AFTERLIFE by Julia Alvarez, read by Alma Cuervo
Alma Cuervo’s warm, even-keeled performance guides listeners through the interwoven themes of love, loss, and compassion in this beautifully wrought new novel by poet and author Julia Alvarez. Cuervo reads with nuance, highlighting different personalities without overdramatizing and enabling listeners to savor Alvarez’s memorable writing.
Read the full reviewALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE by Louise Penny, read by Robert Bathurst
Robert Bathurst is just about perfect delivering the 16th Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novel. The Gamaches have left Three Pines, Québec, for Paris for the birth of their newest grandchild. Gamache spends time with his godfather, billionaire Stephen Horowitz, and with his estranged son, Daniel, a Paris banker.
Read the full reviewBEFORE THE EVER AFTER by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Guy Lockard
Guy Lockard delivers an outstanding performance of Woodson’s brief, eloquent story of 12-year-old ZJ Johnson, Jr., whose father, a former pro football player, is suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Woodson’s spare, lyrical text is beautifully enhanced by Lockard’s emotionally connected narration.
Read the full reviewTHE BLACK FLAMINGO by Dean Atta, read by Dean Atta
In his first audiobook, poet Dean Atta draws on his skill as a spoken-word performer to deliver his novel in verse, which features an intimate, empowering portrayal of a Black gay teen’s coming-of-age. An outstanding and affirming debut.
Read the full reviewBLUE-EYED DEVIL by Lisa Kleypas, read by Brittany Pressley
Narrator Brittany Pressley delivers an A-plus performance of Kleypas’s beloved Texas romance. Starting over in Houston, Haven reconnects with rough-edged millionaire Hardy Cates. The performance is a sensual delight, replete with romance, danger, and imperfect characters.
Read the full reviewBOYFRIEND MATERIAL by Alexis Hall, read by Joe Jameson
Narrator Joe Jameson’s performance amplifies the charms of this sweet and funny contemporary romance. Luc, estranged son of an aging rock star and darling of the British tabloids, needs a way to clean up his image. Enter Oliver, a buttoned-up London barrister who’s willing to pose as Luc’s boyfriend. Of course, it doesn’t take long for them to develop real feelings for each other.
Read the full reviewCASTE by Isabel Wilkerson, read by Robin Miles
Robin Miles’s powerhouse performance and Isabel Wilkerson’s excellent writing are perfectly matched in this stunning examination of the egregious effects of caste systems in India, the United States, and Nazi Germany. Miles’s warm, clear, unrushed narration combines passion with a calm that helps listeners cope with periodic ugliness.
Read the full reviewTHE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin, read by Robin Miles
Robin Miles gives voice to everything New York in this fantastical celebration of the city’s spirit. As the novel opens, New York City is going through a transformation—it’s becoming sentient, embodied by six human avatars who represent the city’s five boroughs plus New York as a whole. Along with creating distinct voices and accents for the diverse cast of characters, Miles communicates their full range of emotions, from fear to defiance to NYC pride.
Read the full reviewDEACON KING KONG by James McBride, read by Dominic Hoffman
Dominic Hoffman vividly narrates the story of an old, drunken church deacon named Sportcoat who shoots a young drug dealer in the middle of a Brooklyn courtyard. Hoffman is Irish, Italian, Hispanic, African-American, young, old, female, and male—people who all live in one concentrated area during the late 1960s. His ever-changing accents express both saint and sinner, humorous and sentimental, hateful and loving.
Read the full reviewFIRE IN PARADISE by Alastair Gee, Dani Anguiano, read by T. Ryder Smith
With his seasoned voice and theatrical timing, narrator T. Ryder Smith presents this comprehensive study of the devastating 2018 Northern California fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed more than 14,000 homes. Smith utilizes dramatic pacing—speeding up during the nail-biting personal stories and slowing down when explaining the fire's causes and behaviors.
Read the full reviewA FOOL'S ERRAND by Lonnie G. Bunch III, read by JD Jackson
JD Jackson's exemplary narration draws listeners into this account of the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is part of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. With his warm and inviting tone, Jackson fully inhabits the thoughtful and perceptive persona of the author, who was the museum's founding director, to such a degree that listeners will be convinced they are hearing the author's own voice.
Read the full reviewTHE FRAGILE EARTH by David Remnick, Henry Finder [Eds.], read by Kaleo Griffith, Gabra Zackman, Cat Gould
Kaleo Griffith, Gabra Zackman, and Cat Gould narrate this timely collection of climate-change nonfiction from THE NEW YORKER magazine with engagement, clarity, and an admirable mix of insistence and calm. The information they relate is serially eye-opening, terrifying, and riveting.
Read the full reviewHAD I KNOWN by Barbara Ehrenreich, read by Suzanne Toren
Narrator Suzanne Toren does a masterful job of capturing a distinctive authorial voice in this wide-ranging essay collection. Journalist Barbara Ehrenreich has been commenting on social, political, and economic life in the U.S. for more than four decades. Toren’s narration is laced with acerbic wit and sly humor, which pair perfectly with Ehrenreich’s sharply observant writing.
Read the full reviewTHE HAUNTING OF H.G. WELLS by Robert Masello, read by Steve West
Narrator Steve West superbly delivers Masello’s latest historical imaginings. Here he takes on an alternate WWI in which H.G. Wells is sent to the trenches to research the validity of an alleged miracle. With ghosts to lead the way, Wells and West attempt to foil a plot by occultists to destroy British lives and morale.
Read the full reviewHEADLINERS by Lucy Parker, read by Billie Fulford-Brown
Billie Fulford-Brown narrates an enemies-to-lovers romance that is, above all, an ode to skilled professionals doing their jobs amazingly well. Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport must turn their years-long rivalry into a functioning partnership—it’s either that or be fired. A deeply satisfying romance between two equals, performed exquisitely.
Read the full reviewHI FIVE by Joe Ide, read by Zeno Robinson
Zeno Robinson narrates the fourth audiobook in the series featuring private investigator Isaiah Quintabe (IQ). IQ’s latest case involves especially high stakes. For one, a powerful arms dealer is forcing him to solve a shooting death and threatening to break the hands of IQ’s girlfriend, a violinist, if he fails. Robinson expertly voices a large cast of characters to the point where it’s hard to believe he’s this audiobook’s sole narrator.
Read the full reviewHIDDEN VALLEY ROAD by Robert Kolker, read by Sean Pratt
This enthralling true story unfolds like a novel with narrator Sean Pratt playing all the parts. He gives a convincing performance of all the Galvins. His timing and subtle delivery bring the listener inside the minds—normal and abnormal—of this family of 12 children, half of whom suffer from schizophrenia. He reads the 45 short chapters with careful pacing and animates the bizarre history.
Read the full reviewHIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON by Jon Meacham, John Lewis [Afterword], read by JD Jackson, Jon Meacham
This stirring audiobook offers a memorable merging of author, subject, and narrator. JD Jackson voices John Lewis with an authentic and nuanced nod to his rural Alabama roots. Famed for overcoming the beatings he received and his many arrests for sit-ins, Lewis comes across in Meacham’s crystalline prose as a man who prevailed through nonviolence and an abiding religious faith.
Read the full reviewTHE HOBBIT by J.R.R. Tolkien, read by Andy Serkis
Narrator Andy Serkis, whom many will recognize as the voice of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings movies, delivers a magnificent listening experience of the familiar classic. Serkis perfectly captures the nuances of each character, offering an engrossing performance of the story of a hobbit who is averse to adventure journeying with 13 dwarves to reclaim their treasure from a deadly dragon.
Read the full reviewINTIMATIONS by Zadie Smith, read by Zadie Smith
Listening to award-winning author Zadie Smith read her collection of six personal essays about life in the year 2020 is a transcendent experience. The witty, observant, thoughtful essays touch on the pandemic, womanhood, America, families, work, classism and racism, reading and writing, and what makes life worthwhile.
Read the full reviewKENT STATE by Deborah Wiles, read by Lauren Ezzo, Christopher Gebauer, Christina Delaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, David DeVries
Fifty years after four young people were shot by the National Guard at Kent State University, Deborah Wiles gives us an honest fictional account enhanced by this production. The narrators give voice to several witnesses, each with a unique perspective. We hear the truth as perceived by students, townies, the National Guard, and others.
Read the full reviewKING AND THE DRAGONFLIES by Kacen Callender, read by Ron Butler
Ron Butler lends expertise, elegance, and an unerring expressiveness to his heartbreakingly beautiful performance as King, a black tween living in Louisiana who is coping with the death of his older brother. Butler readily switches from the small tremulous voice of King to the commanding voices of adults. This spectacular and touching performance is a must-listen for all ages.
Read the full reviewTHE LAST TOURIST by Olen Steinhauer, read by David Pittu
David Pittu’s narration sounds so conversational—even conspiratorial—that it feels as though he’s speaking directly to listeners. He also helps listeners follow the twisting plot of this thriller. Milo Weaver, a one-time CIA agent, is approached about a group of agents he once brought together and thought he had disbanded.
Read the full reviewTHE LAW OF INNOCENCE by Michael Connelly, read by Peter Giles
Peter Giles, who has become the voice of Mickey Haller in Connelly’s popular Lincoln Lawyer series, returns to take listeners on a legal roller-coaster ride. What could be more dramatic than Haller having to defend himself against a murder charge and prepare for his trial in prison? Giles masterfully conveys the fear and frustration that Haller experiences, and his talents especially shine in his performance of the intense courtroom scenes.
Read the full reviewLEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam, read by Marin Ireland
Marin Ireland narrates a stunning audiobook that explores race, class, family, and global catastrophe. A married couple and their teenage children are on summer vacation at a rented secluded home in the Hamptons. However, the house’s owners arrive unexpectedly after fleeing New York City during a mysterious blackout. While the situation is uncomfortable, the two families—one white and middle class, the other Black and wealthy—cohabitate and try to figure out what’s happened. Ireland portrays all the characters with pitch-perfect nuances.
Read the full reviewMEMORIAL DRIVE by Natasha Trethewey, read by Natasha Trethewey
Poet Natasha Trethewey’s emotional delivery adds to the impact of this harrowing memoir. Trethewey was 19 when her stepfather murdered her mother. In this deeply moving story, she recounts her mother’s childhood in the segregated South and her own childhood in Mississippi, where she grew up the child of an interracial marriage. It is particularly powerful to hear Trethewey tell her story aloud.
Read the full reviewMEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, read by Frankie Corzo
Frankie Corzo’s velvety voice puts listeners under her spell as she narrates this horror audiobook. Noemí Taboada, a clever 22-year-old anthropology student, is quite put out when her father sends her to the countryside to check on her recently married cousin. Listeners share Noemí’s developing terror as she unravels the many mysteries of High Place and its enigmatic inhabitants. A suspenseful and atmospheric narration makes this an audiobook listeners won’t soon forget.
Read the full reviewMORE MYSELF by Alicia Keys, read by Alicia Keys, America Ferrera, Bono, Clive Davis, Craig Cook, DJ Walton, Jay-Z, Krucial, Leigh Blake, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Swizz Beats, Terri Augelo
Musician Alicia Keys delivers her own memoir. In addition to her rich, inviting style, we are treated to cameo appearances by her family and friends. These include the likes of Oprah, Bono, and Michelle Obama, among many other household names. Keys herself is confident, warm, and personable as she narrates her story of becoming who she wanted rather than what others expected.
Read the full reviewA MOST BEAUTIFUL THING by Arshay Cooper, read by Adam Lazarre-White
In the 1990s, Arshay Cooper attends a crew recruiting meeting at his high school for the free pizza. He ends up joining the first Black high school rowing team in the country. Narrator Adam Lazarre-White conveys Cooper’s youth and aspirations in a rich, steady voice that suggests emotional authenticity and humor.
Read the full reviewMY NAME IS LUCY BARTON by Elizabeth Strout, Rona Munro [Adapt.], read by Laura Linney
This extraordinary production of Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout’s novel will remain with listeners long after the final words fade. The credit goes to three people: Strout; Rona Munro, whose exquisite adaptation pares the story to its core; and actor Laura Linney, who alternately transforms herself into tough yet fragile Lucy and Lucy’s croak-voiced mother.
Read the full reviewODETTA by Ian Zack, read by Rosa Howard
Known as the Queen of Folk during the 1950s-60s, the mononymous singer and guitarist Odetta was also an important Civil Rights activist. Rosa Howard is outstanding in her narration of this first full-length biography of an influential but enigmatic figure. Howard is comfortable with Zack’s narrative; she makes his interviews and diligent reporting as engaging as a good conversation.
Read the full reviewON CORRUPTION IN AMERICA by Sarah Chayes, read by Sarah Chayes
Sarah Chayes’s work reveals levels of corruption present in the U.S. today that are likely to shock the listener. Chayes does a remarkable job both as investigative journalist and as narrator. Neither is surprising, given that she is a former NPR reporter. She delivers this audiobook with just the right amount of passion, incredulity, and pacing.
Read the full reviewONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware, read by Imogen Church
Imogen Church’s extraordinary narration of Ruth Ware’s newest suspense novel will keep listeners glued to their earbuds, unable to do anything else but listen wide-eyed and rapt. In an homage to Agatha Christie (AND THEN THERE WERE NONE), Ware has taken the premise of people trapped in an isolated house with an unidentified killer; cleverly adapted the who, where, and what to the 21st century; and pumped up the dread with parallel first-person narratives.
Read the full reviewOVERGROUND RAILROAD by Lesa Cline-Ransome, read by Shayna Small, Dion Graham, Lesa Cline-Ransome [Note]
The rumble of train tracks, warm twangs of a banjo, and soft humming set the scene for this children’s audiobook tracing one family’s journey north during the Great Migration. Narrator Shayna Small embodies Ruth Ellen, the young Black girl who is escaping life on a tenant farm for a new life in New York. Shayna’s voice reflects Ruth Ellen’s mingled anxiety and joy at making the train journey with her parents. Narrator Dion Graham calls out as the conductor in a booming voice.
Read the full reviewTHE PULL OF THE STARS by Emma Donoghue, read by Emma Lowe
In Dublin, maternity nurse Julia Power grapples with a web of concurrent social issues as she cares for patients during the flu pandemic of 1918 near the close of WWI. A fateful few days unites Julia with two other seemingly dissimilar women. Narrator Emma Lowe’s layered characterizations include distinct Irish accents and diction that illuminate the backgrounds of the protagonists and hospital staff.
Read the full reviewPUNCHING THE AIR by Ibi Zoboi, Yusef Salaam, read by Ethan Herisse
Narrator Ethan Herisse’s voice is soft, slow, and somber as he narrates the poignant free-verse poems of the fictional character Amal Shahid. Herisse’s tone is so tender that one can imagine the sensitive shapes and perfect rhythms drawn and written by this 16-year-old artist-poet before he was incarcerated. A gripping, powerful listen for teens and adults from the opening to the authors' note at the end.
Read the full reviewTHE QUIET AMERICANS by Scott Anderson, read by Robertson Dean, Scott Anderson [Preface, Note]
Two matchless storytellers combine talents in this compelling audiobook history of the Cold War, as told through the adventures and misadventures of four key CIA agents. Robertson Dean brings the steadiness, focus, and dramatic immediacy required for a long narrative, especially one that maintains four interwoven storylines. Rich in incident, character, and historical import, this is one of the most provocative, most satisfying nonfiction audiobooks of the year.
Read the full reviewRAYBEARER by Jordan Ifueko, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Joniece Abbott-Pratt's evocative narration skillfully complements Ifueko's vibrant multilayered fantasy. Tarisai grows into a prestigious role in Aristar, but while her gifts bring change, her mother has cursed her with a violent purpose. Abbott-Pratt's richly expressive characterizations imbue a fascinating cast with warmth and complexity, and her expert delivery evokes the listener’s curiosity at each turn.
Read the full reviewTHE SANDMAN by Neil Gaiman, Dirk Maggs [Adapt.], read by Riz Ahmed, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, Neil Gaiman, James McAvoy, Samantha Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis, Michael Sheen, and a Full Cast
James McAvoy leads an all-star cast in narrating this magnificent audio adaptation of Neil Gaiman's iconic graphic novel series, The Sandman. As listeners are swept up in a saga in which cats talk and nightmares walk, McAvoy's steady characterization reminds them that it’s all in a day's work for him. The sound effects are immersive, and there is a wonderful cinematic score.
Read the full reviewTHE SEARCHER by Tana French, read by Roger Clark
Roger Clark’s American-Irish-British background makes him uniquely qualified to narrate Tana French’s tense story of a Chicago cop who is trying to solve a mystery far outside his jurisdiction. Divorced and weary with police work, Cal wants nothing more than a quiet retirement in the Irish countryside. But against his will, he’s drawn into the disappearance of a local youth and soon discovers that his quiet retreat holds many secrets and hidden dangers.
Read the full reviewSIGH, GONE by Phuc Tran, read by Phuc Tran
Tran’s story is an American immigration story, and so much more. His delivery is crisp and engaging, and maintains just the slightest element of whimsy. The memoir traces the Tran family’s remarkable journey from Vietnam to America. It also tells the author’s own journey from punk misfit to college-bound scholar. If you’re a fan of memoirs and a fan of literature, this is a must- listen.
Read the full reviewTHE SINNER by J.R. Ward, read by Jim Frangione
Set in a world in which vampires are living unbeknownst to humans, this action-packed story starts at full throttle. Narrator Jim Frangione quickly draws listeners into the action. When Syn, a vampire, encounters Jo, a reporter, he feels an immediate bond with her. But she is unaware of her status as a half-breed vampire. The audiobook is packed with tension, passion, and moments of humor.
Read the full reviewTHE SPLENDID AND THE VILE by Erik Larson, read by John Lee, Erik Larson [Note]
We all know the outcome, but listeners will still be on the edge of their seats while listening to John Lee’s superb narration of Winston Churchill’s first year as Britain’s prime minister, 1940-41. With a German invasion expected at any moment, this was the most perilous year in Britain’s history, the year of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, and the Blitz. Lee brings the polish and expressiveness of a gifted narrator—one who performs a perfectly credible Churchill voice.
Read the full reviewSTAMPED by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi, read by Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi [Intro.]
Jason Reynolds wrote and now narrates a vital and compelling young reader’s remix of Kendi’s STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING. Together, they have created essential listening for younger listeners, those who are raising them, and their teachers. Reynolds writes and speaks directly to younger listeners in an engaging and open style. His rich voice and strong pacing make him especially good at emphasizing key points and carrying listeners through difficult concepts.
Read the full reviewTHE TROUBLE WITH HATING YOU by Sajni Patel, read by Soneela Nankani
Narrator Soneela Nankani provides a decadent listening experience as she captures a community with a vibrant culture and brings it to life with her richness of tone. After Liya Thakkar receives a hard-won promotion, she discovers that the company she works for is on the brink of bankruptcy. At the same time, her parents are eager to secure an arranged marriage, but she roundly rejects the prospective groom. Nankani shines in her portrayals of the Indian-American community, especially with her authentic accents.
Read the full review¡VAMOS! LET'S GO EAT by Raúl the Third, read by Gary Tiedemann
Narrator Gary Tiedemann brims with delight as he zips young listeners around a bustling Tex-Mex border town, inhaling a feast of local food. Tiedemann’s energetic and precise narration flawlessly embodies the story's Latinx-anthropomorphic cast. Characters like Little Lobo; his dog, Bernabé; and their rooster friend, Kooky Dooky, sound like the exact audio equivalent to their illustrated selves.
Read the full reviewTHE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett, read by Shayna Small
Narrator Shayna Small’s affecting performance brings listeners into the complex world of African-American identical twins. As teens in the postwar years in Louisiana, they run away from home, choosing two very different paths. Small’s soft voice and measured delivery allow listeners the space to absorb the many consequences of the twins’ choices.
Read the full reviewVESPER FLIGHTS by Helen Macdonald, read by Helen Macdonald
In this volume of more than three dozen short pieces, author/narrator Helen Macdonald introduces listeners to a literary Wunderkammer—a collection of “strange things . . . concerned with the quality of wonder.” Although some essays begin with a human-oriented subject (migraines, a lonely childhood, Brexit), almost all of them make a connection to the natural world, especially birds. Macdonald’s unforced, gentle performance allows her passion for and wonder at nature to shine.
Read the full reviewWE ARE NOT FROM HERE by Jenny Torres Sanchez, read by Marisa Blake
Narrator Marisa Blake portrays the cruelty and menace of Rey, a gang leader in Guatemala. Blake’s depiction of the terror he evokes in three teens who flee him is heartbreaking. Blake captures the fast-moving plot, taut emotions, and musicality of this story’s interwoven Spanish words and phrases.
Read the full reviewWHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED by Victoria Jamieson, Omar Mohamed, read by Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdi, Robin Miles, Ifrah Mansour, Bahni Turpin, Hakeemshady Mohamed, Sadeeq Ali, Dominic Hoffman, Christine Avila, Dion Graham, and a Full Cast
Skillful soundscaping and a full cast heighten the atmosphere and emotion in this audiobook, inspired by the childhood of coauthor Omar Mohamed. The story follows young Omar, a Somali boy living in a Kenyan refugee camp, where he cares for his brother, studies hard, and tries to balance his hope of resettlement against grim reality. Narrator Faysal Ahmed is thoroughly sympathetic as Omar, his mellifluous rolled “r”s and gentle tones adding to the intimacy of the narration.
Read the full reviewTHE YOSEMITE by John Muir, read by Nick McArdle
There’s never been a better time to indulge in John Muir’s inspiring observations of California’s most iconic wilderness. Crafted over the two years that Muir lived in a tiny cabin alongside Yosemite Creek, around 1870, the work was originally intended as a guidebook to what would become Yosemite National Park. Nick McArdle’s understated narration is intoxicatingly relaxing. A Scotsman, like Muir, McArdle allows the author’s words to wash over listeners like a walk in the woods.
Read the full reviewWe're delighted to celebrate these excellent audiobooks—and to share AudioFile's picks for the best of the year with you. Explore the 2020 Best Audiobooks in Fiction, Memoir, Mystery, Young Adult, and more.
This year, more than ever, we love audiobooks. Thank you to the narrators, directors, producers, and publishers who bring us these unforgettable audio experiences, and to AudioFile's team of dedicated professional reviewers.
Get our FREE Newsletter and discover a world of audiobooks.
Let us recommend your next great audiobook!
No algorithms here!
We pick great audiobooks for you.
Sign up for our free newsletter with audiobook love from AudioFile editors.
If you are already with us, thank you! Just click X above.