... Read More

Narrator Anne Marie Gideon engages listeners with the Christmastime goings-on of the inhabitants of Summer Island, a small island in the Great Lakes. Lila Sloan is taking care of her sister's bed and breakfast when someone begins bulldozing the trees behind it as part of a new development. When she rushes outside to stop it, she discovers that handsome Beck Grainger is behind... Read More

Caroline Shaffer narrates this contemporary friends-to-lovers fairy tale. When aspiring author Charlotte Kingsley receives yet another book rejection, she is inspired to write a bestseller about the myth of real-life fairy tales. As her writing career soars, her relationship with her best friend and neighbor, Anders, deepens into more. Shaffer gives an energetic performance,... Read More

Five high school computer nerds known as the Vindicators are at the center of this audiobook sci-fi thriller. They stumble on a dark web video game, allegedly powered by the Almighty, that metes out biblical punishments to those who disobey the rules. Narrator Andrew Eiden clearly distinguishes the five students' voices while hinting at each character's complicated backstory.... Read More

This steamy, cheeky performance by Lauren Sweet will make listeners laugh and swoon. Goddess Gaia is fed up with her offspring revealing their supernatural identities to humans. She winds up in Puerto Rico in an overly dramatic fashion and meets Aaron, a surgeon who has been forced out of his job by nerve damage but is searching for a cure for heart disease. Gaia struggles to... Read More

While working as an Arabic translator for the Paris police department, Patience Portefeux finds the solution to her own financial woes and a way to fund her mother's increasing care costs as she creates a double life for herself as an unlikely drug-gang boss. Narrator Julia Franklin does a wonderful job of bringing 53-year-old Patience and a wide selection of colorful... Read More

Narrator Jonathan Davis is a playful, velvety-toned guide for this fanciful collection of stories that imagine actor Jeff Goldblum in various adventures. Fans of Goldblum will laugh along as Davis takes us from an imagined cooking show to adventures on other planets. He embraces the satirical undercurrent laced throughout this volume, which enhances the listening experience.... Read More

Jonathan Davis delivers an admirable narration of this historical look at monopolies and political power. He faced no easy task--this audiobook is long and serious, with little levity or dialogue to create an easier performance path. Stoller's text gives Davis narrow lanes in which to maneuver, but he packs in enough tonal variation and emphasis to keep the listener engaged.... Read More

Essays of emotional depth and astutely communicated intellectual insight come to listeners almost entirely in the voices of the writers themselves. Familiar cultural commentators like Korean-American Alexander Chee, Haitian immigrant Jim St. Germain, and Pakistani-American Fatimah Ashgar are joined here by those who may be less well known: Eritrean-American hiker Rahawa Haile,... Read More

Narrator Jeanette Illidge delivers a resonating performance of this YA fantasy in which five girls, known as Good Luck Girls, must survive a journey across the country of Arketta. Branded with marks that betray their identity, the girls are relentlessly pursued by powerful men, their mind-flaying servants, and the spirits of the dead. Illidge captures the fear and anger of... Read More

With insight and compassion, a team of narrators performs this collection of more than 100 unpublished letters by and about American literary icon Flannery O'Connor and her contemporaries. Novelists Walker Percy and Caroline Gordon (NONE SHALL LOOK BACK) and editor Robert Giroux, among others, fill out the portrait of the sometimes cantankerous O'Connor in knowing and... Read More

Narrator Mark Bramhall narrates these stories in measured tones, giving each word maximum value. The novella and five short stories that make up Dan Burns's latest collection all deal with imperfect people finding the blessings of grace where and when they least expect them. Bramhall gives the diverse characters unique voices that illuminate their personalities. Two characters... Read More

This audiobook achieves an exceptional performance of an important work on a difficult subject--mass murder and its aftermath. Karen Chilton seamlessly moves from rendering narrative of the horrific Charleston Church massacre to a chilling delivery of killer Dylann Roof's monotone. Her skill with Southern accents makes the people involved with this event come alive. She... Read More

Jonathan Yen is to be commended for the clarity and intelligence of his narration of this audiobook. The author seeks to ensure that listeners can distinguish between science and pseudoscience when thinking about what to eat. Yen handles the scientific nomenclature admirably and, most importantly, has the right tone. The work, chockablock with information, has detailed... Read More

Narrator N'Jameh Camara introduces listeners to a melting pot of boxers. The only place Gravity Delgado feels at home is in a boxing ring at Brooklyn's Cops 'n' Kids gym. Gravity, who is half-Jewish and half-Dominican, is the daughter of an alcoholic mother. Her boxing talent takes her from brash newcomer to 16-year-old Olympic hopeful with the help of a well-known coach named... Read More

Narrator Johnny Heller brings author Nick Pirog's well-defined characters to life. This audiobook focuses on Thomas Prescott, a depressed former police officer and FBI consultant. At the start of the story, he returns to his hometown of Seattle. While visiting his boyhood home, he discovers the governor of Washington floating on the shore--dead. Not surprisingly, he soon finds... Read More

Ghosh, an Indian novelist, examines climate change through the lenses of stories, histories, and politics in this nonfiction audiobook. Shridhar Solanki's deliberate English-accented narration takes the listener through Ghosh's theories on why climate change has not been more prominent in fiction and the arts, what is behind the worsening crisis, and what must be done to deal... Read More

Alison Larkin serves double duty as adapter and narrator of this reimagining of GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Larkin creates a world in which the iconic orphan Pip is female, but her story of ongoing dramatic reversals in fortune and love remains otherwise the same. The production magnifies the significance of the adaptation by firmly conjuring the image of a young woman making her way... Read More

Versatile narrator Braden Wright lends his commanding voice to this novel on the life of the apostle St. Paul of Tarsus. The audiobook imagines the life of Paul from his birth as Saul through the transformation that made him a disciple of Christ and ends just before he is to travel to his death. Full of detailed imagery and specific information for the timeframe, the story... Read More

Terence Aselford brings an announcer's voice to this work as he peppers listeners with the statistics and anecdotes in its opening summary. Shlaes takes a skeptical view of the Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society," which expanded government in the 1960s. She cites problems such as the urban housing projects that turned to space-age materials to curb vandalism as factory jobs left... Read More

Narrating her own work, Alya Mooro describes the universal awkwardness of growing up in a frank style that is unflinching in her self-disclosure. We wince along with her younger self as she first confronts the fact she is "not white" when her classmates bring up her brown skin. Mooro is a modern woman with an upbringing that reflects our global society. She was born in one... Read More

In a resonant baritone David Lawrence does well in reading Davis's long account of the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815. Davis presents the political, cultural, and military aspects of this campaign and battle in detail, describing the interactions of the people of New Orleans with their new Anglo rulers. General Andrew Jackson was able to meld a ragtag group of diverse... Read More

Having taken on the care of his young nieces and nephews after the death of his sister, Greek tycoon Leo soon realizes he will need a wife to cope with the children. Narrator Carolyn Morris has the listener feeling Leo's frustration with his situation. Letty, the estranged granddaughter of a business associate, is in a desperate financial situation. So she finds herself... Read More

Rifkin lays out the economic and technological features present and forthcoming that will direct companies and governments across the globe to shift away from fossil fuels and into renewable energies. Narrator David Cochran Heath's deep, resonant voice commands listeners' attention but doesn't maintain it. His delivery is clear, consistent, and emphatic but not enthusiastic.... Read More

In a deep, gravelly voice, narrator Joe Barrett ably presents this account of the life of George Bird Grinnell, who is arguably the impetus behind the creation of the American conservation movement. A Yale-educated New Yorker, Grinnell was a scholar who excavated dinosaurs on the Great Plains, accompanied Custer in the Black Hills, assisted in mapping Yellowstone, and became a... Read More

Deborah Frances-White and Adjoa Andoh work together to narrate this set of ruminations about contemporary womanhood and its many dilemmas. Frances-White has an upper-crust British accent that gives the questions she's asking an added layer of importance. As she reads at a quick but measured pace, listeners are pulled along by her brisk no-nonsense approach to a seemingly... Read More

Listeners who expect murders in horse barns or on racetracks will be disappointed with this new audio mystery by Felix Francis, son of the late Dick Francis, who was known for writing about the track. This psychological mystery, narrated by Martin Jarvis, spends more time in the courtroom than in the world of horses. Jarvis portrays Bill Russell as a good, sensitive man who... Read More

Narrator Maggie Siff returns for this sequel to GWENDY'S BUTTON BOX. In the first audiobook, which was coauthored by Stephen King, Gwendy is an awkward teenager whose life is transformed by a magical button box that brings her good fortune and terror in turn. Now 37 years old, Gwendy is a bestselling author and congresswoman. Suddenly and without explanation, the button box... Read More

Listeners who are unfamiliar with Haben Girma may find her voice a little disconcerting at first because it sounds like that of a much younger person. Girma is a deaf-blind woman who overcame incredible odds and narrates her own story, which culminates with her graduation from Harvard Law School. We quickly move beyond her vocal delivery as we learn how she overcame many... Read More

In a clear voice, narrator Christina Moore presents the technical language that Kathryn Sullivan uses to explain her life's work as the first woman astronaut charged with maintaining the Hubble telescope in space. Sullivan's presentation is structured and orderly. Moore tackles the narrative with a tone of confidence and pleasure in her voice. Sullivan and her fellow astronauts... Read More

Narrator Andrew Wincott's refined British accent brings Dickensian atmosphere and substance to this romantic mystery. An unnamed ghost moves randomly through nearly 150 years of history with a spectral fortune-teller urging him on. Wincott gives the ghost a whispery rasp as he haunts a 2017 Internet café and a young family during the Blitz, among others. He searches for his... Read More

Narrator Kathleen McInerney loses no time in transporting listeners into the complicated world of 13-year-old Hazel Brownlee-Wellington, who is navigating a momentous time in her life. Not only is she leaving her best friend due to school redistricting, but she also is facing the impending birth of a new sibling following two traumatic miscarriages. Also meriting her attention... Read More

It can take a moment to get accustomed to any full-cast audio performance--the varied voices interact at breakneck speed, and pacing that works on the stage sometimes gives a listener pause. In this audio performance, however, once the adjustment is made, the experience is rewarding. Here, Ibsen's play is in full dramatic effect, with Hedda raving and her husband jauntily... Read More

Eric Thomas narrates his collection of funny and heartfelt essays with irresistible warmth. His scattered "honeys," outbreaks of laughter, and occasional frustrated sighs make his narration seem more like a conversation than a recording. In a voice that will immediately make listeners feel like they've known him forever, Thomas reflects on the complexities of identity, faith,... Read More

Narrator Noah Galvin's dreamy tones depict the introversion of 11-year-old Ware, who enters medieval worlds more readily than he takes part in the "normal" life that surrounds him. Faced with a summer of attending a chaotic rec program, Ware discovers peace and quiet in a deserted church next door. It doesn't remain peaceful for long. He soon meets the cynical Jolene, a girl... Read More

Zeno Robinson narrates the fourth audiobook in the series featuring private investigator Isaiah Quintabe (IQ). IQ's latest case involves especially high stakes. For one, the powerful arms dealer Angus Byrne is forcing him to solve a shooting death and threatening to break the hands of IQ's girlfriend, a violinist, if he fails. Also, the main witness/suspect is Byrne's daughter,... Read More

A large cast of narrators comes together to tell the story of Zelia Thompson and Gabe Conaghan, that is set on Solace Island, off the Washington coast. Zelia is an art gallery owner who enlists the aid of Gabe, a crime novelist, to help her investigate the apparent overdose death of her friend. Narrator Abby Craden takes on the parts of the story from Zelia's point of view,... Read More

Octavia Spencer's soft narration evokes the lives four brilliant African-American females--Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden. All were "good at math. Really good." This refrain repeats, with Spencer accenting these words to make clear the women's connection to each other and the gifts of each. She also stresses rhythms to highlight... Read More

Assaf Cohen is a capable narrator for this thorough examination of the many issues plaguing the nascent democracy of Burma. He is academic, earnest, and informative throughout the chapters that outline the promise and limitations facing the nation. Cohen makes clear the complex, intertwined factors of race, government, and economics that compete for dominance. He brings forth... Read More

Narrator Johnny Heller's pitch-perfect timing and thoughtful characterizations make the action and humor pop in this very adult contemporary fantasy. The setting is a Louisiana bayou; characters include the last of the dragons, an opportunistic teenager, and a dirty constable. Vern the dragon's comfortable life away from the prying eyes of humans is disturbed the night young... Read More

This thorough account of dozens of missing and murdered Indigenous girls and women on Highway 16 in northwestern Canada will leave listeners overcome with anger and sadness. Narrator Emily Nixon wears her heart on her sleeve, breaking away from a conversational tone to suffuse her voice with fury at systemic child abuse and loving warmth at the sweet personality quirks of the... Read More

Elisabeth Rodgers returns to narrate the seventh book in the Kendra Michaels series. Rodgers, with her clear differentiation of characters, both male and female, and her ability to convey strong emotions, creates an engaging fast-paced listening experience. Michaels is an investigator whose senses of observation were sharply honed from her experience of being blind during the... Read More

Narrator John Lane does a super sexy Russian accent quite well indeed. In New Orleans, single mother Evette Labadie loses her job and approaches Sergei Petrovyh, a Russian mafia boss, for work. He sets her up as caretaker of his estate. Passion soon develops between the two. Lane's Sergei is full of sex appeal, and he gives Evette a sassy tone and Southern accent. Tensions... Read More

Kathleen McInerney's dynamic narration will have listeners either laughing out loud or cringing as she skillfully captures the absurdity and craziness of this dark comedic debut. Stressed out and overwhelmed, Holly Banks is failing at getting her life together after her husband's job relocates them across the country to the zany village of Primm. With the brisk plot taking... Read More

Danez Smith IS spoken-word art! This gender-neutral National Book Award finalist is full of funk and flavor, and is fearless in delivering personal poetic narratives. Smith opens by discussing why their audiobook is called HOMIE. This work is definitely not for the faint of heart. It wakes you up. Smith speaks of identity through experiences addressing race, queerness,... Read More

Children's and young adult author Wendelin Van Draanen narrates what is as much a fireside chat as it is a guide to writing and publishing. She begins by stating that she never intended to have a career as a writer. But writer she is, and she provides listeners with information about every step in the writing process. She uses a wide variety of stories from her own experience... Read More

The incomparable Robin Miles, with her soothing style, draws the listener into a story about finding friendship despite one's fears. The work is told from multiple points of view. When Shamiso's father, an investigative journalist, unexpectedly dies, her life drastically changes. Uprooted from her home in the United Kingdom, the teen returns to her homeland of Zimbabwe with her... Read More

A born storyteller, singer-songwriter Liz Phair exchanges guitar strumming for typing with this memoir--which she also narrates. It's a collection of stories told in no particular order, highlighting the impact of small moments. Phair describes the wound it is to be human, to have memories and, consequently, regret, guilt, and love. The stories are mostly relatable, but the... Read More

It is fitting that the art critic Peter Schjeldahl delivers his own essays. He speaks directly to the listener in a deadpan and slightly slurred voice, placing occasional exaggerated expression in exactly the right places. While primarily critical reviews of specific exhibits, the essays also offer insights into each artist's technique, life, and place in cultural history. Each... Read More

Narrator Adam Sims combines a modern clarity and tone with the author's wit, skepticism, and keen observations to make listening to this nineteenth-century literary stew an absolute treat. Published in 1851, in the wake of the success of THE SCARLET LETTER, this multigenerational story of the fictional Pyncheon family is at once a ghost story, a romance, and, above all, an... Read More

Holter Graham narrates the fourth Nick Heller novel, in which the private investigator infiltrates a powerful family hiding a sinister secret. At the funeral of an army buddy who suffered from opiate addiction, Nick is approached by a member of the Kimball Pharmaceutical family who offers credible information suggesting his friend was murdered. Graham imbues Nick with youthful... Read More

This audiobook combines an extraordinary story with narrator Karina Fernandez's captivating performance, creating an unforgettable experience for listeners. The seemingly perfect Bird family, led by mother Lorelei, is at the center of Jewell's novel. One Easter their storybook existence is torn apart, and what follows is a series of conflicts and tragedies that transform their... Read More

Two narrators tell the story of a mother and the daughter she gives up for adoption. Erin Spencer portrays Sandra, an unwed 16-year-old, who writes a letter to her child, which the child can request when she turns 18. Spencer's voice begins with reluctance and becomes more emotional in later letters as she relates the hows and whys, along with the love, that informed Sandra's... Read More

While you are toiling away making a holiday meal, do you ever wonder if it's easier for chefs? Author and narrator Dana Cowin provides a wide variety of answers to this question in these candid interviews. The audiobook a quick listen, and Cowin an easygoing narrator who lends the whole experience the casual air of a podcast. Many of the interviewees share intimate details... Read More

Nicole Poole narrates a familiar fairy tale transported to a galactic stage. Rory Thorne is the first princess born into the royal family of Thorne in 10 generations, and she is destined to save (or possibly destroy) both herself and the multiverse, despite the many obstacles placed in her way. Poole imbues the stock fairy-tale characters who populate the story with life and... Read More

Narrator Saul Reichlin returns to deliver the next phase in the challenging lives of the many characters in McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series. Reichlin successfully differentiates men and women of differing ages and backgrounds. With Hill and Jordan sidelined, the rebuilt REMIT team is drawn into unraveling the mystery of the bones of 40 girls who are buried at the... Read More

Skilled narrator Tavia Gilbert provides a compelling performance as young widow Ruth Neufeld. After Chandler Neufeld and his father are killed in a bombing in war-torn Afghanistan, Ruth is left to pick up the pieces of her life and the lives of her two daughters. She retreats to Chandler's Mennonite family's farm to find solace. What first appears to be the story of a simple... Read More

Author/narrator Pondiscio delves into the charter school debates with a complex and largely positive account of the Success Academy in New York City. Pondiscio's raspy voice captures listeners' attention, and his lively delivery makes it clear why this author is the narrator. He brings energy to his prose, and his projection is balanced to fit the many different scenes he... Read More

Well-written and beautifully performed, this audiobook is what you hope for in a historical romance. Lady Alexandra Lane has a dark secret and is being blackmailed. Piers Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne, known as the Terror of Torcliff, swoops into Alexandra's life like a force of nature--and sparks fly. Narrator Derek Perkins gives the Duke a deep, sensual voice and Alexandra a... Read More

Jeanette Illidge and Vallea Woodbury lead a talented cast in narrating this collection of essays and interviews about the varied and creative ways that black people in America are fighting white supremacy. The diverse voices of the narrators reflect the many perspectives captured in the audiobook. Artists, writers, entrepreneurs, parents, faith leaders, students, and activists... Read More

In this moving audiobook, narrator Piper Goodeve superbly guides listeners through the complicated emotional journey of Charlotte, a 29-year-old widow. Charlotte has thrown herself 24/7 into her career as a software developer and marketing analyst. Her routine is upended when the remains of her late husband, Decker, are returned to her care after a mausoleum fire. Interference... Read More

This memoir is written and narrated by Anthony Daniels, who has portrayed C-3PO in the Star Wars movies since 1977. Daniels was an unknown stage actor when he met with a young filmmaker named George Lucas. Though not a science fiction fan, he accepted the role because of C-3PO's inner humanity and relationship with his companion, R2-D2. It was a modest start to a remarkable... Read More

Narrator Damian Lynch grippingly conveys the raw pain, endurance, and finally joyous survival of Mark Esho. He was born in 1962 to young Nigerian parents in England who left him to return home because he contracted polio. Listeners will accompany Esho to the foster home of a loving English couple and, later, to Nigeria, where his parents take him when they "reclaim" him and... Read More

Up-and-coming voice talent Elizabeth Evans brings a tough noir intensity to this story of a true-crime podcaster's investigation of the apparent suicide of an ultra-rich party-boy scion during a boozy wedding-rehearsal weekend. As the investigation unfolds through the voices of seven of the deceased's confidants and Ivy League classmates, the podcaster becomes infatuated with... Read More

With his distinctive northern England accent, Christopher Eccleston shares the story of his complicated relationship with his father, his path to becoming an actor, and dealing with mental health challenges. It's far from a frothy Hollywood memoir. In what is more a reading than a performance, Eccleston is frank about everything from his working-class upbringing to his father's... Read More

Laura Clery uses the spunk and irreverence that made her a YouTube sensation while narrating her audiobook. She is peppy in all the right parts, especially during reminiscences about her nerdy teenage years. Clery balances this with a more poised persona as she reflects on other mile markers, such as a classmate's suicide in middle school. For fans of her online work, this is a... Read More

Narrator Channie Waites opens this audiobook with a lilt, verve, and rhythm, appropriately introducing African-American teen Lena. Lena teases as generously as she loves; her wit is immediately apparent. Brittany Pressley portrays Campbell, whose tone is reserved and timid. Campbell is a teen who is flying under the radar--she is only interested in surviving one year at her new... Read More

Photographer, artist, and founder of the Purpose Hotel, Jeremy Cowart turns his ample talents to narrating his new audiobook on creating possibilities through the spirit of Christ. Cowart's soft Tennessee accent gives comfort to the weary audiobook listener as he describes the leaps and stumbles associated with putting one's trust in God and moving forward in faith. With a... Read More

This is one of those listens that makes you wonder how people like Jessie and John Frémont can have escaped history--and a Hollywood treatment. It also makes you wonder how authors and narrators like Inskeep find the time to do what they do--and do it so well. Inskeep is known to many as one of the voices of NPR's "Morning Edition." He also has a deep interest in American... Read More

Narrator Erica Sullivan's voice is understated as she calmly lists countries whose plastic has turned up in a "plastic sieve" along Canada's coastline. Elsewhere, emotion creeps into her voice as she describes a refugee's rough raft journey. Her narration adds impact to Laura Trethewey's "extended listening tour" of the world's oceans. Trethewey's tour takes listeners behind... Read More

Jorjeana Marie is the warm, supportive guide every writer needs to get going. Here she narrates her own advice on how to bring the principles of improvisation into creative writing. Marie uses a personal style that creates the feeling you're having coffee with a creative friend who is going to get you unstuck. Her 10 rules are delivered quickly in a conversational tone and can... Read More

Narrator Adenrele Ojo guides listeners on a journey of love, loss, and family as the coming-of-age stories of mother and daughter Marilyn and Angie are told 18 years apart. In the present day, teenaged Angie sets off on a road trip with her ex-boyfriend to look for answers to her mother's past and her African-American roots in California. Ojo taps into the tension as the exes... Read More

Carmen Maria Machado's memoir of psychological abuse by a former girlfriend dissects their relationship from many perspectives, each described within the framework of a highly original metaphor (all of which the author claims are not metaphors). As she opens the doors on her experience, Machado's voice is soft and steady, simultaneously vulnerable and assured. Acclaimed for her... Read More

Narrator Hillary Huber takes on the persona of bestselling author Elena Ferrante for this collection of short columns written for the Italian newspaper THE GUARDIAN. The elusive Ferrante, who uses a pseudonym, is best known for the Neapolitan Quartet novels, which include MY BRILLIANT FRIEND. She writes here on a variety of subjects ranging from her own writing process to... Read More

Listeners who enjoy complex espionage stories like those of le Carré will want to hear Tim Campbell narrate this taut political thriller. Former British diplomat Simon Davey's life was shattered during the protests in Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine, in 2004. Campbell employs a clear, fast-paced delivery. He sounds American, but he creates other accents with ease. Notable... Read More

Sinek's latest book focuses on helping leaders rethink how they are framing their work. He posits two mindsets: the finite game, one with a clear end, such as baseball; and the infinite game, one that does not have a real end, such as tag. Sinek narrates with the conviction and passion of a person who firmly believes what he is sharing, qualities that make his ideas all the... Read More

Narrators James Fouhey and Briggon Snow give stellar performances in this quiet YA romance. Caleb, portrayed by Snow, is an Atypical--an empath who can feel other people's emotions. Adam, portrayed by Fouhey, is a bookish loner with a lot of big feelings. As Caleb learns to manage his ability, the two boys are drawn together. When Caleb is overwhelmed by emotions, Snow... Read More

Twins Emil and Brighton get caught up in the dangerous world of specters--people who steal powers from magical creatures--and Spell Walkers--a group of people born with powers to destroy. This is the first installment of a fantasy trilogy set in a New York populated with hydras and phoenixes. Four excellent narrators bring the teenage characters to life, and their distinct... Read More

It was a smart choice to use a pair of narrators, James Shippy and Marc Samuel, for this joint memoir by twin brothers. Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin played youth sports together and vowed to do the same with college football. Now they both play for the Seattle Seahawks. The two narrators create individual identities for the brothers while keeping their dialogue straight for the... Read More

Joel de la Fuente gives a spectacular performance filled with drama, theatrics, and razzle-dazzle that beautifully showcases Charles Yu's satire of Asians in America, told in a funky screenplay format. Willis Wu's life unfolds like a movie in which he is "Generic Asian Man." Each night he returns to his crowded Chinatown highrise hoping that the next day will bring him closer... Read More

Jill Heinerth loves cave diving. That's clear in her prose, and it's also crystal clear in her voice as she describes diving in dangerous underwater caves among unknown species and stalactites and frightening cold. Heinerth is incredibly brave and skilled as she breaks barriers diving in the deepest cave in the world, in Mexico, and inside the biggest iceberg in recorded... Read More

This audiobook is a tour de force. The talented Joe Morton gives a virtuoso narration. Morton inhabits the novel's unnamed narrator and draws the listener into his remarkable world from the first to the last sentence. His exceptional portrayals of the wide cast of characters, ranging from a poor Southern black farmer to Harlem hipsters, white tycoons, and black matriarchs make... Read More

Narrator Karen White returns to delight listeners as part-time reporter Lucy Stone ventures from her hometown of Tinker's Cove and goes to a private island off the coast of Maine. Lucy's latest assignment is a piece about the island's owner, an eccentric billionaire environmentalist who has stripped the small island of almost all modern conveniences. But before Lucy can get the... Read More

L.J. Ganser's lively narration immerses listeners in the well-researched rags-to-riches story of Izzy Baline, better known to the world as Irving Berlin (1888-1989). Born in Russia, Berlin, with his family, escaped czarist pogroms by immigrating to New York's Lower East Side, where he began his career at 13, singing for pennies in bars and on street corners. Ganser captures the... Read More

Ana Osorio narrates this timely and relevant work about a young woman struggling to survive amid the political and financial chaos in Venezuela. The audiobook opens with Adelaida Falcon burying her mother. Now alone, Adelaida must find a way to live with the inhumane conditions brought by the political crisis. With her soft voice and Spanish accent, Orsorio vividly renders the... Read More

Nothing is more chilling than our worst fears becoming a reality, but surviving the aftermath is the other half of an often untold battle. Emily Bauer's narration transports listeners inside the mind of a teenage girl who is going by the alias "Jane" as she recounts how she was kidnapped by a stranger at work and how she survived her capture, which lasted several months. After... Read More

Narrators David Pittu and Gabra Zackman do wonders with editor Amanda Vaill's carefully arranged collection of moments in the life of award-winning choreographer Jerome Robbins (1918-1998). Using Robbins's archives, Vaill offers an insightful, often intimate look at the man through his writings, which cover his thoughts, ideas, fears, and loves. Pittu portrays a whimsical,... Read More

Narrator Janina Edwards connects with listeners, making them see how easily anyone can fall into a terrible cycle that gets passed from one generation to the next. Anabeth loves Wilton, but she chooses to marry Elias because of his higher social status, an action that, as listeners hear, leads to a downward spiral of scheming, deceit, adultery, and, ultimately, heartache for... Read More

Narrator Eric Garcia meets the challenges of delivering Jean-Georges Vongerichten's fascinating and revealing memoir. Most importantly, Garcia captures the hugely influential chef/restaurateur/entrepreneur's contagious enthusiasm for life, food, and fine dining. Garcia reproduces JGV's Alsatian-inflected English, providing the listener with a well-crafted version of the... Read More

Narrator Malcolm Hamilton adeptly matches his delivery to this graphic novel's dark mood. Davie is a somber teen who is invited by the jocular Joe Quinn to experience the outbursts of the poltergeist that haunts his home. Listeners will need an ear tuned for this production's accent and uncommon words from the north of England. In a soft but sardonic tenor, Hamilton conveys... Read More

C.M. Smith narrates this 1986 novel documenting the era of South African racial segregation. Thirteen-year-old Naledi and her brother journey from their rural village to distant Johannesburg to bring their mother home to save their dying baby sister. Naledi's voice is determined and steady, matching her decisive and caring personality. In Jo'burg, they meet Grace, who shelters... Read More

Exercise may carry the weight of chore and prescription, but in Kelly McGonigal's reframing, it's an accessible way to enjoy more self-expression, social connection, and mastery. She presents her refreshing views with a combination of lighthearted innocence and rock-solid confidence. Her tone and vocal clarity create an inviting atmosphere for absorbing her ideas and taking... Read More

Series fans will rejoice to hear Robin Miles reprise her role as narrator in this third outing of brave, headstrong Caribbean islander Corinne La Mer. Having already bested the terrifying trickster jumbies on both land and sea, Corinne discovers that her previous adventures have angered the storm god Huracan and that it's up to her to protect her home and loved ones from... Read More

Author Eva Chen's voice is fresh as she narrates the story of Juno Valentine. What would you do if you went to your closet to pull out your favorite shoes and found something else entirely? When Juno finds a "cornucopia" of shoes rather than her own, she sits down to try them all on. The collection includes shoes that belonged to Cleopatra, Frieda Kahlo, Cinderella, and Serena... Read More

This production opens with the voice of Justice Sonia Sotomayor explaining in a straightforward tone that, like gardens, children are full of variety. Her own childhood experience involved the finger pricks and insulin shots of diabetes, which made her feel isolated and different. Sotomayor urges listeners to ask questions when they encounter differences. The second narrator,... Read More