Kathleen McInerney's narration is gentle and sweet in this adaptation of the novel THE WILD ROBOT into a picture book. Music ranges from bright to apprehensive in this story of Roz, a robot who washes up on an island, learns to live like the animals, and raises a gosling named Brightbill. Tension occurs when Brightbill must migrate and Roz cannot, but McInerney never conveys a... Read More

John Sackville's academic-sounding British accent does quite well in narrating this audiobook. A scholar of the national socialist period in Germany, Rees draws many parallels between how Hitler came to power and present-day politics in the West. However, while he decries the "us versus them" dichotomy--the propensity for humans to act in tribes--he seems to find it difficult... Read More

Psychologist Tasha Eurich delivers her expertise on using scientifically supported methods to move through life's challenges when relying on resilience is no longer an option. After undergoing her own life-changing health crisis, Eurich discovered that her habitual methods of coping with stress were no longer effective and led to even more personal struggles. So she created a... Read More

Joshua Quinn's performance embodies the spirit of a true educator: John B. King, Jr.--who was Secretary of Education during the Obama administration. Quinn's voice projects a deep intellect and curiosity. King began as a classroom teacher; then he became an administrator. His focus on student success is at the heart of his commitment to education as an art. Given the current... Read More

Roshaan Riyahi-Boni narrates this look at the lives of working-class lesbians in North London in the 1990s, a look that serves as a springboard for a memoir and a discussion of queer theory. The audiobook is filled with entries in the Women's Line Logbook, a lesbian helpline. The entries cover a period of five years, beginning in July 1993. Riyahi-Boni's renderings reveal the... Read More

Narrator Caroline Hewitt deftly presents this novel about a fictional friendship between Marilyn Monroe and a young Reno hotel maid. The story takes place in 1960 during the dissolution of Monroe's marriage to playwright Arthur Miller. Chambermaid Pauline fails to recognize the actress when she first cleans her suite--but soon observes Marilyn's transition from sleepy Mrs.... Read More

The third installment of the Hart and Mercy series, narrated by Kacie Rogers, begins with Rosie and her partner, Duckers, inspecting a faulty portal to the mythical Tanria. After they touch a strange smudge in the machine, it further malfunctions. Soon the elusive genius Adam Lee arrives to assess his invention's problems, ultimately leading to Rosie, Adam, Duckers, and his ex... Read More

Times have changed for John Rebus in this audiobook: He's not just a retired detective; now he's an ex-cop in prison who has been convicted of murder. Siobhan Clarke is heading up a missing-person investigation from a different Edinburgh office, while her friend Christine Esson has her old job and is investigating a murder that took place two doors down from Rebus at the... Read More

This audiobook about the months before and weeks after Abraham Lincoln's inauguration is sensitively narrated by Golden Voice Arthur Morey. The author takes us through a series of events culminating in the attack on Fort Sumter, which began the Civil War. Documenting the multiple attempts to prevent the conflict from occurring, he focuses on the largely forgotten Washington... Read More

The latest political thriller by Bill Clinton and James Patterson comes alive through the dynamic performances of a skilled team of narrators. The plot revolves around First Gentleman Cole Wright, who is on trial for the unsolved murder of a New England Patriots cheerleader during his days as an NFL star. Spanning the years between the crime and the trial, the story follows... Read More

Suzanne Toren's slower pacing, mature vocal timbre, and suffer-no-fools confidence make her performance a perfect fit for the late author's last audiobook, a collection of works written in the five years before her death at 96. Toren modulates her outsized dramatic talent to capture the full measure of class, wisdom, and charm of the New York City icon who was well known for... Read More

Tanya Reynolds gives this stunning novel a luminous performance. Budding journalist Joseph Adelaide is invited to interview the world-famous, notoriously reclusive painter Edouard Tartuffe. "Tata" lives in isolation in Provence with his niece, Ettie. Ettie caters to him, doing everything from answering his mail to cutting his hair while silently enduring his rages, cruelty, and... Read More

Gareth Armstrong and Michael Fenner portray Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr. Watson, along with their archenemy, Moriarty, and the psychopath Colonel Sebastian Moran. The surprise in this story is that the four are working together against the forces of evil. Armstrong and Fenner's distinctive tones make the plot easy to follow, and they cope well with the cast of... Read More

James Fouhey deftly finds the voice of an emotionally torn boy--half Black/half white--a child of the plantation. Joniece Abbott-Pratt digs deep to deliver the tones of a clairvoyant who speaks to ghosts. And Robin Miles uses her theatrical background to give a storyteller's ease to this haunting narrative. Where there's slavery, the Devil can't be far behind, and in this... Read More

Yoinks! Prepare to get "meta" with this hilarious mash-up of comics, prose, poetry, and real-life author rivalry. In a thinly disguised reference to themselves, award-winning authors/narrators Jerry Craft and Kwame Alexander portray fifth-grade rivals who plan to compete in their school's annual story contest. K is a writer; J is a comic book artist. You can probably guess the... Read More

No one is better than Sir David Attenborough at communicating authentic awe and wonder at discoveries in the natural world. So it's no surprise that this audiobook on ocean ecosystems is an intimate and wildly informative joy ride into the sea. Attenborough, at age 99, reflects on his iconic career, including the horrific declines and astonishing recoveries he's witnessed over... Read More

PR executive Gwendolyn has a lucrative career, but when disturbing supernatural episodes derail her work events, she reconnects with her estranged cousin, Fonsi, a queer Panamanian American who owns a botanica and communes with the dead. Together, they must confront their pasts and harness their power to protect the living from the dead. Expressive narrations by Brittany... Read More

Wesleigh Siobhan and Jakobi Diem return to the Skyland series for its last installment. While entertainment agent Hendrix Grady has seen both of her best friends find their happily-ever-afters, she's content to remain single--if that's what the universe has in store. But when she meets tech mogul Maverick Bell at a colleague's party, sparks fly. Later she learns her new man is... Read More

Jefferson Mays's no-nonsense delivery works well for this revisionist history of WWII. Chamberlain, a professor of history at Columbia, begins this detailed work with commentary on WWI, viewing it as "the child of colonialism and the father of superpower neo-imperialism." Mays's baritone is steady and clear and appropriate in expression throughout. He does well at pronouncing... Read More

This audiobook dives into the details of managing a baseball team, examining not only some managers of a couple of generations ago, but also today's skippers. Miller's discussion of the evolution of the game is all about analytics, and narrator Bob Souer drives home that point with his clear, slightly deep voice. He meets the topic head-on--like a fastball whizzing toward the... Read More

Nancy Kwan, the trailblazing Eurasian actress, dancer, and singer, narrates her life story in an appealing manner. The preface, narrated by her cousin Kevin Kwan sets the tone and provides an overview of the woman who was a 1960s sex symbol in movies and in Broadway productions such as FLOWER DRUM SONG. Kwan tells stories of living internationally and her marriages, the final... Read More

Narrator Maria Marquis demonstrates her impressive range of accents and emotional nuance in this complex mystery taking listeners from Philadelphia to Tuscany. Julia Pritzker suffers devastating losses; as a child she loses her adoptive mother, and as the story opens, listeners encounter her witnessing the brutal murder of her husband. The plot pivots internationally when... Read More

Olivia Dowd narrates this first installment in a series based on 16th-century England--with the added feature of dragons and magic. King Henry is desperate for a male heir from at least one of his six wives who are ensconced in castles throughout his kingdom. The relationship between Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour is the main focus. In alternating chapters, Dowd draws... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and André Santana deliver alternating narratives of two unique teens--Viv, who fights for the environment, and Dex, who struggles with poverty. Hutchinson-Shaw's narration is tense and energetic as Viv confronts the people who support her town's economic base: fracking and its associated pipeline. She also captures Viv's quick mood changes and sensitive... Read More

"Top Chef" host and alum Kristen Kish beautifully delivers her memoir, displaying her compassion throughout. Adopted and raised in Michigan, Kish never doubted her family's love, even as she struggled with social anxiety. Her deep family bonds and drive to succeed echo throughout her story. A move to Boston marked a turning point; there, she began to embrace her identity, and... Read More

Nashville actor, comedian, and activist Tyler Merritt performs this rollicking account of his treatment for cancer and the life lessons it provoked. Full of spontaneous asides and unscripted conversations with his producer, co-writer, and others, the soundscape is enormously entertaining. Merritt's vocal theatrics are outrageous and often funny but, for most listeners, will not... Read More

This engrossing audiobook describing the post-WWII trash trade will transform every listeners' attitude toward waste. Narrator Greg Lockett's fast and focused delivery matches the author's vivid descriptions of the communities that serve as dumping grounds for wealthier nations' radioactive waste, toxic and banned chemicals, trash, and "recycled" plastic. The author, who... Read More

Narrator Daphne Kouma wows in this epic fantasy/murder mystery/political thriller. In a society built around eight powerful animal spirits, a new emperor is chosen every 24 years when those vying for the throne compete in a series of trials. When the Raven palace's contender is found dead, scholar Neema Kraa finds herself simultaneously taking her place in the trials and... Read More

Narrator Will Damron introduces listeners to Michael Connelly's newest character, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Stilwell. Damron skillfully delivers this police procedural, rich with the detail, atmosphere, and character depth that we expect from Connelly. What sets this story apart from most of Connelly's others is its setting, Catalina Island, where police patrol in... Read More

Mesmi Chu narrates this fantasy infused with Chinese folktales. A lion couple and their cub, Jin, guard the Old City Gate, the entry to their unseen world of stone spirits, Gongshi, who protect the modern city's residents. Jin shirks that responsibility; he resents his father's devotion to duty and the Sacred Sphere that binds their worlds. Chu highlights Jin's selfishness with... Read More

A group of acclaimed narrators delivers an absorbing performance of David Baldacci's new novel. In 1944 London, well-born 15-year-old Molly, 14-year-old Charlie from London's East Side, and Ignatius Oliver, a bereaved bookshop owner, are flung together to forge a found family in the midst of war. While the writing suggests a young adult novel, the complex story will certainly... Read More

Bonnie Tsui is clearly fascinated by how our muscles work and why we should use them. Her performance is appealing--full of joy and heart. She reels us in with her appreciation for both muscles and people. Tsui profiles the first woman to lift Scotland's massive Dinnie Stones and a champion high school runner who runs to honor his great-grandfather, who ran 50 miles to escape a... Read More

Award-winning Icelandic actor Olafur Darri Olafsson is a wonderful choice for the voice of this novel about contemporary Icelandic farmers. He speaks as Orri, the son of a cattle farmer and a Lithuanian Jewish university professor, who over the course of the novel comes to a deeper understanding of his parents and their lives. The narrator is, of course, impeccable with... Read More

Part memoir, part biography, part poetry, part science, part history-- this audiobook defies a simple description. Mia Hutchinson-Shaw offers a practical, no-nonsense narration of a wide-ranging work. Her pace is consistent, and her voice is clear and thoughtful as she moves through Christle's text. Transitions among the many narrative turns are fine--if often sharp and... Read More

Abigail Reno narrates a unique variation on the time-travel genre in which a woman travels to the past via her traumatic memories. Beth has built a machine that allows the human mind to travel back in time. But there are two caveats: The mind can travel only within its own lifetime and can observe the past for only 90 seconds. Reno imbues Beth with pathos as she deals with the... Read More

Author and narrator A.E. Osworth wonderfully delivers this magical audiobook about trangender witches who must confront a rogue AI. Wilder wakes up one morning able to comprehend every language in the world. Soon, they are invited to join a coven of witches with similarly awakened powers. But just when they find comfort in their new family and magic, an evil AI threatens to... Read More

Narrator Marisa Calin shines a light on women's opportunities in this unconventional historical rom-com. Lady archaeologist Georgina Harrington doesn't back down from any challenge, and Calin's voice is imbued with her steely resolution. To locate her missing cousin, Georgina teams up with Alexander Lovett, heir to a dukedom, despite not being pleased that both their families... Read More

This authoritative guide to end-of-life care covers every imaginable issue that older people face as they move closer to death from illness or old age. It was written by a plain-speaking physician whose experiences with patients and his own parents make him skeptical about the value of heroic medical procedures to prolong life. A long-standing part of Western medicine, such... Read More

Narrator Maggie Ollerenshaw is perfectly matched to 89-year-old Margaret Winterbottom in this debut mystery. Listeners quickly learn that Margaret is an unreliable source of information--not out of malice, but due to frustrating memory gaps. She joins her teenage grandson, James, to uncover who murdered her neighbor and dear friend, Barbara. Ollerenshaw skillfully... Read More

This audiobook, a rom-com lover's dream come true, is brought to life by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Lee Osorio. Hutchinson-Shaw is easy to listen to as she convincingly depicts Sawyer's emotions while adding depth and impact to the story. The chemistry between Sawyer and Mason is undeniable, and Hutchinson-Shaw delivers a nuanced performance as the saucy foil to Mason's brooding.... Read More

Sanya Simmons narrates the sixth installment in this eighteen-book series, each written by a different award-winning author. Ayana Ndoum is a shy, quiet student who usually does not stand out among her wacky third-grade classmates. While Simmons individualizes students and adults so that listeners can clearly grasp personalities and relationships, her primary focus is on... Read More

Narrator Mirai skillfully brings new life to an old classic with this arresting audiobook. Low's story is a reimagining of PETER PAN told from the perspective of Captain Hook. In this case, the woman who would become Hook is Jordan, who was a Lost Boy until puberty struck and she was forced to return to the real world. Since she returned with an addiction to magic dust, adult... Read More

Kirt Graves and Evan Parker charm listeners with this steamy rom-com featuring two 40-something queer men. Kent Lester takes pride in his career as a school principal, but his personal life suffers from a lack of romance. Enter Vincent Manda, a sweet, if high-strung, man with whom Kent has an awkward one-night stand. While both men hope to forget what wasn't their finest dating... Read More

Podcaster Kelsey McKinney offers up an entertaining analysis of gossip. Using research, opinion, and her own personal experiences, McKinney digs beneath the surface of "spilling the tea" and takes a passionate, captivating, and bubbly approach to her narration. In a casual tone, she introduces a history of gossip and its contributions throughout generations, as well as the... Read More

David Thorpe, who has narrated many works of fiction, does a very good job with this history of Budapest from the end of WWI. At that time, the city was home to various political movements, besides being a splendid center of culture. In the spring of 1944, Hungary was invaded by the Germans, and the large Jewish population was then at the mercy of the Axis powers. When Budapest... Read More

Biologist Thor Hanson describes how during the Covid pandemic he attuned his senses to the wildlife right in his backyard. Narrator Stacy Carolan strikes a curious tone as he narrates the author's explorations of nature in Kansas City. Carolan's delivery is laid-back yet quickly paced as he presents the author's observations on the daily life that was going on all around him,... Read More

Vikas Adam masterfully draws listeners into this nonstop thriller featuring disgraced former NYPD detective Sami Kierce. The story begins with a secret from more than 20 years earlier, when Sami, fresh from college, backpacked through Europe and had a brief romance with a beautiful American woman. Fast-forward to the present: Twists and turns come quickly as Sami investigates... Read More

Narrators Christine Lakin and Matt Lanter deliver a heartbreaking and uplifting duet narration featuring a geographically challenged couple. Samantha, a marketing rep of mustard, and Xavier, a surly veterinarian, spend their first date locked overnight in an escape room. Shortly after, Samantha goes to California to care for her mother, who has dementia. Lakin communicates a... Read More

Women have often been considered muses to famous artists, providing inspiration for great works of art. However, some of these very women have been great talents in their own right with gifts that were overlooked. Narrator Traci Odom makes an enthusiastic call for listeners to recognize the importance of championing women. Odom's narration is casual but impassioned as she makes... Read More

Classical music provides an enjoyable background to the story of Cecilia Chiang. She first watched cooking in her family home in China and then was introduced to its varied cuisine as she crossed the country during WWII. Later, she immigrated to the US. Cindy Kay's soft voice transmits Cecilia's dedication to the dishes she loves and grows stronger and more determined as she... Read More

Soneela Nankani delivers a grounded, evenhanded performance as she voices the inner conflict of a woman who is caught between two identities. Lata Murthy decides her actual life is too boring and creates another, more glamorous, self with potentially disastrous consequences. Nankani's style reflects Lata Murthy's shifting inner life as she steps into the world of her new... Read More

Adam Barr offers a solid narration of this audiobook about backyard conservation. In his 2007 book, BRINGING NATURE HOME, ecologist Douglas Tallamy described the relationship between native plants and native birds and insects. In this audiobook, Tallamy uses a question-and-answer format to provide easy-to-follow ways individual homeowners and gardeners can have a significant... Read More

With a rhythmic cadence and a call-and-response reminiscent of BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? author Leslé Honoré narrates her uplifting book. Soft, warm music begins the narration as Honoré asks somber questions, such as "Brown girl, Brown girl / what did you do?. . . who will you be?" Honoré responds to the questions with solemn answers before the narrative moves to... Read More

Small-town Louisiana detective John Bowie is convinced that a young woman's murder has been attributed to the wrong man. A maverick on the verge of losing his job, he persuades Beth Collins, a true-crime TV producer, to investigate whether the girl's disappearance might be connected to others. Narrator Kyf Brewer does well in portraying Bowie's gritty, uncompromising demeanor,... Read More

When their children are grown, some people take up golf. Author Paula Whyman bought 200 acres of Blue Ridge mountaintop to rewild. Narrator Kimberly Farr strikes just the right tone in this insightful memoir. Her warm, wry voice embodies the author's passion for the land she wants to turn into a haven for native plant, animal, and insect species. Farr successfully intermingles... Read More

Jacques Roy's narration sounds like a political science lecture as Alexander Vindman's analysis of Russia's invasion of Ukraine delves into the history behind the conflict. He covers the Chernobyl disaster, denuclearization efforts, Ukraine's role in the fall of the Soviet Union, and relations between Russia and the region dating back to the seventeenth century. It's packed... Read More

Sara Matsui Colby is the main narrator of this audio adaptation of a graphic novel, and various narrators chime in as minor characters. Japanese-American author Christine Mari recounts her study abroad experience as a time of culture shock, depression, a feeling of lack of belonging, microaggressions, and, eventually, self-discovery. To supplement the lack of visuals, various... Read More

Sarah Slimani narrates this debut fantasy, the first installment of The Shattered Lands. Naila is a student at the magic academy who is trying hard to find her magic. Soon, she catches the attention of Haelius, the most powerful wizard, who takes it upon himself to mentor her. Slimani captures Naila's progression from an uncertain "hollow mage" who is relegated to the lowest... Read More

Joshua Miele tells his life's story from age 4, when a neighbor poured sulfuric acid over his head, blinding and disfiguring him. Today this MacArthur Fellowship recipient is involved in research and innovations to make the sighted world accessible to the blind. Greg D. Barnett narrates the tremendous hurdles Miele overcame in order to live a normal life in a challenging... Read More

Leon Nixon deftly recounts the endlessly fascinating life of Barack Obama, beginning with magnificent descriptions of his early life in Hawaii and Indonesia, and his sadness at first encountering world poverty. Young listeners meet "Barry," who'd been insulted by classmates but later, as an adult, felt he'd come home when he arrived in Chicago. An African visit to his birth... Read More

This audiobook chronicles and contrasts the presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, both born in Kentucky. The comparison ends there. Davis was a West Point graduate and Mexican War veteran. Lincoln had little formal schooling and almost no military experience. Yet they faced off in the Civil War, and ultimately Lincoln's courage in issuing the Emancipation... Read More

Narrator Sasha Frost delivers an outstanding performance as Miss Pauline, a lifelong resident of the village of Mason Hall, Jamaica, who is almost 100 years old. Miss Pauline knows that her time draws near. She hears voices at night, her house has begun making strange noises, and she knows she must right some wrongs. Reflecting on her life with the help of her granddaughter and... Read More

Narrator Marisa Calin has a voice made for children's audiobooks. Full of wonder, Calin addresses listeners directly, introducing the cast, adding backstory, and warning when things might get a little dark. Clare is the undead fox that guides souls to the afterlife. Calin voices him with meticulous articulation and a disgruntled air. Clare particularly dislikes badgers, so when... Read More

Narrators Katharine Chin and Yu-Li Alice Shen transport listeners with their portrayals of complex characters in this literary audiobook. American Lindsey Litvak, age 22, is fighting for her life in a Shanghai hospital after a hit-and-run accident. Her divorced parents rush to China to be by her side, but they don't speak the language and struggle to navigate their new... Read More

Eliza Foss gives a performance as elegant and energetic as any "Gibbs girl" graduate in this entertaining and surprising account of the founding, growth, and eventual demise of the Katharine Gibbs School and the capable women who forged ahead with confidence from its several academies. In 1911, the widowed and destitute Gibbs opened her first secretarial school. Her goal was... Read More

Narrator Gregory Jones deftly presents 20 lessons on privacy protection, using smooth transitions and well-timed pitch inflections to maintain listeners' attention and buy-in. The lessons provide concrete actions that are built on convincing evidence. For example, in "What the Constitution Says," the author advises on how to respond to police questioning. In "Small Data Paint... Read More

Greta Jung narrates this moving story of three women: Angelina, Gongju, and Sunyuh. After the unexpected death of her mother, Gongju, Angelina, a recent divorcée, travels to Korea to reconnect with her birth culture. Jung captures Angelina's melancholy and hesitancy with the Korean language. When Angelina meets a relative, family secrets begin to unspool, leading her on a... Read More

This audiobook, translated from the Korean, follows Jungmin, a young woman who quits her job and isolates herself in her apartment. When she goes for a walk and stumbles into a pottery workshop, it opens up her world again. Jennifer Kim narrates with a scene-setting Korean accent and effortlessly pronounces the Korean names and words. While her delivery can be somewhat choppy,... Read More

Sarcastic, irreverent, and heartfelt--everything is larger than life in this fond, raw, and boisterous remembrance of Renay Mandel Corren, the author's mother, who "didn't cook, didn't clean, and was lousy with money but was great at dyeing her red roots, weekly manicures, filthy jokes, and pier fishing." With the energy of a stand-up comic, performer and playwright Andy Corren... Read More

Every second of this dynamic production--from the bouncing notes of the opening theme to the last snapped finger--creates a musical soundscape. Narrator Karen Murray's sweet and steady tones guide the listener through a history of Black music told in rolling lines of poetry. Murray moves seamlessly from the talking drums of Africa through the origins of the blues, jazz, funk,... Read More

Nirvi Shah's narration introduces romance to a gamers' group. Rose juggles her best friend's wedding, her board game prototype, and her obnoxious boss, even as she faithfully attends her weekly game night. Shah's voice sounds appealing and the right age for a young professional. Shah delivers Rose's eye-rolling humor with vocal expression as Rose matches wits with William... Read More

Narrator Caroline Hewitt immerses listeners in the colorful life of the quirky, vibrant, and slowly dying Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino. Hewitt brings warmth and wit to the contrasting moods of the villagers, who range from the disgruntled Mayor Delizia Miccuci to the stubborn locals at Bar Celebrità. Her expressive voice adapts to the plot, particularly as a powerful... Read More

Singer-songwriter Neko Case narrates her memoir and brings to it a vitality and dynamism that give the listener a sense of actually being with her as she falls victim to manipulation by her mother, beginning at age 8. Case allows us to feel the tumult and trauma of impoverishment, neglect, and a steady stream of dislocations and relocations. Case balances these with a gentler... Read More

Andrew Gibson and Janet Metzger both give resonant, emotionally compelling performances in this devastating but deeply human novel about secrets, silence, familial legacies, and what it means to live a good life. Gibson voices Peter, a 40-something immigration lawyer in New York City who's spent his adult life using other people's stories of suffering to avoid facing his own... Read More

Braden Wright provides a crisp, even narration of this thoroughly researched overview of land--specifically, who owns it and how that ownership fortifies power over time. Albertus's audiobook seeks to provide a comprehensive review of how "the great reshuffling"--a phenomenon through which land is acquired, repossessed, or stolen-- consistently results in various significant... Read More

In a lilting voice, narrator Christopher Hampton captures the hope and curiosity of Will, a young Black boy who is hoping to claim land during the Oklahoma Land Rush. Will's companions include his stern father and their mule, Belle, and later the gentle but wizened ex-Union soldier, Caesar. Southern accents, including Will's, and twangy cowboy voices enhance the historic... Read More

Jennifer Sun Bell narrates this early novel by PACHINKO author Min Jin Lee. It's the story of Casey, a young Korean American woman who is striving to make her mark in New York City's wealthy financial sector. Bell does a proficient job narrating Casey's coming-of-age story; however, while she captures Casey's youthful spirit, her voice lacks the gravitas needed to animate the... Read More

The author, who is from Ukraine, is open about the fact that he's not presenting an unbiased history. Narrator Phillipe Bosher delivers Finkel's impassioned and erudite examination of the nation and its relations with Russia from the time of Kievan Rus' to the present day, including the present war. Bosher's intonation is perfect; his pronunciation is clear and quite... Read More

In a resonant baritone Gareth Armstrong ably narrates this new look at the abdication of Tsar of the Russian Empire Nicholas II in early 1917. Armstrong's English accent gives the performance an authoritative tone, and his somewhat staccato intonation is easy to follow. Russian words are pronounced well, and his overall performance is a good fit with the text. Using new... Read More

Scott Brick's pacing and level of intensity are perfect for Steve Berry's latest (Number 19) Cotton Malone novel. His baritone pitch reflects the gravitas of the unusual situation the former Justice Department operative finds himself in. In the 16th century, the Medicis loaned a large sum of money to the Vatican. A written papal promise to repay the loan, never honored, is now... Read More

This accessible guide covers everything--the values and blind spots people bring to a partnership, accounting practices that create clarity, and fresh ideas on making needs manageable and wishes fun to pursue. The money coach and podcaster Ramit Sethi describes best practices he's distilled from working with couples and can-do ideas that look to the future rather than focusing... Read More

Louisa Harland performs with a quiet intensity that is just right for this disturbing look at the effects on a family trapped in an abusive relationship in Dublin. Ciara, a pregnant mother of two, must get away from Ryan, her controlling, easily angered husband. Harland makes this audiobook so real that listeners will mentally cringe each time Ryan verbally or psychologically... Read More

A full cast, backed by sound effects and music, transform this queer adaptation of Jane Austen's EMMA from the graphic novel to an audiobook. High school senior and Instagram influencer Evan, a leader in his high school's LGBTQ+ student association, sees himself as Cupid and can't resist the opportunity to set up shy and dowdy newcomer Natalia--despite the warnings of his best... Read More

Ross Gay's poetry leans, generally, toward the joyful, so the early parts of this collection come as something of a surprise. His narration is, as always, quite fine, but his tone (and that of the work) is somewhat darker than we might expect. The poetry is up to Gay's usual high standard, and his control of tone, phrasing, and pace are exemplary, but he begins here with... Read More

Bill Schutt's look at everything toothy starts with some teeth listeners don't want to know firsthand: those of the vampire bat and a bloodsucking fish that is drawn by urine. Charles Constant narrates with a light touch and makes animal classifications clear. Schutt seems fascinated with nasty biters such as crocodiles and shrews. Eventually, he turns his attention to human... Read More

Using research and case studies from large and small companies, a behavioral economist and business strategy expert shows how employees who feel respected invest more of themselves in a company's mission and impact customer loyalty. Despite investor and analyst griping about labor costs, these human-centric companies are also more profitable than those that treat employees... Read More

Alex Cuadros spent six years investigating the controversy at the heart of this audiobook, and his passion for the story comes through in both his text and his narration. In a voice that is youthful and warm, Cuadros takes the listener into the Amazon rainforest, where the Indigenous Cinta Larga people have endured a decades-long struggle against illegal diamond mining that led... Read More

The warmth of Shamaan Casey's baritone surrounds listeners just as words envelop young James Baldwin in this biography. Quartez Harris's text shifts between a straightforward account and an ecstatic celebration. Casey navigates these tonal transitions with ease, expressing "Jimmy's" fascination with language in occasional meditative recitations of words and phrases. Sorrowful... Read More

It's been 38 years since we first met Rusty Sabich in PRESUMED INNOCENT. Narrator Grover Gardner, one of the best in the business, affects a smooth and evocative tone as he reminds us how Rusty was found innocent of murdering his mistress. Now he's entering the third act of his life with his engagement to the loving and insightful Bea. Gardner's tone and rhythm increase the... Read More

Andrea Davis Pinkney showcases her praise poem to Toni Morrison with a practiced delivery, addressing her subject as "you" throughout. Pinkney is gentle in describing Morrison's youthful love of letters; she deepens her voice as the future Nobelist gains confidence at Howard University. Her voice swells with pride as Morrison conquers the literary world as an editor and writer... Read More

Narrator Stephen Graybill captures a young man's complicated feelings about his family and the cruelty he witnesses at The Combine, the family's criminal enterprise. With the idea that blood is love as its overarching theme, this gritty story about identity, belonging, and family will pull listeners in. Luke Crosswhite is lost. He dropped out of school and struggles to find his... Read More

Narrator Ilvana Muratovic's Bosnian heritage adds power to Eskens's extraordinary historical novel of the 1990s War in Bosnia and its repercussions. Muratovic gives Hana Babic, a Bosnian now living in Minnesota, a subtle accent. It soon becomes clear that Hana's secret past, buried for the last 30 years, threatens to resurface and upend her quiet life. As the story flashes back... Read More

Dion Graham continues his stellar work with Mosley's Joe King Oliver series, bringing heart and rough edges in equal measure. Here, the private investigator's Grandma B has a dying wish: Locate her long-missing son. Oliver's complicated relationship with his father is heightened as the search brings new insights into the man. Meanwhile, Oliver struggles with his own ethics as... Read More

Don't assume a gardening book won't translate well to audio. Narrator Marni Penning's upbeat pacing and enthusiastic tone make this listening experience as relaxing as being surrounded by blooming flowers. The author, an expert gardener and prolific writer of instructional books on producing your own food, provides an intimate view of her relationship with growing plants.... Read More

Deepa Samual narrates a family saga that spans continents and generations of secrets. In 2015, Lila De works for a boutique publishing firm in New York. When she unexpectedly receives word that her grandfather has died and left her the crumbling family home in Kolkata, Lila travels there to deal with it. Samuel gives Lila a believable mix of professional confidence and social... Read More

Smoothly shifting between tones of self-indulgence, sincerity, sarcasm, and abject fear, Vikas Adam narrates this comedy of errors in which the protagonist may end up either in jail or on the NEW YORK TIMES Best-Seller List, or both. It all starts when a down-in-the-dumps, down-on-his-luck gay writer uses a dating app to connect with a handsome stranger, has a wonderful night... Read More

Catrin Walker-Booth narrates a fantasy inspired by British myth and legend. Jenny Greenteeth has lived a solitary life in her pond for hundreds of years, just as she likes it. When a witch is tossed in the pond to drown, Jenny has to re-evaluate what is important. Walker-Booth's portrayal of Jenny's emotional journey mirrors the quest she embarks on. It's difficult and at times... Read More

Narrators Stephanie Willing and Andrew Eiden charm listeners in this swoony celebrity romance. Emmy's wildest dreams are about to come true when her debut novel lands a movie deal starring her real-life celebrity crush, who just happens to be the inspiration for her book. When Jason accepts the film role, he and Emmy work together to clean up his image and put her on the... Read More

Does your work give back as much as it takes away? That's the question asked by two academics whose interests are in organizational life and the philosophy of work. Full of vivid stories about people who are and are not fulfilled by their jobs, they describe the obstacles people face who look for meaning in how they earn a living. The two authors narrate the preface and... Read More

John J. Sullivan tells the story of his years as the U.S. ambassador to Russia, revealing behind-the-scenes secrets about international politics and war, including Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. Sullivan performs his own work in an unadorned manner. At times, the performance lacks energy and sounds like what it is--a book being read aloud. He may have been better served by... Read More

In 1978, Rick Steves left his job teaching piano lessons to set out on the legendary Hippie Trail. Starting in Europe, Steves and his friend Gene left the "wading pool of European travel" (as he puts it) to visit old friends in Bulgaria and then embark on an epic journey from Istanbul to Kathmandu. Steves's trademark enthusiasm and joie de vivre are on full display as he... Read More

This audio adaptation of a cross between a Lemony Snicket story and an Enid Blyton story makes for an engrossing middle-grade adventure. Comedian and author Kate McKinnon shines at voicing the three Porch sisters as they end up in mad scientist Millicent Squibb's etiquette school after having been expelled from all alternatives in Antiquarium, where attendance in etiquette... Read More

Whether he's spotting a fox or watching big ants, Christopher Brown is easygoing as he talks about the nature he encounters on his street in Austin's edgeland. Exploring nature has been a constant part of his life since he built a home on an empty lot. Brown has taken apart a birds' nest to find plastic used as a construction material. He tells of his dream of incorporating... Read More

Moira Quirk confidently pronounces Welsh words as she narrates this fantasy. In a land filled with magical monsters, hunters compete during the Wild Hunt to earn a prize from the immortal king. Royal Gwydion hopes to keep his cruel brother from the throne and teams up with quick-witted commoner Branwen and kind Prince Pryderi. As Quirk narrates, monsters speak with hissing... Read More

Lindsey Dorcus narrates this historical mystery set in Washington, DC, in 1927. The story is told by Gertrude, a judge's daughter who attends a seminary for young women that prepares them for finding favorable marital matches. Prohibition is in full swing, but speakeasies abound, and Gertrude and her friends are not about to miss out. Everything changes when the headmistress is... Read More

A cast of talented narrators lend their voices to the 30th installment of the Alex Cross series. Supreme Court candidates are being murdered as the president-elect plans her inauguration. Cross and his colleagues must figure out who is behind the killings and why. As he draws closer to the answer, his wife and best friend disappear, leaving him with two major cases to solve.... Read More

Helen Laser narrates this opposites-attract romance, which follows a perfectionist math professor, Catherine, and her doorman, Luca, on a search for Catherine's lost identity. Before starting her new teaching job, Catherine finds out that her personal information has mysteriously disappeared from all government and academic records. Desperate for help, she reluctantly teams up... Read More

When executed as beautifully as this one, multigenerational novels are all consuming in the best way. Sandra Oh's performance of this audiobook makes the experience even more immersive. When young Sunja is saved from ruin and moves from Korea to Japan, a family tale begins and proceeds through four generations in the early 20th century. Oh is an outstanding narrator. Her pace... Read More

Clinical psychologist Robin Smith and actor Courtney Vance share their experiences and insights about how Black men can deal with the emotional effects of racism in America. They alternate narrating this important memoir/guide, Dr. Smith with empathy for the Black men and families she's treated and Vance with his rich voice and dramatic flair. Their performances are well suited... Read More

Amanda Troop narrates an intriguing nonlinear thriller about two estranged sisters who are searching for their mother, who abandoned them years earlier. Jane has settled into normalcy with a decent but dead-end job, a loving family, and an absent-minded father. Then she receives an email from her estranged twin sister, Lila, hinting that she knows the location of their mother.... Read More

In this biography of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn, British actor Anna Wilson-Jones brings a clipped tone to the complex story of the King's efforts to divorce his first wife, Catherine, so he can marry Anne. Though Henry succeeds, the repercussions eventually result in England's break with the Vatican. Soon, Henry, tiring of his wife, has her beheaded so he can marry... Read More

Tiffany Yu invites listeners to join her in advocating for a more accessible society for disabled people. When she was just 9 years old, Yu was in a car accident that permanently paralyzed her arm and gave her PTSD. Later, she founded the disability advocacy organization Diversability and gave a TedX Talk about how to create more disability- inclusive work environments. Using a... Read More

Ross Gay gives the kind of performance that demands your attention. Gay, an award-winning poet, originally published this poetry in 2015; this newly recorded audiobook features Gay performing the work. While the entire program is short, the themes are deep and the insights consistently disarming. Everyday observations develop into reflections of love, grief, and the nature of... Read More

Sally Phillips's heartfelt performance of this novel has perfect pacing and inflection. From Little Alien's first attempt at language, listeners sense something extraordinary about her. The story's narrator, an analytical linguist, breaks down Little Alien's sentences with empathy, while Phillips's detached tone and well-timed pauses emphasize the complexities of English and... Read More

Author and lifelong scientist Alan Townsend offers a moving account of how he learned to draw on a healing faith rooted in science to sustain himself amid catastrophe. Townsend shares how his family was asked to imagine the unimaginable: First, his young daughter and then his brilliant wife developed unrelated, life-threatening brain tumors. Listeners will be touched by the... Read More

Fans of Baldacci's Travis Devine series will find everything they've come to expect: a multilayered plot, high-stakes action, and bodies dropping everywhere. Narrator Zach Villa leads as Travis Devine, supported by a well-matched cast who heighten the listening experience. This time, Devine must protect 12-year-old Betsy Odom in Seattle. A complex web of conspiracies draws in... Read More

A poet, performance artist, and devotee of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes presents a selection of Hughes's early poems, songs, and other writings, created from 1921 to 1927. Danez Smith is extraordinary at performing their stirring introduction to Hughes's early creative output. With their clear baritone voice and extraordinary vocal talent, Smith's performance is... Read More

Narrator Ashford McNab takes listeners to 1760 England and the romance between Julian Greycourt, nephew to the Duke of Windemere, and Lady Elspeth de Moray. Elspeth's family has a challenging history with Julian's. Now they encounter each other in Julian's uncle's library, where Elspeth is looking for a diary. Elspeth is Scottish, and McNab provides her with a lovely lilting... Read More

Elizabeth Wiley narrates this short biography of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, an early champion of the Florida Everglades ecosystem and author of the groundbreaking book RIVER OF GRASS. Douglas was born in 1890 and lived for 108 years, working as a journalist, writer, and conservationist. Wiley's narration of her story, which includes numerous quotations, evokes a sense of the... Read More

Narrators Austenne Grey and Arielle DeLisle deliver a sweet and hilarious performance in this sapphic holiday rom-com. When lawyer Tara Sloane Chadwich is invited to her ex-girlfriend's destination wedding, she's willing to attend--but not without a plus-one. Holly Delaney, an adventurous waitress whom Tara has been secretly crushing on for months, is happy to oblige. Their... Read More

Narrator Janina Edwards inhabits Ida B. Wells, giving the determined Black woman a hero's spirit, an incandescent sense of her own worth, and a warrior's pride in accomplishment. In the 1880s, Ida was a teacher, a writer of articles for Black-owned newspapers, and an outspoken advocate for civil rights. Edwards creates a flesh-and-blood woman with a flirtatious personality who... Read More

Lorraine Besser, philosopher and college professor, provides tools that help listeners stop the perpetual pursuit of elusive happiness and focus more on "the interesting" in life. Lauren Ezzo delivers Besser's philosophy in a knowing performance, energizing every nuance, story, and emotional passage in a way that reflects the author herself. Ezzo supplies examples of ways... Read More

Malcolm Gladwell once again shows that audio is the ideal medium for someone who excels at both long-form journalism and podcasting. In this follow-up to his iconic debut, THE TIPPING POINT, Gladwell explores the bleaker side of how things go viral. His unmistakable delivery has become more animated after years at the mic, and as he's done in previous audiobooks, he uses... Read More

Ciaran Saward gives an appealing narration of this fantasy, told from rakish Leovander Loveage's point of view. Leo, a scriver from a privileged gentry family, and Sebastian Grimm, a studious caster whose parents are farmers, are rivals in their fifth year at the Fount, a school of magic. Saward keeps all of the characters distinct, and he gives Grimm a Northern England accent... Read More

The son of a film composer, Randy Newman used his lineage and extraordinary musical talent to write popular songs, as well as scores for movies and the theater. Occasionally controversial or snarky, his songs frequently called out injustices and moral hypocrisy in American life. In this rich biography, LOS ANGELES TIMES music critic Robert Hilburn makes sense of Newman's life... Read More

Josie Charles narrates a not-quite-fairytale told from the perspective of an "evil" stepsister. After her stepsister Beatrice marries the prince and has her happily-ever-after, Lady Theodosia Balfour--Theo to her friends--is determined to secure a similar fate for herself. Sadly, it's a lot harder than it seems. Charles does not soften Theo's unlikable personality but does... Read More

Jeremy Arthur's intonation turns dramatically staccato as he narrates Porter Fox's recollections of a storm he sailed through alone off the coast of Maine. It's the first of several storms Fox recounts. Fox reminds listeners that scientists expect to see a growing number of severe storms due to climate change. Arthur's voice rises with the wind and falls with the thoughts of... Read More

Entomologist Barrett Klein describes the importance of insects to life on Earth, as well their influence on our culture and civilization. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins has a tone of curiosity and wonder as he takes the listener on a comprehensive tour of the insect world, covering topics such as insects' influence on developments in science and engineering, mind-altering... Read More

Comedian, actor, and writer Jenny Slate is observant, sharp, and vulnerable in her latest audiobook about the nature of life. Her focus is wide--ranging from pregnancy and birthing to her place in the universe. The totality of the listening experience is deeply moving and delivered with a kind of openness that simply compels listeners to pay attention. Slate is not above the... Read More

Narrator Stephanie Bentley initially presents Aila as shy and geeky; later, she captures Aila's professional and romantic growth. At a zoo full of magical creatures, Aila anxiously tends endangered Silimalo phoenixes and seeks a new bird for mating. Her charming crush, Connor, offers to help with the preparations. Still feeling overwhelmed, Aila enlists the aid of her outgoing... Read More

This audiobook examines our national discourse, particularly during the Trump era. Although written prior to his reelection, its relevance has only increased as it presents contrasting arguments about democracy and potential threats to it. Justin Price narrates effectively, in a style that complements the intensity of the arguments, particularly those warning of a shift toward... Read More

This comprehensive examination of the eight Ivy League colleges' football teams will fascinate fans of college football. John Feinstein, author and narrator, demolishes the stereotype of the typical college football player. Players at Harvard, Yale, or any of the Ancient Eight are not allowed to play football unless they have excellent grade-point averages--no exceptions.... Read More

Youngmi Mayer is a Korean American woman who lived in Saipan and South Korea before moving to America. Here she narrates her memoir of growing up between cultures and encountering a rough start to life in the U.S. Mayer's sense of humor is self-deprecating, sometimes veering into self-abusive. She is alternately funny yet, at the same time, extremely critical to the point of... Read More

In 1963, Tove Jansson built a cabin on Klovharun, a tiny, rugged island in the Gulf of Finland, with the help of a fisherman named Brunstrom. Narrator Orlagh Cassidy takes a minimalist approach to her narration, enunciating precisely and adopting a slow pace as she recounts Brunstrom's notes on building the cabin, the island's weather, and Jansson's and her partner Tuuti's... Read More

Ray Porter's solid performance complements this engaging foray into the development of the visionary James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)--which almost wasn't. This absorbing and well-researched production sets the stage for the JWST's emergence on the scientific stage in 2021. There's essential background on its monumental predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the dogged... Read More

Jefferson Mays has his work cut out for him as he gives voice to the myriad characters in this time-traveling story of murder and revenge. He is certainly up to the task. The mystery is part of the ongoing series featuring FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast and Constance Greene as they attempt to corral the monstrous serial killer Enoch Leng. Listeners new to the series may find the... Read More

This audiobook offers a charming, romantic performance by narrators Marissa Hampton and Christopher Hampton. When former celebrity chef Sirena's cooking powers go awry, she unintentionally casts a spell that causes the entire town of Freya Grove to repeat the month of October. To restore her powers, she seeks aid from a former reality TV star named Gus; together, they navigate... Read More

Dan Bittner performs a middle-grade story about an anxious boy who is pulled into a horrifying situation after watching the scariest movie ever made. Ethan is terrified of everything, but his understanding friends try to help him through his fears by inviting him to a horror movie. However, the movie isn't a movie but an actual monster that Ethan is the only one to escape from.... Read More

Maria Popova, creator of THE MARGINALIAN, has compiled a series of essays by an assortment of renowned writers. All share the theme of the mysteries of the universe and existence itself, along with a dash of poetry. Popova and Lili Taylor alternate the narration of these selections; both employ a measured pace, poetic tone, and pleasantly meandering pace as listeners ponder the... Read More

When Leyna spots someone who looks like her missing sister, Grace, years after she disappeared, the past comes to light--and so do brutal secrets. Megan Tusing narrates with emotion throughout this story, which weaves the backstories of two families who are intertwined by the disappearances of Grace and her boyfriend, Adam. Tusing portrays more than basic personality traits.... Read More

Joe Morton delivers a masterful performance in this gripping thriller set in the immediate aftermath of a commercial plane crash into a nuclear power plant outside a small town in Minnesota. Morton's impeccable timing and nuanced delivery capture the escalating tension as the characters race to prevent a disaster with far-reaching catastrophic results. The story, with its many... Read More

In this locked-room fantasy, Moira Quirk's vocal confidence and captivating talent are on full display. Just two months after giving birth, the famous Hound Guildmember Kembral Thorne attends a New Year's Eve party. But what's supposed to be a gathering of various public officials and guilds quickly becomes a bloodbath. Violent creatures come out of nowhere to kill guests and... Read More

Elisabeth Rodgers's talented narration perfectly complements this fun adventure, featuring Kira Drake and her rescue dog, Mack. Jack Harlan's brother was killed by supervillain Taylor, and Jack wants him to face justice. Rodgers's stylish characterizations brings these larger-than-life figures to life, infusing Jack with a delightful touch of pomposity while creating a... Read More

Neil Lawrence narrates his audiobook on why in this world of exponential digitization humanity is more significant than ever. If large language models are able to predict the next word of text, recognize and create images, and essentially replicate the essence of being human, could it be that there's no point to being human? Lawrence provides a thorough rebuke of this fallacy.... Read More

A full cast performs this heartfelt audio set in Jim Crow Virginia. Charley Cuffey loves two things best of all: playing baseball and her Nana Kofi's stories of Africa. When Charley and her friends move a meaningful game to the whites-only field across town, the resulting backlash brings the widespread impacts of racism and violence to her door. All the narrators' voices mix... Read More

Maria Liatis delivers a heartwarming performance as a 13-year-old with a passion for fútbol and her family. Valeria is a star player on the boys’ soccer team, coached by her gruff abuelo. Through spirited yet subtle energy, Liatis adds credibility to Valeria’s perseverance through trying times, including her mortification at getting her first period and losing her standing on... Read More

Leigh Ann Henion's fascinating exploration of the natural world after dark is indeed magical. With genuine enthusiasm and a warm hint of a Southern accent, Henion invites listeners along on her adventures to seek out salamanders, fireflies, moths, glowing fungus, screech owls, night-blooming flowers, and other nighttime denizens. She spends time getting to know the nightlife in... Read More

Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, who has achieved fame for his restaurants, television shows, and five James Beard Awards, turns his considerable energy to his memoir. Happily, he turned the narration over to Will Damron, who knows how to tell a story and is especially good at capturing the rhythms of the kitchen and the ways of the chef. Damron brings this food-centered story... Read More

This delightful travel audiobook features commentary and an accompanying pdf of photos of unique, quirky, and splendid sites around the world that emulate renowned film director Wes Anderson's visual style. Seamus McMahon is a capable narrator, and Jeff Goldblum brings all his acting chops to his performance. With his well-tuned variations in tone and pace, Goldblum's sections,... Read More

This audiobook, which is reminiscent of a stream-of-consciousness poem, is an ode to basketball great Julius Irving. At the same time, it features the storytelling approach of a memoir, which poet Ross Gay enhances in his narration. He knows how to use intonation, when to ratchet up his energy, and when to gently slow the pace. Not everyone can narrate their own words, but Gay... Read More

Three talented narrators bring to life the sixth installment of this series featuring LAPD detectives Renée Ballard, who leads the new Cold Case Unit, and Harry Bosch, retired. Christine Lakin returns to masterfully capture Ballard's on-the-job rebelliousness and struggles relating to her missing mother. Listeners also reconnect with Bosch's daughter, Maddie, now a patrol... Read More

Narrator Abigail Reno transports listeners to November 1957 and a dysfunctional marriage. The story begins on an unseasonably warm fall day. Kathleen decides to skip church and instead sends her boys and her husband, Virgil, out of the house for the day. As Kathleen reflects on how she went from college tennis star to homemaker and mother, Virgil spends the day reflecting on... Read More

The director of a social neuroscience lab at Stanford narrates his positive audiobook about cynicism, trust, skepticism, and hope. Along with sounding personable and easy to understand, he performs with audible respect for his listeners and a desire to offer options for dealing with today's conflict-filled social climate. He's a great storyteller whose picturesque narratives... Read More

Impressive performances from a stellar cast transform this "Novel in Five Acts" into an absorbing listening experience. Focusing less on Oscar Wilde's affairs and gross indecency trial, Bayard's look behind the scenes probes their damaging psychological effects on Wilde's wife and young sons. Elisabeth Rodgers is simply amazing as Oscar's wife, Constance, suddenly realizes... Read More

Leon Nixon uses his vocal talent and enthusiasm to bring listeners from the early days of racism in football to the glory of the talented Black football players who enjoy leadership in the sport today. Two men at the forefront of this fight were Doug Williams and Vince Evans, promising talents in the 1980s. They both came up through the ranks at their respective colleges,... Read More

January LaVoy returns to narrate the 28th book in the Kay Scarpetta series. This one is a doozy. A shocked Scarpetta learns that her former lover, Sal Giordano, has been murdered and that she must perform his autopsy in front of several high-ranking DC officials, including her husband, Benton, an FBI profiler. LaVoy's crisp delivery of dialogue crackles throughout the... Read More

Famous Filipino American drag queen Manila Luzon gives a heartfelt, charming narration of this delightful rom-com. Rex takes his drag queen persona, Regina, online in order to use his popularity to save a karaoke bar--all the while keeping his drag life a secret from his father. As he becomes successful, he also is faced with the need to reveal who he is to the world in order... Read More

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

Narrators Shezi Sardar and Brent Billings make an appealing pair in this sweet and steamy romance set in Kansas City. Farzan and David hook up after a case of mistaken identity and some scorching instant chemistry. Farzan would like their relationship to become something more, but David, who is focused on studying for his master sommelier exam, urges them to continue as friends... Read More

Listeners join Texas Ranger Darren Mathews who, after turning in his badge, reluctantly investigates the disappearance of a young, Black student from an otherwise all-white sorority house. JD Jackson's pitch-perfect narration is the ideal match for this fast-paced story, which is seen through the eyes of a Black man who is living in Trump's America. Jackson's gifted delivery... Read More

Narrator Mike Chamberlain makes this true-crime story seem like a novel. Master criminal Arthur Barry came from a working-class family in 1920s Massachusetts. He recognized early that to be upwardly mobile, he needed to change his accent and behavior. Barry deftly used disguises, charm, and violence when necessary to move into upper-class circles, even hobnobbing with (and... Read More

Kyla Garcia's lively narration will immediately hook listeners on this adventure audiobook told from multiple points of view. When a chunk of a meteorite crashes into Vega's yard, she quickly realizes it may be just the lucky break she needs. Along with her nervous cousin, Mila, and a strange boy named Jasper, Vega sets off through the desert in search of space rocks to fund... Read More

Ruby Corazon delights as the narrator of this debut contemporary romance featuring a librarian and an ex-NFL star. Each is attempting to get over their feelings for their ex--both of whom are newly engaged. Can they do so by hooking up with each other? Everyone thinks Marcela Ortiz and Theo Young are sleeping together anyway, so why not play along? When their ruse turns into... Read More

Sarah Skaer's bubbly narration captures Natalie Nakada's delight at times spent with her best friend, Imogene. But all too soon, Skaer reveals Natalie's lingering grief a year after Imogene's death. Her feelings of loss cast a pall over her senior project, a retreat at one of their favorite places, the haunted Harlow Hotel. There Natalie hopes to film paranormal activity that... Read More

Victor Warren gives Pete a tired voice that is absolutely perfect for an unemployed new father who is not in the most loving relationship. When Pete learns a surfer he knows has died mysteriously, he becomes obsessed with finding out what happened. Naturally, he's met with resistance. Pete often comes across as justifiably exasperated, a trait Warren depicts well. Other... Read More

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

This family saga set in Venezuela follows political movements in the 1960s and the 1990s, and their effects on the lives of Stanislavo; Emiliana; Maria; and her son, Eloy. Four narrators take turns delivering the story of Stanislavo, which takes place in the jungles of northeastern Venezuela in 1964 as he participates in a leftist uprising and forms a relationship with... Read More

Moira Quirk is a virtuoso in narrating all manner of fantasies. Here she delights in turning to the dark side. When a lonely, bookish adolescent is offered a magical deal to hop from a cancer ward to the realms of her favorite fantasy novels, she jumps at the opportunity--with one caveat. She wants to be one of the villains. As this wonderfully campy send-up of bodice-ripping,... Read More

Hanako Footman's delicate tones resonate with the otherworldly atmosphere of this short novel about revisiting cherished memories. Footman sustains the intrigue regarding Mr. Hirasaka, an affable guide of the afterlife who owns a fantastical photo studio somewhere between life and death. Although he assists each of the three characters--an old woman, a gangster, and a girl--to... Read More

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

Jean-Marc Berne and Daya Mendez narrate a thrilling blend of horror and crime set during a terrifying hurricane. Bimbo's on a quest for revenge after his mother's murder in a dispute over drug territory. His friends initially try to stay out of the bloodshed, but after one of them is murdered, they find loyalty a difficult thing to honor. And when a hurricane containing evil... Read More

This spooky middle-grade audiobook has all the cozy comforts of autumn, and Golden Voice Alyssa Bresnahan sets the tone perfectly. When Eve runs away from the orphanage, she's unexpectedly rescued and then adopted by the Pumpkin King. Bresnahan's Pumpkin King sounds delightfully gruff and grumbly, but he's caring and protective, and he just wants to be a good father and give... Read More

At the heart of this audiobook about how communities can heal a broken heart is Efren "Chino" Flores, a middle school teacher who has moved back to his California hometown in the wake of a personal tragedy. Andrew Joseph Perez brings a natural warmth to Chino's story. His voice is defined by liveliness that lifts up the joyful moments and softens the heavy ones. Each person in... Read More

Ben Allen performs a thought-provoking science fiction story about a political dissident who is trying to survive on an alien planet that serves as a tyrannical empire's prison. Anton arrives on the planet nicknamed Kiln to discover humanity was not the first sentient lifeform to visit. Kiln's ecosystem is chaotic, hungry, and hiding several enticing secrets. Anton not only... Read More

A dual narration by Zion Jang and Laura Knight Keating plays up the contrast between proper witch Max and Texan Delia Merriweather, whose magic is trapped by a hex. Keating gives Delia a twangy accent that rings with both humor and confusion as she puzzles out her feelings for her new neighbor and discovers her power. Keating's voices for Delia's eccentric family members are... Read More

Narrator Marisa Calin transports the listener back to 1898 London and the Savoy Hotel, where Lady Delia Stratham works as an event planner. Lord Simon Hayden has been hired by the hotel's owners to find out why it's losing money despite being busy. Delia and Simon clash at first, and Calin captures the considerable tension between the two. Later, as they grow closer, Calin... Read More

Now a senior writer and a wife and mother with a mortgage, Emily Farris had a prior life that was affected by ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) that was not diagnosed until she was 35. This roller coaster of a memoir takes us through the pervasive screwups and self-recrimination that plague ADHD sufferers. In Farris's case, these started with her family of origin... Read More

Narrator Michael Chance performs this timely audiobook with dignified enthusiasm that perfectly matches the spirit of the London economist's work on how to help people prepare for living longer. With a lovely accent reminiscent of the British actor Michael Caine, he adds color and sensitivity to this persuasive manifesto. The author's positive message is that instead of feeling... Read More

When the daughters of a victim of a serial killer go missing after 15 years, just as the serial killer apparently reappears, police call on Investigator Kendra Michaels to use her extraordinary observation skills to assist in solving their disappearances. Narrator Elisabeth Rodgers's strong characterization helps bring Kendra to life, along with her on-and-off boyfriend, Lynch,... Read More

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

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

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

Author and narrator CeCé Telfer shares her compelling and timely story in this candid memoir. Born in Jamaica, CeCé knew she was female from a very early age but faced cultural and family pressure to hide her authentic self. CeCé's delivery is passionate and raw; she doesn't shy away from heartbreaking details. However, her narration is disjointed in parts. As she travels from... Read More

Fans of the private investigation duo Hap and Leonard are sure to be entertained by this 13th installment of their exploits. It involves arson, murder, a missing adult daughter, and evil forces. Christopher Grant does a fabulous job capturing the respect--and sometimes not-so-PC bantering--between Hap and Leonard. Hap's wife, Brett, the not-to-be-messed voice of reason, is also... Read More

Astrophysicist and data scientist Roberto Trotta and narrator George Weightman form the perfect team for guiding listeners on this wondrous journey through humanity's age-old relationship with the stars and night sky. The audiobook combines Trotta's lyrical prose and thoughtful scholarship with Weightman's engaging performance. Discussions of humanity's scientific understanding... Read More

In a patrician-sounding voice, narrator Zion Jang portrays a group of Washington, DC, interns. The senators they serve, known as the "Gang of Six," are considered the wheeler-dealers of the Senate. One of them is about to die. Listeners will enjoy Jang's performance as he creates a personality for each of the interns by changing tone and rhythm. Especially notable is Cameron... Read More

The very word "Belle Epoque" is melodious to the ear. Not surprisingly, a particular appeal of this richly detailed history of France's most fabled era, beginning in 1871, is narrator Paul Daintry's deft rendering of proper names such as Eiffel, Toulouse-Lautrec, Clemenceau, and Proust. Daintry's voice is not the most silken, but he effectively delivers the clamor of a divided... Read More

Narrator Timothy Andrés Pabon vividly conveys the struggle, passion, and extreme hardship that define Sir Walter Raleigh's quest for an elusive city of gold in the jungles of Guiana. Pabon narrates from deep in the throat in a kind of stage whisper that's highly effective for scenes of suspense and horror, of which this story has plenty. Raleigh was a colorful, controversial... Read More

Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Welsh professor of ancient history at Cardiff University, presents a fascinating look at seven Cleopatras, the strong women who ruled ancient Egypt over generations in the last centuries BCE. His Welsh accent is smooth and consistent; even slight variations between British and American English pronunciations of some words flow smoothly. He is up to the... Read More

Narrator LJ Ganser guides listeners through this biography of Clayton Kershaw, one of the most dominant Major League Baseball pitchers in history. Kershaw has been in the limelight from the time he was a child in Dallas through his All-Star career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ganser infuses a bit of emotion into Kershaw's story, which helps listeners understand what makes the... Read More

In Elin Hilderbrand's final Nantucket novel, narrated by Erin Bennett, with a special appearance by Hilderbrand herself, Chief of Police Ed Kapenash's retirement plans are disrupted by a fire that destroys a brand-new $22-million home. At the time of the blaze, the owners, a new couple in town, are hosting a yacht party, from which their assistant, Coco, goes missing. Chief Ed... Read More

Nicol Zanzarella brings heaps of charm to her narration of this engaging fantasy romance. Twyla and Frank have been neighbors, then best friends, then partners in the Marshals, where they spent eight years patrolling the dangerous Tanrian world together. Now peril, dragons, and a handsome dracologist with eyes for Twyla have them examining their friendship in a new light.... Read More

Abdul Salis brings vulnerability and determination to his portrayal of a boy who perseveres in the face of difficult circumstances. Sena lives an ordinary life of school and farm chores in contemporary Ghana. When tragedy threatens to drive his family into poverty, Sena offers himself up as a fisher boy on the very lake that figures heavily in his grandfather Togbe's tales of... Read More

Before traditional American Black music was sanitized, condensed, and recorded for white listeners, it was as raunchy and X-rated as anything in today's gangsta rap, according to this lively history by a prolific music journalist. Elijah Wald's meticulous research is roughly organized around the early-twentieth-century barroom musician Jelly Roll Morton and is performed here... Read More

No stranger to delivering a powerful message, author and narrator Luis A. Miranda, Jr., performs this memoir of his life in Puerto Rico, his political activism, and the power of the Latino people. When he left Puerto Rico for New York City, Miranda, Jr., expected to pursue a PhD in psychology. Instead, he chose a life devoted to bettering his community and the lives of those in... Read More

Kira Fixx narrates this intimate queer coming-of-age novel with the perfect mix of wistfulness and straightforward brashness. Sixteen-year-old Shae falls in love with Cam, who radiates passion and determination. Within a year, Shae is pregnant, and Cam has decided to transition from male to female. Soon Cam is starting a new life away at college, while Shae sinks into opioid... Read More

Catrin Walker-Booth's performance brings Dr. Greta Helsing to life in this charming novella--part of a series but it can also stand alone. Walker-Booth's skill with pitch, tone, and accents brings each of the characters to life. She beautifully depicts Greta Helsing, a physician who ministers to the undead, with compassion and intelligence. Walker-Booth's vocal range also... Read More

Sometimes you stumble across an audiobook with such a bizarre and intriguing performance that you want to devour it. Such is the case with Sarah Crossan's novel and her outstanding performance of it. Dolores divorces her husband after discovering he's been having an affair with an AI sex bot named Zoey, which she eventually keeps. At first, Dolores explores her hate for the... Read More

McKinley Morganfield's gift for hypnotic guitar playing and powerful singing took him from the cotton fields of Mississippi to widespread acclaim and a secure place among rock-and-roll royalty. In this extensive history, his energy and determination dominate the narrative, which provides details of his life and a gripping portrait of the world he conquered with his talent.... Read More

Kausar Mohammed passionately narrates this timely story of book banning, homophobia, and racism. Recently abandoned by her father, 18-year-old Indian American Noor Khan has been uprooted from her Chicago home and gone to live in a small town far away with her mom and younger sister. Noor is one of only a few Muslim students at her new high school, where she learns that the... Read More