New Reviews by Title: E-J

In this Regency-era story, narrator Harry Frost takes listeners on a journey with three best friends who are embarking on their annual trip, which holds a special place in their hearts. Archibald Fielding-Burton, the Earl of Harcourt, is eager to get away when he receives a request to help staunch a disastrous scandal involving an elopement gone wrong and his childhood friend,... Read More

This high-stakes military sci-fi audio original features exciting music, immersive sound effects, and a fantastic full-cast performance. In the near future, Russia's military strives to achieve total Russian supremacy, and NATO responds by creating a new operation called Earthlight. The world's best pilots are gathered to fly the first planes capable of operating in both the... Read More

Chuck Warner and Dana Abbott narrate the sometimes repetitive story of Eddie Reese, longtime swimming and diving coach at the University of Texas. Listeners meet enthusiastic and nostalgic swimmers of all ages who were involved in garnering Reese's 39 Olympic Gold Medals and 15 NCAA titles. Warner's smooth delivery keeps frequent time and location changes clear. Most... Read More

Once a narrator captures a protagonist's voice and the ambiance of her world, an audiobook is off to a great start. Narrator Suzy Jackson does just that while portraying Juliet, who has become a cog in a dystopian corporate Arizona. Almost overnight, she goes from working as a welder to becoming a mercenary. Jackson smoothly expresses Juliet's amazement and anxiety over the... Read More

In apprehensive tones, André Santana artfully conveys the concerns of tween Eli as he mourns the sudden loss of his mother, a professional chef, due to the pandemic. At the same time, he is adjusting to life in New York City after a move from Minnesota. When Eli stumbles upon an archive of cooking videos made by his mother, Santana taps into Eli's grief with a falling... Read More

This novel imagines jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald's harsh early life. In 1932, at age 14, Ella is impossibly dreaming of stardom as a singer. In 1948, she makes that dream a reality by appearing on Ed Sullivan's "Toast of the Town." Overall, narrator Alexandra Grey's distant tone and staccato intonation detract from the emotional punch the story deserves. However, she captures... Read More

An interconnected story set during three separate timelines is narrated by Dylan J. Locke, Will Dao, and Telly Leung. In 4 BCE, courtier Dong Xian is undone by court machinations; in 1740, innkeeper He Shican unintentionally lets a calamity loose; and in modern-day Los Angeles, college student River is sure he has met a brand-new acquaintance before. Locke portrays Dong Xian as... Read More

Piper Goodeve and Aaron Shedlock offer fun performances in this light mystery. Alyssa is dragged into a tarot reading as part of a fortieth-birthday celebration. Afterward, she finds herself in the company of spirits. She enlists her neighbor, Nick, a handsome detective, for help, and together they stumble through a paranormal adventure. Goodeve and Shedlock have a great... Read More

Narrator Helen Laser breathes life into this convoluted murder mystery involving reclusive writer Sebastian Trapp, who is dying; his blended family; the long ago disappearance of his first wife and son; and Nicky Hunter, who is hired to write the dying man's life story. Little does Nicky know that she'll become entangled in Sebastian's story, which overflows with allusions to... Read More

English American actor Moira Quirk narrates the experiences of 10 young women who were all involved in some fashion in British code-breaking efforts during WWII. Each figure represents one facet of the mammoth project, which encompassed decrypting the Nazis' famed Enigma cipher, transcribing and indexing messages, monitoring radio transmissions, and more. Excerpts from journals... Read More

Narrator Scott Brick delivers for fans of Crichton and Patterson. Based on research and notes left behind by Crichton, who died in 2008, Patterson and Brick combine their talents to finish the story and create characters driven to the edge to save the world. Brick's smooth and empathetic performance conveys the chills and thrills surrounding a volcano on the Big Island of... Read More

Lucy Rivers and Will Thorne energize each other as dual narrators of this steamy fantasy-romance blending pirates, fae, and Vikings. Erik rules Ever Kingdom, but that rule is compromised by the man who murdered his father and trapped Erik in the underwater world called the Ever Realm. When Livia, the daughter of the man responsible for trapping Erik, accidentally breaks the... Read More

Elizabeth Evans masterfully voices successful crime novelist Eleanor Dash, listeners' new best friend, who gossips about all of the people and craziness around her. Dash's behind-the-scenes insights on writing and publishing, along with her plot notes for her next book, add depth and humor to this story. She even challenges listeners to identify the murderer before the big... Read More

Julie Chavez projects the cheer and passion that have earned her recognition for her podcast, "Ask a Librarian." Here she writes about a time of personal crisis when she was juggling the demands of her job and taking sole care of her sons when her husband was frequently traveling for work. Suddenly, she found herself experiencing a mental health crisis that manifested as panic... Read More

Narrator Brittany Pressley takes listeners through this fast-paced thriller about a unique reality show in which contestants face real and lasting consequences for their past mistakes. Under the direction of an assistant posing as the show's host, five desperate contestants arrive at a secluded Northern California estate, where they will compete to win 10 million dollars.... Read More

When an Amish man is brutally murdered, his shadow life is exposed, and secrets are revealed. Narrator Kathleen McInerney channels Police Chief Kate Burkholder with precision as she investigates the crime. When she discovers the extent to which the victim, Aden Karn, was himself a perpetrator, she is filled with controlled rage. Upon hearing of his toll on others in the... Read More

Karen Cass narrates this charming novel. Penny and Josephine Williamson are invited to Paris--accompanied by their grand-nephew, Archie--to receive the Légion d'honneur for their service in WWII. Throughout the story they reminisce over their wartime adventures. The women are in their 90s, but Cass makes it clear that they are feisty, a little quirky, and still game for any... Read More

Ami Park, with additional narration from Sue Jean Kim, performs this engrossing novel from an American rising literary star. Photographer Jin Han lives a quiet life with her husband as she tries to make it as an artist in San Francisco. When she meets ballet dancer Lidija Jung, her entire world changes forever. Jin feels immediately drawn to Lidija, who quickly becomes her... Read More

David Aaron Baker's compelling performance is precise and full of verve in Preston's latest thriller, which is reminiscent of Michael Crichton's JURASSIC PARK. Baker portrays Agent Cash's cool composure as she investigates a grisly double murder at the Erebus Resort. Baker then morphs into the clipped Australian accent of Erebus's head of security, who explains that the resort... Read More

Lanessa Tremblett narrates Jennifer Croft's intricate story of acclaimed Polish author Irena Rey. Rey invites eight of her translators to her home in the Bialowieza Forest to translate her latest title into their native languages. The translators are known only by their country's names, but after Irena disappears, leaving the group to function alone, their true names and... Read More

The narrating trio of Frankie Corzo, Robb Moreira, and Victoria Villarreal add warmth and expressiveness to this mystery involving two families. When Isabella was five, her baby sister disappeared from their home in Puerto Rico. Twenty-five years later, Marianna, living in New York, takes a DNA test that is a match to Isabella. Wanting to write a magazine article about faulty... Read More

Narrator Lauren Fortgang channels the currents of magic and intrigue running throughout Bardugo's layered historical fantasy. Scullery maid Luzia Cotado hopes to remain unnoticed, but when she uses a spell to restore burned bread and fix a torn dress, her ability to cast "little miracles" comes to light. Forced to compete in a dangerous magic competition, she is tutored by the... Read More

Unlike washed-up golf pro Wells Whitaker's swing, narrator Callie Dalton shoots par on her performance of this audiobook. When Wells's career hits a low, he asks superfan Josephine Doyle to caddy for him. Dalton's delivery of Wells's and Josephine's steamy chemistry is electric, as is their snarky repartee. Listeners will sink deep into their swoony romance. Josephine's voice... Read More

With his amazing portfolio of voices, Michael Boatman draws listeners into PI Easy Rawlins's world in 1970s Los Angeles. Mosley's writing paired with Boatman's narration once again delivers a sociological tableau that keeps listeners engaged throughout. Rawlins accepts a missing-person case from his client, the alluring Amethystine Stoller As Rawlins's attempts to find her open... Read More

Emily Woo Zeller invites listeners to the bustling semi-submerged city of Tiankawi. Mira, a border guard captain, has been working toward reform her entire career when Nami, an anti-human activist, is exiled to Tiankawi. Meanwhile, Cordelia, a sea witch, will stop at nothing to increase her family's power. Now she's ready to collect on her deal with a Siren to exchange her song... Read More

Heather O'Sullivan narrates a romantic fantasy inspired by Irish mythology. Fia is a changeling in the human world who is trained as a weapon and a spy. When an opportunity to free a stolen human princess arises, Fia is sent on the mission. O'Sullivan's portrayal of Fia's long and, at times, painful journey of self-discovery is emotionally resonant but doesn't shy away from... Read More

Hugo Armstrong and Joanne Whalley lead an exceptional cast of L.A. Theatre Works regulars in this story of a dysfunctional family bravely attempting not to be dysfunctional. The play's conversational dialogue reveals a tense reunion that is gathered around a brilliant, overbearing patriarch (Armstrong) who is dying from late-stage Parkinson's disease and is about to receive a... Read More

In this memoir of the unexpected death of her son, Fi, Alexandra Fuller pulls off quite a feat by simultaneously filling her voice with both life and loss. Fuller grew up in Zimbabwe (DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT), and her rich, warm voice contains appealing traces of that accent. Fi died at age 21 despite having no real health problems, and grief and incomprehension are... Read More

The author is joined by an ensemble of four narrators to deliver this collection of 14 short stories. The works are a bit bizarre, but all share the theme of human longing. January LaVoy conveys poignancy in a story about a vampire and a goat woman who find solace in friendship. Gabra Zackman is able to make a woman who transforms into a house to better serve her boyfriend's... Read More

Narrator Hillary Huber fully immerses listeners in this suspenseful second-chance romance. Hailey and Jesse grew up together as kids and fell in love when they were teenagers. When Jesse had the opportunity to go to college and start fresh, Hailey ended their relationship. Now all grown up, Hailey runs a new branch of a security company. She and Jesse reconnect when one of... Read More

Buckle up for another thrilling adventure with Finlay Donavan and her eclectic crew. Angela Dawe returns to narrate Finlay's escapades as a single mom, romance writer, and accidental criminal. Dawe seamlessly captures the essence of each character, from Finlay and her partner-in-crime, Vero, to the diverse supporting cast. Particularly noteworthy is Dawe's skill in portraying... Read More

Fans of the Longmire series will find much to enjoy in this twentieth installment. Narrator George Guidall masterfully portrays Sheriff Walt Longmire; his best friend, Henry; and all the characters, male and female, returning and new. Listeners are transported back to 1964, when Walt and Henry, post-college and newly enlisted in the military, embark on a road trip. Car troubles... Read More

Psychologist and podcaster Michael Gervais shares the coaching tips he's provided to various top performers on how to be confident and authentic instead of feeling self-conscious around others. Throughout his three-part guide on self-confidence, Gervais is sensible, friendly, and enthusiastic in his delivery. His tone is clear, pleasant, and convincing as he explains how to... Read More

Ramón de Ocampo offers a charming performance of this middle-grade fiction with a touch of science fiction. Michael and his crush, Gibby, run into Ridge, a strange boy who soon reveals he's visiting from the future. The year is 1999, and with the threat of Y2K brewing, the kids come together and bond through their doomsday planning. De Ocampo's flexible narration moves between... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld unfolds the gripping tale of Solveig, a girl endowed with extraordinary fire magic. After her brother tragically kills a man, Solveig is sent to the north as weregild--compensation for the loss to prevent retaliation. There she unravels the sinister realities of the mythical Black Land. Maarleveld's narration is captivating, echoing the story's atmospheric... Read More

Braden Wright confidently narrates this charming space adventure. In an increasingly authoritarian galactic empire, the Grand Abeona Hotel is a beacon for weary travelers and offbeat employees alike. As this aging starliner plays host to a quirky academic conference, a pair of lovebirds, and a series of imperial spies, the crew race to decode the mysteries at the heart of a... Read More

Nan McNamara gives a nuanced performance of this audiobook revolving around a well-known feminist writer whose ordered existence in New York City becomes compromised by a medical diagnosis. The imposing 75-year-old Florence Gordon lives an independent life and has little contact with her family. Then her son, Daniel, a Seattle police officer, travels with his wife, Janine, and... Read More

In this philosophical but accessible audiobook, social scientist Brian Klass explains how individual actions fit into the chaotic chain of events that determine what happens in the world. He narrates with pitch and phrasing variations that make these arresting ideas fun to hear. He says the random incidents that can cause world wars or lead to huge life changes are... Read More

Hunter Dalger, adopted as a child, feels like he doesn't know who he is. Nonetheless, the successful former pilot and black-ops soldier has made a fortune exposing fraudsters. Now he's set his sights on the late aviator Charles Lindbergh, a man he believes was no hero but, instead, a person who destroyed those who loved him. Narrator Joseph Sheppard is up to the challenge of... Read More

In a steady passionate tone, narrator Kate Siegel chronicles the life of Rachel Carson, the writer and biologist who launched the global environmental movement. Even as a young child, Rachel appreciated nature and was drawn to writing. As she continued her studies, she found a passion for science. Siegel captures Rachel's determination and frustration as she attempts to join a... Read More

Narrators Almarie Guerra and Feodor Chin reunite to bring the second installment in the Daniela Vega series to life. FBI agent Dani Vega emerges as a female counterpart to author Lee Child's hero Jack Reacher--savvy, justice driven, and a military-trained fighting machine. The narrative delves into Vega's past, recounting the haunting discovery of her father's murder when she... Read More

A full cast of narrators delivers the story of sixth-grade student Rex as he struggles to fit in with his peers and challenges keep cropping up along the way. Narrator Benjamin Valic expresses Rex's deep emotions when he discovers that he'll need glasses and then faces the problem of being able to afford them. Narrator Krizia Bajos establishes a passionate voice for Rex's mom... Read More

Johnny Heller and Jo Anna Perrin successfully navigate the challenge of narrating an extensive oral history, creating a fascinating journey through the evolution and demise of THE VILLAGE VOICE. Even if listeners have never read the weekly news and culture publication from Greenwich Village, they've definitely felt its influence. Contributing writers embraced the arts and pop... Read More

Josephine Huang and Cassandra Morris join forces to deliver the captivating story of best friends in this exceptional middle-grade audiobook. Helen, voiced by Huang, and Gracie, portrayed by Morris, are known for their mischievous antics. Their latest escapade leads them to join the Community Action Club, currently dedicated to promoting period equity. Morris's dynamic... Read More

Shamaan Casey brings a deep, captivating voice to his stellar performance of this recounting of one of America's first prisons for profit. The story includes the 1846 murders that resulted from its operators' greed and brutality. William Freeman, serving five years in the Auburn, New York, penal institution, was left brain damaged and partially deaf after guards beat him. He... Read More

Barrie Kreinik is an excellent guide through this memoir and travelogue by Jane Bertch, founder of La Cuisine Paris. She captures Bertch's adventures in Paris as a banker turned entrepreneur. With warmth and authenticity, Kreinik conveys the humorous self- deprecation underlying each anecdote as Bertch grows to accept a city--and country--she once hated. Kreinik balances the... Read More

Griffin Dunne's narration of his memoir pairs a tender conversational tone with occasional moments of drama that embrace his gifts as a writer and actor, as well as the cast of vivid characters he portrays. Dunne augments his rich material with intonations, pacing, and tension that fully engage. Whether he's telling stories of privileged, Hollywood familiars, political... Read More

Anyone with a passing interest in the events taking place in the Middle East likely knows that the history of the region is--to put it mildly--complicated. Friedman is an award-winning journalist who has covered the region for decades. In this 1989 book with an updated introduction, he details the tortured events there from 1979 to the late '80s. With a fine delivery, Friedman... Read More

Julia Whelan tells a funny story, much like a Shakespearean comedy is a funny story, of a woman who falls in love with her ex-fiancé's new girlfriend's ex-boyfriend. When Daphne's fiancé, Peter, realizes he is in love with his formerly platonic best friend, Petra, just days before their wedding, Daphne recognizes she has built her whole life around Peter. Furthermore, she... Read More

Fern lives on an island in the Salish Sea. Cassandra Morris's bubbly narration keeps Fern's summertime adventures light and fun. At the story's outset, Morris skillfully manages Fern's doldrums as she grieves her father's recent death and the hurt she feels as her friendship with her best friend unwinds. Morris's tone perks up when Fern decides to enter a local photo contest in... Read More

Malcolm Quinn Silver-Van Meter's measured narration of 16-year-old Ian Gray's first-person story makes for easy listening. The engagement it provides comes from Ian's self-aware candidness and the captivating story he has to tell. While the details include Ian's mother's drug addiction and his family's poverty, listeners will be buoyed by Gather, the dog who adopts him, his... Read More

Maia Kobabe is the clear star of the show in this audio adaptation of eir 2014 graphic memoir. In a voice that’s reflective, inviting, and refreshingly frank, e guides listeners through eir personal journey of gender discovery. A full cast helps bring the visual elements to life, voicing Kobabe’s family, friends, colleagues, classmates, and others. Music and sound effects help... Read More

Big Brother, Thought Police, doublethink, omnipresent surveillance. Portraying rebellious romantics Winston Smith and Julia in this classic dystopian novel, narrators Andrew Garfield and Cynthia Erivo lead a crew of inspired English actors in creating a full-cast, filmlike 21st-century reimagining of one of the twentieth century's most important novels. The production is... Read More

Entrepreneur and business coach Dave Kerpen shares knowledge and skills he gained from launching and growing multiple businesses. His treatise addresses the impacts of AI, social media, gig work, and remote work. These developments require that today's leaders concentrate on the most important, not necessarily the most urgent, company matters--and delegate essentially... Read More

Zura Johnson's smooth voice and careful, meticulous pacing build suspense as a small space crew investigates an abandoned planet while struggling to hold on to their sanity. Isolation in space has brutal, sometimes murderous, consequences, and psychologist Dr. Ophelia Bray will do anything to help her crew. But they reject her help, suspicious about her presence due to her... Read More

Georgina Sadler offers a sweet performance of this boisterous romance. Upon arriving in London for study abroad, Abbey is shocked to find that her housemates are all young men. Meeting the situation head-on, she keeps that fact from her father but soon finds she must keep other truths under wraps to survive. To make things more interesting, her housemates are all very... Read More

A talented trio of narrators explore what it means to be young and misunderstood in this magical YA audio. Rosie, Caro and Zeke have little in common except their frustration at not being seen for who they are. When each discovers a talisman that seemingly allows them to right the wrongs they've experienced, they band together to take control of their futures. Amanda Alcántara... Read More

Sneha Mathan gives a dramatic performance of this story about Ganga, the Hindu mythological goddess of the river. Mathan's resonant voice adds emotional depth to her portrayal of Ganga, who experiences mortality before she is transformed back into a goddess who is unable to shed her bonds with the human experience--or the mortal son she has been forced to leave behind. Through... Read More

Hillary Huber narrates the story of Lacey and Edith, former friends from different worlds who come together to face and heal their forty-year estrangement. Hummel's powerful prose is brought to life by Huber's lyrical voice. Lacey, the child of immigrants who escaped from Germany in the 1930s as Hitler came into power and found success in California, befriended Edith, daughter... Read More

This audiobook narrated by Liz Fodor explores sisterhood, history, family, love, and forgiveness. Sisters Emma and Agathe are complete opposites. Though close as children, they have grown apart in adulthood but now find themselves together as they empty their beloved grandmother's house in the Basque country. The story is told from varying perspectives and alternates between... Read More

Risa Mei reprises her hilarious character performances in this third book of the Aunties trilogy. Meddy and her husband return from their honeymoon to spend Chinese New Year with her mother and aunties. A former suitor of Second Aunt brings extravagant gifts to the celebration, and, when an important red envelope goes to the wrong person, chaos ensues. As she did in the first... Read More

Mary Jane Wells's eloquent voice captivates the listener as she delivers this historical romantic suspense. Jane Halliwell once had dreams of owning her own home. However, due to her father's death, those dreams never materialized. Now working as a governess to make ends meet, she finds her life turned upside down when her employer is murdered. To solve the crime, Jane must... Read More

Winter Fox creates a supernatural mystery for teens and has great fun portraying the main character, Cormac Boisverde, who has returned from the dead to settle unfinished business. At the same time, he helps Grace and her mom solve their problems. Fox gives listeners gruesome details about how Cormac came to be and adds a hungry vampire. Narrator Annie Leonardi captures Grace,... Read More

Peter Ganim narrates this whodunit set in a picturesque coastal town in Maine. When a teenager is found dead at a historic reenactment village, the town's inexperienced detective struggles to investigate calmly--especially because his own daughter was friends with the victim. Ganim's clean articulation and brisk pace keep the listener engaged even through the grisly... Read More

Narrator Vikas Adam gives a powerfully affecting performance of this literary audiobook. Twenty years ago, Ashok and Priya Shah emigrated from India to the U.S. They've worked hard to build a life in the wealthy Pacific Hills for their family of five, including two teen daughters and a 12-year-old neurodivergent son named Ajay, who is tall and looks much older. They find... Read More

Various narrators bring some of Harlan Ellison's short stories to life in this new anthology compiled by the Harlan and Susan Ellison Foundation. With science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other reality-bending tales, this collection of more than 25 works will be a treat for both Ellison's fans and new listeners. Each narrator provides their own interpretation of a story,... Read More

Narrator Sasha Simon gives voice to 20-something Hera as she figures out who she is in this new audiobook. After exhausting her options at art school, Hera enters the workforce as a content moderator for a news website. Every day she monitors the bad behavior of others, but when she finds herself in an affair with a married colleague, she has to justify her own bad behavior.... Read More

From the start, Emily Joyce gives captivating portrayals of the many characters in this mystery. Initially, her pace is pretty slow and engaging as she allows listeners to get to know the main characters. She eventually picks up the pace that is necessary to deliver the rather involved and slow-moving plot with grace and aplomb. Her depictions of interloping friends who show... Read More

Structured alphabetically by topic, this audiobook, a climate change primer, is a brief but pithy listen, as narrated primarily by the gifted Eunice Wong. Kolbert delivers the foreword and Section Z. Wong's performance is first rate. She narrates crisply, with the right pace and style for science. And Wong gets Kolbert--she captures the award-winning author's talent for... Read More

Priya Ayyar brings emotional depth to this novel about a young Indian American woman's coming of age and unexpected entry into motherhood. She captures Vega--a quiet, shy college student--at a time of raw vulnerability by gently voicing her hopes, fears, triumphs, and heartaches. In an understated style, Ayyar softly explores Vega's exploration of what transforms a house, a... Read More

Ron Butler sets a lively pace for this allegorical story of a man who is revisiting the unnamed African country of his childhood after a lifetime abroad. As the main character, also unnamed, sets out to find his brother, he encounters obstacles ranging from vengeful sharpshooters to corrupt bureaucrats, along with a series of storytellers. Through the main story and the... Read More

Helen Laser and Sean Patrick Hopkins lead listeners from one wedding to the next in this contemporary romance. Sophie Steinbeck finds out her fiancé has been unfaithful and decides to call off the wedding. However, she doesn't want to be the one to do it. Enter Max, a professional wedding objector, to save the day. Sophie and Max have an instant connection, so they decide to... Read More

Narrators Heather Long and Joe Jameson delight listeners with this heartwarming contemporary romance. Klara has Type 1 diabetes and has always felt a little bit disconnected from the world. When her dad falls ill, she travels from London to Sweden to help run his small construction company. Alex has felt lost since his brother died, and he desperately needs a job to make ends... Read More

Narrator Mara Wilson returns for Sarah Adler's latest rom-com, bringing to life former con-woman-turned-fake-medium Gretchen Acorn. When Gretchen accepts a lucrative ghost-busting gig from her best client, she is shocked to discover that a real ghost is causing the chaos on Charlie Waybill's struggling goat farm. Ghost Everett is certain that Charlie, his ancestor, will meet... Read More

In a crisp British accent, Jane Collingwood fills this mystery with tension as police investigate the 1990 disappearance of Charlotte Salter, who never arrived at her husband's fiftieth birthday party. Collingwood portrays Charlotte's 15-year-old daughter, Etty, as frantic, while her four brothers, who are mostly stoned or drunk, are voiced with all the nonchalance of... Read More

This fast-moving story is about a couple of ex-journalists who take on a "simple" job in Havana. Timothy Andrés Pabon perfectly fits his narration to the tone of the work. Coming in at a scant 85 minutes, the audio features clever dialogue between the journalists and their Cuban contacts. George and Joe are rightfully angry because they were laid off by their newspaper in a... Read More

Happily, another of John McPhee’s classics has been brought to life with this finely narrated audiobook. Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini performs the work with care for the author’s eloquent descriptions of Deerfield, Massachusetts, as it evolves over the twentieth century—as does its legendary headmaster, Frank L. Boyden, who took over the school in 1902 and stayed in... Read More

In this delightful romantic comedy, Katelyn Levering and Nick Mondelli team up to narrate the story of Gillian and Noah. Gillian, the town pharmacist, finds solace in gardening, much to the chagrin of her nosy elderly neighbors, who believe she should focus on dating. Noah is a recent transplant who moves across the country after a tough breakup and buys the home next to... Read More

Amanda Ronconi deftly narrates Waldman's sophomore novel, which follows a big-box store's logistics team as they work the 4:00 a.m. shift, unloading trucks and hauling merchandise to the store's floor. When the store manager announces his departure, the team's ambitious, breezily offensive leader, Meredith, seems poised to take over. Meredith is undeniably awful, but the team... Read More

Amy Lin's husband was running a virtual half-marathon when he dropped dead for no discoverable reason. He was 32 years old. She was left absolutely broken. Lin's performance of her memoir, told in vignettes of meeting and losing Kurtis, is so staggeringly beautiful that it will break your heart. Her grief is so obviously raw and her memories of their life together so full of... Read More

Anastacia-Reneé is "out of this world" in this collection of poetry, flash fiction, and Afrofuturistic sci-fi. Her works focus on time-warping, place and family, and alternative ways of thinking. Her bold voice is rhythmic and slow, punching in a soft, poignant way. The narration starts at the beginning with Lucille, mother of humanity. From there, Anastacia-Reneé takes... Read More

Christina Delaine's deep, rich voice makes for a mostly easy listen as she narrates this cat-and-mouse thriller. Listeners may find Delaine's slow-paced and low-pitched delivery a bit monotone in contrast to the adrenaline-fueled scenes. The story is told mainly from the perspectives of the hired assassin, Leo Sealy, and his target, smart and well-trained security expert... Read More

Georgina Sutton delivers a crisp, precise performance of this audiobook, which follows the Vernon family through three volumes of Victorian history and manners. With a lovely voice and crystal-clear accent, Sutton maneuvers through a ponderous plot with as much life as one could offer. Her pace is brisk, and her enunciation is razor-sharp. Indeed, Sutton's skill drives the... Read More

Cassandra Campbell brings her usual insightful delivery to Baker's multilayered family drama. Campbell is an experienced, steady narrator with a smooth, consistent delivery. She adds nuance to Cecily Larson, subtly aging her from the 4-year-old who's been deserted by her mother, through growing up and adulthood, and ending with the 94-year-old matriarch whose "hidden life" is... Read More

Narrator Lisa Larsen brings to life a 29-year-old long-distance runner named Riley as she returns to the rural community where she grew up. Once there, she reconnects with her eccentric family as she battles an unknown illness. When her almost-twin, Ethan, is arrested for the murder of his fiancée, Riley sets out to uncover the identity of the real killer. Larsen's strong... Read More

Annabelle Hirsch's feminist look at history through 101 idiosyncratic objects is given a captivating performance by the author and 100 narrators. The choice of performers, including actors, authors, and commentators, is as clever as the short essays about the objects. We have an anecdote about a healed femur from 30,000 BCE, narrated by Gillian Anderson; a fifth-century BCE... Read More

After years of narrating novels by Alex Finlay, Stephen Hunter, and Don Winslow, narrator Jon Lindstrom has decided to craft his own thriller, one that highlights his flinty, resonant voice and draws from his years of Hollywood acting experience. The result is an entertaining, often violent, addition to the L.A. noir genre. The plot is familiar--a washed-up B-List former star,... Read More

This stellar cast of narrators captures the temperament of each character in this mystery. When Beth's mother dies, her last words are a warning: "Don't trust . . ." Beth is left grieving and wondering whom not to trust. Then her estranged brother and sister return home for the first time since their father's unexpected disappearance years ago. The story flows quickly as the... Read More

Nadia Davis, an attorney who is the ex-wife of a former California attorney general, shares her recovery from various traumas to help those who are facing similar challenges. Davis tells her story with unapologetic honesty and power. She describes how she healed from the physical and psychological pain of a car accident that nearly killed her, interpersonal violence, addiction,... Read More

This audiobook compilation of interviews with brides, nurses, factory workers, children, and other survivors of World War II is captivating. The narrators are excellent, and the candid stories give insight into why the seemingly ordinary is anything but. Each narrator brings a unique delivery to the mic, ranging from a distinct accent to the type of unique inflection that... Read More

Carrington McDuffie affects a hard-edged tone as she portrays romantic, irascible, intractable 82-year-old Honey Fasinga, the daughter of a New Jersey gangster. Now a dowager living in L.A., Honey is mourning the death of her most recent lover. McDuffie increases the pace of her delivery as Honey returns home to New Jersey and falls in love again, and she softens her tone as... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw uses posh accents to portray the people of the nineteenth-century English village of Bardshire. Twenty-one-year-old Marigold Claude is approaching spinsterhood and is just fine with it since society never suited her anyway. Luckily, there is a place where she belongs: among the bees on the remote island of Innisfree. Her estranged grandmother reveals that... Read More

Emily Gray and Stewart Crank take turns narrating the third book in The Horses Know trilogy. More than 20 years after the events of the first book, in which horses bonded telepathically with people to ensure survival, Amarilla and her nephew, Will, are needed. Outsiders who fear that being "horse-bonded" will make them lose their individuality must be convinced of the benefits.... Read More

Talented Colleen Delany narrates this thrilling full-cast installment of the Crescent City fantasy series. Party girl and investigator Bryce Quinlan, who is half-human, half-fae, is portrayed by smoky-voiced Kit Swann. Bryce joins forces with Ruhn Dannan, voiced by Nick Russo, and the ultra-deadly assassin Archangel Hunt Athalar, played by Danny Montooth, to locate and destroy... Read More

Nanako Vera Mizushima strikes just the right notes in her narration of this gentle tale of magic and healing in the aftermath of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Amid the chaos, Yui, who is fleeing an abusive husband, and Hiyori, an orphan uprooted from her home, are taken in by a kindly old woman named Ob chan, who is no ordinary granny. Translator Udagawa leaves intact... Read More

Narrator Lyssa Browne guides listeners through this audiobook on the history and myths that surround the concept of the housewife in the U.S. From the idealized idea of the 1950s housewife to the contemporary woman who is expected to do it all with no help, this audiobook explores how expectations of women have changed and what can be done to create a more egalitarian society.... Read More

Katherine Chin and Andrew Eiden showcase the main characters in this romance novel. A tragic accident linked Helen and Grant in high school, and even though they've gone their separate ways, that pain is still fresh for both of them. Now, the two are thrust together again as they work on the TV adaptation of Helen's YA book series. Gradually, Helen shifts her long-held... Read More

Shayla Lawson presents their collection of wide-ranging travel essays in a low, measured tone that mirrors the essays themselves. Lawson's voice is crisp and clear, with a professional cadence that never sounds lofty or removed; instead, Lawson sounds calm, centered, and curious. In essays set in locales across the globe--Egypt, Bermuda, Japan, the Netherlands, and more--Lawson... Read More

Eileen Stevens's openhearted performance will warm listeners to the core and inspire a sense of the true goodness in the world. Violet Powell is determined to make the most of her second chance after getting out of prison in Maine. She vows she won't be the sum of her worst act--killing a woman while driving drunk. She finds two unexpected allies in Harriet, the volunteer book... Read More

Dual narrators Alexandra Dowling and Jaye Jacobs tackle a twisting tale in this engaging audiobook. When she is abruptly summoned to the Gravesdown Estate to discuss a possible inheritance, Annie Adams is eager to meet her famously paranoid Great-Aunt Frances. But Frances is murdered just before Annie arrives, and Annie's attempts to investigate may put her squarely in the... Read More

Narrator Miranda Raison immerses listeners in this intriguing speculative audiobook. Lauren, a single 31-year-old British woman, comes home from a party to discover she has a husband waiting for her in her apartment. When he goes off to change a light bulb in the attic, he is replaced by another man. This cycle continues for months as Lauren tries out short and long-term... Read More

With a tranquil steadiness and an ear for sharp poetic detail, David Aaron Baker captures a very American, or perhaps a very post-American, voice in this postapocalyptic tale of a man who witnesses a world unraveling. Books are banned. Food is scarce. And murders go unpunished. Our hero sails across the Great Lakes in search of old memories and a shelter in the storm. When he... Read More

Fans of Tiffany Haddish will delight in her memoir, which she narrates with unapologetic authenticity. Those familiar with her signature blend of sass and sincerity will enjoy every line as she brings her story to life in vivid detail. Each anecdote, even the painful ones, are told with her infectious energy and unflagging sense of humor. Listeners will likely laugh along--and... Read More

Nicky Endres is the perfect narrator for this work of queer nonfiction, first published in 2019 and now available on audio. Thom's essays explore the contradictions and complexities of queer and trans communities and social justice movements. She writes about how communities talk about--and don't talk about--suicide, abuse, conflict, family making, sex work, and more, always... Read More

Prolific American historian and artist Nell Irvin Painter performs a lifetime of her works, gathered together in one collection for the first time. Painter's explorations of race, politics, and the shaping of American identity are covered in these essays, which include figures such as Carrie Buck, who became a symbol of the right to bodily autonomy; journalist/abolitionist... Read More

Jack, an avid Civil War buff, feels he doesn't have enough mementos of his favorite war and sets off for Gettysburg to experience the atmosphere that made it the most significant battle of the war. Narrator David Allen Vargo creates a smooth vocal transition as Jack time travels from the present day to 1863, when the war was at its height. He brings the characters Jack meets to... Read More

Kirt Graves gently narrates this emotional audiobook, which reimagines the Greek myth about Icarus. After the death of his mother, Icarus is tasked with stealing one-of-a-kind paintings and sculptures from the wealthy Mr. Black, replacing them with his father's forgeries. One night, he is caught by Helios, Mr. Black's son, who is under house arrest. The two begin a reluctant... Read More

Paul Dateh, Helen Laser, and John Pirhalla guide listeners through the multiple subplots and settings of this mystery. The story begins in Leavenworth, Kansas, with high school basketball star Ryan Richardson and his girlfriend, Alison. While parked on Lover's Lane they're attacked, and Alison and her car disappear. Listeners rejoin Ryan five years later while he's on a law... Read More

M.R. O'Connor recalls her surprise when first hearing about controlled burns while visiting Australia, although there isn't much surprise in her voice as she narrates. The Brooklyn journalist got firsthand experience with the prescribed fires that help revitalize forests, joining crews around the U.S. Her narration is a bit rough, and listeners might get bogged down in the... Read More

Catherine Ho narrates the first book in the Magical Fortune Cookie series. Felicity Jin wants to create delicious pastries like her mother; she decides her specialty will be scrumptious fortune cookies. When a very specific fortune she writes leads to a customer's death behind her bakery, she is accused of murder, and she and a friend must clear her name. Ho navigates listeners... Read More

Jane Yolen's poems, delivered by Cassandra Campbell, celebrate relatable childhood experiences with nature, school, and sports. Short musical interludes group thematically related works together. Campbell's clear voice matches the mood of the whimsical and wistful lines. The audio is perfect for inspiration in English class or for short car rides to school. It lets listeners... Read More

What binds listeners to this absorbing memoir is the compelling question provoked by the author's near-death experience: What happens to us after our physical bodies die? The author spends most of this audio detailing the high-risk treatments he received for a nasty aneurysm, describing the commonalities of near-death experiences, and reviewing what science can and cannot tell... Read More

Barbara Benjamin-Creel's clear voice and strong performance bring Mendez's memoir to life. Mendez began her nearly thirty-year career in the CIA as a "contract wife"--an administrator who was the spouse of a CIA agent. Embarking into this "man's world," she used her brains, grit, and persistence to become an intelligence agent herself and eventually rose to be the chief of... Read More

Mhairi Morrison narrates a heartfelt historical romance dealing with consent and agency. Matilda Halifax is tired of being half of the notorious Halifax Hellions. She's well aware of how society judges her. When she accidentally embarrasses the Marquess of Ashford by selling the woman's erotic illustrations, Matilda is determined to make amends. Morrison's portrayal of Matilda... Read More

Mhairi Morrison narrates a charming and passionate historical romance. Ten years ago, Winnifred Wallace invented a husband named Spencer Halifax and forged a document in order to secure a safe future. Now it turns out her imaginary man is not only real, he is intent on legally disentangling himself from her. Morrison imbues Winnie with courage and determination, showing just... Read More

Gary Farmer (Cayuga Nation) and Erin Tripp (Lingít Deisheetaan) narrate the intertwined strands of this examination of Indigenous trauma by Nick Medina (Tunica-Biloxi tribe of Louisiana). In 1986, 16-year-old Louie, portrayed by Farmer, sees evidence of the supernatural in the string of deaths that beset the fictional Takoda reservation; in 2023, Louie's 40-year-old niece,... Read More

Three young alchemists comprise the heart--and polyamorous trio--of this YA fantasy: hot-tempered Ash, serious academic Ramsay, and disciplined soldier Callum. In a multifaceted and captivating performance, Wes Haas creates unique vocal personas for each. After Ramsay catches Ash doing unlicensed magic, the two agree to join forces to find the legendary Book of Source that... Read More

Every Holocaust memoir offers a unique perspective. This audiobook shows its horrors through the eyes of innocent children, Stefan and Marion Hess. Tavia Gilbert delivers their story of life with their parents in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp with tenderness and care. She manages to depict the reality and fragility of their existence without surrendering its fleeting moments... Read More

Listeners will learn some interesting facts about space in this production, but it's not a scientific treatise. The audiobook is a psychological novel about a troubled young woman, Enid, who is involved in a multitude of dysfunctional relationships. Natalie Naudus captures Enid's offbeat personality in such a way that one feels her tortured thoughts and her phobias, such as her... Read More

Narrator Elizabeth Wiley is a gifted enunciator, adept at delivering the full weight and value of every word. For this expansive survey of how theories of prehistory have shaped thinking and events over the past three centuries, she maintains a steady pace and a level tone. In these ways she keeps grounded a narrative that takes enormous leaps in time and locale. Wiley proves... Read More

In the last of the Under Suspicion audiobooks, narrator January LaVoy introduces listeners to the perfect family: Sara and Richard Harrington and their twin sons. The story begins with a flashback to the eve of the twins' college graduation party. Before the party ends, Sara and Richard are shot to death, and the twins are suspects--but are never charged. Fast-forward to the... Read More

Former University of Kentucky great, NBA player, and social influencer Rex Chapman narrates a brutally honest account of his fall from basketball stardom to opioid addiction. He narrates his own work in a deep voice as he guides listeners through his story. He covers his career and also opens up about aspects of his personal life, such as dealing with public comments about his... Read More

Bestselling novelist and memoirist Ann Leary performs her new collection of essays about her life after she decides to stop being a people pleaser. From uncomfortable experiences with neighbors who keep their dogs off-leash to trying to be extra kind to fans of her husband, entertainer Denis Leary, Ann Leary shares her thoughts on aging and moving away from her desire to keep... Read More

Catherine Ho is an excellent storyteller for this first installment in the Folding Universe series. Set in 2080, this space thriller is steeped in Chinese philosophy. Archaeologist Yun Fan, military researcher Qi Fei, and astronomer Jiang Liu realize an alien race is returning to Earth. The trio join forces to meet the aliens in space before the organized governments of Earth... Read More

Narrators Alex Knox and Angelina Rocca combine their talents to give life to the romance between Skye Tremont and Tripp Daniels. The two were in a relationship years ago, but Tripp broke things off to concentrate on medical school. Skye ended up in an abusive marriage. Tripp and Skye meet again as Skye is longing for a baby. Knox evokes the tenderness Tripp feels for Skye.... Read More

Fans of the author will welcome back familiar narrators in this stand-alone rom-com. Every woman Justin dates finds her soulmate immediately after they break up. Emma, who is similarly cursed, messages Justin after reading a Reddit thread about his love troubles. The two decide to "fake date" in the hope that their curses will cancel each other out. Real feelings develop... Read More