New Reviews by Title: P-T

Macy recounts, with a sense of gratitude and plucky amusement, her escape from poverty and alcoholism in small-town Ohio with the help of her staunch mother, supportive teachers, and a generous Pell Grant. She wants to know what it would take for a poor, ambitious kid to do the same these days and concludes that the barriers have multiplied to a nearly insurmountable level. And... Read More

With ambient sounds and the shifting voices of various characters, this production immediately draws the listener into an unfolding crisis. U.S. and Mexican agents uncover a cartel's lethal synthetic drug scheme, which infects an entire village with deadly parasites. The full-cast ensemble and subtle sound effects--footsteps, weapons clicking, and voices muffled by gas... Read More

When a gay, bipolar doctor concludes that the death of his boss, his archenemy, may have been foul play, his life begins to go crazy. And nobody does "crazy" better than voice-over magician Andy Serkis. Serkis matches the rhythm and satirical tone in what can only be called "comic British noir." Besides performing Scottish and posh British accents, Serkis adds a dead-on voice... Read More

The narrators depict a lavish Sweet Sixteen party. Kate Handford portrays Dani, the young, cool stepmother of the birthday girl, Sophie. Handford's voice trembles as Dani fights the crippling anxiety she works so hard to hide. Saskia Maarlveld portrays Kim, Sophie's mother. Her bitter tone reflects both her situation and her near constant state of inebriation. Suzy Jackson... Read More

"Dear Borrower," sighs narrator Chanté McCormick, voicing the exasperated, exhausted Jada, a 30-something Black woman who has defaulted on her student loans after having lost her job at the mall. College was supposed to be the answer to every question you have at age 18. In her sassy narration, McCormick invites listeners into a perilous and absurd alternate reality for student... Read More

In this latest from Preston and Child, Jefferson Mays completely immerses himself in the character of A.X.L. Pendergast, taking him back to his first case as a probationary FBI agent. After 22 previous adventures, Mays still manages to add nuance and subtlety to the enigmatic hero, making him as intriguing as ever. A close look at Pendergast's man-of-all-work, Proctor, begins... Read More

Rosalyn Landor is masterful narrating this debut fantasy. Marta finds herself on a quest to save her world. Together with a band of disparate compatriots, she sets out to find and restore mystical gemstones to bring the Pentark back to life and save the Isle of Sphere from an evil lord and the Prince of Darkness. Marta's principal companions are a badger and a pair of elves but... Read More

The subtitle of this short, inspiring listen could be: "Pep talks from your favorite writers." Maggie Smith and Saeed Jones have put together a vibrant collection of short essays and poems about how to keep going in times that feel impossible. Many of the writers read their own contributions. Highlights include beautiful poems read with raw emotion by Tiana Clark, Victoria... Read More

Latronico's novel is more social commentary than a work of fiction. Narrator Sophie Roberts describes the vacuous existence of a millennial couple who spend most of their lives online as graphic designers for websites. The narration is crisp, and the tone, pitch, and pacing are adapted to the documentary style of this exposé on the habits, interests, and values of an... Read More

Narrator Phoebe Strole's expert approach to this contemporary fantasy shines. Winnie is one of the four Farthing sisters who've been told they're descendants of Persephone, the Greek goddess of the dead. While talking to the dead had always been the norm for the sisters, it wasn't until Winnie accidentally banished a resident ghost that she came to believe that she and her... Read More

Earphones Award winner Rachel L. Jacobs narrates this character-driven story, an evocative coming-of-age chronicle of a suburban Chicago teenager who is graduating from high school in 1974. Listeners will hear the recollections of 70-year-old Phoebe as she looks back on a critical period and her vivid, youthful reactions to those life-changing events. The story delves into... Read More

Susan Vinciotti Bonito's endearing voice introduces Piccolo, a shrew who rides a scooter around his hometown in Italy. He makes a daily to-do list that includes his favorite places and is on his way to the gelateria for his favorite flavor--hazelnut--when he sees Mr. Russo struggling to take his painting to the art museum. Piccolo helps and deletes one item from his list.... Read More

Billed as "the lost novella," this audiobook includes an introduction by Leonard biographer C.M. Kushins, which explains how the work was created and its place within Leonard's oeuvre. Narrator Anthony Rey Perez smoothly delivers the audiobook, a mystery revolving around migrant farmworkers. At times, Perez is reminiscent of the late Frank Muller, whose husky narration and... Read More

Narrators Madeleine Curry and Valerie Gutierrez provide lively voices for a story that takes place in a multiverse. Two girls live in parallel versions of a town called Rockdale. Twelve-year-old Piper lives with her parents and her robot dog, Roody. Raisa lives in the parallel Rockdale with parents who are scientists. Each girl is on a mission: Raisa transports herself to... Read More

Rachanee Lumayno performs one of the most fascinating and unique novels of the year with skill equal to the quality of the book. Lumayno breathlessly delivers a truly frightening story about an early video game that is too powerful to resist. Her dynamic rendering makes this audiobook as current as today's scary headlines on the future of AI. In the novel, Andi, an aloof... Read More

George Blagden's pleasant performance of William Boyd's second suspense novel about occasional spy Gabriel Dax floats equably along like a story told over a glass of postprandial whiskey. It's an adventure set in 1963 England and Berlin, where, between conducting MI5 jobs, Dax and his compatriots savor many cocktails and cigarettes. Blagden's vocal register rarely varies from... Read More

Narrator Ari Fliakos brings a compassionate tone and exquisite pacing to Irving's sequel to THE CIDER HOUSE RULES--40 years in the making. Complicated, quirky, and enigmatic characters highlight this exploration of anti-Semitism and how Esther Nacht, a Viennese-born Jewish orphan, ends up at an orphanage in St. Cloud's, Maine, where Dr. Wilbur Larch takes her in. Fliakos... Read More

Listeners' interest is immediately piqued by Lou, a begrudging medium whose encounters with the dead are as normal as taking out the trash. As the Veil that separates the living from the dead things and a cult of necromancers descends upon Lou's adopted town of Magnolia Grove, listeners fully experience her mounting tension through Cat Protano's narration. Protano's vivid,... Read More

History as complex as that of 15th-century England, including the ending of the Hundred Years' War and the Wars of the Roses, requires a clear voice and precise diction. Esther Wane provides exactly that. This audiobook chronicles the lives of five queens--from Joan of Navarre, queen of Henry IV, through Anne, queen of Richard III. Wane works hard to concentrate on the women... Read More

Kevin R. Free highlights the narrative throughline of this detailed history. Listeners may not be familiar with Charles Garland, but the fund he established in the early 1920s continues to have an impact on American society. When Garland determined that his substantial inheritance should be used to strengthen society through major social causes, the result was initiatives like... Read More

Narrator Sudha Bhuchar unfolds this sweeping epic, which depicts the struggles of Charu, a woman whose family has been sustained by India's railway system over the generations following the nation's independence in 1950. Now she too works for the railway and navigates the complexities of the twentieth century. Bhuchar portrays Charu and those who cycle in and out of her life... Read More

Jason Culp offers an excellent, well-toned, and enthusiastic narration, complete with spot-on imitations of Austrian-born director Billy Wilder, in this well-researched examination of the iconic 1950s Paramount film SUNSET BOULEVARD. The movie features Gloria Swanson as the faded silent screen star Norma Desmond. Culp's breaths at the ends of sentences distract slightly, but... Read More

Freddy Carter and Emily Carey continue their compelling performances in the second installment of the City of Fantome series. As Sera explores her new powers amid the Order of Flames, Ransom struggles with leading the Order of Daggers. While both are trying to protect their kingdom, they are drawn back to the city of Fantome when the king orders them to settle their rivalry and... Read More

John Ridge, son of a Cherokee leader, finds himself at odds with the Christian values he's learned at a New England school. They don't align with the realities he's come to observe: racism and attempts at sowing tribal division. The strength and hope in narrator Cameron DelGrosso's voice gradually fades when Ridge returns home and the brutal seizure of Cherokee lands begins.... Read More

Two novellas deliver uneven performances. In RED STAR HUSTLE, Jennifer Pickens, portraying bounty hunter Imadi, is spellbinding. Her voice imparts the heft of every emotion involved with tracking Aran, a sex worker wanted for murder. Ali Andre Ali's performance as Aran binds listeners to the humanity in the audiobook through his deft portrayal of the mental dance of addiction.... Read More

Narrators Dion Graham and Fred Berman once again demonstrate their mastery of their craft in this James Patterson thriller. Graham returns as Alex Cross, fully embodying his multiple facets: loving family man, psychology scholar, and determined detective. Berman portrays serial murderer Gary Soneji to scarily calm perfection. Berman's performance allows listeners to inhabit... Read More

The dynamic and deliberate voice of David Rintoul is the perfect choice for this sequel to Forsyth's 1972 novel The Odessa File. Fifty years after journalist Peter Miller exposed the underworld of a Nazi terrorist group (Odessa), grandson Georg Miller takes on an investigation of the latest terrorist attack in Germany and links it all back--only this time it is "Medusa" he must... Read More

Kristin Atherton is the absolute right choice to narrate this riveting and complex history of the rise of global terrorism. The research provided here is ambitious, providing a clear-eyed, deeply considered history of the nature of terrorist acts, the motivations for which were hard for news broadcasts of the 1970s to fully capture. Atherton's narration never wavers as Burke... Read More

Narrator Amber Dekkers guides listeners through the trials and tribulations of the relatively unknown writer Sanora Babb. Her life began with an abusive and impoverished childhood in eastern Colorado. As an adult in California, she associated with creatives such as Ray Bradbury, James Wong Howe, and Ralph Ellison. Her own writing, however, was often pushed aside and ignored.... Read More

Narrator Michael Sheen's return to the Book of Dust series gives it the spectacular ending it deserves. His versatile skills bring to life daemons, griffins, witches, and humans alike. Twenty-year-old Lyra is searching for her daemon, Pan, who is the physical manifestation of her soul. In chapters that shift viewpoint, Sheen's emotional range and mastery of accents keep... Read More

Narrator Rebecca Lowman imbues Kate Riley's parabolic prose with verve and urgency. This ambitious debut unearths universalities of feminine curiosity from within the walls of a strict insular community. Ruth--a relentlessly inquisitive, slightly brainwashed member of a Christian communist cult in rural Michigan--is irresistible. While not overtly rebellious, she is... Read More

Stacy Gonzalez, Jasmin Walker, and Kim Ramirez breathe life into Straight's poignant account of the lives of Larette, Cherrise, and Marisol, ICU nurses who are working during the Covid-19 pandemic. Shaun Taylor-Corbett offers a glimpse of a man on the outside. Early in 2020, isolated in small trailers in San Bernardino, Calif., the three exhausted women deal with their fears of... Read More

Eunice Wong's calm, deliberate narration accentuates what author Yume Kitasei does best--meticulous world-building. In a not-so-distant future, three sisters are growing up in a time when the oceans have risen, food is scarce, and multinational corporations rule the land and islands. When the two younger sisters discover a cryptic message from the older sister, they set off in... Read More

Amy McFadden's determined portrayal of Triss MacKay transports listeners to a flooded future Florida, where the legal and illegal are forced to battle in the mud. Using an array of accents, McFadden brings SALVAGIA's many characters to life. She bestows individuality on even the most inconsequential and elevates those to whom we grow attached. Despite the barrage of injuries,... Read More

David Timson performs Juvenal's 16 verse satires with energy, clarity, and precision. These works from the 2nd century CE are usually harsh, often personalized, diatribes against Roman--or simply human--venality and corruption. Timson's resonant voice and oratorical tones fit the rhetoric well. Occasionally, tirades are rife with homophobia, xenophobia, or misogyny and larded... Read More

Thirteen-year-old pickpocket Tom Morgan is dedicated to helping his fellow orphans who are imprisoned amid the unspeakable conditions of a Dickensian workhouse. Zac Lowe-McAlley breathes life into every ghastly situation and character--with Tom a standout. When a mysterious but compassionate recruiter from the School for Deception Arts encounters Tom, he recognizes the boy's... Read More

One can forgive the coauthors for straying from clinical detachment and instead writing with sharp edges, flashes of bitterness, and even a touch of snark. Both have endured frightening personal attacks simply for championing science. Tim Campbell's sonorous authoritative voice has a journalistic feel, but what makes his performance exceptional is how he channels the... Read More

Comedian Barry Rothbart found recordings of his late father detailing a second life and crimes he had committed. Rothbart recounts his experience of making this discovery. The production also includes clips of his own comedy recordings, clips from his shows, and conversations with his wife, friends, and father's associates about what he found. Rothbart and his associates speak... Read More

Galileo had a daughter? Who knew? L.A. Theatre Works and playwright Jessica Dickey offer a fascinating glimpse of the renowned astronomer's world in this full-cast production. Galileo, who was condemned by the Church for his theory that the Earth revolves around the sun, is played with gentle ease by Gregory Harrison. His daughter, Maria Celeste, played with intelligent... Read More

Author Benjamin Wood narrates his atmospheric story of a quiet life on the tidal flats of North West England. Over the course of three foggy days, listeners hear the softly sung lullaby of Thomas Flett, an impoverished boy who harbors musical ambitions while practicing the obsolete art of shanking--trawling for shrimp using a horse-drawn cart. Thomas' luck seems about to change... Read More

Narrators Stephen Dexter and Joy Nash delight listeners with this hilarious second-chance romance. Molly and Karl never dated in high school, but the feelings between them were always present. And then there was the time right after graduation when they almost crossed the line. Years later, when Molly returns to Harlot's Bay after reading Karl's obituary--which turns out to be... Read More

The start of a new series, Hand and Heart, is narrated by Samara MacLaren. Grey Flynn is a knight with a magical well of power; her partner, Kier, is a mage who draws his power from her. They're childhood friends--and an extremely effective team in battle. When they embark on a dangerous mission to rescue a girl who is a prisoner of war, the odds of succeeding are slim. But, if... Read More

In a soft, melodic voice, Saskia Maarleveld breathes life into this novel set in 1895 London. Lady Duxbury, a three-time widow who survived an abusive marriage, shelters three vulnerable young women under the guise of a book club. Eleanor, a physically and emotionally abused mother; Rose, an American dollar princess; and Lavinia, a bullied young woman with a domineering father,... Read More

Narrator Eilidh Beaton whisks the listener off to a remote Scottish castle at Christmastime. Mirren Sutherland and Theo Palliser travel from London to Scotland to help Laird Jamie McKinnon locate a rare book hidden on his estate that will help save his home. A snowstorm strands the three, along with Jamie's sister, Esmé, and the housekeeper, Bonny. Beaton brings a Scottish lilt... Read More

Brittany Pressley and Dan Bittner expertly perform a dual narration of a contemporary paranormal romance audiobook. What do you do when the guy you went on one date with haunts you--literally? Or when your late fiancée's spirit is still around five years after her death? You team up with your newfound fellow hauntee. As Morgan and Sawyer work together to discover their ghosts'... Read More

These two loosely entwined novellas are set in Japan. The first, SEESAW MONSTER, is set against the backdrop of the booming 1980s. Former Special Agent Miyako must form an alliance with her mother-in-law, whom she hates and suspects is a murderer, to rescue her kidnapped husband. Pun Bandhu's narration excels at characterization; he makes the two female protagonists highly... Read More

While not strictly autobiographical, much of Updike's work is drawn from his own life, so listening to his letters does inform how we read his fiction. It's also quite entertaining since he was, from adolescence, an excellent writer of letters, and a prolific one. In this audiobook the letters are read by his children, with assistance from a talented group of... Read More

Dutch author Ludwig Volbeda's 2024 Rainbow Book of the Year is translated by Lucy Scott. Avi Roque's neutral narration fits the unsent letters of Jip, who is struggling during a school break to draw a self-portrait and to determine their place in the world. Roque creates a verbal portrait of the solitary, artistic, bug-curious teen whose observations are sometimes painful in... Read More

Bahni Turpin shines in this richly layered, multigenerational story of family secrets and the history that shapes all of us. In a story told from multiple perspectives over multiple timelines, Turpin creates believable distinctions between a wide range of characters and time periods. Set in Chicago in 1995, the main storyline focuses on Tali, a 14-year-old trying to find out... Read More

Narrator Brittany Pressley returns the listener to Maine and Poole Manor, the house Sonya has inherited--complete with ghosts and a curse. A witch, Hester Dobbs, has cursed the family and over the years has killed seven Poole brides. Sonya; her boyfriend, Trey; her best friend, Cleo; and her cousin, Owen, are determined to break the curse and rid the manor of Dobbs. Cleo is... Read More

Film and stage veteran Hugh Jackman and promising newcomer Ella Beatty perfectly find the nuance, tension, and naturalism in the voices of a small-town college English professor who slides into the "horrible predictability" of an affair with a bright 19-year-old coed. It's certainly not a new tale, but Jackman and Beatty are more than capable of wrestling with the complex... Read More

Gary Tiedemann's crisp narration takes listeners to the lunar south pole in this science-fiction thriller. A mysterious signal from the Shackleton crater jump-starts a space race between the U.S. and China. Astronauts race to the moon, and intelligence personnel hunt for spies back on Earth. Author Joshua T. Calvert's pacing is strong as he cuts back and forth between the two... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini convincingly portrays thugs, a torch singer, all manner of gumshoes; he does Hungarians, Germans, English elites. His vocals are spot-on. The wildly imagined plot begins in Milwaukee and then shifts to Eastern Europe. Hicks McTaggart, a former strike breaker, now a private eye, likes to dance and to romance--until he runs afoul of the Milwaukee mob. Much of... Read More

As eminent physicists born in the 1940s, authors Lightman and Rees must be troubled by the erosion of public confidence in science. This audiobook examines the nature of scientific thinking. Christopher Grove's narration is well suited to the authors' message that scientists are real human beings with diverse backgrounds, personalities, motivations, and goals. The production... Read More

Narrator Michael Vallely's soft, melodic Irish brogue is an ideal match for this memoir chronicling Waldron's adoption of a border collie named Oscar in rural Ireland. Oscar enters Waldron's life during a pivotal time after his father's sudden death, providing comfort and quickly becoming part of the family. Waldron's relatable processing of his grief is interwoven with... Read More

Chris Andrew Ciulla's balanced performance is hilarious yet fully grounded. Operating as ex-military guns for hire, Skwerl and Big Cheese take a job to retrieve a luxury jet. When the job goes sideways, they wind up traveling the globe to set things right. While current news items such as the war in Ukraine punctuate the story, the main events effectively mix humor and action.... Read More

This dramatized audiobook adaptation delivers immersive romantasy with cinematic flair. The story follows Odessa Cross, an overlooked spare princess forced into an unwanted political marriage tied to an ancient blood treaty, monsters, and warring kingdoms. As she journeys through dangerous lands, Odessa begins to question her role as queen, spy, or sacrifice, and she slowly... Read More

Narrator Dominique Salvacion's emotionally vulnerable performance suits this young adult horror audiobook. Kyra, the adopted child of a drug addict, is haunted by disturbing nightmares connected to her childhood. Now a viral video challenge revolving around a new recreational drug is circulating at her high school, changing the students around her. Salvacion depicts Kyra's... Read More

Mary Robinette Kowal's narration of the newest installment of the award-winning October Daye series shines with her characterizations and delightful timing. When Sir October "Toby" Daye, Knight errant and Hero of the Realm, is called upon to investigate the looting of the royal vaults, she answers the call despite being late in her pregnancy. Kowal's voices and accents bring... Read More

Narrator Ben Cura wades through this hypnotic, surreal novel with gravity. This suits the opening, as Nicholas, a young Brit fleeing London, departs for sun-dappled Italy and the maelstrom of Fellini and Pasolini's film sets. Cura's seriousness persists throughout Nicholas' love affair with a costumer, the revelations of his dark past, and Laing's dreamy vignettes of Rome's... Read More

Award-winning performer Cynthia Erivo narrates her own memoir in which she focuses on what it means to fully embrace yourself, even if others do not. Today, Erivo is beloved for her role as Elphaba in the film adaptation of the musical WICKED, but as a child she was frequently told she asked too many questions and to stop being "too much." Performing her story herself, Erivo... Read More

The three narrators' performances are so exquisitely skilled that this audiobook is irresistible. Grant is an FBI agent working in predictive analytics who's been assigned to investigate the case of a deadly industrial explosion. The curveball: Sara, a hypnosis therapist, reports that her client, Marigold, described the event before it happened. During subsequent treatment... Read More

Classically trained British actor Alex Jennings effortlessly captures the urbane tones, cutting intelligence, and stoic wit of a gay English-born English professor dealing with the loss of his longtime partner. It's the early 1960s, and seismic change is in the air at the professor's suburban California college--from the Cuban missile crisis to his students discovering sex and... Read More

This audiobook is a unique combination of women's fiction and Southern gothic, and narrator Jenn Lee's voice perfectly matches the creepy ambiance of this story. Green's novel relates the loosely connected life stories of several women with ties to a small town in eastern Louisiana. Lee's impassioned voice follows the women at different stages of their lives as she expresses... Read More

Christine Brown Woolley, one of the wives in TLC's "Sister Wives" series, bares her soul in this candid memoir about polygamous life, leaving behind what no longer serves you, and finding yourself in the broken pieces. In 2010, Woolley became a household name through the TV show, which broadcast episodes of the daily lives of an Apostolic United Brethren family, the Browns.... Read More

Beginning right in the middle of the heaving, sweat-soaked fervor of a Y2K dance party, this explosive saga holds its firm grip for the next 20 hours. Narrator Aleksander Varadian keeps his foot on the gas for the length of this epic, shifting with apparent ease between Stockholm place names, Arabic slang, and French intimacies. As he weaves the decades together--unveiling the... Read More

The Finch sisters are drawn into another mystery, with Soneela Nankani returning as narrator. Remi joins Eliana and Maeve on a search for Eliana's estranged husband, Chad, after they find a severed fingertip at his ransacked home. Evidence and Eliana's strange behavior cause Remi to question her loyalty. Will this mystery unravel the sisters' new bond? Nankani portrays tension... Read More

Narrating his own work, Frankel is a bit flat, at first. But as the dual accounts of two gruesome murders unfold--one well known and one not--his thesis takes over and makes this audiobook highly engaging. Leila Welsh was murdered in Missouri in 1941; Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia, was murdered in LA in 1947. Frankel depicts intriguing connections between the two... Read More

Three distinctive voices portray the Cohen sisters, who reside in a Syrian Jewish community in Brooklyn. As the novel opens, middle sister Fortune is preparing to marry and fulfill her family's traditional expectations. Gilli Messer maintains a restrained, compliant tone that suits her character's personality. Olga Namer depicts the tough eldest sister, Nina, who is... Read More

Narrator Chelsea Kwoka's bright, energetic performance creates an engaging listening experience centered on the pioneering women primatologists from the 1950s on who transformed primate research and inspired generations. Dr. Keriann McGoogan asks a central question: What drives high percentages of women into careers dedicated to the study of and advocacy for chimpanzees,... Read More

Belfast-born Gareth Russell's rich accent adds ambiance to this engaging biography of Scotland's James VI and England's James I. Despite the suggestive title, Russell's well-researched narrative covers all aspects of James' life and his place among the Stuart rulers who preceded and followed him. James' private inclinations have been known for centuries, and a significant... Read More

This is a very brief introduction to the 6,888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of WWII. Jade Wheeler narrates with crisp enunciation, slow pacing, and buoyant admiration for the work of the Black women serving in the newly desegregated U.S. Army. Letters from home were a great morale builder for the troops. The Six Triple Eight was deployed in the U.S. and overseas to... Read More

Television journalist, consultant, and conservative influencer Emily Austen explains how to overcome the way shame and low self-esteem can keep us from getting more output and satisfaction from our efforts. She narrates with strength and determination, a fitting tone for someone whose ideas and suggestions are informed by her own social hardships and mental health challenges.... Read More

Narrator Elena Rey gives a solid performance of this story in which animal and plant spirits reign over an isolated desert town. Selena is still settling in, having just fled the city. It's a beautiful town, she thinks--except that she frequently feels she's being watched. Rey conveys the voices and emotions of all the characters, each easily distinguishable from the next. The... Read More

Narrated by an ensemble cast, this audiobook explores the lives, successes, failures, and frailties of a half-dozen friends from the early 2000s to 2024. The novel's narrators are all talented and capture the millennial characters' struggles well. Jill Paice performs Mia, a writer who is the only single person in the group, with fine tempo and pacing while conveying her angsty... Read More

At age 18, when Priscilla Presley married one of the most famous men in the world, Elvis Presley, she was uncertain where her life would take her. In this memoir Presley's voice resounds with clarity and energy. She wants to set the record straight about a lot of things, including her personal experiences with Elvis; their late daughter, Lisa; and her granddaughter, actor... Read More

January LaVoy performs this heartfelt small-town romance. When former musician Merritt Valentine had a mental breakdown 10 years ago, she left glamorous Los Angeles and hasn't looked back. Since then, she's been healing while living with her sister in a small Colorado town. Merritt never expected to have a crush on her local contractor, Niko Petrakis. However, the more time... Read More

A candid performance like this one by Amanda Kelley occurs only once in a blue moon. Twelve-year old Ruby has a unique relationship with her mother, Ruthie, who has repeated episodes of disappearing due to mental illness. Aided by her loving aunt, Ruby is yet again on a quest to find Ruthie. Kelley narrates Ruby's steadfast determination to find her mother and her clever... Read More

In 1970s New Hampshire, 17-year-old Coleman Cooper, relatably voiced by narrator David Bryant, is receiving mental health treatment at yet another institution. He follows his therapist's advice to get some work, but when a hospital executive is murdered at a gala where Coleman is serving, he's accused of the crime and must investigate to clear himself. Emma Brace portrays Haley... Read More

Combining his unpretentious style with the rhythms and tones of 1940s radio, actor Paul Giamatti smoothly creates the uniquely American feel of Ray Bradbury's 1962 classic dark fantasy. It's a week before Halloween, ominous clouds have gathered, and The Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show has come to town. Only Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, two 13-year-old best... Read More

Multitalented biographer, journalist, and podcaster Gyles Brandreth has long been a fan of A.A. Milne--and was friends with Milne's son, Christopher Robin. Who better, then, to commemorate the 100th birthday of Winnie-the-Pooh with a view of childhood, Milne's family relationships, and shining moments from the Hundred Acre Wood? Though he covers Milne's many successes, at the... Read More

This audiobook vividly brings Galilee Kincaid's personal journey to life. The story follows Gali, a young woman raised by the powerful Kincaid matriarchy, who yearns to be normal despite her magical Southern roots. When she meets Lucifer Helel at an opulent party, their electric connection exposes the truth about her hidden power and pulls her into a rising conflict between... Read More

English actor Kristin Atherton's spectacular performance is perfect for this fantasy, a spin on the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty." The long awaited heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Bavaugh, a princess, is born with both a blessing and a curse. Three women--the queen, her lady-in-waiting, and a master's apprentice--try their best to alter the curse but encounter difficulties.... Read More

Stress physiologist Rebecca Heiss narrates her helpful audiobook with pacing and energy that give it motivational juice. Using colorful examples and solid rationales, she explains that there's a range of stress types and intensities. There's the annoying worry of "I lost my glasses" to an all consuming concern like "my dissertation is due" or "I need to get out of my marriage"... Read More

In this celebratory retrospective of Dolly Parton's career, the singer-songwriter delivers stories of her life and music in her bright, warm voice and distinctive country twang. Coauthor and narrator Tom Roland joins narrators Charlie Chase and Lorianne Crook (both TV and radio hosts) in providing biographical transitions and prompts for Parton. Crook adds humor as Parton... Read More

Historian Tracy Borman's research and narration offer a riveting account of the battle for succession following the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Borman narrates her careful investigation of the events leading to the end of the Tudor dynasty and the rise of the Stuarts. Borman sounds like a favorite professor. Her voice is well modulated, and her pace makes the history easy to... Read More

A talented team of narrators immediately pulls listeners into this compelling audiobook. The story centers around the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that has survived the hurricanes that ravage St. Menard's Bay, Alabama. In the present day, Geneva Corliss is the innkeeper trying to keep her family business afloat. Journalist August Fletcher arrives along with Lo Bailey to... Read More

In fewer than 20 hours, this insightful, deeply immersive audiobook offers a full education on the 20th-century novel. The author is an esteemed "New York Review of Books" editor; here he distills a lifetime of reading and reflection. His narrative is probing and eclectic, covering a wide range of links and parallels while focusing on 30 or so significant novels. Narrator BJ... Read More

Researcher, public speaker, and podcaster Brené Brown narrates this comprehensive guide to courageous leadership with her signature warmth and clarity. Drawing from decades of research and global experience, Brown offers practical insights on leading with authenticity, humility, and connection. Her personable narration sounds like a conversation with a trusted mentor--engaging,... Read More

Listeners are treated to a well-produced, full-cast production with fitting sound effects. The result is a captivating listening experience. Set in early-twentieth-century Minneapolis, the story unfolds through multiple points of view conveyed through journals, newspaper articles, letters, and court proceedings. The tale of Addie Strongwood, accused of murdering her beau,... Read More

George Guidall evokes resentment and obsession in this queer thriller, set on the isolated Turkish island Büyükada. Fehmi and ener have spent 40 years in love. Yet despite having an intimate group of friends, the men have hidden their marriage, living as "retired companions" with bitterness bubbling under the surface. When Deniz and his family move in next door for the summer,... Read More

There's nothing easy about narrating Finch's memoir of his 20 summers spent in Burnside, a small town on the Newfoundland coast. Finch reflects on his conversations with the locals and the slow, almost imperceptible, changes in the community over the years. As narrator, Rick Adamson has to keep the story marching forward even though it feels like "Groundhog Day"--each summer is... Read More

Edward Rowe and Meg Salter narrate this immersive psychological thriller. Birdie, portrayed by Salter, is preparing to avenge her sister's death after 18 long years. Jimmy Maguire, portrayed by Rowe, has been released from prison, and Birdie is determined to make him pay for killing her. As she pursues him, armed with a pistol, years of betrayal and family secrets catch up to... Read More

Sarah Agha captures Meryem's restless inner life as the 25-year-old supermarket intern navigates long shifts, open hostility with her boss, and uncomfortable dates. As Meryem retreats into writing fan fiction about her coworkers, Agha distinguishes neatly between the monotony of Meryem's work life and the heightened tone of her imagined romances and rivalries. Agha lets the... Read More

Allison Hiroto portrays a contemporary 29-year-old woman who is trying to make ends meet in Tokyo. Although it's illegal to donate her eggs for remuneration, that seems to be the only way Riki can climb out of her financial rut. But what was intended to be a simple transaction becomes complicated when she's asked to be a surrogate, the biological father is in question, and the... Read More

Woodson's tone is soft and gentle as she reads her picture book about Sarah's adjustment to her grandfather's death. Sarah's family's sweet remembrances recall vividly the wisdom of a tender man who reminded all of them that "everything and everyone goes on and on." This refrain occurs throughout, reminding listeners and reinforcing the audio's central theme. Woodson's dialogue... Read More

World War II buffs won't be disappointed as narrator John Hopkins capably delivers this account of the British landing on the easternmost beach of the Normandy Invasion in June 1944. Hastings, a well-known British military historian, switches from his usual mile-high view of events to a ground-level view. He gives splendid descriptions of the preparations for the landing, the... Read More

Hanako Footman's light tone perfectly contrasts with this chilling speculative fiction, which examines artificial intelligence, technology, and concepts of justice. Thirty-seven-year-old Sara Machina is the architect of the controversial Sympathy Tower Tokyo, a luxury residence for criminals whom society now sees as having been victims of their circumstances. Footman exercises... Read More

A dynamic ensemble of all-star narrators brings to life these stories assembled--and in one case, published--for the first time. Representing Sanderson's writing experimentation and growth over the course of 25 years, they feature worlds in which reality is unstable and characters move freely through simulations, universes, and bodies. The narrators are impressively well... Read More

Marian Hussey's narration is a standout. Set after the goblin war, the story centers on Dara, the Hawkmaiden, as she navigates uneasy peacetime, questioning her purpose while confronting a disturbing necromantic threat emerging near her home. The story balances emotional introspection with romantic tension and genuine danger, offering meaningful growth for Dara and adding depth... Read More

Janina Edwards narrates this exploration of the musical phenomenon that is Taylor Swift--her lyrics and what it is about her music that makes her both relatable and aspirational. When author Stephanie Burt created a university course on Taylor Swift and her lyrics, the poetry scholar didn't expect hundreds of people to show up on the first day. Expanding upon Burt's lectures,... Read More

Rebecca Lowman and Paul Michael provide the main narration of this audiobook, set in contemporary Los Angeles. With a deep timbre and the mannered cadence of a Golden Age Hollywood actor, Michael portrays Verity, an aging A-list movie star. Dismayed by the endless opportunities his fame affords him, Verity sets up a lottery of his film salary to be awarded to one moviegoer.... Read More

Fiona Hampton creates a panoply of amusing and sinister voices for the residents of Sweetbriar, budding detective Beatrice Steele's new London neighborhood. This second installment of screenwriter Searles's engaging Regency mysteries finds our intrepid heroine ostensibly searching for a wealthy husband, while actually working with Inspector Drake at their newly opened... Read More

Cobie Smulders delivers an authentic and captivating performance that anchors this audiobook. The story follows a family whose lives are upended when their memoir about raising a child with Down syndrome is optioned for a Hollywood film. Sharp, genuine writing draws listeners into this exploration of identity, family bonds, and the tension between truth and adaptation. Josh... Read More

Rebecca Calder's narration drives this surreal tale about "antimemes" that can attack memory and identity. With precision and controlled energy, Calder shapes an audio experience that highlights the text's clever constructions and unsettling logic. Calder's clear articulation and confident pacing make rapid conceptual shifts feel purposeful, helping listeners absorb the... Read More

A young adult holiday story is told through the perspectives of Dominique, portrayed by Eric Lockley, and Andy, portrayed by Khaya Fraites. On New Year's Day, Andy wakes up in a bathtub and then discovers her car is missing. The only person who can help her find it is Iris, whose family is responsible for the closing of Andy's family's store. While Andy and Iris search for the... Read More

Sara Amini returns to narrate the majority of the second book in the Charlatan Duology. Charlie's lover, the powerful shadow Vince, lost his memories of their time together after becoming tethered to her. Amini's narration captures Charlie's trademark cynicism, as well as her heartbreak and feelings of vulnerability as she struggles with having a shadow that doesn't care about... Read More

Narrator Natalie Duke is excellent in this spooky, funny, and fast-paced listen. Twelve-year-old Maya Murtagh is on a mission to fix her relationship with her best friend and writing partner. She also wants to find a story that earns her a regular column in her school's newspaper. The perfect story presents itself when her family visits Black House Mansion, the former home of... Read More

Listeners will be moved as bilingual narrator Almarie Guerra delivers this family saga, which takes place in a barrio in Puerto Rico and in South Beach, Miami. The coming-of-age story follows Maricarmen, a Latina who marries a Black musician who is a kind of Robin Hood figure in their poor community. When he's killed by police, he leaves his youthful widow to cope with raising... Read More

Narrator Sagan Chen creates an energetic voice for Reilly, who works with her family each summer, running the Rhoades Family Amusement Park. After her grandpa, the park's visionary, passes away, the rest of the Rhoades family tries to carry on, but nothing is the same. Chen captures Reilly's emotions when her grandma has a fall and needs heart surgery, causing even more... Read More

Kevin R. Free portrays the dean of Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism in a fine style as he delivers selections from Cobb's reporting, commentaries, and observations. Free's pace and tone give the man his due. As Cobb astutely navigates the period from 2012 to 2024, he explores the wider meaning of the killings of unarmed Black men and bears witness. Looking farther... Read More

This epic audio history traces the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, and George Meade, culminating in their confrontation at the Battle of Gettysburg. While many listeners might be well acquainted with Lincoln and Lee, there is plenty of new detail about each. Meade is less well known and comes to life in this audiobook. Narrator Vas Eli does a solid job. He carries the... Read More

An outstanding ensemble of narrators delivers six short stories, all involving time travel. Jonathan Davis' narration of "For a Limited Time Only," about a time-traveling salesman who is denied a job transfer, is made particularly poignant by his strong, emotionally charged delivery, especially as the main character learns the reason for his transfer denial. "A Visit to the... Read More

Presenting this liberating guide, the author, a corporate consultant, sounds like anything but as she asks listeners to lighten up and have a good time at work. Her cute personal stories, spontaneous writing style, and training examples are infectious, making the case that we'd all be happier and more productive with a looser and more joyous approach to whatever work we're... Read More

Drout, professor of English and director of the Center for the Study of the Medieval at Wheaton College, narrates this deeply researched and remarkably comprehensive examination of Tolkien's genius. Drout's strong, sonorous voice is the perfect vehicle for sharing his own findings, imbuing the audio with deep meaning and a full understanding of both his own work and that of... Read More

Daniel K. Isaac's performance reminds listeners that there's always more than meets the eye in seemingly charming small towns. In Griffin, New York, the unseen has started bubbling to the surface. Listeners become immersed in the town's conflicts over a congressional race, struggles with addiction, history of ignorance and prejudice, and present-day gentrification. The complex... Read More

In 1943 a select group from the upper echelons of German society gathered at a tea party. They hated what Germany had become under Hitler, and they resolved to stop him. Author and narrator Jonathan Freedland engages listeners in this little-known story of Nazi resistance. His narration is both articulate and steady. His voice drives the narrative with energy, infusing... Read More

This autobiographical novel, originally published to little fanfare in 2001 and long out of print, has been championed by influential queer poet Eileen Myles and reissued with their introduction. A coming-of-age story and picaresque novel set in the 1970s and '80s, Tramps is narrated by Joe, who flees a tyrannical and abusive father in Kansas City to explore the bars,... Read More

Contemporary Brooklyn is home to a diverse group of characters voiced by Nikki Massoud in this middle-grade mystery with a slight fantasy twist. In this second installment, amateur sleuths Roya and Amin are approached by their neighbor and fellow classmate, 12-year-old Thea, to find the treasure left in their building by her estranged grandfather. Showcasing her skills, Massoud... Read More

Christina Delaine narrates this carefully researched and sympathetic biography of Jessica "Decca" Mitford, the most radical of the famous British sisters, with great authority. Delaine works hard to reproduce the uncomfortably strangulated accent of the English aristocracy, enhancing the frequent quotations from letters and from Mitford's prolific journalism. Widowed as a young... Read More

Leighton Pugh's resonant baritone and evenly paced performance help orient listeners in this detail-packed novel. The alternate-history story posits that famed WWII mathematician Alan Turing invented a machine that he used to influence the location of the Normandy Invasion after the fact. The time machine is then passed to his son (born of a one-night stand with a female friend... Read More

Jesse Vilinsky narrates an episodic urban fantasy with strong elements of a police procedural. Over the course of a year, Detective Beth Fahey interacts with both the humans of Penwych and the Arcane of Wyrd. In doing so, she also learns more about herself and her mysterious past. Central to the island of Wyrd is the maxim: "Words have power; intentions matter." Vilinsky... Read More

James Marsters' weary delivery perfectly captures Harry Dresden's fractured psyche as he navigates a year of mandatory mourning and political maneuvering in Chicago. Marsters doesn't just read; he inhabits Harry's exhaustion, using deliberate pacing and a somber tonal palette that underscores the protagonist's post-traumatic stress. Marsters' gift for distinct vocal... Read More

Bestselling author Mitch Albom narrates his imaginative novel about love, loss, and second chances. Albom's background in broadcasting makes him a creditable narrator who proves adept at portraying his characters. At an early age, Alfie discovers that he gets to have do-overs in his life. But he can only relive an episode once, and there are other rules, as well, including one... Read More

Three capable narrators blend seamlessly in this audiobook performance. As the title implies, the two main characters--devoted to one another from childhood--endure trials that force their destinies apart. This story explores their star-crossed experiences against the backdrop of Victorian society and tinges the tale with the drama and spiritualistic air of the time period. The... Read More

Narrator Melissa Advani captures a mother's worst nightmare when her child goes missing during a family holiday in India. Struggling with doubts about her husband's faithfulness and her own mental health, Jo begins receiving threatening texts shortly before the trip abroad with her husband's business partner and his family. When her son disappears from their rental cottage,... Read More