Piper Goodeve gives an appealing narration of this whimsical audiobook. Forty-something Jane loses her job as an attorney and then becomes a murder suspect. Her neighbor informs the police that she witnessed a romantic encounter between Jane and a younger colleague on the roof of Jane's New York City apartment building; then the neighbor is found dead, and Jane begins... Read More

Author/narrator Nathan Chen is the first Asian American to win an Olympic Gold medal in figure skating, which he did at the 2022 Games in Beijing. In a delightful foreword Eunice Wong explains how Vera Wang came to design his costumes. Chen's own delivery is fast and filled with scenes of his childhood and the sacrifices his mother made to secure lessons and coaches for him.... Read More

Jennifer Jill Araya narrates the viewpoints of teenagers Eiric Halvorsen and Reginn Eiklund in alternating chapters as their separate journeys weave through this story. In the years since Ragnarok, the human realm of the Midlands has struggled from receding magic and fruitless lands. When Reginn finds herself performing a miracle in front of two wyrd spinners, she is offered an... Read More

In this sequel to CECE RIOS AND THE DESERT OF SOULS, Alamrie Guerra and Karla Serrato shine as sisters Cece and Juana. Their last adventure is not over as they thought--Juana's soul is missing. And Cece is determined to get it back. But Juana decides she needs to get it back on her own. The sisters start their journeys separately and encounter an array of magical creatures. El... Read More

Narrator Julie Maisey takes listeners on a twisty journey to discover who killed Jane at a luxe couples resort in England. Maisey's performance range is highlighted by a suspect list composed of locals and visitors from afar. Jane and William are on their honeymoon when Jane is killed. Also there are William's ex-wife, Lucy, and her boyfriend. But evidence suggests that this... Read More

This lively, intelligent narration by Christopher Grove and Keith Sellon-Wright offers a series of informal conversations that took place from 2016 to 2019 between author D.T. Max and musician Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim passed away in 2021 at the age of 91, and these were among his last interviews. Amusing anecdotes and witty comments reveal a side of him few have seen. While... Read More

In the future, with threats of another deadly pandemic on the horizon, Haley and her younger brother, Ben, are kidnapped by their noncustodial father, Ed, and taken to a prepper hideaway in the UK. Caitlin Kelly perfectly portrays 15-year-old Haley, who tells this dystopian story in the first person. Kelly's pacing and inflection make Haley's voice entirely believable as she is... Read More

Mirai Booth-Ong's performance provides significant depth to Akari, a Japanese high school student who follows a celebrity with a singular intensity. Masaki Ueno is a member of a famous J-pop group. To Akari, he is her "oshi" (meaning "to push" in Japanese). In the cultural context, Masaki is the person to whom Akari devotes her energy, tracking his every media appearance,... Read More

Bo Jackson remains an enigmatic, almost mythical, character in American sports history for playing both professional baseball and football in the 1980s. In this audiobook, author Jeff Pearlman covers Jackson's life from his small-town upbringing to his years at Auburn University, where he played baseball and won the Heisman Trophy for football, and to his professional career in... Read More

Christa Lewis's affecting performance illuminates the types of social and political resistance taken up by teenagers in Nazi Germany during WWII. Lewis's smooth transitions between English and German accents immerse listeners in the world of underground jazz clubs that queer Berlin teen Charlie Klaus and her friends, Geli, Minna, and Renate, discover. What begins as a reprieve... Read More

Cashore's 2008 novel about a fantasy world in which some individuals have special abilities gets a fresh recording by Xanthe Elbrick, who has narrated the rest of the audiobooks in the series. If you're new to the series, lucky you. If you've followed it since the beginning, it's fascinating to revisit GRACELING through Elbrick's performance. Katsa has always been an... Read More

Sneha Mathan's smooth, warm voice immediately engages listeners with Divakaruni's well-researched and moving novel about the 1947 partition of British colonial India into India and Pakistan. Told from the points of view of three sisters who make starkly different choices during that tumultuous time, the story illuminates the era's hopes and terrors in an emotionally intimate... Read More

Narrator Barton Welch keeps this entertaining, highly original mystery light and lively, even during its most intense moments. Ernie Cunningham self-publishes "books about how to write books" (even though he's never actually written any) "bought by people who will never write one." Ernie speaks directly to listeners, alerting them to what will happen next and commenting on... Read More

Liz Femi is a strong, confident narrator of this memoir turned meditation on transnational migration. She brings listeners the very personal experiences of the author, a Nigerian American who recounts her memories, thoughts, and meanderings, having moved from West Africa to England and then to the U.S. Femi helps listeners sympathize with the cultural and developmental... Read More

Robin Miles transports listeners to 1950s San Francisco to meet mother Vivian, who wants her children to be famous singers, and daughters Ruth, Esther, and Chloe, whose wants differ. Miles fully embodies Vivian as she talks about growing up in Louisiana, negotiates with a music manager, professes her love for the preacher, and reacts to Ruth's becoming pregnant, Esther's... Read More

Andrew Grace finds the humor in a narrative that is progressively unreliable yet always relatable. At Tokyo University, a college junior lives in a messy, cramped space, a "four-and-a-half-tatami room." He seeks the perfect college experience, preferably one that includes a "raven-haired beauty." Several alternate timelines unfold, each with subtly divergent details involving... Read More

Juliette Goglia embraces the enthusiastic viewpoint of Gerda Pohorylle, a German Jewish teenager who is thrilled to be studying in Switzerland, falling in love, and taking pictures with her uncle's portable camera between the wars. Gerda's passion takes a more adult turn when she is taken in for questioning by the Gestapo and flees to Paris for safety. There she meets... Read More

These yearly anthologies are an unpredictable lot, subject to the tastes of their rotating guest editors, and, as audiobooks, to the skill and sensitivity of their ensemble of narrators. This year's collection falls short on several counts. The stories and their themes tilt toward the offbeat and the anticlimactic. Few have a conventional storyline, or a decisive conclusion.... Read More

Sheryl Lee Ralph displays her magical acting talents throughout her bold narration of this adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's short story "Magnolia Flower." Ralph delights listeners as she breathes additional life into this story of love and freedom. The work is presented as a frame story in which the wise river tells the young, babbling brook about Bentley, an enslaved man who... Read More

This intimate portrait of the life of a presidential speechwriter is both informative and touching. The author, who served as Barack Obama's chief speechwriter, narrates the audiobook, giving it immediacy. He talks of being holed up in the basement "speech cave" while crafting the president's speeches and statements, and then anxiously sitting down with him to hear his... Read More

Tara Sands's narration brings this middle school examination of #BelieveWomen to life. Loner Hazel Hill is gay, but no one else knows. So when homeroom neighbor Tyler Harris, a serial kiss-and-teller, informs Hazel that his ex-girlfriend Ella Quinn is crushing on her, she's confused. Ella Quinn is Hazel's chief competition in the upcoming speech contest, but Hazel's awkward... Read More

Over 400 stars, directors, and technicians contributed to this audiobook, but none of their voices are heard here. Timothy Andres Pabon and Marni Penning narrate from interviews with filmmakers past and living, he the male voices, she the female. This mosaic approach highlights film's collaborative nature, and the army of skills required. But the narrative suffers from the... Read More

Soneela Nankani and Shahjehan Khan narrate a madcap romantic heist. Mira Patel and Naveen Desai never thought they would see each other again after breaking up. But they find themselves seizing an unconventional second chance when they're kidnapped and forced to search for a diamond necklace. The different approaches Nankani and Khan take to narrating suit the two main... Read More

Telling the story from the point of view of Res, a Mars rover with heart, Jacob McNatt smoothly morphs into multiple characters who interact with the robot. It is delightful to hear Res process information and resolve problems, speak to robot friends Journey and Fly, and imagine conversations with the scientists who are building him. Also engaging is the lively banter among the... Read More

Hope Newhouse narrates this cozy winter romance about two lesbians who meet in the most unlikely way--through a car accident. After she hits May while driving, Shani never expects to see the pissed-off girl again. Then she accidentally ends up being May's dog walker. The last thing the heartbroken college freshman Shani wants to think about during her Smithsonian... Read More

The third episode in Henkes's Miller family series is told from Sal's point of view, splendidly expressed by Julienne Irons. At first, the arrival of the new baby was an exciting time for Sal and her family. However, a week after her birth, Sal has become bored because the unnamed infant mostly sleeps and eats. As narrator, Irons captures not only these subtleties, but also... Read More

Kelsey Navarro returns to narrate this third audiobook set among the cast and crew of the hit fantasy TV series "Gods of the Gates." Swedish stage actress Maria and Hollywood hopeful Peter get off to a rocky start when they have a one-night stand before landing career-changing starring roles in the series. As they begin production on a secluded Irish island, the cast and crew's... Read More

Mark Bramhall has the resonance of a nineteenth-century orator, and his fine articulation has flavored many period histories and biographies. Here he transports listeners to the 1860s and the docks of Liverpool, where Confederate and Union agents match wits over outfitting ships and munitions bound for Southern ports in the U.S. England was an uneasily neutral nation during the... Read More

You can't love cozy mysteries and be unfamiliar with Miss Marple, and this lovely narration from Juliet Stevenson will wrap you up in the warmth of familiarity quite well. Stevenson takes the listener through the short stories with a variety of well-performed voices and accents, making this as much like listening to a play as to a book. From Sir Henry Clithering and Raymond... Read More

This young adult title offers a plot revealed in reverse: The audiobook begins a year to the day after Nina's death; her little sister Leo's grief moves backward toward the fateful night of the accident, bringing listeners along to discover the painful details. Sarah Goer's performance is clear and quiet, punctuated by moments of enthusiasm. For the most part, the audiobook is... Read More

This audiobook is a history of the environmental movement in America 1950-1973--from just before the publication of SILENT SPRING, by Rachel Carson, to just after the first Earth Day in April 1970. It also is a collective biography of influential figures in that movement, including Carson, William O. Douglas, John F. Kennedy, Coretta Scott King, and others. Stephen Graybill... Read More

John Hopkins's rich, dramatic voice suits this account of the 13 days in 1962 when the world was on the verge of a nuclear catastrophe: the Cuban Missile Crisis. Hopkins artfully meets the challenge of describing the mutual brinksmanship that took place between the Soviet Union and the U.S. when Russian missiles were discovered a mere 90 miles from American shores. Hopkins... Read More

A talented team of narrators transports listeners to Mississippi, 1964, a world of segregation, violence, and the fight to secure Black people the right to vote. Sisters Violet and Marigold Richards, portrayed by Janina Edwards and Shayna Small, are both fleeing north--Violet from a possible murder charge and Marigold from an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. What both want is a better... Read More

Geena Davis narrates her hilarious memoir about growing up as a polite young lady who eventually challenged the entertainment industry. An icon of feminist film roles, Davis retraces her steps in finding her voice as an artist. Fans of her acting will find much to admire in these self-revelatory chapters. Her narration style is warm, close, and intimate. The overall feeling is... Read More

Chris Harper's deep voice is engaging enough to keep listeners listening to this confusing meta-mystery. Joël Dicker, the main character and author, recently split from his relationship and, experiencing writer's block, checked into a Geneva luxury hotel, hoping for quiet and inspiration. His curiosity is piqued when he discovers that the hotel has rooms numbered 621, 621A,... Read More

This marvelous narration brings the comedian, activist, vegetarian, and civil rights leader vividly to life. Joe Morton gets Gregory's tone, sound, pace, and humor perfectly. Along with having mastered Gregory's unique style, he captures Gregory's humility, candor, and sense of fun. Emulating his manic energy, Morton lets Gregory's ringing soul come through in this collection... Read More

This memoir, based on interviews Hempel conducted with her siblings and parents, is about change and growth. Hempel's lively narration perfectly captures that spirit of seeking as she recounts, with humor and some sadness, the events that helped her family members find their way back to each other. After Hempel and her father came out as gay, her brother as trans, her sister as... Read More

Marcella Cox brings Shirley Chisholm's words to life with a passion that might leave listeners thinking they are hearing the first Black Congresswoman herself speaking from a podium. A year after her failed bid for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, Chisholm analyzed its successes and failures, and her dissection holds up well. Her discussion of abortion, crime, and... Read More

This children's story is set in Compestine's hometown of Wuhan at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nancy Wu masterfully narrates the experience of 13-year-old Mei as the young teen grieves the loss of her late mother and misses her father, who works virtually nonstop at the hospital, helping patients with a mysterious disease. Wu captures the anger born from fear that Mei's... Read More

Narrators Amir Abdullah, Pun Bandhu, Ashley Bryant, Dani Martineck, Ouyen Ngo, and Jacob Patalive make a talented ensemble who give lively renditions of this collection from a variety of talented voices in food writing. Together they represent the wide range of writers gathered together in this annual collection, which asks foodies to reflect on their culinary journeys. The... Read More

In these poignant, insightful essays, writer Evette Dionne shares her experiences as a fat Black woman in a world that vilifies fat people. Her narration is beautifully matched to the content and tone of her audiobook--it's comfortable and inviting but urgent. She's not fooling around. In fact, she writes about life-or-death issues, including the way medicine and doctors often... Read More

Tim McInnerny narrates this remarkable historical novel with solid credibility. He chronicles the extraordinary-but-true manhunt for two signatories of the death warrant for King Charles I. In an English accent, he describes the dangerous journey of the regicides, Edward Whalley and his son-in-law, Will Goffe. This is an exciting story, as well as one that is largely accurate.... Read More

Imogen Church gives a knockout performance of Nicci French's unsatisfying stand-alone whodunnit. Jude, now a successful doctor, is startled when, after 11 years without contact, her former boyfriend, Liam, appears to ask for a favor. She agrees, although the sketchy details give her pause but not enough to stop her from carrying out Liam's instructions. As Jude, Church is... Read More

When is a memoir not a memoir? In this audiobook, clearly labeled a novel, that question lurks around every corner. McCracken narrates her work with such plainspoken simplicity that the story seems real--as if the author were confiding to listeners. McCracken's protagonist reflects on the life of her beloved late mother while traveling alone to London. The flashbacks and... Read More

The listener, of course, knows the catastrophe that's ahead. But this dramatic audio history of Japan's rising militarism in the 1930s, based on American Ambassador Joseph Grew's extensive diaries, confirms the Hitchcockian theory that suspense is generated not by surprise, but by expectation. Narrator Dan Woren is, as always, matchless. Given a narrative so powerfully built... Read More

The narrators match the warmth of the authors in delivering these interconnected stories in this follow-up to BLACKOUT as a group of teenagers combat a winter storm, and mistakes they have made. While the authors of the individual stories are not identified, each story offers both humor and emotional moments in this celebration of Black love. Danielle Shemaiah and Shayna Small... Read More

Matt Braver splendidly captures a world of superheroes and an endearing orphan named Logan Foster. Listeners accompany Logan as he meets and asks inappropriate questions of his seventh pair of potential adoptive parents, Margie and Gil. Since many superheroes are orphans, kids without parents often believe being a superhero might be their destiny, too. Braver conveys Logan's... Read More

A geopolitical strategist known for his irreverence uses his meticulous knowledge of global trends to warn listeners that the party will soon be over. Peter Zeihan's over-the-top narrating style--featuring wild pitch changes and a fast pace--provides some fun and balance in the face of his dire predictions. He says the global transportation systems that feed the world and allow... Read More

Steve West narrates this collection of ephemera from the Queen's Thief series. Fans will encounter short stories (most reprints) featuring beloved characters, as well as brief essays on some of the books' archaeological inspirations, which can be seen in black-and-white photos in the accompanying enhancement, and occasional tidbits of script-style dialogue. The titular... Read More

The author presents this collection of previously published articles and essays chronicling many important events and people of the Civil Rights Movement. Charlayne Hunter-Gault is an activist, a journalist, and a former foreign correspondent for National Public Radio. This important collection of her work highlights her contributions, both as an activist and as a journalist.... Read More

This audiobook's heartfelt message draws on the 1955 children's book HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON to remind us that we can connect more fully with our "sacred originality" when we live our own lives rather than following the crowd. Narrator Kaleo Griffith's velvet tones and gentle phrasing create a soothing space in which to hear that we have inner resources that society's push... Read More

Narrator Cynthia Farrell brings to life the fictional European country of Eldovia, where this enemies-to-lovers romance is set. When management consultant Cara Delaney is assigned to sort out the king's financial affairs, she finds herself at odds with Matteo Benz, who works for the royal. Farrell gives Matteo a stiff, formal tone that reflects his concern about Cara's real... Read More

Rory Kinnear delivers an engaging and well-paced performance of Anthony Horowitz's third mystery featuring PI Hawthorne and Horowitz himself as a character. The amusing, sometimes befuddling, conceit mingles a fictional plot with facts from Horowitz's actual life. This time, the murder of a critic who panned Horowitz's London play implicates the playwright. Kinnear's... Read More

Narrator Henri Lubatti embodies the celebrated chef Jacques Pépin's gusto for life in this charming and warm memoir. As Pépin shares culinary history and memories of family meals and animated dinner parties, Lubatti provides an authentic-sounding portrayal of him. Not only is Lubatti's French accent spot-on, but he also captures Pépin's pacing, intonations, and undeniable... Read More

Franny Choi delivers these hopeful, heartbreaking, beautiful, sorrowful poems with quiet ardor. Her voice is soft and expressive, perfectly capturing the musical yet conversational tone of the whole collection. The poems are about everyday apocalypses and historical apocalypses; small moments of terror and joy; and the paradox of living on this planet, full of so much suffering... Read More

Maulik Pancholy narrates his charming middle grade audiobook with love and enthusiasm. Nikhil's mom moves his family from L.A. to his grandparents' house in Ohio, taking him far from his best friend and his job--he's a voice acting star on a hit cartoon. Nikhil finds welcoming friends, lands a nerve-racking lead role in the middle school musical, crushes on a cute boy--and is... Read More

Daniel Bergner's exploration of the scientific landscape of mental illness and its treatment is wide-ranging and, ultimately, fairly depressing. Bergner's voice is pleasant and genuine, but his carefully enunciated performance is a bit too measured and restrained when added notes of anger and fear would be completely appropriate. Bergner lays out the limited success of... Read More

Billie Fulford-Brown gives a spirited narration of this retelling of Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, complete with dragons, hobgoblins, and other creatures. When Merybourne Manor falls prey to invading gryphons, a band of dragon riders must drive them out. The plot won't hold many surprises for those who have read the Austen novel, but not having read it isn't a problem.... Read More

Narrator Shaun Taylor-Corbett brings youth and enthusiasm to this reissued collection of Ray Halfmoon's adventures with his grampa. Ray and Grampa's close bond takes them through pet sitting during a blizzard, night fishing, attending a wedding without pants, and many other sweet antics in their Chicago hometown. Taylor-Corbett's voice is filled with tender emotion that folds... Read More

Poet Nikki Giovanni narrates her ode to the power of a library in a child's life. Monday mornings after they hang out the laundry, "Grandmother takes her sit-down" while her grandchild heads off to the library. There, the child exults in the endless possibilities the institution affords: "a place to be free/to be in space," a place to imagine dream after dream. Giovanni's warm,... Read More

C.S. Lewis, author of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, believed that "you should hear every sentence you write as if it were being read aloud or spoken." So it seems apt that we should now have the opportunity to LISTEN to Lewis's observations on the art of writing, all delivered in John Lee's sonorous Oxbridge tone and phrasings. Lee does a wonderful job of rendering the balance and... Read More

Angel Pean narrates this powerful middle-grade novel in verse, told from the perspective of Rain, a Black eighth grader who battles depression. Rain's hero is her popular, brilliant, and athletic brother, Xander. Her world is upended when he is attacked on a recruiting trip to a predominantly white university, and he becomes a "hashtag." The story brings listeners behind the... Read More

Author Kim Sherwood was selected by Ian Fleming's family to write a contemporary trilogy extending the world of James Bond (007). Narrator Pippa Bennett-Warner successfully portrays the numerous central and secondary characters, male and female, of various nationalities. Her posh English accent is easy to listen to. The story introduces a new generation of secret agents who are... Read More

British actor Tim Bentinck narrates this remarkably witty and pithy audiobook with a sense of informed fun. He has a fine ability to mimic. Americans, French people, and Germans all are nicely emulated, and his restrained glee suits the encyclopedia maven Garfield's writing. He paces his delivery intelligently. Chock-a-block with factoids, this audiobook traces how knowledge... Read More

History buffs and Francophiles alike will enjoy this expertly narrated fictionalized account of Jacqueline Bouvier's year of study abroad. Caroline Hewitt captures the magic of postwar Paris with her adept handling of French, German, and New Jersey accents. In narrating both male and female characters of a variety of ages, Hewitt shows her skill and experience. A little like a... Read More

In a future when an environmental disaster has changed life as we know it, 12-year-old Yolanda Cicerón and her older sister, Camila, live alone on a struggling strawberry farm in the Valley. Narrator Kyla Garcia aptly captures their shifting sibling dynamics of caretaking, bickering, and keeping and sharing secrets, and she switches seamlessly between the mix of English and... Read More

With his grasp of emotional tone and dramatic nuance, actor Stephen Graybill easily shifts the mood of this narrative from joy and satisfaction to a riveting level of life-and-death suspense. His performance is sure to engage anyone who's curious about the inner workings of Pfizer's monumental achievement in bringing the first Covid vaccine to a worldwide market. Written in the... Read More

Agatha Christie's Jane Marple is reimagined in clever mini mysteries with a different narrator for each. The cast is an impressive group of narrators, and each is superb. People underestimate Miss Marple--to their detriment; the elderly woman often seen knitting solves murders faster than seasoned detectives. The new collection takes her from St. Mary Mead to Manhattan, the... Read More

Versatile Natalie Naudus confidently performs Aveyard's second installment in the Realm Breaker series, catapulting listeners into a world of monsters, vicious battles, and evil. Corayne and her companions have just killed a giant Kraken and closed the Spindle, a mechanism that allowed monsters to enter their world. More battles are on the horizon as their enemies, Corayne's... Read More

The two fine narrators of this compelling and intricate puzzle voice characters who don't know each other, and certainly don't know that they are caught in a single conundrum. Nathalie Buscombe's Saffron is overseeing a remodeling project at her beloved granny's Cotswold cottage when the contractors discover a pair of bodies buried under the patio. Elsewhere, likable, anxious... Read More

Jenifer Lewis, actress, activist, and unabashed author, narrates her no-nonsense essays with the confidence of a true icon who is embracing her "wisdom years." Brimming with politics, purpose, self-love, and Trump-hate, this raw account reveals her struggles with bipolar disorder, the painful loss of loved ones, and romantic betrayal, juxtaposed with hilarious tales of... Read More

Angel Pean delivers a thrilling performance of a story set in an alternative future in which unmarried women aged 28 and older must register with the government. As Jo's 28th birthday looms, she learns that her mother, who disappeared years earlier, left her something in her will. But Jo must take a trip to a remote island to claim it. Pean skillfully captures the suspenseful... Read More

Shannon McManus delivers plenty of tricks and treats while narrating this follow-up to THE EX HEX. The latest story is set in the Halloween tourist town of Graves Glenn, Georgia. Gwyn Jones must face the pretentious Llewellyn Penhallow, her draining magic, mentoring young witches, and, above all else, tourist season. With this change of main characters between books comes a... Read More

DAVID COPPERFIELD is the starting point for this audiobook, but it's not a template. Narrator Charlie Thurston's fine regional accent takes listeners to southwest Virginia, a place that dives deep into the truths of rural poverty. Damon Fields tells his own story, as in the Dickens novel, but he faces difficulties beyond what the English author imagined. One such challenge is... Read More

Not every audiobook offers pleasurable listening, and narrator Jonathan Todd Ross has a particular gift for making topics of narrow interest—liquid rocket propellants, for example—palatable for general listeners. Few eras in American history are as unpalatable as that ignited by WWI and extending into the 1920s, a time when unchecked racism, union opposition, and patriotic... Read More

Jason Genao, Anthony Keyvan, and Kyla Garcia narrate this prequel to the three-hankie weeper THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END. Death-Cast is a company that predicts when its subscribers have only 24 hours left to live. Valentino has left Arizona and his homophobic parents to start a new life. Orion, orphaned on 9/11 and living with a weak heart, knows that any day could be his last.... Read More

Frankie Corzo delivers a nuanced performance that complements this audiobook splendidly. Elena Vega has a complicated relationship with her father, Santiago, a successful lawyer who never recovered from his traumatic childhood. Trying to cope, he became an alcoholic, alienating Elena who knew nothing of his past. Now, Santiago is living in Puerto Rico. When a hurricane ravages... Read More

Chris Lew Kum Hoi and Billie Fulford-Brown narrate a sharp alternate history/fantasy. Orphaned and taken from China to be raised in England, Robin Swift trains for years to join the Royal Institute of Translation at Oxford. As he learns the power that exists when history is translated, he realizes the many violences that colonialism perpetrates. Hoi's performance is... Read More

On a remote island in Maine, approximately 10 years after the Covid pandemic, a group of seven friends in their late 20s seek isolation in the face of another pandemic. Narrator Imani Jade Powers adeptly captures their voices, tones, and emotions as the story unfolds over a few months. Soon tension develops due to the worldwide situation, a building mystery relating to one... Read More

Rob Shapiro has a resonant voice, and his narration style--thoughtful and deliberate--suits this unauthorized biography of futurist Buckminster Fuller. Shapiro performs the sometimes difficult text, full of geometrical concepts and Fullerisms, with careful pacing and apt timing that allow the listener to take in Fuller's long, packed, and exceptional life. From the same family... Read More

Frankie Corzo narrates this historical fantasy set in Kansas City. Luna is half witch, which gives her the ability to influence men through touching and kissing. And she's half white and half Mexican and can pass as white. The owner of a popular jazz club, she employs marginalized people and negotiates with bootleggers to create a welcoming atmosphere with plenty of illegal... Read More

Gráinne Gillis's deep, well-trained voice, with its light Irish accent, is a perfect match for performing Irish-born psychologist Elaine Fox's audiobook on managing life transitions. The audiobook is a treasure trove of research, stories, and assessments to encourage and guide listeners to build their mental agility. Fox shares her experiences of coaching athletes, military... Read More

After a slow start, narrator Olivia Vinall's pleasing voice makes PANDORA an engaging listening experience. When a sealed box is retrieved from deep below the sea, Dora, an aspiring jewelry designer, opens it and becomes fascinated with the ancient Greek vase within, covered with images from the Pandora myth. Her unscrupulous Uncle Hezekiah's antiquities shop is filled with... Read More

An ensemble of talented narrators performs a unique horror anthology that subverts tropes to examine the feeling of being "other." The collection is composed of 24 stories that focus on marginalized identities. Each work is brought to life by a talented narrator who imbues it with pathos and an appropriate tone. Some stories are oddly funny, while others venture into graphic... Read More

Narrator Imani Parks establishes a determined voice for 13-year-old Amari in this adventure-filled sequel. After witnessing a time freeze that disrupts the political system, she must figure out who is responsible and make it right. She and Dylan, her fellow magician turned rival, must battle to see who will lead the League of Magicians in a magical competition, The Great Game.... Read More

Kit Swann's accomplished narrating skills are on full display in this third book in the Fifth Avenue Rebels series. Beautiful Katherine Delafield has waited patiently for a year to marry breathlessly handsome but bitter Preston Clarke after they were pledged to each other by their fathers. When Preston turns her down flat, Katherine makes up for lost time at a masquerade ball,... Read More

Callie Beaulieu and Kendra Hoffman narrate this contemporary multigenerational audiobook set in New York City and Iowa. Their contrasting vocal styles create an uneven listening experience. The story is mainly told from the perspectives of three women--controlling Jewish matriarch Veronika, a psychiatrist; her down-to-earth daughter-in-law, Mel, a social worker; and Mel's... Read More

Narrator Ginnifer Goodwin expertly matches the author's intensity in this singular novel, which delves into the depths of friendship and art. When Frankie receives a phone call threatening to unravel a decades-old secret, she flashes back to the summer when she was a smart, introverted, somewhat sad girl of 16. That was the summer she met Zeke, a new boy with a similar nature.... Read More

Rebecca Woolf, writer and blogger, narrates her memoir with devastating clarity and compassion. She married young when a surprise pregnancy occurred in a relationship that had just barely begun. After 14 years in a stifling and abusive marriage that included raising four kids and a life that asked her to sacrifice too much of herself, she finally demanded a divorce. Weeks... Read More

Narrating this deeply researched account of early-twentieth-century musicians and organized crime, JD Jackson's engagement gives his performance a "you-are-there" quality that is absolutely infectious. The swagger in his masculine voice sounds at home in the nightclubs and vice districts the author describes, but it's an understated swagger that doesn't seek attention as much... Read More

Listeners will never doubt that British narrator Karen Cass belongs in the Devonshire village of Middlemass and will feel as welcomed there as out-of-work librarian Jess Metcalf does. When Jess finds herself starting over after losing her beloved grandmother, she has no idea that her new cottage will offer the opportunity to create a library in the phone box on the property.... Read More

Narrator Lisa Flanagan superbly narrates this audiobook based on history and enhanced by the engaging dialogue of a fascinating foursome in the 1920s. The characters' relationships rival the female friendships made famous in "Sex and the City." The story revolves around the legendary writer Dorothy Parker and her friends. The setting may be the Prohibition era, but women's... Read More

Soneela Nankani is an outstanding narrator of South Asian literature, and this novel on the partition of India is no exception. The creation of the Muslim state of Pakistan led to one of the most chaotic migrations in memory. Nankani evokes empathy for the teenage Alma, who is caught in these historical crosshairs. She uses a fretful undertone to express the heart of this story... Read More

Ellen Jovin's attractive middle-register voice with its hint of a scratchy burr is as enthusiastic and welcoming as you'd expect from someone who chats about words and punctuation with anyone who's interested. The author of three previous books on language, Jovin took her passion on the road by creating a pop-up grammar advice table, which she used as she and her husband... Read More

Versatile narrators effectively differentiate interwoven characters’ perspectives in this retelling of Stephen King’s CARRIE, made more horrific by its theme of racism. Maddy (Carrie redux), a timid biracial teen who is bullied at school, has secret psychic powers that explode on prom night. As a broadcast reporter, portrayed by Christopher Salazar, tracks the facts of what... Read More

Peter Ganim adds further zest to this appealing sequel to THE TURTLE OF OMAN. Eight-year-old Aref and his family move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, from Oman. Listeners observe his parents devoting much attention to their university classes while bored Aref misses his grandfather, former home, and precious wild turtles. Things improve after he attends a summer art camp, meets fellow... Read More

The author presents this empowering nutrition guide with the measured enunciation of a caring teacher. Vocal enthusiasm and clarity make this audiobook so easy to hear that listeners will overlook the limited pitch patterns that make Gundry's phrasing sound repetitive. The heart surgeon and digestive health expert explains that the low-carb, high-fat diet that causes ketosis is... Read More

In wry tones, T. Ryder Smith deftly narrates David Sipress's bittersweet and charming memoir about growing up in New York City in the 1960s and his rocky road to being a successful cartoonist for the NEW YORKER. Smith gives Sipress's father a brusque tone and Brooklyn accent that is in direct contrast to the relaxed tenor of the rest of the narration, artfully conveying... Read More

A cast of talented British actors gives voice to this new audio edition of Neil Gaiman's classic middle-grade novel, just in time for its 20th anniversary. Coraline is bored and looking for an adventure when she opens a mysterious door in her new house that leads to another world--and an Other Mother. Julian Rhind-Tutt's narration underscores the beautiful writing and eerie... Read More

Avi Roque, Diana Pou, Marisa Blake, and Christian Barillas, the narrators of this anthology about undocumented immigrants, are as diverse as the authors who contributed their stories. Perhaps that's why listening to these tales of terror, joy, and disappointment differs dramatically from reading them. It's a visceral experience to hear a Guatemalan or Dominican-born narrator... Read More

Narrator Sura Siu establishes a thoughtful voice for 10-year-old Anna, who moves from Taiwan to the U.S. with her mother and father in 1980 to pursue new opportunities. But when Anna and Ma arrive in Los Angeles and meet Ba, their dreams quickly fade. They realize that the business they purchased was not as successful as they were led to believe and struggle to make ends meet.... Read More

This well-researched, well-written dual biography of the two great Lakota leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse is a detailed account of their lives beyond their victory over the U.S. Army at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Shaun Taylor-Corbett's baritone voice is a splendid vehicle to perform this account. Listening to this production, one hears the constant conflict between... Read More

Maya Saroya narrates this novel, beginning with Sara's tale, which is presented in the first person. A scholarship student from India, Sara is studying literature at university in England in the 1980s. Saroya portrays Sara as a gentle soul with a quiet English accent. She begins making pottery in a studio in a church basement. As fate would have it, the studio is owned by... Read More

Narrator Amielynn Abellera creates a strong voice for young Marisol, who wants nothing more than to be successful at a sport despite her awkwardness. It seems like everyone else has athletic talent, including her soccer star brother, Oz. When the first couple days of the kickball unit in gym class don't go well, she and her best friend, Jada, become more determined than ever to... Read More

This latest audio installment in the Scientists in the Field series highlights the revolutionary wildlife science being conducted in a startlingly untouched ecosystem--Isle Royale, an isolated island hidden in Lake Ontario. Narrator Mikhaila Aaseng vocally italicizes the last beat of most sentences as if performing for toddlers--not the intended audience (8-to-12-year-olds).... Read More

Chef Michael Twitty's candid and warm style allows his intimate memoir to excel as an audiobook. Far more than an autobiography, KOSHERSOUL is a revealing account of Twitty's lifelong journeys--as a Black man, as a Jew, and as a gay man--and how those worlds have united and clashed. Twitty's style is engaging, and he narrates in a tone that embraces listeners and invites them... Read More

In this brief audiobook, the futurist and founder of the think tank Longpath Labs argues that short-term thinking results in long-term problems. While his voice is not commanding, Ari Wallach makes up for it with his enthusiasm and optimism about human motivations. Combining practical advice with anecdotes and personal history, the audiobook is a guide to thinking and acting in... Read More

Narrator Peter Noble brings both gravitas and humanity to this unusual love story. Miko and Kristofer were in love 50 years ago, when they were young. Then Miko and her father departed suddenly, leaving Kristofer confused and devastated. A 2020 Facebook message from Miko makes the 74-year-old Kristofer turn his back on everything in Iceland to fly to Japan to see her. Noble... Read More

This audiobook, narrated by the author and 11 others, offers a cornucopia of Boyle’s vivid imaginings. Among the many short fictions worth listening to and cogitating on, the dark fantasy “Hyena,” set in France, is delivered memorably by David de Vries, whose deliberate pace suits this horrific tale. “The Apartment,” with its sustained irony, is given just the right tone and... Read More

Frankie Corzo narrates a legendary hacker's attempt to prevent war from breaking out between two galaxy-spanning empires. Kee Illdez has many claims to fame, including military service and bounty hunting. Now she suspects that a former soldier has enacted plans to rekindle the war between humans and the Valovian Empire, and she sets out to stop him. Corzo imbues this romantic... Read More

Kim Staunton narrates this historical romance. Raven Moreaux and Braxton Steel come from very different backgrounds: She is a con artist, and he is a war veteran. Despite this, Raven and Brax must work together to keep their families out of jail. While it would be easy for Staunton to portray Raven as haughty or arrogant, she merely gives Raven her due as a proud woman who... Read More

Reba Buhr delivers the first-person narrative of 17-year-old Cassie Blake, a lonely teen whose spirit has been weighed down since her mother's desertion. She sees herself as the caretaker of her family and has become an insomniac. Buhr voices the heaviness of this overly responsible middle child whose sense of belief amid the fervor of her religious small town is waning, even... Read More

Tanaïs narrates their memoir about their personal life, the Covid-19 pandemic, and perfume. This material is intermixed with the complicated history of the Indian subcontinent. The overall effect of Tanaïs's soft voice and contemplative pace has a meditative effect on the listener. This work could be listened to while unwinding on long walks but perhaps not during road trips.... Read More

Linwood Barclay's suspenseful story of a missing woman who resurfaces after six years is brought to life by Joe Knezevich and a full cast. The performers give each character a unique voice, yet all the characters share notes of confusion and anguish. Is Andrew Mason a murderer--or a grieving husband? Appropriately, Knezevich gives few hints about what is going on in his mind.... Read More

Graham Halstead milks the full scale of drama and humor from American Hopwood DePree's memoir about his discovery of his family's ancestral castle in England and their ensuing attempts to restore its crumbling remains. This is a fun listen, made more so by Halstead's upbeat performance. We are treated to the ups and downs--many downs--of attempting to reconstruct the... Read More

With her strong British accent, author Seirian Sumner's narration takes a little getting used to. But she projects an attractive personality and proves to be a knowledgeable, engaging narrator. Her expansive study of one of nature's most abundant forms--the much-despised wasp--makes for fascinating listening and will have listeners taking a fresh look at their backyards. The... Read More

This very long, well-researched saga detailing the machinations of the twelfth-century court of Eleanor of Aquitane is delivered with impeccable timing and elegant style by narrator Karen Cass. Isabelle, a noblewoman, is trapped in an unhappy marriage to controlling, frighteningly cruel wealthy widower Gerard, Lord de Meurtaigne. Cass's voice is menacing as an enraged Gerard... Read More

Weruche Opia’s self-confident narration sings with a heady mix of feminine power and vulnerability. Nigerian-British college sophomore Kiki Banjo hopes her radio show, “Brown Sugar,” will secure her a prestigious internship. Opia builds an elegant, charismatic persona for Kiki, who doles out feminist relationship advice to her fellow Afro-Caribbean students in a snappy,... Read More

Narrator Stina Nielsen conveys the horror that fuels this retelling of the Grimms' fairy tale "The Juniper Tree." Marlinchen, the youngest daughter of the twisted wizard Vashchenko, is kept captive in her dilapidated family home. She is forced to peddle her services as a flesh diviner, as she can read people's thoughts through touch. Nielsen communicates Marlinchen's desperate... Read More

André Santana and Neo Cihi narrate this dual-perspective queer fantasy romance. Crest is a "mer" who is heading off on their month-long journey. The purpose is to experience life as a human before deciding whether to remain on land or return to the sea to begin adulthood as a mer. When they arrive on land, in a human body with a new human name, Crest meets a human lifeguard... Read More

Narrator Katy Sobey inhabits Liv Green, a house cleaner who dreams of becoming a writer. Sobey gives unique British voices to the characters in this novel. Essie Starling, a reclusive author who is one of Liv's clients, has a demanding tone, even as she encourages Liv's dream to write. When Essie dies, Liv is forced to keep it a secret, straining her marriage. But her compliant... Read More

Mike Chamberlain's youthful tone and vocal personality are perfect for this encouraging news about what works to handle adversity and push forward to meet important challenges. He sounds both enthusiastic and knowledgeable--genuinely optimistic and intelligently focused on the science behind true resilience. The key, says the author, a researcher and Olympic coach, is to stay... Read More

This psychological thriller gives narrators Graham Halstead, Xe Sands, and Elizabeth Wiley the perfect opportunity to exercise their considerable dramatic skills. Halstead portrays Art Barbara, founder of the Pallbearers Club, in the voice of a 17-year-old. Art's sultry friend, Mercy, portrayed by Xe Sands, has a penchant for taking pictures of the dead in their caskets. These... Read More

Grad student Cassie Quinn rushes home to her wealthy New York City family when her younger brother is arrested for raping his ex-girlfriend. Marilyn Ireland narrates this provocative story told by Cassie, which recounts the family's defense of her unfairly accused brother. She sees herself as sophisticated beyond her years, due to her own heartbreak after an affair with an... Read More

Mary Jane Wells charms and delights as she narrates MacLean's adventurous historical romance. Adelaide Frampton grew up among London's most dangerous criminals, destined for a life of thievery until she was rescued and drawn into the secret world of the Hell's Belles. Now she uses her meek, unassuming demeanor; quick fingers; and fighting skills to right society's wrongs and... Read More

Ines del Castillo and Yareli Arizmendi make an excellent team for this unique drama about two women whose worlds collide through a complicated murder. Dolores Rivera lives a double life as the wife of two men--until they find out about each other. Cassie Bowman is an author in search of an excellent story, and she finds it when one of Dolores's husbands murders the other. The... Read More

Neil Shah is a strong narrator for this family drama about siblings Bhumi and Jaipal, who are separated by civil unrest on their small South Pacific island. Fans of world literature will be enthralled by this story of rising nationalism as the islanders turn on the minority Indian community. Shah shifts easily between dense narrative and dialogue. He maintains listeners'... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld brings a great deal of enthusiasm to her portrayals of women who served in the U.S. Army's Signal Corps during WWI. They broke the gender barrier while facing mortal danger from the fighting on the front lines and from the influenza pandemic behind the lines. Maarleveld voices these telephone operators whom America sent overseas to help our troops communicate,... Read More

Katharine Chin and Cindy Kay's narrations bear witness to the experiences of two biracial Chinese-American sisters. Chin narrates the chapters from 17-year-old Annalie's point of view. She captures Annalie's sassy humor and playful spirit as her years-long crush is finally getting a response. But everything changes with her discovery of a racial slur spray-painted on her... Read More

Raechel Wong embodies the character of May Chen, a 16-year-old Chinese-American girl. After losing her smart, successful older brother to suicide, May and her family must endure racist stereotypes that accuse Asians of pushing their children too hard to succeed. Wong chooses not to create a unique voice for each character, but that choice in no way detracts from the... Read More

Lesley Sharp superbly narrates a story that is as much about motherhood as it is a thrilling mystery. Jen witnesses her sweet 17-year-old son kill a man, and her cries of shock and horror as she attempts to save the stranger while pleading with police will resonate with listeners. When she awakens the next day and realizes it is yesterday again--before the killing--Jen is as... Read More

Theo Solomon does an incredible job navigating the complexities of this remarkable debut novel about storytelling; Black, queer identity; and the surprising connections between past and present. Kip is an Afro-Caribbean writer who barricades himself in his Brooklyn basement in order to finish his historical novel about Mohammed, the Egyptian lover of E.M. Forster. Soon, time... Read More

Frankie Corzo narrates an addictive space opera about a bounty-hunting crew that takes on a mission to earn a massive reward. Tavi and her crew have survived the galactic conflict between humanity and the alien race called the Valoff. Broken by the trauma of war, the enemies have settled into a tentative truce. Then, a Valoff general, Torran, contacts Tavi with an offer that's... Read More

JD Jackson is always a joy to listen to and a fine choice for this audiobook on the enigmatic Rickey Henderson, whose professional baseball career spanned more than 20 years. Veteran sports writer Howard Bryant handles Henderson fairly--revealing the greatness of the Hall of Famer who is the game's all-time runs and stolen-base leader. But he was a mercurial ballplayer prone to... Read More

Janina Edwards narrates in a tone of detachment that gives the listener room for horror. Her narration is meticulous, but she doesn't overplay the outrage. Forensic archaeologist and writer Erin Kimmerle dug up the campus of the notorious Dozier School for Boys in Marianna, Florida. Founded in 1901, the facility didn't close until 2011. Everybody knew there was a graveyard, but... Read More

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini returns to perform the 22nd addition to the Gabriel Allon series. The retired legendary spymaster Allon is now living in Venice, enjoying family life. At the request of a friend, Allon investigates the mystery behind a supposed masterpiece and is drawn into the dark, lucrative side of the art world. Ballerini demonstrates his talent for accents as... Read More

Author Toya Wolfe draws on her own childhood for this powerful debut novel that examines the summer of 1999. That was the summer when the demolition of the Robert Taylor Houses on Chicago's South Side uprooted everyone's lives. Narrator Shayna Small, as FeFe, reflects upon that time with an engaging voice. As FeFe relives those events, Small moves smoothly into distinct... Read More

Seasoned narrator Frankie Corzo delivers another satisfying and beautiful performance with her heartfelt and nimble narration. Peruvian-American teenager Veronica has hip dysplasia; being in the water is the only way she feels relief. Suddenly, she discovers the opportunity to become a mermaid performer when auditions open at Mermaid Cove, an aquatic tourist destination.... Read More

Narrator Mark Sanderlin brings charming sincerity to his portrayal of young historical reenactor Amos Abernathy. Amos wonders why history focuses on straight, cisgender men (and occasionally women). When he's offered the opportunity to create a new exhibit at the Living History Park, where he volunteers with his best friend, Chloe, and a new crush, Ben, he discovers that the... Read More

Simon Vance narrates a continuation of the classic PETER PAN story in which the youngest of the Darling children fights to keep Neverland safe from a catastrophic threat. Michael Darling is grown up, and after a disastrous attempt to join a mythical society of knights, he returns to his mundane life until he's called upon for an earth-shattering mission: Peter Pan is missing,... Read More

The talented and emotive Susan Ericksen continues as narrator for Book 22 in the V.I. Warshawski detective series. Ericksen's familiarity with the indomitable investigator's inflections and emotions produces a thrilling realistic performance. Warshawski is drawn into a new investigation upon finding a burned girl hiding in the woods. When the teen disappears from the hospital,... Read More

Narrator Andi Arndt delivers an entertaining romance set in Lake Tahoe. Tae and Riggs, a retired Marine, both had difficult childhoods, Riggs with an abusive father and Tae with a teenage mother. Arndt fully dramatizes the challenges they both overcame without miring listeners in their pasts. Tae and her mother, April, are more like sisters than mother and daughter, and Arndt's... Read More

Author and Golden Voice Julia Whelan uses aspects of her own career to tell the story of Sewanee, an actress turned romance audiobook narrator who is recovering emotionally from a tragic accident. Having moved on to other genres, Sewanee resurrects her old pseudonym to narrate a beloved romance writer’s last novel and, in doing so, works with the industry’s most popular and... Read More

Featuring the stories of 25 women in gospel music, this audiobook is a short but powerful listen. Focusing on a mix of legends in the genre and newer performers, the work provides a journey through gospel that is well researched, personal, and engaging. From Inez Andrews to Mahalia Jackson, from Aretha Franklin to Yolanda Adams, this production focuses on the many ways that... Read More

Wesleigh Sioban and Antony Ferguson narrate a royal romance subtly inspired by Harry and Meghan. Can an American rapper and a reluctant British prince make their relationship work, or will it fizzle under the pressure of their respective responsibilities? Siobhan shines as Dani "Duchess" Nelson, a charismatic rapper who wants to expand her brand and gain control over her life... Read More

Narrator Kirby Heyborne establishes a youthful voice for 13-year-old Alex, whose greatest passion is cheering for his Grandpa Ira's independent league baseball team, the Hurricanes, despite years of losses. When Grandpa Ira passes away, Alex's family discovers that he had sold the team to his out-of-state brother-in-law, who now hopes to sell it. But there's a hitch. Per the... Read More

Narrator Ashley Klanac returns listeners to Honeymoon Harbor. Quarterback Burke Mannion rushes back to his hometown when his mother is in a car accident. To his surprise, a woman he once dated, Lily Fletcher, has moved there. They two had a relationship in New York until Lily broke up with Burke via a text message. Klanac successfully portrays Burke's desire to resume dating... Read More

AudioFile Golden Voice Bahni Turpin turns A.J. Verdelle's reflections on her relationship with Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison into a song of praise and wonder. Morrison, born Chloe Wofford, first entered the author's life after the publication of Verdelle's novel, THE GOOD NEGRESS. They built a friendship based on their shared love of language and literature and their... Read More

Narrator Catherine Ho delivers a stellar performance of this fast-paced caper audiobook. She perfectly inhabits Ava Wong, a frazzled wife and mother who is on hiatus from her law career, as well as Winnie Fang, Ava's former shy classmate from 20 years ago, who's now rich and full of confidence. Winnie's been running a global fake handbag scheme, in which Ava becomes entangled.... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan gives a thoughtful performance of a novel that focuses on a fundamental question: Would you want to know how long you're going to live? One night a box is delivered to everyone age 22 and older. The box contains a length of string that tells the recipient how much longer they will live. Would you open the box? Whelan introduces listeners to... Read More

With voices of childlike clarity, youthful intensity, and sheer menace, Diana Pou, Vico Ortiz, and Gabriel S. Rivera Vázquez lead a skilled group of Latin actors in narrating this surreal, dark fantasy. The audiobook speculates on what would become of the children orphaned and abandoned in the aftermath of 2017's Hurricane Maria. As young survivors follow a charismatic madman... Read More

Shayna Small's heartfelt narration conveys the anger, intensity, frustration, and sadness of the activists who lobbied for years to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, birthday a federal holiday. She brings reverence and passion to Kirkwood's memoir-in-verse, which helps listeners understand why we now celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr., Day in January and what this holiday means to... Read More

Narrator January LaVoy's perfect performance enhances this thriller about middle-aged women taking charge despite society's attempts to keep them down. When Harriet's husband cheats on her and she is unfairly passed up for a work promotion, she cultivates magical botany skills. Gym owner Jo feels her superhuman strength growing. Nessa's ability to hear the dead has resurfaced.... Read More

Narrator Kelechi Okafor's melodious voice brings the British-Nigerian characters in this beautiful debut novel to life. She gives Glory, the daughter who comes home to London for her father's funeral, a voice that can be defensive, confused, angry, or compassionate as she becomes aware of long-buried family secrets that are slowly revealing themselves and upending everything... Read More

Narrator Jonathan Todd Ross's blend of straightforwardness, humor, and emotion highlights this multifaceted examination of creativity and the power of inspiration. Ross brings warmth to the all-encompassing information about creativity--what it is, how and why it is cultivated, and why it is important, in addition to how it can be destroyed, bring about unintended positive or... Read More

Soneela Nankani narrates a collection of connected stories set in the world of the Daevabad Trilogy; familiar characters return, and new ones are introduced. Nankani brings a wide range of emotions to the various stories, tempered with the knowledge of what has already been revealed: hope to a young woman embarking on a journey of potential matrimony, the bittersweet ache of... Read More

This audiobook is a literary novel, not the usual vampire genre experience. Narrator Jane Lui smoothly moves between characters and the setting of the coming-of-age story. In a dark and sultry tone, she describes Lydia and the various people she crosses paths with in London while navigating her part-human, part-vampire body. Yet Lui also sounds as if Lydia is sharing one long... Read More

If your audiobook production is from the James Bond library, make sure to get a narrator who understands the language. Rory Kinnear has portrayed Bill Tanner, Bond's best friend, in the four most recent 007 films. So it's no great surprise that Kinnear deftly handles the spy-speak present in author Horowitz's third Bond novel. In this volume, Bond is jailed for killing his... Read More

Joel Leslie narrates a historical outlaw romance. Marian Hayes, Duchess of Clare, just shot and likely killed her husband and isn't the least bit sorry. Luckily, she has Rob Brooks, a far more experienced criminal, on hand to help her through the aftermath. Leslie perfectly captures Marian's difficult and prickly personality, which she wields like a bludgeon, but he also does... Read More

Narrator Lisa Flanagan's bright, impassioned tones are perfect for this memoir by Elkins-Tanton, a planetary scientist, professor, and NASA lead investigator. Flanagan's ease with conveying complex scientific terminology and concepts, as well as her consistent and enthusiastic pacing, helps listeners absorb subject matter that may be unfamiliar. Much of this memoir focuses on... Read More

Adjoa Andoh narrates this sweeping account of Haiti's pre-revolutionary era. The formidable audiobook is based on the true story of Marie-Claire Bonheur, the first empress of Haiti, and the rebellion that liberated its enslaved people, making Haiti the first post-colonial Black-led nation in the world. Andoh's narration ranges from vulnerable to invincible, and her female... Read More

Narrator Sophie Oda creates a determined voice for Aoi, a 12-year-old Japanese-American who changes her name to Annie during the summer of 1987 after tiring of everyone constantly mispronouncing her Japanese name. Annie starts exploring her interests, such as theater and basketball, but along the way she faces racism and microaggressions from other students and even adults. Oda... Read More

Narrator Simon Vance transports listeners to the south of England in 1921 as Inspector Ian Rutledge is sent to investigate the report that Lady Benton has witnessed a murder. However, her sanity is questioned when it's apparent there is no body or any other sign of foul play. Rutledge must carefully unravel the web of secrets and lies that are key to the murder. Vance, the... Read More

This promising audiobook by the grandson of the real-life Dr. B is set in the world of émigré publishing and spy craft in neutral Sweden under the Nazi hegemony. "Dr. B" was the pseudonymous by-line of Immanuel Birnbaum, a German refugee who wrote for liberal journals and worked as an editor in the Stockholm office of Fischer Verlag, German publisher of Stefan Zweig and Thomas... Read More

No one else could have narrated this novel as skillfully and masterfully as Sneha Mathan. Her Indian accent and vocal dexterity infuse all the characters with distinct personalities. This is the story of the last queen of the Sikh empire, Rani Jindan, who rose from humble origins to become the favorite wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh during the mid-1800s. When the Maharaja dies,... Read More

Narrator Karla Serrato is delightful as she adds humor and expressiveness to the turmoil of this coming-of-age story. Serrato’s youthful voice pairs perfectly with the range of emotions the characters experience. High school is hard, and Yamilet has it extra hard. So many things have gone wrong in her life. Most importantly, she hesitates to come out as queer. A light appears... Read More

It's no surprise that actor, comedian, writer, and hairstylist extraordinaire Jonathan Van Ness infuses their narration with charm, exuberance, and infectious, bubbly warmth. In a series of far-ranging essays, Van Ness delves into the personal and the political, writing about the surprising queer histories of their Illinois hometown, the racist history of cannabis... Read More

Narrator Johnny Heller affects a "James Cagney" gangster tone--"ya see"--and a slightly askew attitude in this madcap romp set in San Francisco in 1947. This follow-up to Moore's wacky NOIR deploys Heller as the voice of the loopy gang leader and his flaky followers. Sammy "Two Toes" Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie's Coffee Irregulars stumble through a pretzel plot involving... Read More

Ari Fliakos narrates this gangster story based on Homer's ILIAD with a cool reserve. A functioning truce between two criminal families in 1980s Providence, Rhode Island, breaks down when a beautiful woman sets young mobsters against each other. Fliakos shines as he depicts the heartbreaking tension between the men who love Pam, a stand-in for Helen of Troy. Circumstances force... Read More

Narrator Stacey Glemboski captures this novel about family and responsibility with her stellar performance. Leaving her husband behind in Brooklyn, Louisa takes off for her parents' summer beach house in Maine with her three kids. At the same time, Kristie heads out from Pennsylvania to Maine with little money to unpack the truth about her father. Both women will spend an... Read More

As the title suggests, this audiobook is designed for the listener who is new to gardening, rather than one with years of trial and error. Interspersed with personal narrative, the text offers a goodly supply of tips and advice useful at any level of gardening. Narrator Janina Edwards's voice has a neighborly quality that always reaches a sympathetic ear. Confident, reassuring,... Read More

Mustique Island draws celebrities and royals on an international level. Narrator Cassandra Campbell's range of accents is perfect in this story about a mother and her two daughters' exploration of what personal autonomy means to them in the 1970s. Willy Mae, a former Texas beauty queen, falls in love with a British brewery tycoon. After she divorces her unfaithful husband and... Read More

University of Alaska Professor Katey Walter Anthony studies methane in lakes to advance the fight against climate change. The professor has a flair for description, and narrator Ann Richardson captures her love of nature in heartfelt emotional tones. But the audiobook is not all about field studies. Personal moments are included as well, such as Anthony's first kiss--from a... Read More

Narrator Mark Wilson treks onto the Arctic tundra with scientist Denver Holt to learn what it takes to be a researcher of snowy owls. Wilson's performance is conversational yet edged with an appropriate tinge of awe for both these powerful birds and the challenges Holt faces. Although aimed at kids, the pacing and tone of this audiobook feel accessible for adults, too. Wilson... Read More

Ann Marie Gideon performs this eye-opening audiobook with style, intelligence, and subtlety. Through tone, she carefully differentiates the author's travel writing from her more information-driven reporting on warming oceans and vanishing sand. She deftly changes the timbre of her delivery for male voices. The author travels the globe to observe resorts and share how they... Read More

Leslie Howard convincingly portrays the sympathetic Emma Hawke, a widow who has remarried and is trying to figure out whom she can trust. The first part of the audiobook weaves back and forth from "then," when Emma's first husband Derrick is murdered in lower Manhattan, to "now," 27 months later when she is happily married to her second husband, Tom. Howard successfully... Read More

English actor Minnie Driver's captivating performance of her exceptional memoir will have you listening 24/7. In witty prose and with great storytelling skill, Driver offers beautifully crafted, often funny, always wise snapshots of her life. Ten-year-old Minnie revenge-shopping on a solo trip from Barbados to Florida to England. Minnie evading the Coast Guard while delivering... Read More

Listeners may not take in much on a first listening and may want to keep the pdf or an illustrated copy of this book nearby. But the ear alone is enough to somewhat profit from this sweeping history of evolution, which spans millions of years and the extinction of countless animals and plants. The detail is fascinating, and Patrick Lawlor is a forceful narrator who never lets... Read More

Vikas Adam youthfully embodies Jake, a middle-school kid who has just come out to his family as being gay. When Jake's dad, in a friendly, even tone, shows his support by hoisting up an oversized pride flag outside their home, the small neighborhood's response is mixed. When Jake begins to ponder hosting a local pride parade, the bright timbre of his best friend, Jenna, is... Read More

This audiobook marks the convergence of two Golden Voice narrators with one of the country’s finest fiction writers. Edoardo Ballerini and Julia Whelan narrate these empathic, witty, and finely wrought short stories. Whelan sparkles with her persuasive style, smooth tone, and practiced cadence. Her honey-coated voice is especially memorable in the ironic mode of “Mr. Voice” and... Read More

With ease, empathy, and knowing assurance, veteran narrators Adenrele Ojo and JD Jackson become the recurring characters in this dazzling collection of 13 stories. The short works examine the hopes and fears of the rising Black middle class located in a "sliver of Southern suburbia" in the 1990s/2000s. Fathers wanting better lives for their sons. Prodigal brothers returning... Read More

Julia Whelan becomes former child star Fiona St. James, offering just the right amount of backstage gossip, romance, and mystery to keep listeners engaged. Fiona was a pivotal character in "Birds of California," a successful fictional TV sit-com. The producers want a reboot of the series, and they need Fiona and her costar, Sam Fox, to make it happen. When Sam tries to convince... Read More

Narrator Prentice Onayemi delivers the authors' advice on the necessity of finding silence in a noisy world. With this audiobook, the authors help listeners develop a state of mindfulness. Using lessons from neuroscience, spirituality, and politics, they provide a field guide for mental clarity. As they visit sites as diverse as San Quentin State Prison's death row and the... Read More

Schrefer's nonfiction audiobook for teens is fascinating, frank, funny, and, above all, compassionate. Joel Froomkin performs the main narration, and it's easy to imagine that his voice is the author's, though he does make the curious choice to narrate chapter titles in an officious British accent. Dustin Ballard, Hope Newhouse, and Neo Cihi narrate interludes (illustrated in... Read More

Alexander Vindman is the presidential advisor who testified at an impeachment hearing that our last president pressured a foreign leader to deliver damaging information about a political opponent. While the author's reading of the introduction and epilogue is serviceable, Jacques Roy's performance of the chapters is pleasing and sensitive to the pathos in Vindman's epic story.... Read More

Amani Minter's quiet and heartfelt narration grounds the listener in this story of an all-consuming friendship and a fierce first love. Listeners meet two unnamed Black teenage girls. The story is told primarily through one girl's point of view as she addresses the other girl as "you." Minter's pleasantly husky voice recounts a tense and emotional day when the pair set fires,... Read More

Rebecca Mozo and Alastair Haynesbridge narrate a fake-dating rom-com. Solange Pereira interrupts a wedding to stop the groom from making a terrible mistake, and now that groom, Dean Chapman, has to completely reconstruct his life plan because of a wedding crasher. Mozo's charming and funny portrayal of Solange plays up her tendency to be witty and sarcastic while hiding deep... Read More

This exceptional listening experience features tributes to 40 incredible Black women. Poet Harold Green's narration matches the passion, eloquence, and breadth of knowledge that he infuses into each of his powerful odes. Green shares his own motivation and influences, and also emphasizes the importance of the affirmation, appreciation, and emotional equity given to the wide... Read More

This audiobook begins with a fascinating premise. Nine people receive an identical list of names of nine people, including themselves, with no other context provided. Then people start dying. Narrator Jacques Roy does an excellent job creating distinct personalities for all nine on the list, voicing their journeys from bewilderment to skepticism to introspection to fear.... Read More

A thoroughly engaging narration by Tracey Leigh re-creates the depravity rampant in the Puerto Rican slave trade in the nineteenth century. Leigh's voice is clear, her Spanish diction is exceptional, and her pacing and tone bring life to the period and the large cast. Pola, a young African woman, is captured and sent to a Puerto Rican plantation to be a breeder. With an... Read More

Ama Asantewa Diaka narrates her collection of poetry in this deeply personal audiobook. Diaka explores several topics relating to the female body, such as misogyny, motherhood, pain, and pleasure, along with her experiences as a Black Ghanaian woman. Her delicate voice delivers meditations on a female body broken down into pieces and chiseled to a version of herself others... Read More

Poet Elizabeth Acevedo's narration of her groundbreaking spoken-word poem resonates with love, understanding, and heartbreak. Originally titled "Hair," the work achieved viral fame during her 2014 poetry slam circuit. With a thrumming rhythm and exquisitely placed pauses, Acevedo celebrates the beauty and import of Black hair. Her voice dips in sorrow as she notes that too many... Read More

Actor Viola Davis doesn't mince words. Her audiobook captures the voice of a woman with a fascinating, heartbreaking lived experience. Davis's performance here is essentially a one-woman show, bringing listeners in close from the first moments. While she was growing up in a condemned property, her family struggled with poverty. But her hard work and talent brought her to the... Read More

Musician and actor Janelle Monáe adds author and narrator to her considerable list of accomplishments with this story collection based on the themes of her 2018 album DIRTY COMPUTER. In this Afrofuturist dystopia, the totalitarian entity New Dawn seeks to hunt down and strip away all perceived deviance from humanity. Monáe's narration of the eponymous first story is softly... Read More

Actor Wil Wheaton--from "Star Trek: The Next Generation"--has managed something many of us have wished for at one time or another--a do-over. With humor and humility, he explains and mostly apologizes for his 2004 memoir JUST A GEEK. Using the acting skills he honed at an early age, he indulges in audiobook therapy. He invites us into his inner circle of friends and confesses... Read More

Simu Liu is a natural narrator, conversational and appealing as he shares his engaging story of pursuing acting and finding eventual stardom as the headliner of a Marvel superhero movie. What makes this much more than a celebrity memoir is that Liu also tells his parents' stories of growing up in China during and after the Cultural Revolution. While Liu spent his first years... Read More

This fantastical debut audiobook will enchant listeners. Gifted vocal artist Marin Ireland portrays Tova, a 70-year-old widow with a heart of gold whose teenage son died under mysterious circumstances 30 years earlier. Ireland's encouraging tones suit Tova, whose compassion touches everyone, and every creature, in her small Washington town. After she injures herself at her job... Read More

Listeners who enjoy a classic police procedural will enjoy following retired Seattle Homicide Detective J.P. Beaumont as he travels to Alaska to discover whatever happened to the son of his murdered ex-partner. The missing person investigation turns into a search for a cold-blooded killer. Narrator Mike Ortego gives Beau the sort of hard-bitten, overtaxed voice of a pro who's... Read More

Narrator Mela Lee's invigorating and multifaceted performance will have listeners eagerly anticipating the ups and downs of Angie--a Ghanaian-American third-year medical student. Plucky Angie has sworn off love, but fate keeps bringing her and Ricky, an empathetic young artist, together. Lee adopts a softer tone for Ricky, whose kindness and big heart draw Angie in. Angie... Read More

This debut sci-fi/fantasy blend gives narrator Jeanette Illidge a strong young woman to portray. Ikenna is engaged in a life-or-death trial to qualify for the elite Praetorian Guard. Illidge captures Ikenna's determination to survive, especially as she finds out the truth about her grandfather's death. Illidge also conveys Ikenna's bravado and healthy distrust of authority in a... Read More