Narrators Elisa Meléndez and JaQwan Kelly perform this audiobook about two teens in juvenile detention. Adriana, voiced by Meléndez, keeps her head down and writes in her journal to get through her short sentence. After accidentally leaving her journal in the library, Adriana retrieves it and finds that a boy has responded to her thoughts and written back. Jon, voiced by Kelly,... Read More

Narrator Barton Welch returns with his perfect pacing and engaging Australian accent to deliver the third installment of the Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Fans will recognize the clever clue reveals, sarcastic humor, and moments when the narrator breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the listener. Author Stevenson crafts a plot that nods to the Golden Age of mysteries... Read More

Aaron Goodson presents moving personal essays that vividly depict the joys, sorrows, and frustrations of an American Black man. Listeners meet Jerald Walker, a former cult member who is now a successful academic. Goodson energetically shares Walker's years as a member of the Worldwide Church of God, whose founder he hilariously compares to Donald Trump. Listeners will be... Read More

Food and travel writing mingle in this fine collection. Padma Lakshmi's introduction, narrated by Soneela Nankani, is much more than a standard intro. Nankani shines in her sensitive and captivating performance of Lakshmi's very personal story of meeting with her estranged father in India. The excellent Eunice Wong reads Marion Bull's "Orange Is the New Yolk" with wit and a... Read More

Mary Jane Wells delivers another excellent performance of a contemporary romance. The third of the Graves Glen series once again features reclusive Welsh witch Bowen Penhallow, who does business with an American magical artifact collector named Tamsyn. Neither she nor Bowen expect to see the other at a Yuletide wedding--or to be whisked into the past. Romance blossoms, and they... Read More

A supremely talented cast narrates 12 short works that could only have originated from master storyteller/director Pedro Almodóvar. This first collection ranges from personal essays--there's one about the death of his mother--to a fascinating retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" that revolves around the Spanish Queen Juana la Loca. Fans of Almodóvar's work will recognize the story... Read More

Narrator Amy Landon invites listeners behind the curtain of the ballet world in this vivid and intimate novel. Celebrated ballerina Natalia Leonova returns to the St. Petersburg stage after two years in recovery from an accident. Landon's crisp voice breathes life into Natalia's inner monologues. Landon smoothly pronounces the Russian and French vocabulary of Natalia's jet-set... Read More

The older half of the tennis-playing Williams duo breaks down her personal growth audiobook into eight principles. They provide a well-organized but approachable path to becoming a better you. While some authors are not adept at narrating their own work, Williams is outstanding. Her diction is perfect, and she obviously knows when to inflect emotion while laying out her... Read More

Medical buffs will be fascinated by Will Watt's delivery of this audiobook about six mysterious outbreaks of disease. In a clinical manner, he details the hantavirus outbreak of 1993, John Snow's work on cholera transmission, the research methodology of the 1918 flu pandemic by two doctors, the eradication of smallpox, Dr. Anthony Fauci's novel approach to finding a cure for... Read More

Anna Johnston's prose is rich and vivid, and is wonderfully paired with the narration of Tim Carroll. Listeners follow the story of Frederick Fife, a man rich in kindness for others but poor in every other way. At 82, he has no one to give his kindness to until, after an odd case of mistaken identity, he ends up in the shoes of grumpy Bernard Greer at a nursing home. Denise... Read More

Lucy Scott masterfully delivers this intense account based on a true story. In Croydon, England, in 1964, while answering a domestic disturbance call, police discover an elderly woman in distress and her 37-year-old nephew, unkempt, nearly naked, fearful, and mute. William Tapping hasn't been out of the house in decades. Helen Hansford, an art therapist at Westbury Park... Read More

Vikas Adam and Sharmila Devar provide an intoxicating alternating narration of this first entry in a new romance series set in the worlds of biotechnology and finance. Devar's vibrant intonation and confident tone capture independent, thoughtful Sloan, an attorney who is bypassed as heir to her family's international business empire in favor of her older brother, Henry. With... Read More

Narrators are expected to distinguish between men and women--and Shayna Small does it exceptionally well. Historical fiction comes alive with this account of the life of Effa Manley, who became a Negro League team owner with her husband Abe from 1935 to 1948. Effa faced racial stereotypes, as well misogyny from entering a male domain. The audiobook is entertaining from start to... Read More

Ramón de Ocampo's narration quickly reveals the close relationship between 8-year-old Felix Powell and his dog, Mary Puppins. Instead of barks, Felix hears clearly the British accents of his canine best friend. De Ocampo builds Felix's quirky, questioning manner so that listeners are not surprised when he buys an old thrift store blanket that he's sure has magic, hides beneath... Read More

Nearly all of these 20 stories are better heard than read. Guest editor Lauren Groff vied for "rawer, meaner, spikier" stories that have their own "weird logic." Her choices are striking and unpredictable but tend to ramble over stretches of time without much suspense or dramatic resolution. This diverse ensemble brings variety, contrast, and narrative vigor that is mostly... Read More

Angel Pean narrates the chapters of San Francisco-based tech writer Bee Tyler, and Karen Malina White portrays Ohio farmer Clover Mills. Together, the narrators present a Christmastime romance that revolves around a house swap. In a story reminiscent of the movie THE HOLIDAY, two Black women are burned out and need a break. Clover finds queer friends and romance with Bee's... Read More

Narrator Zoë Chao takes listeners on a darkly humorous, violent fantasy ride. This fast-paced contemporary reimagining of Chinese mythology follows immortal sisters Su and Emerald, who were originally born as snakes. After a thousand years, they have drifted apart, with Su living a reserved married life in Singapore and Emerald living a wild life in New York City. Chao keeps... Read More

Creators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris return to narrate the third volume in their First Cat in Space graphic novel series. Its heroes face a villain who is likely to appeal to older listeners. That villain is Checkmate, a software program designed to correct grammar that decides to end all life on earth instead. Upon discovering the futility of its task, it turns everyone into... Read More

This thrilling performance by Katherine Littrell will captivate a wide audience. Junior high schooler Gigi is engrossed in her friend group and her crush on classmate Mari until she finds one of her teachers, Mr. Ford, murdered in a classroom. When Gigi and her friends team up to identify the murderer, she uncovers odd mysteries surrounding Mr. Ford. In addition, the romance... Read More

Listeners will empathize with closeted trans teen Asher Sullivan's dismay at finding himself moved to a Catholic high school for his senior year. His only escape from the school's Women in Christ club is a circus he escapes into in his dreams, in which he feels at home for the first time. The Midnight Circus brings him new challenges when his nighttime rival, Apollo, appears in... Read More

Anna Caputo brings both joy and melancholy into her narration of Jenny Green's failure at life as she has watched her friends succeed. At her college reunion, she is given a chance to make amends by a secret consortium of women who give out memos for success. Now Jenny travels back to key moments in her life, guided by her memo, which dictates what choices to make to succeed... Read More

With his recognizable gravelly voice, the Hootie and the Blowfish singer delivers his heartfelt memoir with genuine gusto. He narrates clearly and naturally, always sounding engaged with the considerable pathos of his personal life and career in music: his substance abuse, early career playing at frat parties and dive bars, and eventual status as a solo country music star. What... Read More

B.R. Myers's story, set in 1816 in Halifax and on an isolated island off its coast, is brought to life by Imogen Church. She has a unique ability to inject accents and personality into the diverse characters. The heroine, Emeline, narrates her own story. Her guardian, the imperious Mrs. Stackhouse, arranges Emeline's future with Captain Graves, whose first two wives died in... Read More

Narrator Kristin Atherton brings us to the tiny South Atlantic island of Tuga de Oro, known for being the most remote British colony in the world. London vet Charlotte Walker accepts a fellowship to study the endangered gold coin tortoises there, and perhaps find out more about herself. The caliber of acting Atherton displays is truly laudable. She goes beyond assigning... Read More

Narrator Stephen Graybill maintains a clearheaded instructive style in this entertaining economic history lesson. The audiobook provides a fresh approach that mixes microeconomics, which explains how individuals make decisions, and macroeconomics, the study of the economy as a whole. The presentation is packed with plenty of anecdotes and FREAKONOMICS-style examples. Graybill... Read More

Joy Osmanski's uplifting narration conveys a teen's affection for her family and passion for ocean life in this heartwarming story about environmental awareness. Osmanski is delightful as Grace, a curious, enthusiastic girl with a love of snorkeling. Grace is thrilled when she convinces her parents to go to Honduras for their annual family trip, so she can sample a new reef.... Read More

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld maintains a deliberate pace in this packed history of America's newborn spy network during WWII. The unexpected heroes are librarians, professors, and other bookish types who were experts in gathering--and fabricating--information. And what a story Maarleveld tells. Even familiar episodes like the planning of D-Day take on new fire and urgency in this... Read More

Most very good novels, like this one, cover a broad range of subjects, but they also often focus on some specific questions about human existence--in this case, what we do for love and how we recover from that. Narrator Marin Ireland manages to keep everything in this novel tied together without creating voices for all the numerous characters. She trusts the text to tell us who... Read More

Raffi and Britt are queer and extremely intelligent. Both are portrayed well by Natalie Naudus and Xe Sands. As a cosmologist, Raffi is searching for dark matter and longs to spend every free moment with Britt, a queer sculptor. Naudus and Sands provide strong performances in this speculative fiction, which explores parallel worlds; complex women who fracture into hordes of... Read More

Soneela Nankani captures the drama of this mystery set against a backdrop of luxury, a resort wedding that will bring together two Indian American families. She brings depth as her voice transitions smoothly between the different characters, adding a sense of distinctiveness to each one. Nankani maintains a steady pace throughout the audiobook, enhancing the suspense as Shay... Read More

Shayna Small enhances the atmospheric tension in this Southern noir with a strong style and flair. Her voice brings depth to the complex characters, particularly Clementine Baldwin, ex-cop turned private investigator. Small's steady, clear delivery allows listeners to easily follow the intricate plot. Her thoughtful pacing gives listeners time to absorb the evolving mystery... Read More

Atta Otigba maintains a steady and engaging narration of Able God's journey from hotel worker to fugitive migrant. Otigba draws listeners into Able's thoughts, giving us a clear sense of his fear when he is on the run and then falls into the hands of human traffickers. Otigba's pacing aligns well with the novel's tense moments, especially during Able's dangerous encounters.... Read More

With her vibrant and expressive delivery, Weruche Opia's narration elevates this family comedy about Temi, a young Nigerian woman who plans to have glute-enhancing surgery. Her ability to capture the distinct voices of Temi, her family, and the extended family of female characters adds depth to each personality, making the listener feel fully immersed in their world. Opia's... Read More

Narrator Eva Kaminsky gives this audiobook the respect it deserves as the author recounts the saga of the U.S. women's soccer team, whose players fought for an equal playing field through pay equity. Kaminsky clearly narrates with an interested tone, emotionally invested but never over the top. Every time she uses an accent in quoting someone, she does so with just the right... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini's spellbinding performance of this intergenerational tale of love and survival lingers in the mind long after one is done listening. Based on memories of the author's Dutch grandmother, the novel incorporates two stories--the child Mieke, who is trying to survive Holland's "Hunger Winter" of 1944, and Mieke's adult grandson, Will, who visits his now elderly... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld and Zachary Webber narrate this suspenseful romantic suspense. Maggie Chase writes cozy mysteries, and Ethan Wyatt writes popular thrillers. Maggie hates Ethan. Both have been invited to attend a Christmas party at an English estate. Upon arrival, Maggie and Ethan are stunned to find out that world-famous mystery writer Eleanor Ashley is hosting the party;... Read More

With a crisp delivery, Samuel West narrates this compelling story of Prime Minister H.H. Asquith and his all-consuming love affair with a woman half his age just before WWI. For this novel based on recently discovered letters, West uses his British accent to paint 1914 London with a colorful and detailed palette. Asquith's focus should be on the preparation for war, but, as... Read More

Rebecca Nagle gives a clear and compelling narration of her look into how a small-town murder in the Muscogee Nation led to a significant 2020 Supreme Court case--and the largest restoration of Native tribal land in American history. She shares her extensive research into the history behind this case while also contextualizing its impact on her own nation, the Cherokee, other... Read More

Mara Wilson gives an elegant performance of this novel about the residents of a women's hotel in mid-twentieth-century New York City. Her clear enunciation and careful pacing keep listeners oriented as the narrative sometimes abruptly shifts between the women's backstories and present-day lives. The plot begins with Mrs. Mossler, the hotel's long-term manager, who secured her... Read More

While there's no doubt that effective parenting is priceless, this audiobook takes that idea to a new, disturbing, and often hilarious level. Eva Kaminsky is a vocal magician in this performance, spinning from a lifelike child's tone to a sharp satirical one in a flash. Annie is struggling to keep up with the upper echelons of New York City's parent scene. Her latest goal is to... Read More

The pervasive emotion of this audiobook is grievance, largely in the form of "Mom didn't love me enough." Three generations of Cohen women complain their way through four decades, finding different levels and varieties of success, largely without men. Stacey Glemboski brings the text to life with a vividly emotional reading, but the women tend to sound very much alike. They ARE... Read More

Narrators Gilli Messer and Josh Bloomberg team up for a compelling performance of this young adult paranormal adventure. Molly is a vampire, and Boaz is a young man who can see the undead. When Molly's girlfriend, Anat, goes missing within the dark depths of New York City, Molly suspects Boaz is behind her disappearance. To ensure Anat's safe return, Molly must work with Boaz,... Read More

Narrator Jennifer Jill Araya helps listeners differentiate the characters in this story. When 12-year-old Cleo enters an apartment down the hall while looking for her cat, Muffin, she doesn't expect to discover that cats can talk or that they're running a secret society called PURR. Things only get stranger when she's persuaded to help the group fight against the evil plans of... Read More

Jennifer Bobiwash and Darrell Dennis deliver powerful performances as Ariel and Tomah, Native American teenagers who are living in an urban intertribal housing project. A musical introduction sets an inspiring and reflective tone for this moving dual narrative. Bobiwash captures Ariel's love of ballet, which diminished after the disappearance of her Auntie Bineshiinh. Bobiwash... Read More

In this debut novel, Jessica Regan becomes the voice of every woman who has ever struggled for personal freedom amid limited choices. Set in the mid-nineties in Ireland, the story focuses on three women who are in troubled marriages. With divorce illegal at the time, they labor to make their own choices--despite the men who control them and, ultimately, the outcomes of their... Read More

Narrating this cutting-edge guide to personal growth and initiative, Sean Pratt captures every bit of the author's enthusiasm for the lessons he learned while leading an innovation team at Google. Pratt's pitch patterns and phrasing are beautiful to hear. He uses strategic pauses that highlight important words, along with tone and intensity changes that sync perfectly with the... Read More

In narrating the three radio plays that open this audiobook, Simon Vance does not attempt to create voices for the many characters. Instead, he reads the tags that identify the speakers and provides each one with an emotional life. Postwar Polish writer Zbigniew Herbert's plays are mostly about philosophy anyway, so deep characterization is not so relevant. The poems here--like... Read More

Katherine Littrell narrates a mystery set on one of the Thousand Islands of the St Lawrence River in Upstate New York. After accidentally setting a house on fire, Marlowe needs to get away and accepts a summer job at a mansion where a historical mystery once took place. Littrell uses different tones to distinguish Marlowe's story in the present from that of the Ralston family... Read More

Alison Fensterstock and Ann Powers deliver an ambitious, sprawling, almost overwhelming project. That's by design. The history of music traditionally revolves around men and their recordings, with women as afterthoughts. This audiobook is not just about inclusion. It's a corrective recentering. The origin story of the song "Hound Dog" is a focal point. It's often attributed as... Read More

Golden Voice Narrator January LaVoy becomes the characters of Troy, Georgia, as they face off on the issue of banning books in libraries. Lula Dean, the prime book banner, fills her little free library with "wholesome books." Little does she know that her rival, Beverly Underwood's daughter, Lindsay, put banned books beneath the wholesome book jackets. Oh, my! LaVoy imbues... Read More

Cindy Kay's neighborly performance works well with this kind of self-help audiobook. Fascinating information offered in the language of social science is combined with careful prescriptions on how to adjust our social connections to improve our satisfaction with life. Kay's careful phrasing makes everything clear while her palpable belief in the author's intentions invites... Read More

This audiobook plunges listeners into an enchanting fantasy world in which dragons transform into moons and political intrigue takes center stage. Raeve, a skilled and determined assassin, crosses paths with Kaan, a grieving revolutionary, setting off a tale of love, loss, and rebellion. Sarah Mollo-Christensen's narration is a master class in nuance--her portrayal of Raeve... Read More

Kathleen Early is almost too good at realistically voicing the abusive and sadistic characters who populate the latest Will Trent thriller. Listeners will feel their skin crawl. Audiobook 12 in the series revolves around a gruesome murder that occurs at a remote mountain lodge owned by a criminally dysfunctional family. As a counterbalance to Early's vocally distinct portrayal... Read More

Ron Butler buoyantly portrays a dog named "No Sam," who thinks he's human and tells his story via daily diary entries. Listeners meet Sam when he runs away from a neglectful owner and is soon adopted by the Peterson family as a pal for young, lonely Justin. Sam, in his doggy-sounding thoughts, believes humans are naked monkeys he needs to protect. Well-rendered, often hilarious... Read More

In this gentle YA novel, Austin Ku voices the perspective of a high school junior, who lives in New York City. Felix Ma's college admissions coach (hired by his parents) is pushing him to create an Ivy League-worthy project to describe in his applications. So he works on his own film with his new friends, Gaspard and Cassie. While Felix is platonically drawn to Cassie, his... Read More

In this audiobook thriller, women take action against violent men, cruel women, and a world that underestimates them and takes them for granted. Sisters Paula and Julie grow up with a vengeful mother, ultimately paying the price for her choices. Three narrators take turns voicing the lead as the story jumps around in time, making the shifts easy for listeners to manage. As... Read More

Listeners go on a cruise with narrator Joy Nash in this hilarious and heartfelt Sapphic romance with a touch of suspense. Krysta Morton claims she's done being a bodyguard--that is, until she's offered a lucrative sum of money to watch celebrity influencer Addison Hayes. Now that she's finally making waves with her career, Addison is expanding her empire with her first branded... Read More

Narrator Mark Sanderlin creates a youthful voice for 12-year-old Luca, who loves making exciting new pizzas at the restaurant owned by his parents despite his mom's desire to stick to the basics. When he sees his parents' business and marriage struggling, Luca takes a chance and applies to be on his favorite television show, "Pizza Perfect." If he can come out on top with a... Read More

Sisters Jessie and Brea, and bandmate Flo, all portrayed by narrator Kristen Sieh, are tight as a cover band and even more so as a crew of vigilante hit women with verve and style. Youers writes action scenes like a house afire, but the real enjoyment of this audiobook is the women's sisterhood, which is depicted with love and affection. A serial killer called The Wren pops up... Read More

Cynthia Nixon tells this story of loss with empathy and compassion. Magda is taking the road trip her best friend, Sara, had planned for the two of them--she's traveling with an urn containing Sara's remains. Except for the hint of Sweden in one character's voice, Nixon doesn't employ accents to identify characters. Instead, her amazing ability to insert emotions into their... Read More

DEEP WATER is both a call to action to combat climate change and a celebration of the marvels of the ocean. Narrator Stephen James King's performance expresses those twin intentions with grace notes of wonder alongside clear worry and concern. King's gentle Australian accent is a constant reminder that rising ocean temperatures are a global catastrophe. Bradley casts his net... Read More

Andrew Byron's voice sets the scene of a historic city with a culture steeped in both Europe and the East. His performance is transporting, embedding listeners in the city of Lviv, Ukraine. This fascinating place and its impact on its residents is the heartbeat of this quietly moving audiobook. Deeply drawn characters, including aging hippies, a former secret policeman, and a... Read More

Narrator iiKane shows astounding vocal versatility in this suburban horror audiobook about a bizarre Homeowners Association. Sol and her wife, Alice, finally purchased a home in a gated community. But nosy neighbors, microaggressions, and tree roots growing where they don't belong unsettle Sol, who is stuck at home on probation after a plagiarism accusation at work. iiKane... Read More

Rasha Zamamiri's husky voice and believable Indian accents fill this delectable audiobook with humor. Thirteen-year-old Indian American Sammy, who is Muslim, has plans for the two weeks her parents and older sister are in India: books, videos, and staying in her room. But her heavily accented, gregarious grandmother, Umma, turns Sammy's plans upside down. Through Umma, Sammy... Read More

Vikas Adam and Soneela Nankani narrate a story of a fake marriage of convenience loosely inspired by Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT. Veera Mathur and Deepak Datta never meant to end up married to each other, but they decide to make the best of the situation as it solves problems for both of them. However, all too soon their feelings become too real to ignore. Veera has quite a bit... Read More

Narrator Jeremy Carlisle Parker perfectly portrays Maggie Moore in this quirky, clever mystery. Maggie, a graduate student in forensic linguistics with a complicated history, is unique. Tattooed, pierced, and foulmouthed, she diagrams sentences for fun. Parker captures all of these characteristics, and listeners will find themselves charmed. Maggie, a genius when it comes to... Read More

There's plenty of meat in these 20+ hours chronicling the life and career of THE NEW YORKER'S defining editor, Katharine White. But much could have been condensed. The author has thoroughly researched White and the magazine, and Christa Lewis's forceful narration keeps to a good pace, even through the sluggish opening hours. The narrative comes together in the 1930s when the... Read More

Christopher Gebauer narrated the tragic novel ORBITING JUPITER and now delivers its companion; both stories are told in the voice of an eighth-grader named Jack. Gebauer also reflects the silliness of 3-year-old Jupiter and the cheer and warmth of Jack's family, who are planning to adopt her. Gebauer expresses Jack's rage and grief as Jupiter's adoption is challenged by her... Read More

Craig Foster narrates his lyrical meditation on our human connection with the wild in a gentle voice that reflects the limpid ocean from which life evolved. The documentary photographer and producer of many films, including MY OCTOPUS TEACHER, has written a mix of memoir and personable treatise on nature and our place in it. While he sometimes pauses unexpectedly mid-sentence,... Read More

Narrators Kirsten Potter and Leon Nixon deliver assured performances of the women and men who helped shape nineteenth- and twentieth- century American history and culture through their explorations of its terrain, flora, and fauna--and the lands beyond. These individuals represent diverse perspectives that will take listeners outside traditional narratives of exploratory... Read More

Georgina Campbell performs this gothic tale set in 1840s England. Orabella Mumthrope finds herself marrying a mysterious, wealthy stranger to help settle her uncle's debt. At her husband's historic home, she meets his family, all of whom seem to have far too many secrets. Campbell's performance capture's Orabella's frustration as she's given a strict routine and told never to... Read More

Fajer Al-Kaisi delivers a dynamic performance of this mystery set at Samsara, a luxury spa in India. After leaving his demanding job, Ro Krishna takes a much needed rest at Samsara, where he meets other members of the one percent. When a holiday event goes awry, leaving one guest dead and others under suspicion, Ro must rely on his instincts to uncover the killer and prevent... Read More

The combined strengths of Joe Eyre, Sarah Slimani, Roly Botha, Laurence Dobiesz, and Tuppence Middleton create a stellar full-cast production. Listeners will be caught up in this well-executed story of a friendly get-together that turns into a murder mystery. We are taken into the opulent atmosphere of The Manor, a luxurious resort teeming with intrigue. Eyre and Slimani bring... Read More

Narrator Oliver Hembrough vividly describes the journey of ex-detective Jake Jackson from London to an off-the-grid sanctuary. Listeners join Jake as he dives into frigid water, jogs, and makes mouthwatering meals. Despite his hermitic existence, he regularly sees veterinarian Livia and her daughter--both tenderly rendered. The peaceful idyll is disrupted when Jackson helps a... Read More

TV writer/producer Gary Janetti is a fine traveling companion. His vocal style may remind listeners of David Sedaris, but his opinions and wit are his own. He takes the listener on a grand tour of his favorite places and packs this audiobook with observations on such topics as the decline of fashion on airplanes, along with tips on how to shut off unwanted conversation and how... Read More

This deep dive into African American athletic greats, written by the late tennis star Arthur Ashe, is a who's who of both well-known and under-the-radar names in American sports. Landon Woodson narrates the chronology that moves listeners sport by sport--from baseball to basketball to football, track, boxing, and more. Woodson steadily guides listeners through the encyclopedic... Read More

British narrator Emma Hussey delivers an exploration of volcanoes throughout the earth's past, present, and future. Transported from the ancient eruption at Pompeii to active volcanoes in Nicaragua and Hawaii, listeners are drawn into a layered understanding of their global impact and cultural significance. Hussey's grounded performance cedes center stage to these awe-inspiring... Read More

Joyce Maynard's sweater-warm voice is rich with nuance as she performs her newest, a sequel to her Earphones Award-winning COUNT THE WAYS. Taking place between 2010 and 2024, the story finds Eleanor, a successful writer, back on the family's New England farm after her former husband's death. In a story that is simultaneously profound and quotidian, she navigates life with three... Read More

Narrator Karen Malina White brings sweet sincerity to this middle-grade audiobook. Sunny and her brother, Miles, have depended on their grandmother since the death of their parents. When Nanna is placed in an elder-care facility because of a faltering memory, Sunny is both terrified at what may become of them and determined to use Nanna's favorite fable to craft a cure for her... Read More

Carlotta Brentan's narration offers all the glamour and sparkle of Rome in the 1960s. After marrying David Shepard, an American diplomat based in Italy, Teddy Huntley Carlyle experiences life in the Euro fast lane. Royalty, film stars, corporate executives, foreign diplomats, Russian spies, and American expats populate her new life. But Teddy has secrets that could destroy... Read More

A talented ensemble cast narrates a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller set at a prestigious Miami public school. When newcomer Melody Howard arrives from Kansas, she is swept into the glamorous world of PTA moms at her daughter's new school. Andi Arndt's portrayal of Melody as she slowly unravels due to the high-stakes pressure of her new environment is compelling. Other... Read More

Prepare to be swept away to Scotland's northernmost reaches, wrapped warmly in the voice of narrator Eilidh Beaton. She pipes out quiet, unassuming Gertie MacIntyre's daydreams as she works in the local grocery store, knitting constantly. In contrast, opinionated pilot Morag sounds definitive, even as she proposes that Gertie fill in at the airfield, a miraculous new start for... Read More

Listeners will savor this story of high school soulmates reuniting under less-than-ideal circumstances. Narrator Rebecca Lowman has a subtly elegant voice that allows the story to shine. Shiloh and Cary were best friends in high school who were secretly in love, but self-doubt and immaturity kept them apart. Eventually, they lost touch. Now 33 and divorced with two kids, Shiloh... Read More

Each portion of this slow-burn thriller is tackled by a different narrator who adds their own unique twist to Swanson's layered characters. Saskia Maarleveld delivers librarian Martha Ratliff's chapters, highlighting Martha's curiosity and distress. Kathleen Early narrates Lily Kitner's point of view. Early's performance sounds stiff in contrast to Maarleveld's. Newlywed Martha... Read More

It's rewarding to listen to a novel that depicts the effects of tumultuous times upon several generations of a family. Maggi-Meg Reed and Mark Bramhall portray various members of the Taylor family and their associates. Reed and Bramhall provide clear differentiation between characters, including young attorney Nick Taylor, who works for American Oil; Bet, his devoted wife and... Read More

Narrator Elisa Melendez delivers this LGTBQIA story in a solid voice. While it deals with sensitive topics, the main character, Daya Keane, has a resilience and self-assurance that are illuminated by Melendez. Queer high school junior Daya cannot believe it when her longtime crush, Beckett Wild, speaks to her at a party neither one should have attended. Since her father left... Read More

In this highly personal biography, a music journalist and student of the music scene from the 1960s to the present describes the life of the iconic singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. Powers rejects the usual boundaries between writer and biographical subject, making her own life as a Mitchell fan an essential part of the story. Narrator Hillary Huber approaches this stirring... Read More

Jean Ann Douglass narrates this Depression-era story of an orphaned runt bear that is saved by the cook at an isolated logging camp and raised to be part of the cook's family and the camp community. When a savage death occurs, Bruno the bear is blamed, kidnapped, and sold. The cook's daughter, Pearly, determined to save her "brother" from certain death, sets off on a perilous... Read More

Author and narrator Moon Unit Zappa recounts her nontraditional upbringing in the same simple, honest manner she had as a child. Zappa emphasizes certain words as she describes how her younger self craved attention from her parents, especially her father, Frank Zappa, the renowned innovative musician. She shares high school memories and her family's reputation for liking to... Read More

Johnny Rey Diaz navigates these short stories with touching empathy. He performs the lived experiences of Salvadorans and the larger Latin American diaspora in ways both fascinating and challenging. Reyes, Jr's, storytelling starts conventionally but soon evolves into darker themes that capture the impact of late capitalism, which is characterized, in part, by the drive to... Read More

Narrator Callie Dalton brings the steam to the second Big Shots title. Tallulah accepts a live-in nanny job for Boston hockey star Burgess's daughter even though a traumatic past experience makes cohabitating difficult for her. The audio starts off a little stiffly, and Tallulah and Burgess are difficult to differentiate in conversation during the introductory chapters. Once... Read More

This audiobook opens in London, where Lady Elizabeth Palmer is convinced that someone is trying to kill her. Saskia Maarleveld and Pete Simonelli return to narrate this newest FBI Thriller featuring Agents Lacey Sherlock and Dillon Savich. Simonelli's resonant voice is well suited to portray Savich's calm capability, and Maarleveld shines when delivering Sherlock's dialogue,... Read More

Alexandra Hunter and Michael Crouch narrate the alternating perspectives of two talented teens, Jude and Florence. Together, they celebrate "sunrise night," a tradition of their Michigan arts camp. Hunter's portrayal of Florence has an undercurrent of sarcasm that is illuminated when Florence reveals that her dancing may end due to a worsening eye condition. Crouch presents the... Read More

Willy Vlautin narrates this novel, a series of linked stories, with the gentle twang of a vintage Telecaster. His characters are woven into the settings of the American Southwest, around Las Vegas and Reno, in run-down hotels and casinos. Here, guitar players are buoyed by their love of performing music, even if the audience is small and disinterested. Here, listeners trace the... Read More

Amanda Ronconi's spirited narration contrasts with Sebastian York's stoic delivery of this new audio romance. After her relationship with a famous musician ends acrimoniously, Aurora rents a small apartment in her former hometown. Upon arrival, she discovers that the actual landlord, Tobias Rhodes, wasn't informed of the arrangement made by his young son. As she regains her... Read More

Joy Nash gives a sparkling performance of this enemies-to-lovers story, the first in a new romance series set in small-town Maryland. Athena finds herself stranded in Harlot's Bay when her fiancé, Johnny, breaks their engagement. She has left her teaching position and has impulsively purchased the ten-foot-wide Spite House as a wedding gift for Johnny. Next door lives Johnny's... Read More

A coming-of-age story turned brutal murder mystery morphs into a queer love story of legal injustice. Hope Newhouse's gripping narration builds the mystery and listeners' emotions equally, balancing the complex themes with dark humor. Thirteen-year-old Lacey Bond is living in rural New Hampshire during the '90s Satanic Panic, a time of mass hysteria attributable to children... Read More

Rosemary Benson's clear and empathetic voice is perfect for this combination of self-help and memoir. In 1995, Kathy Giusti was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and given three years to live. She was only 37 years old and had a small child, a happy marriage, and a flourishing career. She began keeping a diary for her daughter and now draws on decades of entries for this... Read More

George Newbern and Johnathan McClain narrate this story of heroism, blackmail, and secrets. When a high school teacher named Richard, portrayed by Newbern, thwarts an attempted school massacre, he ends up in the spotlight. The publicity catches the attention of a former student who accuses him of abuse and blackmails him. While attempting to clear his name, Richard uncovers... Read More

Former Young People's Poet Laureate Naomi Shihab Nye delivers her latest collection, subtitled "Poems About Families." They're mostly focused on her relationship with her mother. Nye has a comfortable, unaffected delivery. Her voice has an unstudied tone, but, make no mistake, every syllable lands with precise intent. The poems are short and, at times, breathtakingly revealing,... 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

Ari Fliakos and a full cast perform this gripping story of moviemaking gone wrong. "The Thin Kid," portrayed by Ari Fliakos, played a pivotal role in a never-released indie horror movie filmed in the 1990s. Now, he's been asked to reprise his role in the remake. An ensemble of narrators perform the screenplay, moving back and forth between the original version and the revised... Read More

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini once again invites listeners into the lives of retired legendary spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon and a host of familiar characters. Allon is asked by an acquaintance to unofficially assist in the investigation of an art history professor's brutal murder in Cornwall. With the talented Ballerini as a guide, listeners follow the fast-paced plot from... Read More

This delightful summer beach story narrated beautifully by Nan McNamara has amusing rom-com-style humor yet also delivers a sensitive treatment of a delicate subject. During their annual week in a Cape Cod rental, Rocky and her husband are joined by their adult children. McNamara doesn't provide extensive vocal characterizations, but she charmingly portrays Rocky's negotiation... Read More

David Lee Huynh, Nicky Endres, Zoleka Vundla, and Katherine Littrell skillfully portray eight different characters in this speculative novel set in the near and extreme futures. Yonghun, a researcher who teaches poetry to an AI, is cured of cancer after nanotherapy replaces his human cells with android cells. All who receive the miraculous cure become immortal, changing the... Read More

Robert Petkoff holds a steady course through an audiobook that links the legend of Alexander the Great to archaeological evidence and an array of histories, classic and modern. Alexander is arguably the most celebrated, most storied, most enigmatic figure in ancient history. Most historians focus on the Macedonian general's early conquest of the Persian Empire, slighting his... Read More

Helen Laser gives an extraordinary performance of this inventive story set in the world of reality television. Marsh is a 40-something divorced woman with an unsatisfying career, an unhappy romantic life, and a complicated relationship with her teenage daughter. When she's selected to star in a reality TV show that is a global sensation, she is given the opportunity to redo her... Read More

Graham Halstead narrates the story of 1980s Pop artist Keith Haring's life and the New York gay and celebrity cultures in which he thrived and grew as an artist. Haring's trademark image of a baby, called "Radiant Child," first appeared as graffiti on lampposts and in the subway, eventually growing into a logo, a nickname, and a calling card for Haring. Halstead delivers... 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

Dominic Hoffman narrates this moving audiobook with reverence and excitement as the author examines the cultural contributions of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie. With his strong tone and gravelly timbre, Hoffman narrates with fidelity to every nuance and theme in this eloquent work. All three iconic front men were showmen as much as musicians, and all... Read More

Scott Brick ratchets up the tension and lays on the pathos in this fast-paced political thriller. Iles's take on the age of Trump and the threat of another Civil War features Penn Cage, from his acclaimed Natchez Burning trilogy. The former prosecutor, now mayor of Natchez, Mississippi, becomes entangled in the third-party presidential campaign of war hero Robert E. Lee White,... Read More

Joniece Abbott-Pratt gives a dramatic performance of this flawed but interesting social issue drama. Her remarkably beautiful voice makes a sympathetic vehicle for the heroine, Deena Wood, a young, Black lawyer who has come home to Brunswick, Georgia, to nurse her wounds after a series of personal disasters. Deena's growing obsession with an old man's strange disappearance... Read More

Andi Arndt narrates this lively romance between Anna, a PI, and Owen, the owner of an adventure company at Lake Tahoe. They are thrust together when Anna finds a gold coin in her late father's belongings that was stolen from Owen's aunt. Anna takes on the job of proving her father's innocence by way of her sister Wendy, who is pregnant with triplets and bedridden. Arndt... Read More

Narrator Jeena Yi guides listeners through the author's journey to find her roots and her realization that where we are may be more important than where we came from. Tracy O'Neill has always loved her adoptive family, but when COVID-19 struck the U.S., she worried about her birth mother across the world in South Korea dying alone. Enlisting detectives and distant relatives,... Read More

Alex Jennings provides a sensitive narration of Perry's multilayered novel, a meditation on loneliness and the fragility of human connections, as seen through the motif of a comet's recurring orbits. With a thoughtful air, Jennings tells the interconnected stories of columnist Thomas Hart, a closeted gay man who lives in the village of Aldleigh; Maria Vaduva, a... Read More

In this exhilarating audiobook, brought to life by Michael Boatman's exceptional narration, Addison McKellar learns that her husband, Dean, has vanished. She seeks the help of legendary PI Porter Hayes. Hayes soon uncovers far more about Addison's husband than even his wife has ever known, including the revelation that Dean's identity is fake. Boatman delivers a stand-out... Read More

Charley Flyte's performance of Deborah Taffa's memoir is beautifully nuanced and sensitive, and her ease with Indigenous names lends additional authenticity. As a child and teenager, Taffa struggled to understand her place in the world. When her parents moved off the Yuma reservation in search of better jobs, Taffa was cut off from her traditional family and culture. She was... Read More

Narrator Michael Crouch's accent plunges the listener into the Ozarks setting of this YA novel. Willie is most comfortable in his older brother's shadow. He's also at a loss over his parents' separation. Crouch gives listeners a soft-spoken and thoughtful young man whose tone is full of his yearning to better understand his place in the world. At first, the phone game Manifest... Read More

There is a simplicity to 11-year-old Safiyyah's life within the Grand Mosque of Paris, where she lives in 1940. Shala Nyx's narration reflects Safiyyah's innocence, the love and warmth of her family and friends, and the way she cares so kindly for them. But soon curiosity and discomfort creep into her life, which are reflected in Nyx's reading. As German soldiers invade her... 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

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld enlivens the characters in this masterfully crafted window onto the 1950s. While there are murders and other crimes, the focus is the individual stories of the women boarders of Briarwood House in Washington, DC. The novel depicts the realities of the McCarthy era: women's evolving roles, racism, and immigrant challenges. While the recipes sprinkled... Read More

Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning poet Mary Oliver has written 15 provocative and thoughtful works of prose on topics ranging from nature to understanding and defining poetry and the fascinating life of the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. Narrator Kimberly Farr is earnest and heartfelt; she speaks with clarity and certainty. Her tone is playful; her pitch moves up... Read More

Francine Prose is a prolific author of novels and nonfiction, as well as a writing professor. Her first memoir focuses on a pivotal year. She narrates with a halting cadence and a kind of singsong delivery, yet her tone sounds flat. More's the pity--her prose is elegant, and she's a fine storyteller, setting the listener squarely in San Francisco of the year 1974, when she had... Read More

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

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

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

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

Narrator Aaron Goodson captures the essence of a special park on a sunny day. Houston's Emancipation Park, built after the Civil War to commemorate the holiday now known as Juneteenth, has been through periods of prosperity, disrepair, and renewal. Goodson gives voice to the park as he describes how it has been central to the life of Houston's Black community for more than a... Read More

Vico Ortiz narrates a raucous space adventure rom-com with infectious energy. It's 2061, and Cleo and her three best friends--all scientists--sneak aboard to explore the neglected rocket PROVIDENCE I. The friends grew up fascinated with the story of its failed launch 20 years earlier, when its 203-person crew mysteriously vanished. But when Cleo inadvertently starts the dark... Read More

Megan Tusing breathes life into this story of three college friends: Adam, Polly, and Hope. They are gathering in June 2021 for their 25th reunion, which was postponed the year before because of Covid. Now they're trying to reconcile who they were then with who they've become in this post-pandemic world. Once close, they have drifted apart and kept secrets until a crisis... Read More

Alex Hyde-White's weathered voice perfectly embodies this tragic story of long-held secrets. Years after her brother's mysterious death, Amanda seeks answers. She travels to a small Oregon town, home to a boys' institution where her brother was placed after being removed from her childhood home. There she seeks the help of a police officer who is familiar with the case. The... 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

Narrator Jorjeana Marie is fantastic in this rom-com. Sloan promised to be completely committed to her dream job of video game designer if she lands the position. Her neighbor, Charlie, had his heart broken right before the romantic vacation he had planned. Charlie invites Sloan to fake date over the course of the vacation to make his ex jealous. Sloan wouldn't mind making her... 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

Deja Bowens's deft performance mines the humor and pathos of Pumkin Patterson, a determined 13-year-old who is navigating life in Kingston, Jamaica. Bowens's expressive voice brings depth to the characters--from Pumkin herself to her volatile mother, Paulette, and her ambitious Aunt Sophie. When Sophie offers Pumkin the opportunity to escape her parents' tumultuous relationship... Read More

Narrator Alexandra Grey transports listeners to a working-class neighborhood in 1980-1990s Madrid. The coming-of-age story is told through the first-person perspective of an unnamed trans woman who recounts growing up in a poverty-stricken area of Madrid that is filled with heroin addiction, violence, death. Grey's understated performance of the lyrical writing creates a... 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

The trials and tribulations of a young person's senior year in high school can make for a gripping listen. Add the loss of a father at the start of high school, as well as the voice of a professional wrestler making occasional snide remarks that only our heroine, Julie, can hear, and you have the makings of an entertaining and heartwarming story. Joy Nash does a great job... 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

Escape with narrators EmmaClaire Brightlyn and Martin Quinn to the quaint and picturesque Scottish Isle of Skye in this heartfelt romance. Returning to Scotland, April Sinclair has big plans for her family's whisky distillery now that her once flourishing acting career has fizzled. However, she doesn't expect to find handsome but grumpy Malcolm Macabe living in the home she's... Read More

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

Victoria Villarreal performs impressive vocal acrobatics as she narrates this reimagined tale of Zorro. Leonora, the illegitimate mestiza daughter of the Viceroy of Mexico, has a reputation to uphold. But she cannot look away and do nothing as Spanish conquerors subjugate the various Indigenous people of Mexico. Harnessing the power of the sun and the Indigenous gods, she... Read More

Kit Griffiths transports listeners back to Middren for more battles with power-hungry gods and kings in this second installment of the Fallen Gods series. Still reeling from his brush with death, Elogast reckons with his new position as rebellion leader against Arren, the king who is marching through Middren in search of worshippers. At the same time, Inara struggles to find... Read More

Narrator Joel Leslie brings his usual charm to Cat Sebastian's latest historical romance. Eddie O'Leary, the star shortstop for the New York Robins, is not having a star season--he's deep in a record-breaking slump. Mark Bailey, a reporter for the NEW YORK CHRONICLE who is mourning the death of his partner, certainly doesn't want to write weekly columns about Eddie. Leslie... Read More

Lindsey Dorcus depicts a teen romance between a newspaper nerd and a volleyball jock. When Jordan Elliott is given the volleyball beat for her school newspaper, she's devastated--not least because her nemesis, Mackenzie West, is captain of the volleyball team. Dorcus captures all the conflicting feelings that Jordan has about her unwanted assignment and about working closely... 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

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

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

Chicago private detective V.I. Warshawski is once again delivered vividly to fans of this mystery series. Emotionally recovering from her devastating last case, V.I. has traveled to Kansas for a relaxing weekend to watch a college basketball game. But when a young woman disappears, she is reluctantly drawn into a complex web of suspicious circumstances involving the local drug... Read More

This humble and wonderful performance by Hope Newhouse will engage a wide audience. Two Sophies are best friends; one is an elementary school student, and the other is an aging woman who is beginning her struggle with memory loss. When home-care options are weighed, younger Sophie listens to the many memories of elder Sophie. Newhouse's ability to transform her narration to... Read More

Narrator Johnathan McClain creates a motley crew of memorable personalities that make this thriller compelling listening. The central character is Hardy "Hardly" Reed, a drifter who works in a run-down amusement park with an assortment of losers. When Hardly sees a mother with children who appear to have been abused at the DMV, he sets out to learn who they are and rescue them.... Read More

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

Narrator Lauren Sweet's dynamic range captures the sweet and spicy aspects of this queer rom-com. Romance novelist Truly and divorce attorney Colin represent opposite professional ideologies. After a combative podcast discussion, Truly swears the two are enemies--despite her lustful thoughts upon initially meeting Colin. Colin feels otherwise, and in his efforts to get Truly to... Read More

Aimee Nezhukumatathil's voice is warm and inviting as she performs her essay collection celebrating all things food. In each work, the author, who is Filipina and Malayali Indian, centers her thoughts on one of her favorite foods, giving listeners glimpses of her life. In one essay she connects shave ice with some of the beloved people she's shared it with. In another, she... Read More

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

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

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

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

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

Josh Bloomberg's narration is a fine match of text and voice. The tumultuous events that took place in Kyiv/Kiev during the Russian Civil War (1917-1922) are interwoven throughout this exciting historical mystery by Kurkov, who has been called Ukraine's most celebrated novelist. The story concerns a young engineer turned police detective named Samson Kolechko and his... 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

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

An ensemble of outstanding narrators breathes terror into this stand-alone thriller focused on the disappearance of college student Nina Fraser. When Nina fails to return home from a vacation with her boyfriend, Simon Jordan, the stories, lies, and the demonic use of social media create a dark hole that listeners will fall into. Listeners hear from each of the main characters... Read More

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

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

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

This audiobook pays tribute to two of the wealthiest and most generous entrepreneurs in the U.S., Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. The long friendship between Warren and Bill, as they're called here, offers little drama and narrative tension, and narrator George Newbern effectively keeps the tone light, buddy-to-buddy. He chronicles how each man made his fortune, but the focus is... Read More

Hanako Footman brings gravitas and humor to this psychologically insightful novel based on the true crime of a gourmet cook/con woman/serial killer. Using a clever ploy, journalist Rika secures a meeting with taciturn Manako Kajii in her Tokyo jail cell. Imprisoned for the deaths of three wealthy businessmen, Kajii refuses to talk about her case but willingly talks about food,... 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

Mapuana Makia lends her rich voice to this young adult fantasy. Hanalei, of the island Tamarind, has been living in exile since her father stole a seadragon egg. There she meets Sam, a lost prince, also from Tamarind. Together, they discover they can go home if they find the dragonfruit, a coveted treasure with great power. Makia delivers a balanced cadence and an intrigued... 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

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

The best poets get that way because they have given a great deal of thought to questions such as: "What is poetry?" "How does it get that way?" Mary Oliver was one of those best poets, and in this audio version of her classic work about how to write and read poetry she offers some answers, both detailed and expansive, to John Ciardi's classic question: "How does a poem mean?"... Read More

Miranda Raison performs this magical adventure set on an alternative Earth, where a collection of mysterious books gives special powers to those who possess one of its volumes. When a customer dies in the bookstore where she works, Cassie discovers that he's left her an old, leather-bound work called THE BOOK OF DOORS, which can open almost any door across the world. In... Read More

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

Daniel Philpott's vibrant character portrayals create palpable tension in this murder mystery set in Brighton, England. Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens's Christmas is off to a sinister start: Two children have gone missing. Philpott conveys the town's growing anxiety as time passes and they are not found. His diverse voices bring out the personalities of the town's... Read More

The privileged world of the spirited Isabella Stewart Gardner is aptly captured by the patrician voice of narrator Maggi-Meg Reed. Born in 1840 to a wealthy family in New York City, Isabella married Boston Brahmin Jack Gardner and proceeded to both dazzle and confuse proper Boston elites. Reed softens her tone when "Mrs. Jack" suffers the death of her only child, to recover,... Read More

Narrator Rainy Fields portrays Rain Berghoff in this audiobook for young listeners. Fourteen-year-old Rain is facing the challenges that typically come at that age, as well as significant additional struggles related to her family, her Native American identity, and a devastating personal loss. Fields is convincing as young Rain. Her tone is earnest, and her timbre is distinctly... Read More

In this audiobook, we delve into the tale of Balthazar and his band of thieves, embarking on what first appears to be a straightforward heist. Sunil Malhotra's exceptional narration is the highlight; he provides each character with a unique voice that vividly paints the story's universe. The drama quickly escalates as the characters are entangled in a grandiose plot involving... Read More

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

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

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

Narrator Aoife McMahon transports listeners to 1960s Dublin, where a young journalist, Nicoletta Sarto, strives to be successful in a profession dominated by men. When Nicoletta covers a story about bones being found in a garden, she finds herself investigating a 25-year-old mystery with connections to her. McMahon is the perfect narrator for this story, especially as she... Read More

Featuring an ensemble cast, this audiobook introduces teenaged female soldiers known as "kindlings." Trained to kill from the age of five by using magic that drains their lifespan, they are now prohibited from using their skills. But violence lingers, and seven kindlings join together for one last fight to save a country village. Despite the use of an individual narrator to... Read More

In the final book in the Danny Ryan Trilogy, a masterpiece of crime writing, Ari Fliakos delivers an astounding, empathetic performance. Rhode Island Irish mobster Danny Ryan's journey began decades ago when he evolved from a longshoreman to a small-time mobster and then to a multimillionaire Las Vegas hotelier. Winslow based Ryan's journey on the Greek tragedies THE ILIAD, THE... Read More

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

Activist Ijeoma Oluo calls upon her years of experience and numerous contacts to assemble this collection of interviews with leaders across the social justice movement. As narrator, her gentle vocal tone does not diminish her steely resolve to call upon each listener to become more involved and to have a greater understanding of the needs of all people. First-person accounts... Read More

Author and narrator Anna Shechtman guides listeners through this combination feminist history of the crossword puzzle and personal memoir. As a young woman struggling with the compulsions of anorexia, Schectman discovered that crafting crossword puzzles distracted her from self-destructive behavior. At 18, she had her first puzzle published in THE NEW YORK TIMES. Schectman... Read More

Rebecca Lowman was born to narrate Laurie Colwin's transcendent novel, published posthumously in 1993. Lowman's extraordinary performance transports listeners to the charming Manhattan enclave where Colwin's characters continue to enchant. There is a lovely continuity to Colwin's stories, and Lowman's pitch-perfect characterizations and witty delivery of dialogue captures this... Read More

Rory Kinnear's performance of the fifth Hawthorne and Horowitz mystery is "something of a masterclass," says author Anthony Horowitz in a recorded postscript that praises Kinnear's flair and fluency. Indeed, Kinnear's voice--rich and resonant, with precise articulation--is one of the many pleasures in this outing of the comical, ill-matched pair as they investigate which... Read More

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

Anna Caputo uses a blend of authority and compassion to deliver oncologist Elizabeth Comen's accounts of the ineffective and even harmful medical treatment given to women over four centuries. Comen's hands-on experience and extensive research inform her narrative of doctors' gross misunderstandings of women's bodies. Caputo delivers startling stories of bizarre treatments that... Read More

Hip-hop artist Tony Keith, Jr., narrates his free-verse coming-of-age memoir. His pacing and tone allow listeners to feel the power of his words and imagine his world. His skill as a narrator is evident as he delivers lyrical imagery mixed with dialect. Sound effects illuminate the poems' themes: Drums aid listeners in picturing the richness of African imagery in one poem; in... Read More

Anishinaabe performer Jennifer Bobiwash returns as Jo Jo Makoons, an ebullient Ojibwe first grader. Jo Jo's class is studying healthy foods, but when a snowstorm closes school, Jo Jo and her reservation friends get to celebrate their first snow day. Jo Jo tells her tale in the first person, and Bobiwash infuses her performance with just the right combination of childish... Read More

Alexandra Hunter narrates this complex exploration of grief with tender sincerity. Atlas James is utterly shattered by the death of her father, the only person she feels ever understood her. After a series of poor decisions, Atlas (newly rechristened "Maps") ends up alongside a group of total strangers in a community service project devoted to rehabilitating the wilderness... Read More

Shaun Taylor-Corbett movingly narrates this sequel to HEALER OF THE WATER MONSTER. Brian Young's use of his own family history and Navajo spiritual figures brings added dimension to this story. First, listeners meet Nathan, the new guardian of Dew, a young water monster who is learning traditional songs to create water for parched Phoenix. Taylor-Corbett perfectly contrasts the... Read More

Listeners will just have to imagine the piano music in this atmospheric novel, set in 1890s France. Léon Delafosse is a piano prodigy whose talents take him from the French countryside to Paris. But in order to advance his career and his standing in fickle Paris high society, he must secure a patron. While narrator Mark Sanderlin's pronunciation of French words is flawless, the... Read More

History consists of events conducted mostly by men and recorded by men. In her clear, uncompromising voice, Philippa Gregory turns the tables, taking listeners through 900 years of abuse and betrayals, yearnings and near-miraculous accomplishments of women. Frequent interjections by Clare Corbett, Tania Rodrigues, Nneka Okoye, James Goode, and Joe Jameson provide voices for the... Read More

Tania De Rozario performs her essay collection, which revolves around her experience growing up as a fat mixed-race queer girl in Singapore. When she was a child, school administrators required her to eat smaller meals and exercise more. After her mother learned of De Rozario's sexuality, she called church leaders to exorcise her. De Rozario narrates each of her essays with... Read More

Music piracy meets murder in this fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable audiobook. The story features criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck and focuses on Imani Nichols, a pop superstar who is at odds with her estranged husband. Jonathan Davis delivers a superb performance, giving every character a distinct personality that reveals the depth of author James Grippando's story.... Read More