New Reviews by Title: K-O

Wallace Shawn's performance is spirited, hilarious, and dark--typically all at once. His rousing voice captures the multiple dystopian themes in this new production of the classic Japanese novella. A psychiatric patient describes his time in "Kappa Land," which is populated by mysterious spirits who are known for their menacing presence. Akutagawa deftly weaves in the topic of... Read More

Pop singer Boy George narrates his memoir in an honest, casual tone, creating the feeling that a good friend is confiding in you. Fans of his music will be intrigued by his direct everyday persona as he recounts a riveting journey through his life. With his trademark wit and candor, he takes listeners on a roller-coaster ride through the highs and lows of fame, addiction, and... Read More

Listeners can expect a thrilling story of survival in this young adult audiobook. A riveting depiction of a dystopian world is voiced by Brittany Pressley, who gives a smooth, grounded account of what happens when the criminal justice system meets the entertainment world. When Emerson is accused of a crime she hasn't committed, her only way out is through a new televised game... Read More

Dual narrators Jennie Kwan and Eunice Wong deliver the first-person narrations of the two Chow sisters, who live in L.A.'s Chinatown in 1932. The pair are determined to solve the murder of their friend, film star Lulu Wong. Kwan's narration is more quickly paced, perfectly representing the bold, quick-acting 18-year-old Gemma. Wong's narration, deeper in tone, is equally apt... Read More

Vanessa Johansson and Angus King provide a dual narration for a romance set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Consultant Addie Macrae designs a business plan for Heart of the Highlands tour company. Logan Sutherland, who owns the company with his father, is deeply resistant to her profit-centric approach. Johansson matches Addie's businesslike attitude and embarrassment over her... Read More

Angel Pean's nuanced narration is superb in this playful romance. Amerie is jobless, single, and worried about her mom's health. She hits a new low when she pretends to be dating a sexy stranger to save face when she runs into her ex. The stranger, Vincent, realizes he and Amerie could both benefit from fake dating each other. Vincent, a workaholic astronaut, is desperate to... Read More

Salman Rushdie offers an emotionally resonant account of the shocking knife attack that almost ended his life in 2022 in Chautauqua, New York. In a measured tone, Rushdie describes the events of that day, including the excruciating 27 seconds in which he encountered his would-be assassin and the terrible graphically described wounds that his body sustained. While the attack is... Read More

It's a family affair with father, mother, and daughter--Jim, Tamra, and Taylor Meskimen--sharing the narrative duties in this inventive collection of Writers of the Future Contest-winning science fiction and fantasy short stories. The works are by established and first-time authors from around the globe. Taylor brings a wistful gentleness to an AI cat in "The Edge of Where My... Read More

In mid-eighteenth century London, Lady Charlotte's upper-class lifestyle is captured in Katy Sobey's heartfelt and well-paced narration. Rejecting the idea of a betrothal to a duke with a nasty reputation--gossip suggests he murdered two wives--she takes her future into her own hands, pairing up with two female cousins who own a coffeehouse. With author Violet Marsh taking... Read More

Beverley A. Crick gives a spirited performance of this historical adventure. In mid-nineteenth-century Europe, Clara, who is wrongfully accused of being "insane," meets Theodore, her grandfather's new apprentice. Theodore then whisks Clara away on scavenger hunt around Europe to find a flying machine that is coveted by villainous enemies. Crick gives a cheeky flavor to her... Read More

With the jaunty ease of a favorite uncle holding forth before a crackling fire, narrator Matt Addis recounts this wild tale revolving around a gentleman who returns home to his ancestral manor only to discover that there is a mythical giant worm lurking in an underground cave below it. He soon finds that the beautiful but coldly manipulative widow next door, who has unwanted... Read More

Adjoa Andoh narrates a short story collection by Ann Leckie that includes 18 works set in the worlds of the Imperial Radch and the Raven Tower, as well as several stand-alone pieces. Andoh's stellar skills are on display in every piece, making the stories of gods, humans, and other assorted beings incredibly compelling. Standouts include "The Sad History of the Tearless Onion,"... Read More

Helen Laser brings a crisp no-nonsense timbre to the lush, narcissistic world of celebrities that ghostwriter Mari Hawthorn must navigate to survive in Palm Springs. Mari gets her big break when she's hired to write notorious model Anke Berben's memoir. Laser makes her excitement and trepidation palpable with a well-chosen combination of hushed tones and even diction. Anke is... Read More

Susan Duerden completes the Maggie Hope series with a strong performance as the intrepid heroine takes on a frightening mission, meeting up again with Coco Chanel, the French fashion designer and Nazi collaborator. British concerns about the Germans acquiring a fission bomb lead Maggie to Madrid, where danger lurks around every corner and double agents will stop at nothing to... Read More

Vikas Adam brings color to this unique international drama. His expressive voice captures the ups and downs of young Egyptian American Azaan's life in California. When Azaan's parents catch him kissing Madison, his American crush, he is exiled to Egypt. Adam dramatizes Azaan's development from a rebellious teen who is forced to study religion to an adult who poses as a fake... Read More

James Cameron Stewart's masterful performance whisks listeners into a postapocalyptic world shrouded in buried secrets and impending mayhem. There's a haunting quality in his portrayal of the villagers on an idyllic island that is run by three scientists and inhabited by 122 survivors of a deadly fog. Stewart's expressive voice conveys the villagers' bewilderment and growing... Read More

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

David Lee Huynh narrates a wild and entertaining fantasy inspired by Thai mythology. Ex, the youngest member of the illustrious Phi Hunters Order, seeks to prove himself with a near impossible task: slaying the demon of nightmares, Shar-Ala. His plans go awry when he's forced to escort a pregnant runaway through a dangerous forest filled with spirits, demons, and assassins.... Read More

Tanya Eby returns for the third audiobook in the Pies Before Guys mystery series, featuring Daisy, a beloved baker. Many think Daisy's pies are magical--not realizing they literally are. Daisy's magic does more than make people feel good: It makes her pie business thrive and allows her to help women in domestic abuse situations. When her newest client goes missing, Daisy... Read More

Nina Wadia's stylish narration brings to life private investigators Natalka and Edwin, along with Natalka's partner, Benedict, as they set out to uncover the truth behind three suspicious deaths. Each victim was a writer who attended a writer's retreat in the quiet English town of Battle. Wadia creates wonderfully believable characters, including feisty Natalka, with her strong... Read More

Richard Lam narrates this coming-of-age story of 13-year-old Hoi Wing Woo with honesty and compassion. Woo, who is sent to Canada from China in 1913 by his father, is isolated, lonely, and frustrated by his mind-numbing job in a Chinese laundry. Bullying and language barriers are causing his dream of becoming a scholar to fade. Elder Uncle is demanding and impatient, while... Read More

Christine Mirzayan's dynamic narration is perfect for this rom-com about rival Armenian American families in the food industry who are competing for a Super Bowl commercial. Nazeli begrudgingly takes time off from her marketing job in tech to help her parents win the competition. While doing so, she meets confident and cute Vanya. One amazing date later, the women find out... Read More

Travel to the Summer Olympic Games with Shaniqua Okwok, who narrates this contemporary sports romance. Hardworking Olivia Nkomo is determined to get her dream job at the Summer Games, where she hopes to meet some of her favorite athletes. Zeke Moyo, the star of Team Great Britain, is seeking the title of "fastest man alive." When Olivia and Zeke bump into each other on the... Read More

Tanya Saari skillfully narrates a novel inspired by the few details contained in an actual letter found in author Eileen Brill's new home. Listeners meet manipulative Quaker Joan Dumann, who obsesses about how she is perceived despite her success and wealth. Nasty Joan, well rendered by Saari, marries three times, has four neglected children, and moves from Pennsylvania to... Read More

Twists and turns, flashbacks, and surprising revelations are handled deftly by the four excellent narrators of this epistolary novel, Cathrall's debut. While it's a work of speculative fiction, there is also mystery, light romance, fascinating underwater world-building, and magical academia. The four narrators bring the letters to life in the voices of their 15 writers. Kit... Read More

There is something soothing about returning to the lost art of letter writing with this audiobook. Add to this the elegant style of the legendary Jane Austen and the equally elegant performance of Kate Reading, and the result is fine, indeed. Reading's voice is calm, measured, and appropriately slow paced. Even though we are hearing details about lives we largely know little... Read More

Using the video game paradigm of advancing to higher levels, Christian teacher Chris Pace offers a dynamic lesson on how to awaken our desire, define our purpose, and begin taking action toward our potential. Audibly flowing from his unshakable faith in divine grace, Pace's vocal energy makes everything he says glow with promise. But the foundations of this audio go beyond the... Read More

The author and podcast host narrates with charming confidence that gives these personal growth strategies enduring power. The details about Rob Dial's hardscrabble childhood and path to success are served well by his pleasing vocal tone and sincerity. His performance makes his productivity ideas sound within reach for anyone. After each chapter, conversations with his business... Read More

Four narrators lend their talents to a love story that spans decades. Leanne Woodward portrays stoic Chloe, a young librarian who is struggling to raise three younger siblings. When she stumbles upon an old book with intriguing marginalia, she strives to uncover the developing love story with the help of Joe Zack, a suave flirt portrayed by Joe Jameson, who makes him completely... Read More

Jing Lusi's first-rate facility with accents highlights Kevin Kwan's latest globe-hopping tale of the excesses of the super-rich. Lusi portrays the large cast of men and women of differing classes from all around the world, keeping them distinguished from one another. Once again, Kwan takes us on a wild ride while chronicling racism, classism, poverty, and environmental... Read More

In this audiobook Stephen Colbert narrates the various events that affected Pope Francis throughout his life. Father John Quigley performs the numerous monologues of Pope Francis that are scattered between these historical events. The extermination of Jewish people, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and racial discrimination are a few of the topics Pope Francis discusses.... Read More

With a sincere, somber, and unhurried delivery, theologian Brian McLaren focuses on the climate crisis facing the world, warning that "complacency is a poor survival strategy." Each chapter begins with reflections from a variety of people: scientists, poets, philosophers, religious leaders, and literary figures. Speaking directly to listeners, McLaren ends each chapter with... Read More

Bill Weir is a polished and convincing narrator with a fine voice and a professional delivery honed from his career as a television journalist. As an enthusiastic storyteller, his work with ABC and CNN has taken him around the globe. In this audiobook, he looks for solutions to global warming, water scarcity, and food issues with side excursions into why people live so long on... Read More

Journalist Zoë Schlanger gives a clear, engaging, and enthusiastic narration of her fascinating audiobook all about the controversial topic of plant intelligence. Schlanger's own sense of wonder comes through clearly as she visits botanists around the world--sometimes going into the field with them--and reports on the results of their research on plants and the amazing things... Read More

Hanne Rickert and Amin El Gamal paint a vivid and haunting portrait of life in Gaza in this collection of short stories. Their voices, rich with emotion and nuance, invite listeners to empathize with the struggles and triumphs of the people who call Gaza home. Together, Rickert and El Gamal weave a tapestry of resilience, heartache, and hope in the face of adversity. From... Read More

Marisa Blake's vocal agility does justice to the emotional roller-coaster ride of Tatum Vega. When a woman accuses the famous Latinx writer M. Dominguez of sexual harassment, a NEW YORK TIMES reporter contacts Tatum. Now living in Chile, Tatum reexamines her long and complicated relationship with the much older Dominguez. Blake has an impressive emotional command of her... Read More

In this compendium of essays and conversations, Maggie Nelson reflects on the art and artists who have shaped, inspired, and changed her. Senn Annis's narration is a mixed bag. Her rhythmic cadence is sometimes a bit stilted. She uses the same inflection for most sentences, and it gives her performance a feeling of recitation, rather than liveliness. She's at her best when... Read More

An outstanding ensemble delivers this dark fantasy audiobook. When a student goes missing from Archwell Academy, four other students become trapped in a time loop, reliving their darkest memories and gathering clues to find out what happened to their missing classmate. Vico Ortiz voices Drew in a sarcastic yet upbeat voice. They are the only nonbinary student at an all-girls... Read More

Vikas Adam uses a strong but easily understood East Indian accent to welcome listeners into Raj's happy Hindu family. Oblivious to what India's 1947 independence might mean, Raj seeks only to win his father's approval and help his Muslim friend, Iqbal, succeed in the annual kite festival. Adam's narration makes clear Raj's emotive nature, and his distinctive portrayals capture... Read More

Mozhan Navabi performs this audiobook with the right tone and tempo. She narrates crisply and captures the guilt-ridden Ellie, who is tormented by her past. Ellie's best friend, political activist Homa, is voiced with a younger sound and tone (by Nikki Massoud). Her voice is fitting for the youthful Iranian revolutionary who champions women's rights and democracy and is jailed... Read More

Gary Tiedemann and Greta Jung deftly portray the 13 middle schoolers with unique superpowers featured in these stories written by some of today's most popular authors. The diverse characters express themes of self-discovery and empathy, and the narrators fully embrace each role. Tiedemann, as Maximiliano, candidly describes time-jumping randomly into the bodies of others. Then... Read More

Adjoa Andoh's remarkable skills of characterization and pacing are on full display in this reissue of le Carré's novel of espionage and manipulation in the Middle East. When a naïve English actress, Charlie, agrees to work undercover for an Israeli spy to identify a Palestinian terrorist, she is co-opted by morally ambiguous people on both sides. Andoh gives Charlie a light,... Read More

Adjoa Andoh, a Shakespearean-trained actress and Golden Voice, is a great choice to narrate this James Bond classic. Andoh scales back the superhero image associated with the bombastic Bond films and returns 007 to his literary roots, dry and elegant. The second in the Ian Fleming series takes Bond on an underworld journey to Jamaica via New York City as he tracks Mr. Big, a... Read More

Christopher Costa calmly and articulately narrates the daily struggles in the coming-of-age stories of three Puerto Rican boys--Ryan, Giancarlos, and Emmanuel--who live in Kensington, Philadelphia, a poverty-stricken neighborhood dominated by the drug trade. Each boy has different challenges that create barriers to his goal of earning a high school diploma. The author details... Read More

Narrator Diontae Black delivers a wide-ranging and thoughtful performance of the estranged Solomon siblings, who reunite to bury their father and save their ancestral land. Black's voice is reserved and introspective for eldest son Junior--whose failing marriage and secret boyfriend could cost him everything. Black adds gravel to his voice for Mance, a family man who is trying... Read More

Rupert Degas delivers what sounds like a full-cast performance--with every accent, every dialect, every nuance in place. This grim novel is based on writer Albert Maltz's imprisonment after he insulted the red-baiting House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947. The 1950s book was originally suppressed for its political message, a plea for prison reform. Degas is completely... Read More

What a treat it is to listen to Kimberly Wetherell's sparkling narration of this fun and heartwarming rom-com. At age 29, Gray leaves Tulsa for a position in public relations at a prestigious private school in New Orleans, where her best friend, Cherry, lives. Having ended a ten-year relationship, Gray is encouraged by Cherry to embark on a six-week astrology dating project... Read More

An ensemble of narrators delves into this audiobook in which a Blackfeet girl's murder is tied to four teens. Loren, whose sister went missing months ago, is voiced by Katie Anvil Rich. Mara, voiced by Julie Lumsden, is new to the reservation. Brody, voiced by Shaun Taylor-Corbett, is a jokester with a crush. And Eli, voiced by Jordan Waunch, is full of secrets and spends a lot... Read More

Jessica Matten, a Canadian actor of Red River Métis and Cree heritage, deftly narrates the ninth installment in this series, drawing from her role as Officer Bernadette Manuelito in the DARK WINDS streaming series. Matten skillfully conveys the full range of emotions of the characters, young and old, illuminating the complex dynamics of family relationships. Former tribal... Read More

Alexandra Potocka captivatingly delivers the true story of Anglo-Americans Jennifer and John Dobbs after they were separated from their parents in China during WWII. Listeners meet their family as they enjoy a privileged lifestyle, which includes fine Western clothing, lavish vacations, and the services of maids. Potocka captures 8-year-old Jennifer's viewpoint as she and her... Read More

In this suspenseful thriller, Helen Laser narrates with the grit required to authentically portray Lee Ellerin, a New York city reporter turned private investigator. She's hired by the mother of Amanda, a pregnant college student who attempted suicide under suspicious circumstances and is in a coma. Marli Watson sensitively portrays Amanda in the past as she describes how she... Read More

Jeff Ebner deftly presents this autobiographical story of Jake, who suffers from multiple maladies, including anorexia. Listeners meet the once vibrant 13-year-old, who loves musicals and volunteers to read to nursing home residents--until he hears a vicious inner voice telling him he's worthless and must stop eating. Compellingly rendered chapters convey Jake's experience with... Read More

Brittany Pressley's narration is exceptional in this heartwarming Irish story. Emily gets her dream job as an assistant to her favorite author, Siobhan, and travels to Ireland to work in a bookstore and help Siobhan complete her teen fantasy adventure, which has been on hold for more than 10 years. However, the manager of the bookstore is Kieran Murphy, Siobhan's son, who has... Read More

C.J. Bloom takes listeners on a whirlwind 500-mile road trip with this lively romance. Charlotte Carter is loving life in her hometown, where she teaches music. She's survived a failed engagement and her mother's cancer scare. So when she finds out her music program has lost funding, she decides to enter a tandem bicycle race to raise money. Zach, her ex-fiance's brother, will... Read More

Listeners are transported to 1843 London through Elizabeth Jasicki's narration. Apothecary Lucinda Peterson hires agent Jonathan Thorne to investigate a theft after a former beau patents a formula she invented. The listener is also introduced to a slew of secondary characters, including Lucinda's siblings and customers, as well as Thorne's daughter and co-workers. Jasicki... Read More

Stina Nielsen's melodious voice and elegant performing style work well for this autobiographical novel. She narrates with understanding and emulates the main character's musical musings. Her tone and timbre are just right for Jodie Rattler, the singer-songwriter who has luck in her career but challenges in her love and family lives. The references to twentieth-century music... Read More

Shape-shifting lion Curran, voiced by Michael Glenn, growls and purrs, while sword-wielding, magic-imbued Kate Daniels, performed by Nora Sofyan, sounds as gruff and determined as any warrior. Someone or something is destroying magical wards, making them vanish into thin air. Kate; her best friend, Andrea, portrayed by Emlyn McFarland; and 19-year-old shape-shifter and... Read More

January LaVoy and Robert Petkoff narrate a historical drama full of magic. From a young age, Pamela Colman Smith has had the gift of seeing magic around her. Her skills eventually bring her to the attention of the Order of the Golden Dawn, a secret society based in London, and through them an exciting opportunity arises. Both narrators expertly balance the magical happenings... Read More

Author Natalia Sylvester narrates her story in a warm and joyful tone. Abuela travels from South America to the U.S. to visit her family. Her granddaughter, Dulce, is fascinated by everything Abuela has brought in her suitcase (maleta), including treats and presents. Dulce relishes her time with Abuela and when Abuela has to go home, Dulce makes sure Abuela has treasures for... Read More

Two Native Americans narrate this short story collection in the Indigenous horror vein. The titular monsters are both supernatural --vampires, werewolves, ghosts--and all too human--a brutish boyfriend, a predatory medical system. The stories span two centuries and include members of a sprawling Cherokee family. Narrators DeLanna Studi--Cherokee Nation--and Lane Factor... Read More

Allison Aguilar's performance offers this engaging coming-of-age story plenty of heart, spunk, and power. Mani is devastated that her mother has planned a surprise trip to Guatemala that will tear her away from her friends for the entire summer. But when she learns about the disappearances of Guatemalan women, Mani is determined to fight for what's right in her community. Mani... Read More

Australian singer-songwriter Michele Blood shares the affirmation songs and positive thinking she used to heal herself and stay positive after her near-death from a car accident. The songs Blood sings combine her talents for music and manifestation. Her soothing voice exudes encouraging positivity and support for those who aim to attract success and joy. Blood's voice is gentle... Read More

Rufi Thorpe's astonishing and timely novel is given a satisfying narration by actor Elle Fanning, who will star in the upcoming Apple TV adaptation. Fanning infuses intelligence and emotional depth into her portrayal of 19-year-old Margo, who becomes pregnant by her married college professor. Margo's inability to access affordable childcare, coupled with lack of help from her... Read More

This splendid romantic adventure, loosely based on the Persephone myth, receives a sterling performance by Ariel Blake. In the fifteenth century, Odòdó is a member of the women's blacksmith's guild in Timbuktu, where conditions are terrible for her and other women. When Timbuktu falls, Odòdó is abducted and spirited away to the Royal City, where her life changes forever. The... Read More

The narration of this audio romance by Mayuri Bhandari brings the story to life. Maya Mirza, who believes she's unlucky in love, travels to Pakistan for an arranged marriage with a seemingly perfect doctor. During her journey she experiences mishaps, including being stranded in Switzerland with a cynical lawyer named Sarfaraz. As they navigate challenges together, Maya starts... Read More

Zoë Chao and Noah Reid bring a delightful goofiness to this time-travel romance. Five years ago, June stumbled into a wormhole and landed 85 years in the future. When her ancient phone turns on and lets her make a call, she finds Mikey, her bewildered colleague in the past, on the other end. Chao sounds thrilled--and desperate--as June urges Mikey to keep past June out of that... Read More

Gail Shalan approaches this story of one of the most controversial figures in Greek mythology in a tone of hushed gravitas. When young Medea gains the favor of the goddess Athena, her path to notoriety paved in blood and magic is sealed. Shalan's vocal agility is undeniable; one minute she is Medea as a child, high-pitched and naïve, and the next, she embodies Medea's father,... Read More

Narrator Stina Nielsen's soft tones are a gentle respite from this complex, sometimes vicious, murder mystery set in Sweden. The second case for Detectives Charlotte von Klint and Per Berg begins with a bomb in a public square, followed by a series of robberies, then a drowned woman in the river, then another and another, all seemingly disconnected--but are they? Throughout,... Read More

Presenting this comprehensive lesson, the physician authors sound businesslike and assertive--the ideal tone for advice on topics like productivity, workplace effectiveness, and career development. They sound relaxed and confident with their ideas, their voice personalities earning attention and respect for the entire production. The clever premise is that mastering every type... Read More

Landon Woodson's high-speed narration creates immediacy as best friends Drew, Darius, and Isaiah attempt to set a new BMX bike record. Eighth-grader Isaiah admits he's not a daredevil like his buddies, but, as Woodson's fever-pitched delivery shows, he's consumed by the effort. Suddenly, Darius is killed in a terrible accident, and Woodson's voice becomes subdued and somber as... Read More

Narrator Santino Fontana delivers Riley Sager's trademark psychological suspense. It's 1994; in a picture-perfect neighborhood, 10-year-old Ethan and his best friend, Billy, camp out in Ethan's backyard. The night will tragically be remembered as the night Billy was taken from the tent while his best friend slept beside him. Thirty years later, Ethan reluctantly returns to his... Read More

January LaVoy provides a multilayered portrayal of Leah Fox and the tragedy that shapes her life. Leah and her younger brother are on vacation at their grandmother's home in Appalachia when her parents are murdered. Gifted with second sight, Thea "witnesses" the crime and is able to put the killer in jail. LaVoy reveals the devastation felt by the family. Years pass, and Leah... Read More

Katie Leung narrates this time-travel novel from the point of view of the unnamed protagonist, who works as a "bridge" at the British government's Ministry of Time. They have technology that allows them to pluck people out of time and are studying whether these "expats" can survive with no ill effects. The bridge is helping her expat, 1800s polar explorer Graham Gore, adapt to... Read More

The Meridian's clans are at war, and alliances are shifting dangerously in this dramatic conclusion to Roanhorse's trilogy, brought to life by an ensemble cast. Serapio, the Crow God Reborn, rules Tova from his eerie shadow palace. Shaun Taylor-Corbett skillfully portrays Serapio as he navigates prophecies and plots against him. Nicole Lewis voices Xiala, the Teek sea captain... Read More

Mara Wilson offers an admirable performance of this audiobook, the tenth in Maupin's Tales of the City series. Although part of a popular series, this title easily stands on its own. Mona Ramsey hosts American tourists Rhonda and Ernie Blaylock at her grand country home in the English countryside. Parallel plotlines unfold as Midsummer festivities approach. Wilson's timing and... Read More

Elyse Dinh delivers a performance that brings the glamorous world of 1950s L.A. to life. She captures Cordelia Mai Yin's grit as she tries to launch a career in fashion as a Vietnamese designer. Dinh will have listeners glued to their earbuds as Cordi attempts to navigate a city darker and more complex than she ever imagined. Eventually, Cordi discovers a stranger with the... Read More

This audiobook is about the perils of a family that has the unique ability to time travel. Rebecca Yeo's cautious pace and refined British accent underpin the anxiety felt by Tommy and Eva when their parents vanish into the past one day, never to return. The chapters are broken into bite-size chunks--the longest being just over 23 minutes--a structure that makes the abruptly... Read More

Ellen Quay narrates a new series, The Fae Dynasty, which begins with Thea's story. Each year a new queen is chosen from the mortals and is whisked off to the fae realm. Thea learns quickly that mortal queens never go back home; in fact, they seem to vanish. She is determined not to let that happen to her. At first, Quay portrays Thea as naïve; even though her life hasn't been... Read More

Christina Delaine's Russian accent is without equal in this expansive family story. Zhenia awaits the birth of her first child at the same time that she anticipates the loss of her beloved grandmother. Out of the blue, she is contacted by a psychic who offers her the opportunity to communicate with her great-grandmother, whose story provides context for Zhenia's own personal... Read More

Two booksellers, gregarious Molly and reserved Emma, discover a treasure trove of books about the occult when they meet at an estate sale in this cozy, narrated with straightforward clarity by Janet Metzger. The mystery moves around a bit among a host of seemingly unconnected characters and events that are held together by Metzger's understated tone and unhurried pacing. The... Read More

This Regency-era mystery will baffle and delight listeners. In a soothing, self-assured voice, Allie Rose portrays a headstrong duchess who struggles to clear her husband's name when he is found drenched in blood beside the murdered body of an opera singer. Audrey, the attractive Duchess of Fournier, knows her gentle, intellectual husband, who is homosexual, is innocent despite... Read More

Narrator Daniel York Loh sounds refined and reserved as academic Lao She in this atmospheric twist on the cases of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Lao admiringly recounts the feats of Judge Dee Ren Jie, who is investigating a series of murders of Chinese men in 1920s London--murders the police seem uninterested in solving. Dee has a prodigious intellect and advanced fighting... Read More

Simon Vance's finely calibrated narration makes this little-known George Smiley novel of special interest. Here le Carré tries his hand at a spy-free English mystery triggered when a faculty wife at the elite Carne School writes a panicky letter to Ailsa Brimley claiming her husband is planning to kill her. Miss Brimley asks her old war-time colleague Smiley for advice. Smiley... Read More

This audio adventure will appeal to listeners who enjoy mysteries, romance, and suspense, especially those who are familiar with Jane Austen's characters. Two seasoned voice artists, Brittany Pressley and Max Roll, present a story that begins with an American woman sneaking away from a tour of a British stately home and literally falling into the arms of the handsome lord of... Read More

Pearl Hewitt narrates the first episode in this new, highly entertaining mystery series set in the upper echelons of 1920s London society. Aristocratic Lady Dorothy shows up in the drawing rooms of the elite as the glamorous femme fatale Dora Laurent. When Dora's lover, Freddie, is murdered, she proceeds to investigate and to catch the criminals. She is joined by Reginald... Read More

Rupert Brooke, Alan Seeger, Isaac Rosenberg, Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, and Wilfred Owen were arguably the greatest poets writing in English during WWI. Malcolm Hillgartner delivers Michael Korda's biographies of them, telling the story of how the attitudes of poetry--and to a lesser extent of the British public--shifted as the war went on. From Brooke's glorification of... Read More

With warmth and charm, Christina Moore narrates the newest novel in Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts series. After two years in Chicago, studying for her master's degree, Summer Sullivan returns to Elm Creek to complete her thesis. Although she's surrounded by old friends and the comfort of the quilting community, Summer struggles with writer's block and a looming deadline.... Read More

Five excellent voice pros--three women and two men--join the famed soprano Renée Fleming to perform this fascinating deep dive into the power of music. The six voices alternatively narrate whole chapters, each of them sounding in perfect harmony with their subject matter and the positive energy of the people working in this field. Artists, therapists, educators, and music... Read More

Together, narrators Andi Arndt and Teddy Hamilton are a potent duo. Billie is the sole survivor of the Midwest Butcher, a vicious serial killer who murdered her family. At the studio where she is being interviewed, Billie has a chance encounter with Brett, a star football player. Their ensuing relationship provides a catalyst for their respective struggles with strife and... Read More

Steve Hendrickson's storytelling style is fittingly restrained as he narrates this coming-of-age story set in Siberia. The 13-year-old protagonist, who lives in an orphanage, befriends an enigmatic Armenian teen, Vardan, who is sickly and wise. He suffers from an illness aptly called "the Armenian Disease." He and others are camped by a Siberian prison awaiting their... Read More

James Lurie shares the joyous and painful moments of an extraordinary life. Listeners meet Caleb Carr, the late author of the wildly successful novel THE ALIENIST, and his great love, Masha, a Siberian forest cat. Carr's father, Lucien, was a cofounder of the Beat Generation. Caleb suffered emotional and physical abuse from his alcoholic parents. Lurie movingly recounts Caleb's... Read More

A Black songwriting pioneer and Nashville insider, now a professor at Vanderbilt, is a tireless researcher into how Black musicians in the 1920s and '30s shaped the beginnings of what we now call country music. She says these men had no standing with that period's music gatekeepers and received no recognition, but they clearly influenced Jimmy Rogers, the Carter Family, and... Read More

Stacy Gonzalez portrays 15-year-old mbar as she navigates life with her father, a gangster. They are traveling across Argentina, hunting for the person who murdered her father's partner. Gonzalez creates a sassy, likable teen in mbar, highlighting her self-confidence and self-doubt, both of which are part of her charm. Gonzalez also rises to the challenge of portraying the wide... Read More

Emmanuel Jal--child soldier turned activist, entrepreneur, and recording artist--narrates his powerful memoir, in which he identifies 11 pillars for emotional resilience. Listeners are carried along by the slight cadence in Jal's baritone as he shares his experiences of trauma, war, and loss, as well as his hard-won wisdom. He offers listeners a road map to find their own... Read More

Laurel Canyon music legend Ellen Naomi Cohen, better known as Mama Cass of the 1960s folk-rock group The Mamas & the Papas, died at age 32. Her daughter, the author of this audiobook, was 7. Elliot-Kugell's slightly nasal narration of this biography is sincere, loving, and precise. But, sadly, the text seems unfinished and incomplete. What predominates is a compendium of... Read More

Andrew Sean Greer enthusiastically captures the inherent absurdity of an odd couple and their road trip. The brief audio story depicts the author/narrator and his mother as they travel from Kansas to California. Greer, who won a Pulitzer for his comic novel, LESS, is a natural raconteur--for photo ops he wears a fried-egg costume, and his choices for places to stay are... Read More

Narrator Kitty Bang draws the listener into the romance between television production assistant Anika Fox and Luca St. Marten, the king of a small European country. Hoping to bring tourists back to his country, Luca has agreed to be part of a reality dating show. Anika starts as a production assistant but ends up as a contestant. Luca and Anika met prior to the show, but she... Read More

Mignon G. Eberhart was a popular mystery writer in the era between the world wars. Narrator Ann Richardson shares a Nebraska background with the author and brings authenticity to the production. Her sincere all-American voice chronicles a house party in a remote hunting lodge in the Sand Hills region of Nebraska. Business partners and friends join the young hostess and her... Read More

This history of American Indigenous people sounds like a well-constructed college lecture. But that's no surprise since author Kathleen DuVal is a university professor. But Carolina Hoyos's narration is far from a dry academic recitation. Rather, she comes across as a storyteller. Her voice is smooth and easy to listen to. Her pace allows listeners to absorb the author's points... Read More

Listeners will find much to learn in this audiobook. Just when dire reports--fire, flood, calving icebergs--are enough to alarm anyone, this audiobook from ecological engineer Galle arrives with a refreshingly positive and heretical assertion that nature and technology can be allied. Narrating convincingly in a youthful tone that suits the author's optimism, Eileen Stevens... Read More

Amin El Gamal is a talented narrator who brings out the drama and grit of the alleyways of modern Tehran. He becomes the voice of Issa, a salesman who is increasingly drawn into the lives of those living on the margins in his downtrodden neighborhood. Fans of international literature will sink into this story of how oppression seen cannot be unseen--especially by this reluctant... Read More

Anniwaa Buachie and Thabang Makhubela combine forces in this hilarious short story collection filled with contemporary Nigerian women who are grappling with a range of challenges. From wives who regret their marital choices to those who band together against scheming husbands, this is a treat of a listening experience. Buachie's delivery is laced with a lyrical rhythm that... Read More

M.K. Asante's performance captures the essence of what makes the audiobook medium vital: a living experience that grabs listeners from start to finish. Here, Asante's work is filled with hip-hop rhythms creating rich images that embody a journey through Black history and community via the streets of Philadelphia. Assante unfolds the story of his nephew Nasir's emergency... Read More

AudioFile Golden Voice Soneela Nankani immerses listeners in 1920s India on the eve of a visit from Edward, Prince of Wales. This third installment in the Bangalore Detectives Club series is rife with intrigue, politics, and the fight for autonomy--for women, for the lower classes, and for India itself. Nankani's brisk, distinctly voiced performance is riveting as she expertly... Read More

A happiness expert begins this thoughtful guide by explaining how a tragedy in her life provoked her inquiry into genuine happiness. The poignancy of her personal story connects Harrison with her listeners, as do her quiet sincerity and well-organized message. Her voice is pitched high, but the wisdom of her diligent research is what dominates as the audio unfolds. She says the... Read More

Jack Reacher is a man on the move, traveling light, whose destination is unknown. In this short story, Scott Brick doesn't disappoint, portraying Reacher as a tough ex-military loner who only wants to right wrongs and set the world straight. Here we meet Reacher in Texas after he hitches a ride to a tiny nowhere town filled with--what else?--trouble. Brick keeps the pace moving... Read More

In this satirical audiobook, a full cast flips the script on privilege, race, and gender roles in an upper-class neighborhood called Malcolm X Estates. The narrators are deliberately over-the-top as they capture the many laugh-out-loud situations that take place when a white family moves into the Black neighborhood. Clare Brown, author and one of the key narrators, portrays... Read More

Narrators Allyson Johnson and Diontae Black enchant listeners with this stellar follow-up to the award-winning earlier anthology NEW SUNS: ORIGINAL SPECULATIVE FICTION BY PEOPLE OF COLOR. This collection of 18 stories from authors such as Tananarive Due, Nghi Vo, and John Chu covers monsters, aliens, space flight, interplanetary relations, and more. Running through the... Read More

Sandy Rustin's voice is just right for youthful PI Annie McIntyre as she deals with discovery after shocking discovery in a dusty Texas town. In Garnett everyone knows everyone--and their secrets. After a conversation with friends about nature or nurture, Annie is approached by Clint Marshall, an adoptee, who asks her to identify his biological parents. Using Ancestry.com and... Read More

Narrators Ferdelle Capistrano and Will Damron breathe life into this fanciful romantic story. Exes Camille and Ward reunite when they bump into each other in London. Then they accept jobs in separate magical antique shops before realizing that they're trapped and that they must use the antiques around them to solve several puzzles and riddles to escape. A limitation: They can... Read More

Cindy Kay amplifies the drama in this Japanese thriller with her steely voice. It's 1979, and Yoriko Shindo is kidnapped despite her attempt to fight off her attackers. She finds herself forced into working for an arm of the yakuza--she has to serve as the driver for the daughter of the brutal boss. Kay shifts between the gravelly-voiced henchmen and the sharp, critical voice... Read More

Gilli Messer's luminous narration enlivens this unusual love story. Greenland resident Ilsa Erlund is noted for her work translating French poetry into Greenlandic, although she's never been to France. Asked to translate the works of famed 70-ish French poet Geoffrey "Po" Labaye, Ilse decides to go to Provence to work directly with him. Messer channels Ilse's delight with the... Read More

Narrators Callie Dalton and Jason Clarke mesmerize listeners with this enemies-to-lovers romance. Rue Siebert has a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, where she is working on a promising food science start-up. Along come the vexingly handsome Eli Killgore and his business partners, who threaten to take over the company. Dalton and Clarke transition seamlessly... Read More

The problem with the audio version of Elspeth Barker's indelible essays and stories is that you can't underline your favorite parts. That's probably just as well; your pen would go dry. Married to a poet, the author of one iconic novel, O CALEDONIA, hers was a fascinating, messy, wildly unconventional life. Barker writes about her household full of animals wild and domestic,... Read More

Brian Troxell navigates this gritty story of Nelson "Nails" McKenna, a backwoods enforcer for McFalls County's crime boss. All is well for Nails until one night in a grimy roadhouse he stands up to some villains who are abusing Dallas, a fun-loving young woman--and he goes too far. With empathy and style, Troxell allows a sense of desperation into his delivery when there's a... Read More

Dorothy Dillingham Blue evokes a sense of wonder with her nuanced narration of this unique story-within-a-story. Elsy is delighted when she stumbles into the fictional town of her beloved romance series on a road trip. Soon though, she begins to worry about how this could have happened--and why. Her favorite characters aren't behaving like they did in the books, and the only... Read More

Many people have paid a high price for whistleblowing over the years. Skilled narrator Stephen Graybill's assured tone and steady delivery miraculously enliven this work by University of Minnesota ethicist Carl Elliott. Six stories reference the moral struggle that whistleblowers face, especially in the healthcare and educational arena. Elliott fought for an external... Read More

Judy Alice Lee narrates this action-packed space opera with skill, shifting between three very different perspectives. Ocean is a talented pilot and a wicked shot who is working for the Korean space agency on the OHNEUL. She's tough but loyal to her loved ones, including her best friend, Teo. Teo's ease and flirtatiousness shine in Lee's narration but shift into desperation... Read More

Narrators Austenne Grey and Neill Thorne delight listeners with this heartfelt small-town romance. Down-on-her-luck Wren Daniels is holding a charity auction to raise money, so she can renovate a cabin she technically can't afford. The only thing that lifts her spirits is the new friend she's made on an anonymous dating app--until she finds out the friend is the grumpy single... Read More

Canadian actor Jennifer Wigmore has a lovely narrating voice and a pleasing tone. Her cadence is just right for an audiobook that explores the history and meaning of train travel. She narrates in an informational yet personal style that fits this immersive and deeply researched meditation on the delights of watching the landscape flash by while reading, writing, or daydreaming... Read More

Narrator Valerie Rose Lohman will have listeners snort laughing through Hogle's fake dating witchy rom-com. Witch Romina Tempest uses the language of flowers to design perfect bouquets at a boutique in Moonville, Ohio. During wedding festivities, Romina fake dates her irreverent co-worker, Trevor, while her old flame, Alex King, glowers in annoyance. Lohman's voice for the... Read More

Tom Lennon smoothly re-creates the Wild West of the Gold Rush days--its heroes and villains and their exploits. Listeners meet U.S. marshal, prospector, and bounty hunter Oliver Blackstone, who, before leaving for Boston, befriends 7-year-old Mia after her parents are murdered by a miner. Lennon's delivery as both gunslinger and doting protector are spot-on. Well-rendered... Read More

Josh Bloomberg and Sharon Freedman narrate this collection of stories exploring the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Each chapter describes a ritual of the traditional Passover meal, called the Seder. Each chapter ends with a set of questions about how young people can connect these rituals to their own lives. Bloomberg and Freedman are enthusiastic narrators of... Read More

Doctor Fauci's public career spans five decades; he served seven presidents as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. His reputation is secured by a shelf of medals and awards--including the National Award for Science. Now a professor at Georgetown University, Dr. Fauci gained prominence during the COVID-19 epidemic for his confrontations... Read More

Narrator Rachel Perry will convince listeners that no retelling of Jane Austen's PERSUASION can be complete without a resident attack goose. Anne Elliott, director of Niagara-on-the-Lake's theater company, thinks Ben Wentworth is just a memory--until he returns to help with his aunt and uncle's winery on former Elliott property. Perry portrays Anne as deeply interior, full of... Read More

George Guidall's sonorous delivery is dramatic yet soothing as marine biologist Doc Ford encounters another deep-sea adventure. This time, a Russian diplomat disappears while Doc is tagging sharks in South Africa. Doc returns to Florida just in time to face gangsters and a Category 5 hurricane. Guidall navigates the murderous characters, twisty plot, authentic dialogue, and... Read More

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

Catherine Ho infuses this tech-infused comedy with a vibrant expressiveness that will have listeners laughing throughout. She captures the emotional roller-coaster ride of rising tech star Sara Chae as she deals with the ultimate digital mishap. Sara's startup company offers a remarkable service--the ability to have posthumous messages delivered to the living after a customer's... Read More

In an engrossing, well-characterized performance, Nicole Lewis captures the anguish and suspense in acclaimed YA author Nicola Yoon's first adult novel. Moving to the fictional gated community of Liberty, California, hailed as a Black utopia, Jasmyn Williams assumes she and her husband, King, will find like-minded friends and neighbors with whom to carry on the fight for racial... Read More

Narrator Susan Dalian squanders a golden opportunity for a standout performance in this unique audio mystery. Dalian is perfunctory in voicing historical preservationist Kenetria Nash, who is trapped with a killer on a remote Hudson island. Ken's dissociative identity disorder takes center stage, but Dalian fails to create any vocal distinction among the cast of diverse... Read More

It makes sense that Christine Blasey Ford would want to narrate the audio version of her memoir about doing her civic duty to testify at the confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh's nomination as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. She wants to "set the record straight," and the catharsis wouldn't be as complete if she hadn't been the narrator. She has a distinctive... Read More

Nelson Hobbs and C.J. Bloom depict the romance between Viggo Bergman and Tallulah Clarke. The pair agree to be roommates in order to achieve their personal goals of opening a bookstore and finishing a thriller, respectively. Hobbs captures Viggo's thoughtful and romantic personality. Viggo's humorous dialogue as delivered by Hobbs contrasts with his internal doubts and fears.... Read More

Three voices evocatively describe life in a Polish ghetto and in Auschwitz during WWII. Christine Williams narrates the majority of the audiobook, skillfully juggling the diverse timeframes and details of the memoir published in print. Felicia Lubliner's son, Irving, incorporates excerpts of 1960s recordings of programs she gave about her horrific experiences and clarifies his... Read More

Narrators Richard Rohan and Danny Gavigan take on the lion's share of this spine-tingling sci-fi thriller. U.S. secret agent David Vale, portrayed by Jonathan David Bullock, and somewhat naïve, sharp-tongued genetics scientist Kate Warner, portrayed by Stephanie Németh-Parker, join forces to take down an organization that will stop at nothing to learn the secret of human... Read More

Narrator Mark Bramhall creates a meek voice for Timble the owl and a disgruntled voice for Orris the rat. When Timble the owl gets stuck in a trap, he begs Orris the rat to help him and promises not to hurt him. Orris is unsure, at first, since owls typically eat rats, but eventually he relents and frees Timble from the trap. Bramhall grasps the drama of the moment while... Read More

Tanya Eby gives a clear delivery in a precise style. She is an intelligent narrator who skillfully paces this heady appraisal of the famed English author George Orwell. These days the term "Orwellian" seems to be equally availed by the right, left, and center, all of whom appropriate his two most famous novels, ANIMAL FARM and 1984. This tightly argued, biographically based... Read More

Wyeth Watts and Marnye Young narrate a complex and emotional romance about the nuances of finding out the truth. Jess Greene raised her younger sister, Tegan, after their mother ran off 10 years ago. When Adam Hawkins suddenly shows up with his boss, a true- crime podcaster, the sisters have the opportunity to learn what happened to their mother. Young captures all of Jess's... Read More

This enchanting audiobook about a spirit on the run and the skeptical human that rescues him features a stellar ensemble cast. Em Grosland portrays Ellery, whose belief in the supernatural waned after a brutal five-years-and-counting winter struck their family farm. Knox, portrayed by Kevin R. Free, is a magical assistant who hasn't heard from his queen in the same amount of... Read More

NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE editor Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy offer a thorough account of how animals have been treated in America from the 1860s to the present day. In a fresh, young voice, narrator Tanis Parenteau delivers the authors' meticulous research on the care of animals, animal activists, and the controversies surrounding animal welfare. Parenteau's tone is... Read More

Narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies brings his considerable talent to one of Graham Greene's best-known novels. James Wormold, a vacuum cleaner retailer, invents a spy ring in order to cover his daughter's extravagances. Davies manipulates accents, vocal tones, and pitch ranges to bring the characters to life. He enhances the novel's dark (sometimes very dark) humor, as well. The... Read More

Listeners will be swept away by Marissa Hampton and Jesus E. Martinez's portrayal of the simmering tension between workaholic hotelier Genevieve Raymond and her Panamanian driver, Adrián Nicolas. Instead of returning to the U.S. after opening a new resort, Gen decides to extend her stay in Colón, and her sexy driver, no longer her colleague, extends the invitation of a... Read More