New Reviews by Title: P-T

Dion Graham narrates a taut thriller in which a banker digs into the truth behind his father's death--only to uncover a terrorist conspiracy. The news of his father's heart attack shocks David; then he discovers a note claiming the death wasn't due to natural causes. Graham imbues David with an earnest tone even as the story ramps into a bombastic roller-coaster ride. A mad... Read More

Legal journalist Toobin, author and narrator, examines the history, meaning, and ongoing significance of the presidential pardon. A longtime CNN legal analyst and prolific author, he is an effective narrator whose tone and style sound like a historian's. The central story--but by no means the only one--is the September 1974 pardon of Richard Nixon by President Gerald Ford.... Read More

This thrill ride of an audiobook tells the many stories of those onboard Train 721, which crashes in Montparnasse station in October 1895. British narrator Justin Avoth narrates the drama at a good pace and keeps the story moving. Donoghue brings her plotting skills, eloquent style, and eye for social mores to the cast of fictional people who are on the train. To the group she... Read More

Anna Burnett's soft, precise voice is the ideal vehicle for this gothic novel about a young Victorian woman and her sentient garden. Harriet, who was psychologically abused by her uncaring father in the years after her mother's death, has been breathing easier following his disappearance. But when an inspector starts sniffing around, Harriet decides marriage to the seemingly... Read More

Narrator Emma Faye brings enthusiasm to what might otherwise be a dry academic study. She is almost chirpy at times. Despite an occasional lightness of tone, this audiobook is quite serious in identifying and addressing a problem with how college courses are taught. The author contends that the chief point of those classes is, or ought to be, how to think about the subject... Read More

Thérèse Plummer performs this atmospheric thriller set in a tiny town in Colorado. When Angie and David Sheehan's daughter murders their son, they ask local lawyer Martine for help. But Martine can't handle the case on her own. Enter Julian, her son, who is a big-time lawyer--and Angie's ex-boyfriend. The complex web that ties these characters draws tighter as the plot unfolds.... Read More

Golden Voice Grover Gardner is a familiar narrator to listeners of the Penric and Desdemona audiobooks. Using a treasure map, Penric and his demon, Desdemona, are hunting for a long-forsaken monastery that may hold valuable theological documents. They meet Roz, a bandit who has eyes only for the treasure map, and, of course, adventure ensues. This novella set in the World of... Read More

The author and narrator of this charming guide felt isolated and inferior earlier in life. Here she describes how being honest with herself and other women helped her find self-acceptance. While she doesn't perform with the polish of a voice pro, Johnston has a likable voice, conversational rhythm, and affecting vulnerability. Her vocal sweetness and the funny life episodes she... Read More

Karissa Vacker narrates this slow-burn romance set in the publishing world with verve and enthusiasm. Bryony Page, whose warmth and slightly frantic manner come through in Vacker's expressive tones, heads off to her first writer's conference. She hopes to find a literary agent to sell her debut novel, inspired by her beloved grandmother's creation of a center to teach English... Read More

The narrators of this audiobook--Donia Bijan, Lanna Joffrey, Nikki Massoud, and Mozhan Navabi--bring the vibrant, multifaceted Valiat family to life with skillful and dynamic performances. This multigenerational family saga spans decades and continents as the story moves from Iran to the U.S. Each narrator captures the nuances of their character with precision--from Bijan's... Read More

First-time listeners, as well as those who once treasured this story, will be thrilled by Sutton Foster's character portrayals. Central to this audiobook's success is Foster's portrayal of Pippi, the quirky 9-year-old who moves in next door to Tommy and Annika with a horse, a monkey, no parents, and wild stories. Foster's narration crackles with dynamic vibrancy when it comes... Read More

Charles Johnston deftly presents the horrors of London's Great Fire and plague. Listeners meet two inquisitors, prominent Jacob Standish and Abby Harcourt, Samuel Pepys's housemaid. Together, they're hot on the trail of a murderous plague doctor. Johnston's Abby is assertive despite her lower status, and Jacob commands respect even though he's clumsy and impetuous. They're a... Read More

Like chef José Andrés, the subject of this picture-book biography, this audiobook is the perfect blend of excellent ingredients. Soft Spanish guitar throughout reflects Andrés's background. Sound effects like sizzling dishes accent events in Andrés's life. Luis Carlos de La Lombana's narration has an emotional tone that encourages listening. He combines a skillful integration... Read More

Narrator Emma Gregory takes on this complex story of revenge, defeat, and political intrigue, set in 1685 Dorset, England. Charles II's illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle, James II, only to experience defeat and beheading. The Duke of Granville and his mother, Lady Jayne Harrier, secret allies of... Read More

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

Author and narrator Adam Ross mines his own background as a child actor and student wrestler for this nostalgic coming-of-age novel set in the Carter-Reagan era. Its centerpiece is the teenage protagonist's affair with an older married woman, but this is only one aspect of a richly developed narrative that embraces family, career, and student wrestling. At just over 22 hours,... Read More

Robert Hass is an excellent poet who understands how poetry works, and this knowledge informs his narration of the poems Czeslaw Milosz wrote in the period between the end of WWII and his defection from Soviet Poland in 1951. The poems are, of course, wonderful, tracing (in part) the author's process of healing in the aftermath of the war and his growing displeasure with the... Read More

Ava, Ray, Sasha, and Sky arrive at a controversial treatment center that promises relief through extended sleep. They're all being treated for loss and heartache, and their diverse stories create an engaging tableau. The outstanding group of narrators juggle this journey of loss, hope, and uncertainty. Ava, a book illustrator, struggles with guilt, while Ray, a firefighter,... Read More

Narrator Genevieve Swallow, with her charming New Zealand accent, returns to immerse listeners in the private and professional life of Detective Sam Shepherd. In this sixth installment, Sam returns from maternity leave to take on a 25-year-old murder case. Sam stirs up trouble as she uncovers well-intentioned lies, making things particularly uncomfortable for her boss. Swallow... Read More

Narrator L.J. Ganser draws listeners into Thomas Perry's latest stand-alone thriller, masterfully portraying L.A. attorney Charlie Warren and a multitude of other characters. The complex story begins with a young Charlie working to protect his mother's interests. Later, as a lawyer and accountant, he defends a client from high-stakes financial fraud, but his actions place him,... Read More

Narrated by Alex Finke, this rom-com follows Lenny, a young woman who has just lost her best friend to cancer and can't figure out how to live without her. At her new nanny job, Lenny meets Miles, the grumpy uncle of her babysitting charge who checks in on his niece daily. Miles is no stranger to grief, and he agrees to help Lenny complete a "Live Again" list that her best... Read More

Samara Naeymi delivers the untold story of four courageous women who played a vital part in winning WWII. Although they came from diverse backgrounds--Hawaii, Czechoslovakia, Tokyo, and Germany-- these women were all members of the OSS, the U.S. intelligence agency that was the forerunner of the CIA. They were responsible for producing varied pieces of propaganda designed to... Read More

Narrator Amanda Ronconi enlivens the story of Jess Bricker, a wedding proposal orchestrator, as she accompanies Diana, a snobby former classmate, on a pre-bridal retreat. Jess is dragged off to the exclusive Golden Ash resort by Diana, whose "surprise" proposal Jess has been hired to plan. While there, Jess finds two dead bodies and develops a friendship with the owners of the... Read More

Karissa Vacker delivers a quirky yet heartwarming performance of this reluctant romance. As her late brother's last will and testament is read, Maddie learns that his dying wish was that she scatter his ashes in a variety of places he never got to visit. Her companion, he stipulates, must be his best friend, Dom--who once broke Maddie's heart. She's furious at her brother, dead... Read More

Polly Edsell commendably delivers this story set in 1890s London. Listeners meet ultra-confident Quinn le Blanc, who is part of a gang that specializes in scamming wealthy families through complex ruses. Edsell captures characters from multiple classes with a variety of personalities, and delivers colorful descriptions of sights and aromas above and below stairs, creating... Read More

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

Author/narrator Vaunda Micheaux Nelson presents this nostalgic story in verse, set in 1960s Pittsburgh. Listeners meet endearing 11-year-old Cooper Dale, who is hoping to shine in her all-white school. Emotive descriptions of her family's horrified reaction to the Kennedy assassination and her delight at the Beatles are realistic. Nelson flawlessly presents the family's warm... Read More

John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan's newest Dee and Lao historical mystery is full of cross-cultural witticisms and kung fu martial arts that narrator Daniel York Loh plays to full effect. It's 1924. Judge Dee Ren Jie is in London. Accompanied by Lao She, his admiring "Watson," he foils a nefarious plot between a Russian diplomat, a Japanese mercenary, and Chinese... Read More

Louise Brealey's captivating narration of Dalton's memoir is simply delightful. Far away from the fast pace and crowds of her life before the pandemic, Dalton finds what she believes is an abandoned leveret, a baby hare, in the English countryside. With the deepest respect for wildlife, Dalton supplies what this leveret needs to survive in exchange for the gift of witnessing... Read More

In this gorgeous memoir, bestselling American author Lidia Yuknavitch meanders through her life with the grace of moving water. Her narration, too, mimics the rhythmic lyricism of water. Her voice gently rises and falls like ocean waves as she recounts her complicated relationships with her ex-husband and mother, along with the ways the grief she carries from their deaths... Read More

Kevin R. Free narrates this fact-filled, occasionally opinionated, history of the post-WWII period when the U.S. targeted communists, trade unionists, homosexuals, progressives, and Soviet sympathizers for removal from civic life. Prodded by influential men like FBI head J. Edgar Hoover and Senator Joseph McCarthy, the government conducted intense surveillance. The House... Read More

P.J. Ochlan narrates the fourth novel in the Red Hotel series. Dan Reilly, former CIA operative/hotel executive, becomes involved in political intrigue and danger when Russian President Gorshkov implements a multifaceted plan to attack the U.S. With his uncanny ability to slip into many accents, Ochlan takes listeners across countries and continents while ratcheting up... Read More

In a voice full of optimism and Midwestern "can-do" spirit, narrator Dan Bittner recounts how a midsized Midwest city transformed itself into an economic juggernaut. Until recently, Tulsa, Oklahoma, was largely dependent on the energy sector: gas and oil. In 2020, with his founding of Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL), urbanist and social entrepreneur Nicholas Lalla set out to... Read More

Narrator Rosalyn Landor takes listeners to England in the early 1800s as the Dowager Countess Clarissa Ware rediscovers a childhood friendship with Matthew Taylor. Clarissa returns to her family estate to reevaluate her life as she approaches her 50th birthday. Working as a carpenter in the village is Matthew, whom she grew up with. Landor brings maturity to her narration of... Read More

Marc Cashman narrates this historical novel with the authoritative, dispassionate voice of a news commentator. Listeners follow the early naval career of Scott Bradley James, an ambitious, patriotic young man from Florida who graduates from the Naval Academy in 1941 and is soon drawn into WWII. This well-researched, personalized, and highly dramatic story follows Scott's career... Read More

Tom Kiteley's wonderfully drawn narration of this darkly humorous historical debut immerses listeners in its time and place. James Willoughby, a well-born but impoverished medical student, finds himself drawn into an unusual employment arrangement in nineteenth-century Edinburgh. Kiteley captures James's ingrained class behavior and naïveté as he works for his surgical school's... Read More

Many new audiobook histories debunk legend and traditional narratives, but this brief account of Paul Revere's storied ride argues that his warning of approaching British troops on the night of April 18, 1775, was history changing. Narrator Johnny Heller, an engaging voice for wise-guy detective fiction, unwisely pushes the action toward melodrama, thereby sacrificing the tone... Read More

Comforting and mellow, with just a hint of spice, Rebecca Gallagher's voice is well suited to the narration of this cozy mystery. In northeast Ohio, Amish Fannie Miller and her friend, retired police officer Foster Bates, seek to uncover who is killing the contestants in the Tuscarawas County baking contest. Gallagher does a great job switching voices and maintaining a tone of... Read More

Gem Carmella narrates a magical novella inspired by traditional ballads. Sisters Esther and Ysabel use their musical talents to tend the enchanted willow their family has honored for generations. When an unwanted suitor appears, everything they love is suddenly at risk. Carmella's narration perfectly blends the fantastical elements of fairy tales with the macabre elements of... Read More

Listeners well-versed in Greek mythology will be able to follow along more easily with Senka, Charon's assistant in ferrying the souls of the recently departed to the realm of the Dead. When she becomes involved with a Living girl, Poppy, who is on a quest to retrieve the ghost of her brother, they begin an adventure that has them encountering virtually every denizen of the... Read More

Set in Canada and Europe during WWII, this moving debut novel tells the story of Josiah Chang, a Canadian logger/riveter of Chinese ancestry. With precision and a clear tone, Feodor Chin recounts Chang's challenges, in particular his love for Poppy, his co-worker at a Vancouver shipyard. Chin is an accomplished narrator who convincingly voices Englishmen and Southern Americans.... Read More

Author Harry Trevaldwyn's perfectly pitched, slightly sibilant, and very funny narration puts listeners up close and personal with British teenager Patch. Patch begins the school year with the goals of getting his new nickname to catch on (his name is Patrick) and getting his first boyfriend. Trevaldwyn's Patch is haplessly, sometimes disastrously overconfident, and he's both... Read More

Narrator Emily Mount mesmerizes listeners in this captivating fantasy-romance. England is ruled by an immortal fae queen who graciously grants each citizen one bargain. This year, the high-society girls are encouraged to bargain for qualities that will land them suitors. When Ivy Benton's debut season arrives, she plans to win the heart of the fae queen's son. Mount's ethereal... Read More

This adaptation of Tennessee Williams's classic story of romance, fate, and a conflicted mother-daughter relationship is "theater of the mind," thanks to excellent performances by Tony Award winners Anthony LaPaglia and Mercedes Ruehl. An Italian American neighborhood explodes when the police kill truck driver Rosario Delle Rose, who was smuggling. His buxom widow, Serafina,... Read More

Marin Ireland's narration of this family dramedy maximizes the humor behind finding a half-sibling--only to find out there may be dozens more. Ireland's performance captures Madeline's mix of reluctance and curiosity as she joins her newfound half-brother, Reuben, on an unexpected road trip. Ireland's subtle vocal shifts distinguish each sibling, reflecting their varied... Read More

Lisa Flanagan uses the entire box of crayons to depict this mystery's colorful characters, who are led by a doozy of a Franco-American crime boss, Babs Dionne. The drug-running queenpin featured in Currie's bloody revenge tale runs the town of Waterville, Maine, with impunity until someone murders her youngest daughter, Sis. You can almost hear Flanagan's lips curl in blind... Read More

With its prelude of wondrous music, this collection of 12 short stories is capably narrated by Adam Ewer and Blair Baker. Both narrators use dramatic effect--well-considered pauses and distinctive vocal characterizations--to complement the stories in the audio format. Ewer's narration is relatable, approachable, and well paced, while Baker's, in turn, is temperate but with... Read More

Sura Siu's narration brings depth and sensitivity to Amanda Nguyen's powerful memoir about surviving sexual assault when she was in college. Siu's measured, compassionate delivery honors Nguyen's story, which balances the raw emotion of trauma with the strength of survival. Siu's voice captures the shifting tones of the narrative--quiet pain, determined resolve, and moments of... Read More

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

Author Lucy Hughes-Hallett narrates her sweeping history, subtitled "The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham." George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham, was the court favorite and lover of both King James VI of Scotland/James I of England and his son, Charles I. Hughes-Hallett provides a lengthy examination of Scottish and English court culture and the roles of... Read More

Matt Godfrey's horrifying first-person portrayal of the serial killer Dan Morley is perfect for this first novel by Robert Bloch, author of the 1960 movie PSYCHO. Dan is molested by a teacher and later becomes a successful author/screenwriter who leaves a trail of mayhem behind him. The 1949 setting comes alive with Godfrey's dynamic delivery of timely jargon--such as "swell"... Read More

Sally Huband takes up beachcombing as a distraction to the debilitating arthritic pain brought on by her pregnancy. Huband is a slow, deliberate narrator, a style that is fitting for a meditative memoir on the environment and chronic illness. Based in the Shetland Islands, where her husband is a helicopter pilot, Huband searches for the sea bean, a seed from a vine in the... Read More

Billie Donovan and Marcus Calloway share a past, and narrator Carly Robins exudes all the drama that entails. Ten years ago, Billie left Marcus and returned home to her small town to become a baker. Marcus never wanted to go home, but eventually he had to in order to help his father. Robins accentuates Marcus's anger about being back home. But he's also determined to confront... Read More

Narrators Jennifer Jill Araya and Emily Lawrence perform this complicated thriller about dangerous room shares and hidden personalities. Broke and injured yoga instructor Emily Hawthorne is in debt and desperately in need of a roommate in expensive San Francisco. Things are frustrating enough when squatter Pip Stone tricks Emily into getting a room in her condo, but the... Read More

Author and narrator Gabrielle Bernstein offers tools for real change using Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS). In a calm, even tone, she shares personal experiences and guides listeners on how to remove blockages and tap into self-energy. The strategy involves recognizing, identifying, and compassionately connecting with emotionally protective parts of oneself that may... Read More

Georgia Tennant's lively performance as main character "Haze" and Kyle Soller's more understated interpretation of her husband, Fox, might make us think that these two somewhat boring suburbanites are just like their upscale neighbors--hosting dinner parties and caring for their adorable 2-year-old, Bibi. Haze attends mommy/baby groups, while Fox goes into London for work.... Read More

Crown Prosecutor Eve Wren finds herself in the middle of the trial of the decade in this riveting audiobook filled with well-crafted characters and dialogue. Moira Quirk is a superb choice as narrator. She skillfully develops each character, yet with deft use of inflection and vocal modulation the focus remains on Wren. As she reviews all the evidence to make sure the... Read More

Narrator Eva Kaminsky draws out the tension right from the start as Amelia Rivers watches her stalker from her window. Amelia and two friends were drugged with something to enhance their latent psychic abilities, and they are determined to uncover who did it and why. Amelia hires detective Gideon Sweetwater, who also has psychic abilities, to help her. Kaminsky conveys Amelia's... Read More

This wonderful middle-grade audiobook is about a youth basketball team led by a coach who understands the value of leadership and living a good life off the court. Tony is trying to make the team, and he does--but not in the way he expects. As the players work hard on the court, they deal with the senseless death of a pal whom the whole community mourns. Marc Anthony Samuel's... Read More

Fabulous narrator casting highlights layered human relationships in Curtis Sittenfeld's 12 short stories, which tackle human complexities. Emily Rankin's melodic lilt captures the youthful confusion of a college student in the titular story. Michael Crouch's edgy narration in "Creative Differences" exposes the corporate corruption of creativity. Nicole Lewis underscores... Read More

This audiobook is the harrowing story of attorney Piper Danes and her quest to track down a deadly stalker. While serving as a guardian ad litem, Danes is assigned the case of Sophie Grace, a teenager who is the lone survivor of a brutal family massacre. Saskia Maarleveld is an outstanding narrator. When the audiobook begins, Maarleveld is subtle and understated as she details... Read More

The classic story of the Hollywood dream meets an ancestral ghost story in this entertaining audiobook, narrated by Elyse Dinh. She provides excellent voices for both Issa Bui and Olivia Nong, best friends who dream of becoming movie stars. Dinh's voice-acting experience is apparent in the dialogue between the friends, as well as that of the many other characters. Her narration... Read More

After MSNBC host Chris Hayes begins his audiobook with what behavioral science knows about voluntary and involuntary attention, he explains how this fundamental human faculty is being hijacked by corporate America and slick political operatives. Hayes is an authentic narrator of his important message. His easy-listening performance conveys a comfortable command of his emotional... Read More

Joe Pitts narrates a queer teen horror novel with some supernatural and romantic elements. Sixteen-year-old double amputee Charlie Frith doesn't have any friends except for ghosts only he can see. But when those ghosts begin disappearing, he's forced to work with the mysterious new boy, Sam, to save them. Pitts captures Charlie's grumpy wariness at his awkward situation--he's... Read More

Kristen Sieh's performance brings the listener into the life of a complicated woman whose sexual desire is fixated on commercial airliners. Lisa works as an online comment moderator in San Francisco. She's good at her job, but she reserves her passion for airplanes. She perceives flights as dates, turbulence as flirtation--and a smooth flight could lead to something more.... Read More

Karissa Vacker carries most of the narrative load in this delightful "coming-of-retirement-age" novel. Exploring the ins and outs of aging and what those changes all mean to a long-term relationship, Vacker brings both Kim and Grant to life, as well as a quirky cast of characters in Palm Springs as the couple seeks to escape winter in the Midwest. When Grant goes missing from a... Read More

Golden Voice Rupert Degas captures this first novel in Ford Madox Ford's tetralogy, PARADE'S END. It revolves around WWI and Christopher Tietjens, an aristocrat who was decent, principled--even noble--in a way that is rapidly vanishing. Sometimes impressionistic yet realistically detailed, it paints the world in tones of heightened emotion. Degas's voice is excellent, his... Read More

Narrators Joshua Manning and Stina Nielsen transport the listener to Scotland, where travel writer Katie Campbell, known for her misadventures, is taking part in an Edwardian experience. Graeme MacKerrow has leased his ancestral home to an English couple for the three-week event. Both narrators skillfully handle the Scots, American, and English accents. Manning in particular... Read More

Jeff Dylan Garrett and a full cast bring an unsettling short story to life. Cassie reviews her wedding photos and notices a creepy woman in some of them. She learns that the woman is a spirit who is part of a curse relating to the barrette Cassie wore on her wedding day. As the curse shatters her happy life, Cassie struggles to free herself from it. Garrett shoulders most of... Read More

Ana Clements performs an engrossing story about a child psychologist, Mina, who investigates the haunting of a girl named Alice in the English countryside. A handsome journalist offers to bring Mina to the tiny town where Alice claims to be haunted by a witch. Clements imbues the characters with vibrant accents and embodies Mina with engaging earnestness. Clements also plays... Read More

Laurel Lefkow performs the second in Willa Cather's Great Plains trilogy in a precise, sweet voice that highlights the author's expressive prose. The 1915 novel is the story of Thea Kronberg, a talented girl from a humble home in a Colorado mountain town who, through hard work and luck, goes on to operatic fame. Set in the era of the burgeoning West, replete with railroads,... Read More

While Wil Wheaton is the principal narrator of this audiobook, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates offers a workmanlike delivery of his preface and epilogue. There's something just a bit banal yet cheerful and enthusiastic about Wheaton's performance. His vocal impressions are especially off-putting when he recounts President John F. Kennedy's early 1960s speech on... Read More

James Joseph narrates a queer romantasy about a young witch who is searching for his path in life. After he completes his magical apprenticeship, a prophecy sends witch Briar Wyngrave to the tiny island of Coill Darragh to start his magical career and to find his destined love. Joseph captures Briar's flighty and somewhat twee personality but also digs deeper into the emotional... Read More

J. Ann Thomas narrates this spooky story. For more than a century, 15 ghosts have remained bound to the grand Berkshires estate of Thorne Hall, which has been controlled by generations of Thorne men. Elegy Thorne thinks she, too, has to inherit the "spirit collection" when her father dies, but her contractor's son suggests another option. Thomas speaks her own eloquent words... Read More

As the story opens with Christina's family eating out, the ensemble of narrators provides a realistic delivery. Later, believing that eighth grade will be her best year yet, Christina persuades her two best friends to try out for cheerleading, even after the heartbreak of not making the squad in their last attempt. Grace Li shines at conveying the wide range of emotions... Read More

Felicity Jin is a baker with the power to provide meaningful advice for customers of her fortune cookies because she truly can predict the future. Catherine Ho's portrayal of Felicity is enjoyable although, at times, her character voices become a little jumbled. When Felicity and her buddy, Kelvin, find a body under the dessert table at a wedding they catered, Kelvin falls... Read More

Louise Williams gives just the right snarky delivery of a woman's attempt to find her place in the world. Gemma gave up the baby she had when she was 16. Now an adult teaching history at a college, she never stops thinking of "Baby"--the only name she gave her daughter. Her students are about the same age as Baby would be, and Williams brings truth to Gemma's longing,... Read More

On the verge of turning 80, American novelist, poet, and memoirist Abigail Thomas wrote a series of introspective vignettes about the quotidian moments of her life at that time. She conversationally shares observations, occasionally in third person, of ordinary moments during the extraordinary times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the innumerable joys she reflects on are her... Read More

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

Ailsa Piper evokes the stark Outback of Australia in her performance of this captivating novel. To escape her busy life in the city, a middle-aged woman visits a small religious community for peace and quiet. Years later, she returns to the community, this time for good. But not long after she joins the nuns in their daily life, a plague of mice descends upon the entire state.... Read More

Jemar Tisby's experience as a teacher and public speaker, including his "Pass The Mic" podcast, is evident in this clear, compelling narration of his own work. A companion piece to his book THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE, this collection shares stories about dozens of people who followed their faith to seek justice and pursue the dignity of all people. Tisby's stories are concise and... Read More

Rachel Clarke sounds compassionate and graceful, and has a precise-sounding British accent. It's perfect for the macabre lottery of circumstances that lead to a heart transplant from one small child, Keira, who is left brain dead after a terrible car accident, to another, Max, whose heart is failing after an infection. Clarke delves into the development of trauma management and... Read More

This mystery explores the emotions felt by the family of a young American novelist who vanished 25 years earlier. Daughter Clara, skillfully portrayed by Julia Whelan, receives a cryptic phone call informing her that she must personally claim her mother's writing satchel. She steels herself and travels to London with her daughter. Once there, the two meet young executor... Read More

Jay Myers and Alex Sarrigeorgiou keep listeners hooked throughout this haunting novel. Psychiatrist Dr. Henry Byrd is faced with a perplexing case. His newest patient, Jane O., normally can recall every detail from the events of her life. However, she cannot remember what happened in the previous 25 hours, after having blacked out. The mysterious story unfolds through Dr.... Read More

Accentuating the biting intelligence, slashing humor, and emotional devastation of Tennessee Williams's 1947 script, BBC Radio and L.A. Theatre Works came together in 1998 to create an extremely natural, very human audio version of one of America's most acclaimed theatrical works. When a woman with nowhere left to go visits her sister and her sister's husband in New Orleans,... Read More

Imran Sheikh's narration captures the interiority of 13-year-old Mohammad (Mo) Mirza, who works hard to stay cheerful despite his father's rages. Sheikh delivers the humor, intelligence, gift for storytelling, and sarcasm that buoy Mo as he deals with his father's paranoid schizophrenia; the absence of his mother, who has chosen to work in a distant refugee camp; and being... Read More

Ari Fliakos expertly delivers this timely audiobook about how some Americans get geographically trapped, preventing them from accessing better livelihoods. Appelbaum's research takes aim at the use of neighborhood covenants, codes, and other systemic tools to prevent diversification. Relating to these issues, housing costs have skyrocketed in the most desirable neighborhoods,... Read More

In his 1948 follow-up to his career-defining STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, Tennessee Williams chose a much more sentimental era and setting--a small, idyllic Mississippi town in the early 1900s. When Dr. John Buchanan, Jr., played with gusto by Broadway regular Marc Kudisch, returns home to start a medical practice, he crosses paths with his almost childhood sweetheart, shy... Read More

Is this audiobook delivered by a full cast? No, just the immensely talented Hillary Huber. In this second installment of The Martini Club series, Huber crafts distinct voices for each male and female character, immersing listeners in the search for a missing teenage girl in the club's hometown of Purity, Maine. The retired CIA agents of the Martini Club use their skills to stay... Read More

Sura Siu's narration soars--it's as light and airy as the high-flying Arctic terns on which this nonfiction audiobook focuses. She takes listeners into the sunny summer world of one such bird, who snatches fish to feed his chicks, fiercely drives off predators, and finally leads them to fly for a month over the ocean at summer's end. Siu's gentle narration stresses the lyricism... Read More

Jefferson White shows remarkable skill balancing a youthful cast with the sobering reality they must face. Twenty-four years before Katniss's games, Haymitch, from District 12, must compete in the Hunger Games--with twice the tributes (competitors). White's perfect pacing adds intensity to the brutality of the games and lingering melancholy as Haymitch struggles to maintain his... Read More

The author, a renowned Jewish singer, narrates her first short story collection, an incredible selection of horror stories featuring Jewish characters. In the title work, a young woman hopeful for new romance is worried about people disappearing from her apartment building. Each story is wonderfully unsettling in its balance between historical accuracy and horror told through... Read More

A feminist film script of F. Scott Fitzgerald's TENDER IS THE NIGHT, about a psychiatrist and his unstable wife, plays a large part in Bischoff's latest work, narrated by the author. Hollywood star Lila Crayne will play the wife; her husband, Kurt, is the director. Lila seeks help from therapist Dr. Jonah Gabriel regarding her character development. Bishchoff infuses Dr.... Read More

Sarah Perry performs her collection of micro essays, which revolve around her love of candy. Each essay highlights a different confectionery sweet, which she uses to contemplate her relationships, ideas around humanity's pursuit of pleasure, or memory's connection to taste and smell. Perry perfectly describes the experience of eating each candy--every delightful texture and... Read More

Rachel Syme is delightful company. Upbeat, witty, informative, and persuasive, her guide to all things epistolary entertains while convincing listeners that letters (preferably hand-scrawled) are some of the best things in life. Narrating in a cheerful, perky, and crisply enunciated tone, and introduced by romantic music, Syme explores it all: letter-writing history, tales of... Read More

Russell Shorto is an author who can narrate his audiobooks as effectively as any professional. In voice, Shorto is personable, assured, and exact--much like his narratives. This history of the English acquisition of Dutch New Amsterdam follows Shorto's bestselling ISLAND AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD, which covered the Dutch settlement of Manhattan. Once again, Shorto emphasizes... Read More

Six exceptional narrators deliver the hopes and fears of fictional actors nominated for the upcoming Oscars. They agonize over the past, their careers, their rivalries, and their futures. Cassandra Campbell is especially strong as Adria, an aging three-time award winner who is worried that her younger costar will outshine her. Nancy Linari captures the alienation and anger of... Read More

Gerry O'Brien skillfully narrates a newly translated collection of Irish stories first collected more than 900 years ago. In the earliest anthology of stories and poems relating to the pursuit of Irish independence, characters from folklore are intermixed with stories of St. Patrick. Pagan and Christian worlds collide in the tales being shared. O'Brien's tone is pleasant to the... Read More

Narrator Maggie Thompson immediately captures the difficult relationship that resentful Noni Reid has with her forceful mother, Dr. Radiance Castine. When her mother is appointed president of a Virginia college, she insists that Noni give up a coveted summer internship in costume design in Boston to move to Tangleroot, the plantation built by her ancestor. Thompson's use of... Read More

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

Narrator léonore Crépin leads a full-cast adaptation of a children's graphic novel. When Adèle gets her first period, she's in for a big surprise--suddenly, she can see ghosts! Many women in Adèle's family have been mediums, and now her world has gotten a lot noisier. Crépin gives Adèle a youthful and emotional tone. Her voice reflects Adèle's growing confidence as she meets... Read More

With a singsong jingle that announces their arrival at each new location, Nora and her father are selling used items from their taxi. But Nora is reluctant to part with anything--even if a buyer wants it. Her father is kind and understanding, however, and Nora keeps her favorite toys. It will likely take more than one listen to grasp this story for those who are not not... Read More

Many people involved in education--educators, parents, even some students--are interested in supporting critical thinking as an outcome. But getting there is difficult. Although former teacher bell hooks sometimes falls into progressive educational jargon, much of what she has to say about critical thinking makes sense. And she covers a number of other educational topics, as... Read More

Drew Jackson gives a serviceable rendering of Father Richard Rohr's latest book, an exploration of the Hebrew prophets--their anger, their grief, and their compassion--and how their messages apply not only to the ancient Israelites, but also to today's world. He calls them "radical change agents, messengers of divine revelation, teachers of a moral alternative, and... Read More

Marin Ireland's skillful third-person narration engages listeners in a complex plot that shifts through multiple points of view and timelines. Close attention is required to follow the characters and the secrets they're determined to keep. The author plants seeds about the twenty-year-old murders of a group of young women, tangled relationships, and the present-day story, which... Read More

Narrator Kyla Garcia takes listeners on a journey to find the Lost City of the Moon in the Amazon Rainforest. Dr. Miriam Jacobs is determined to succeed at her archaeological expedition when she is unexpectedly handed the lead from her absent mentor. However, journalist Rafael Monfils plans to sabotage the expedition. In that way, he can protect his mother's legacy. The... Read More

Canadian guitarist Rik Emmett is still making good music at the age of 71. His most recent recording is a collection of 10 instrumental pieces showcasing the iconic Fender Telecaster guitar. These "liner notes" reflect on the unique characteristics of the guitar and the creative process, as well as a fair share of mundane musings. Emmett's voice is still robust, and his... Read More

Malachy Tallack delivers a mesmerizing performance of this poignant meditation on life and the choices we make. Sixty-something Jack Paton is satisfied with his existence in the Shetlands. Life is uncomplicated--until he discovers a kitten on his doorstep. Tallack's deeply emotive narration is both calm and soul stirring as it brings out the beauty and isolation of Jack's... Read More

Aida Reluzco's narration brings depth to each character in this coming-of-age novel, which follows eight Italian women from vastly different backgrounds as they navigate the complexities of education, independence, and societal expectations. Banned in 1938 by the Fascist government, this story paints a wide picture of Italian womanhood. Some arrive at college eager to learn,... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Soneela Nankani takes listeners on a heartfelt journey of self-discovery in this sentimental romance. Everything about Mira Salvi's life seems to be falling perfectly into place. She has a great job and is engaged to a man who adores her. However, when she travels to New York City alone on an engagement trip, she stumbles across a lost ring that soon... Read More

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

Leslie Howard's narration highlights the emotional upheaval and deep-seated anxiety of college student Jane Sharp. After her father's death, Jane finds solace in an online group of true-crime enthusiasts. Jane assists the group with some early cases, but when the murders of three college women in Idaho hit the news, Jane becomes obsessed. Howard delivers an edgy, slightly... Read More

This audiobook is the fictional memoir of a New York City couple who have loved each other for decades. It celebrates artistic talent, abiding love, the joy of living, and the sad inevitability of dying. Marin Ireland narrates this work of remembrance, romance, and reflection by getting inside the minds of the two protagonists. Abe is a successful writer and professor; Jane is... Read More

A full cast of narrators brings to life the fictional memoir of a bestselling author who's been on the run from the law for years, along with all the people she's pretended to be throughout her life. Following the success of a movie franchise based on her popular book trilogy, Cate Kay is ready to finally come clean about who she really is, and it's not pretty. As she reflects... Read More

The author of the international bestseller THE BOOK THIEF, Markus Zusak, intertwines his memoir with the entertaining story of how his family adopted three rescue dogs and how they brought both chaos and joy to his life. Zusak introduces listeners to Reuben, Archer, and Frosty in his well-known beautiful narrative style, establishing them as memorable characters. Charming and... Read More

Shane East returns to narrate the third title in The Highlands series, this time accompanied by Zara Hampton-Brown. Sarah, the shy housekeeper of the Scottish club Ardnoch Estate, has a secret: She's the author of a bestselling crime series. When she has the opportunity, she asks screenwriter and club guest Theo to adapt her stories for television. After initially declining,... Read More

A likable teacher who lives with his wife and three daughters in a New York City apartment shares tips for organizing small spaces and complicated families. Tyler Moore's vocal clarity and charisma are wonderful vehicles for his excellent advice. While broad changes in managing one's space and family may be a tough sell for overly busy people, Moore's pleasing delivery gives... Read More

Caroline Lee's joyful and witty performance of this humorous and insightful audiobook is a dream listen. With a light, warm intonation, Lee brings to life Tilda, a 52-year-old divorced mother and photographer who wakes up one morning to find one of her fingers and one ear are no longer visible. After visiting her internist, she learns that she has invisibility disorder, a... Read More

Narrator Kevin R. Free's emotional connection to the dark, romantic audiobook tugs at listeners' heartstrings. Teenaged George, a vampire, is about to lose his life partner, James, to old age. Free's tone projects George's slowly breaking heart, even as a new opportunity for romance appears. Howard can't wait to finish high school, where he feels frustrated at the lack of... Read More

In these six moving, thought-provoking essays, originally delivered as the Norton Lectures at Harvard, Viet Thanh Nguyen explores what it mean to write as an "other" and what "otherness"--literary, artistic, cultural, and political--has to teach us about solidarity and art making in times of violence and rising global fascism. Blending literary criticism, political commentary,... Read More

Narrator Dominique Salvacion takes the listener to Sicily in this story of loss and found family. Aurora York is a focused motivational coach whose world is rocked at the unexpected death of her mother. She thought she had no other family, but a DNA test reveals grandparents and more in Sicily. Salvacion gives Aurora a determined tone at the beginning of the novel then... Read More

Betty Shamieh portrays Arabella, a New York City director descended from a long line of Palestinian women. Grandmother Zoya and daughter Naya are performed by Jacqueline Antaramian and Lameece Issaq. The women passionately share how their traditions provide strength in the face of adversity. Together, they pour out these characters' stories with humor, sarcasm, and respect for... Read More

Chris Davenport's fluid narration ties together the voices of this full-cast production set in the Cosmere universe. Sweet, naïve Tress, voiced by Crystal Lee, collects cups brought by sailors from other lands. Now her friend Charlie needs her help. In disguise, plucky Tress sets off across the deadly spore-laden Emerald Sea to the Midnight Sea and its sorceress to rescue him.... Read More

Narrator Christa Lewis summons an intriguing world of mystics in this Magical Trinket mystery set in the contemporary mortal realm. When a deadly assassin's trinket is stolen from a visiting diplomat, Dovey Van Dalen, a fashionable, quick-witted 200-year-old mystic (aka "bonded") investigator, must use her enchanted toolkit to solve the case. As trinket-related deaths in a... Read More

Jennifer Jill Araya narrates this suspenseful mystery, which takes place in 1932 on a remote island in Lake Erie. Four people are living there: a gangster's wife, Rosita, and her maid, Aurelia, who is hiding a secret, along with two housekeepers. When the gangster unexpectedly drops by with an entourage of guests, including a rival gangster, things unravel. Araya makes the... Read More

Brittany Pressley portrays a character who, at first, seems like an over-the-top heroine. Eleanor, a senior in high school, was abandoned by her father, Hugo, when she was born. Emotionally abused by her mother, she dreams of living with her father and his family. In response to a job ad, she does just that, hiding her identity and becoming a nanny for her toddler half-brother... Read More

These two oddly connected novellas are narrated by Joe Eyre and George Greenland. The works revolve around Turnglass, which is both a house and a bound volume that's read aloud. Story one, delivered by Eyre, is set in 1880 Essex at Turnglass House, which is situated on a tidal island. It's recounted by Dr. Simeon Lee, who is treating his uncle, Parson Oliver Hawes, who is dying... Read More

With his bass voice and vocal flair, narrator Bill Homewood transports listeners to France, where we meet D'Artagnan 20 years after his adventures in THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Cardinal Mazarin, the power behind the throne, summons D'Artagnan and commands him to find his former friends, Athos, Aramis, and Porthos. France is on the brink of a civil war, and England is in turmoil, so... Read More

Author/narrator Colum McCann's performance is masterful in this audiobook, which tests the delicate fabric of communication in our digital age. Irish journalist/playwright Anthony Fennell is saved from overwhelming ennui when he's assigned to a ship heading to South Africa to report on a crew that is repairing deepwater communication cables. The cables carry information... Read More

With his slightly raspy timbre and resigned tone, narrator Tim Lounibos hits just the right notes for this twisty cyber-whodunit. Lounibos plays his part straight, which is a wise move considering that the plot of this noir satire is fast and funny. Set in the 22nd century, the story features Orr Vue, who is investigating a murder that is part of a massive conspiracy. Think... Read More