New Reviews by Title: E-J

Narrator Irene Bedard--who is of Iñupiaq, Yu'pik, Cree, and French Canadian heritage--brings vocal authenticity to Iñupiaq author/illustrator Nasugraq Rainey Hopson's debut novel. When a boy is kidnapped by a golden eagle who turns into a man, he is challenged to live, rather than die like his two older brothers. Adopting the sonorous delivery of an oral storyteller, Bedard... Read More

Jayne Entwistle's solid delivery adds depth to this quirky tale of a girl who is trapped in her family's tumbledown theater. In 1901, in Norwich, England, 12-year-old Edith can't ever leave the theater because of a curse. If she leaves, she'll die, and the playhouse will crumble to dust. Entwistle sounds just odd enough to be believable as Edith, who spends her days obsessively... Read More

Gail Shalan breezily introduces the Lukshen Deli and its owners, the Glantz family. Listeners meet adorable 11-year-old Ellie, along with her family and friends, including her best friend, Ava. When the future of the deli is in question, heartbroken Ellie suggests making deliveries and creating a loyalty program. Shalan sympathetically conveys Ellie's fears as her beloved... Read More

Spreading the gospel, partaking of a drink or two, and making a few bucks--what could be more American? Adam Sims gives a tour-de- force performance, evocatively capturing Sinclair Lewis's keenly observed satire of the evangelical Christian movement of the early- twentieth-century Midwest. The corrupt, manipulative, completely indiscreet Elmer Gantry starts off as a college... Read More

Walter Isaacson offers a well-researched, if stodgy, biography of Elon Musk--the dramatic innovator and inventor we associate primarily with Tesla and SpaceX. Isaacson himself straightforwardly narrates the prologue without noticeable emphasis or engagement for the listener. Jeremy Bobb then assumes the narration and has his hands full with this weighty challenge. Employing... Read More

This funny and sweet queer retelling of Jane Austen's EMMA, set in a wealthy Southern California high school, may remind listeners of the 1995 movie CLUELESS. Narrator Drew Caiden is pitch perfect as smart, handsome, popular Emmett. He prides himself on being nice and, as one of his acts of niceness, attempts to find a boyfriend for his former hookup. Caiden ably animates the... Read More

In an authoritative bass voice, Corey Snow splendidly narrates Harl's account of the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian Steppe. The author explains how they shaped events in their day and how those events echo today. Looking at the peoples through their leaders, we hear the stories of such historical giants as Attila the Hun, the Mongol Ghengis Khan and his grandson Kublai, and... Read More

A dual narration by Piper Goodeve and Tim Paige introduces a cozy Connecticut town that is about to experience a magical apocalypse. Local business owner Jessica Gold and new-to-town Derrick Winters believe that a high school witch can help avert disaster. While Jessica's friends' voices are not always distinct in conversation, Goodeve clearly evokes Piper's guilt about her... Read More

In Ellroy's latest audiobook, former cop Freddy Otash finds himself jammed up. He's investigating the death of Marilyn Monroe but has police officials, Jack and Bobby Kennedy, and a swarm of others--actors, a psychologist, and people from the seedier side of Los Angeles--getting in his way. Craig Wasson relishes his narration, bringing a high level of emotion when needed. A few... Read More

Sue Jean Kim performs National Book Award-winning (TOKYO UENO STATION) author Yu Miri's new novel. Yu, an author of Korean descent writing in Japanese, fictionalizes her grandfather's experience in the 1930s as one of Korea's top athletes. In the story, he's a candidate for the Olympics, but because of the Japanese occupation, he would have to compete for Japan. Kim perfectly... Read More

Energetically narrated by Jason Culp, this excoriation of our social media-obsessed world, which is now flirting with AI-infused virtual reality--all foisted on us by Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, and Marc Andreessen--is convincing, if disquieting. The author has a deep grasp of his subjects and subject matter. He identifies the ways that his four technocrats have... Read More

Meghan Riordan Jarvis is honest and expressive as she describes her grief and therapy after her mother's death leaves her completely unmoored and unable to function. Jarvis, a therapist herself, had been in therapy before to process childhood trauma. She slowly climbs out of this new pain after entering the residential treatment facility she recommends to some of her patients.... Read More

Award-winning Irish actor Brid Brennan employs her melodic contralto to fine effect in her excellent narration of Louise Kennedy's debut short story collection. Uncompromising and often dark, with flashes of humor, the stories explore the lives of women in Ireland--addressing issues of identity, poverty, marriage, and sexuality. Brennan won an Earphones Award for her... Read More

In this manual on pandemic management, a professor of infectious diseases describes how containment methods can be used more sparingly, be just as effective, and cause less disruption to people's lives. Gabra Zackman's performance sounds warm, authoritative, and quietly persuasive. The clarity of this scientific writing is helped by her pure timbre, natural-sounding diction,... Read More

Nadia Albina is a powerful narrator of this inventive novel, which features a prodigal daughter returning home from a long-term self-exile abroad. Sonia Nasir is a British Palestinian actor who returns to the West Bank discouraged and tired. The powerful narrative tone conveys Sonia's myriad emotions when she is tasked with staging a performance of HAMLET. Albina's heartful... Read More

Who is the person you most want to be with when the end of the world is near? In this full-cast performance, six couples try to answer that question before a meteor shower ends everything. There are different relationships represented: a pair of exes, competitive business owners, and former rivals, to name a few. Despite the premise, these stories offer hope for reconciliation... Read More

Michelle Sekine performs this debut short story collection by Native Hawaiian and Japanese American author Megan Kamalei Kakimoto. The stories celebrate what it means to be Knaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) in all its complexities and contradictions. A girl grapples with her Indigenous culture's ceremony of womanhood. A woman wrestles with ideas of motherhood. A queer Knaka author... Read More

Werner Herzog is a strange and fascinating film director (also an actor, novelist, and opera director). Judging by this autobiography, he is a strange and fascinating individual as well. Narrating his own story, he jumps around in time and place but within the general chronology of his life and career--after his childhood, mostly his career. Herzog has a strong Bavarian accent,... Read More

Barton Welch brings the perfect narrative touches to this mystery set on a train ride through Australia. The Aussie-accented performance adds a comedic touch to the presentation without overdoing it, keeping a fine balance throughout. Ernest Cunningham is on the train to participate in a crime-writing festival. There are backbiting and jealousies among the attendees, and then... Read More

Curtis Chin smoothly narrates this memoir of his life and his family's Chinese restaurant, where he worked while growing up. Don't listen to this audiobook when you're hungry--all the food sounds delicious! Chin was raised in Detroit in the 1980s by a mother who set high standards for him and his siblings because she herself wasn't allowed to finish school. He learns how to... Read More

Alice Carrière opens her memoir with a matter-of-fact narration that belies the privilege she experienced growing up in a 17,000-square-foot building in New York City, where she shared rooms with fruit trees and roses that climbed a staircase and with visiting celebrities. Though her narration grows emotional periodically, it is, for the most part, straightforward. Her style is... Read More

Vaneh Assadourian and Gail Shalan perform this intimate story of a woman in her thirties. Yara, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, has it all--a husband, two daughters, a job at a local university--but she still feels burned out. Through every disappointment, Yara tells herself to be grateful. Her marriage might have been arranged, but at least her husband isn't violent... Read More

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini masterfully narrates this sequel, reacquainting listeners with Mitch and Abby McDeere 15 years after their harrowing misadventures in THE FIRM. Mitch, now a successful partner in the largest law firm in the world, faces an intense kidnapping crisis in Libya involving a Turkish client and an associate of Mitch's. Ballerini leverages his talent with... Read More

Nikki Massoud brings a dynamic and heartfelt performance to this festive Christmas romance. Jobless and newly single, Maya Bashir reluctantly returns to her hometown in the Scottish Highlands. On the way home, she unexpectedly runs into Sam, her first crush and first major heartbreak. Massoud seamlessly switches from an American accent to a Scottish lilt when performing... Read More

Those interested in the Holocaust have probably heard about the German and Austrian Jews who escaped to Shanghai but may not know much about their experiences. This play, recorded from a live performance by Los Angeles Theatre Works, draws on the testimony of some of the refugees in a montage created by Kate McAll to bring that episode to life. There's no point in calling out... Read More

Forgiveness is misused because it's more complicated than people think, according to an articulate philosopher and expert on emotions and society. You can forgive someone, but what if you're still angry or wary of further transgressions? Are there times when forgiveness should be conditional or withheld altogether? Tracey Conyer Lee narrates with the vocal character of an older... Read More

There are many things to love about this retelling of Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET, and Sheila Atim's narration is one of them. This feminist prequel to the well-known romance shares the story of Rosaline Capulet and her encounter with Romeo as he tries his best to woo her. Atim's tonal variations and vocal range allow listeners to relax and examine this new perspective. When... Read More

In this first audiobook in Awakening, a new fantasy series, Calista's power of intuition and foretelling have made her a favorite of the Baron of Archwood. When Hyborn Prince Thorne visits, he and Calista are inexplicably drawn to each other despite their differing classes and impending war. Soneela Nankani narrates Calista and Thorne's story, as told from Calista's point of... Read More

André Santana gives a standout performance in this layered novel about grief and family. Santana portrays Cam, who returns home to Houston after the sudden death of his boyfriend, Kai. As he struggles to find himself again amid overwhelming loss, he reconnects with his childhood best friend, TJ. Santana's narration ranges from numb observation to moments of feeling overwhelmed.... Read More

James Langton's accent reflects the background of Jonathan Raban, a gifted British writer who relocated to Washington state. Enunciation and emotions are clear as Langton recounts Raban's moment-to-moment responses to a hemorrhagic stroke and the paralysis that followed. Langton smoothly embraces the elements of Raban's memoir--literary criticism combined with stories of his... Read More

Set again the backdrop of the 2016 U.S. election and the #MeToo movement, this dark listen is a story of justice, family, and revenge. Jessie Mooney travels from Ireland to attend a prestigious graduate program in law at Franklin University. Her sole purpose is to enroll in the selective Law & Literature class with Professor Jay Crane. Jessie blames Crane for her sister's death... Read More

Journalist Maureen Seaberg introduces listeners to a range of synesthetes who experience combinations of senses, such as hearing colors, as well as people with seemingly superhuman abilities like a woman who can smell Parkinson's disease. Seaberg's expertise in human senses is hard-won. She herself has an extraordinary sensory palette that took her years to understand and... Read More

In this suspenseful listen inspired by Daphne du Maurier's REBECCA, narrator Allyson Ryan imparts a creeping sense of disquiet that will pull listeners in. Olivia, whose writing career is stalled, agrees to work as a "writer for hire" for billionaire Ash, who wants to publish a book asserting that du Maurier stole his grandmother Amelia's story for REBECCA. Olivia flies to Los... Read More

Once again, Lady Hardcastle and her loyal lady's maid, Flo, are delightfully voiced by Elizabeth Knowelden. The tenth installment in the series is set in the English village of Littleton Cotterell in 1912. This time, the pair juggle a case of art theft, a murder, and the financial downturn of dear friends. Knowelden's array of British accents is skilled, allowing the listener... Read More

Alan Carlson delivers this intense account of a massive fire with controlled urgency. His slight Canadian accent adds to the narration. He measures his delivery, deliberately paces the stories, and unspools the remarkable trajectory of the wildfire that ultimately engulfed one million and a half acres, burned for 15 months, and caused the evacuation of around 90,000 residents... Read More

Jay Aaseng takes an outstanding, edge-of-your-seat crime thriller and makes it even better with a pitch-perfect execution. He has a lot to work with in this unique story about distraught parents Ryan and Elsie Delaney, who take over a police crime lab and threaten to kill hostages and destroy key evidence if police fail to find their missing daughter, Tilly, in 24 hours. The... Read More

Mac Barnett and illustrator Shawn Harris narrate their audiobook with abandon, further embellishing their quirky writing. Listeners meet the Moon Queen, who is poisoned by soup, giving her protector, the First Cat, the challenge of finding an antidote in 24 hours. Barnett and Harris excel at creating their own sound effects, adding fitting music that will evoke nostalgic... Read More

This rom-com is expertly performed by Mara Wilson and Nickelodeon star Danny Tamberelli. Lucy doesn't feel like she's going anywhere in life, and Rudy wants a relationship with someone who doesn't care that he was a 90s TV star. When they go on a date, it ends with a grave prediction from a psychic: Their romance will be equally rewarding and disastrous. For a romance heavy on... Read More

Courtney Patterson's expressive narration admirably serves this account of Martha Washington's children from her first marriage and their impact on the United States. Good's account shows George stepping up as a father figure and presents Martha's children as heirs to his legacy. However, they were also quite often its prisoners. Celebrity comes with a price, and the... Read More

Greek mythology is reimagined through contemporary authors and talented narrators in this dynamic short story collection. A pantheon of all-star performers, including Soneela Nankani, Robin Miles, and Donnabella Mortel, creates listening experiences that are at times poignant, joyous, and thoughtful. Stories incorporate mythological characters and themes to explore contemporary... Read More

Changing "yes but" to "yes and" may be an overused trope in the personal-growth space, but in this audio a prolific Dutch author uses his theater background to give the advice a colorful new life. The core idea is that fighting with problem people or arguing with yourself about your own problems only hardens the issues. Instead, Gunster suggests embracing the realities, even... Read More

Simon Schama's historical authority--demonstrated by his confident vocal performance--foregrounds his account of humanity's ongoing fight to protect itself against deadly disease. Schama takes listeners on a journey from inoculation to vaccination, starting with the battle against smallpox, moving through cholera and tuberculosis research, and ultimately landing on recent... Read More

Narrator Sarah Ovens shines while breathing life into this haunting narrative. Ovens's expressive voice and impeccable pacing create a vivid atmosphere as she guides listeners through Clara's perilous journey in the Forest Grimm. Ovens's storytelling prowess is evident in how she infuses these retold fairy tales with an eerie ambiance and captures the essence of each character.... Read More

Nneka Okoye's talent for differentiating accents and timbres shines in this Nigerian-inspired fantasy audiobook. The magic-wielding Oluso are ruthlessly ruled by the Aje, who are without magic. Years after her mother's brutal murder, Dèmi, an Oluso, jumps at the opportunity for vengeance. Along with her best friend, Colin, she kidnaps the Eingardian prince, Jonas, an Aje, in... Read More

Narrators Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Aquino, Lauren Ezzo, and Emily Lawrence portray four women whose lives are thrown into turmoil. It all begins with the announcement of a genetic lottery to find the parents of a child who is at the center of a twenty-year-old murder. Cleo, Jemma, and Alex thought they had left their deepest secrets behind in the town of Rosemary Hills, Iowa.... Read More

Emily Woo Zeller brings passion to the thrilling conclusion of a duology about the exploits of an immortal assassin. Rosalind is in dire straits: She's been outed as a spy, and her partner has been kidnapped. With the eyes of the nation upon her, she uses a public relations tour as a guise to find her partner. Zeller's pacing keeps listeners on edge. As the threat of invasion... Read More

Marisa Calin, Michael Kramer, and Kate Reading narrate a fantasy set in the Shades of Magic world. Seven years have passed since the battle that almost destroyed everything, and a new conflict has arisen that once again spans all four Londons: Red, Grey, White, and Black. Each narrator focuses on one primary plot thread: Calin on Tess, a young woman with an unusual and... Read More

Jonathan Yen puts enthusiasm into his narration as he guides listeners through Haynes's history of Southern barbecue, with its distinct combination of African American, Native American, and European influences. Barbecues were once an important part of politics, as they gave candidates an opportunity to address crowds. Yen keeps his delivery straightforward, with a few detours.... Read More

All credit to Matthew Waterson: Not only is his performance consistently engaging, but he also provides a clear, concise listening experience. Nielsen and Tvede offer a comprehensive overview of the future of learning and work in the Exponential Age, a time in which major changes no longer happen incrementally. Listeners are reminded of its central premise: "What can be... Read More

Stacy Gonzalez's fierce narration of Lopez's second-chance romance is a stormy yet satisfying listen. Fleeing an emotionally abusive ex, Gillian Armstead-Bancroft returns to her hometown of Freedom, Kansas, where she has an awkward reunion with her first lover, Nicky Mendoza. They then spend the summer working together on a downtown mural project. Gonzalez flexes her narrative... Read More

Guinevere Turner and Natalie Naudus confidently lead the sweeping ensemble of voices who tell this devastating story of the end of the world, caused by the evils of technology and power. Once the fate of the planet becomes clear, a small group of super wealthy individuals jump into action, seeking refuge in secret predetermined locales. Assisted by the key performances of... Read More

Caesar's history of his campaigns in Gaul, Germany, and Britain, while not colorless--it includes political strife, battles, ambushes, and acts of heroism--is brisk and dry. David Timson's sonorous voice and rounded tones don't mirror the spareness of Caesar's account, but instead enrich it, making it more approachable and easier to take in. He tends to turn groups of sentences... Read More

Narrator Johnny Heller solidly maintains the author's intriguing premise: A mobster from Chicago is hiding as a rabbi in Las Vegas. Whether David Cohen--aka Sal Cupertine--will be found out by those who are after him is the mystery. Heller understands how to shape characters with voices that fit their personalities. It's a challenge, with the handful of heavies, but Heller--an... Read More

It would be easy to characterize this short audiobook as simply the rantings of a crabby old man, but voice actor Richard Salem makes the four stories a listening treat. Here are tales representative of their location, small-town New Hampshire. The unnamed octogenarian narrator discusses the cycle of nature, the spiritual side of gardening, infighting among women's groups,... Read More

With this audiobook, listeners are immersed in the exotic environment of the Florida Everglades and the bizarre underworld of alligator poaching. John Pirhalla offers a first-rate narration. His facility with accents gives atmosphere to this true-crime work. He varies his tone, pitch, and cadence to good effect, and effectively handles both its hard-boiled police procedural... Read More

Listeners will become immersed in Mammay's space odyssey, thanks to expert narration by Natalie Naudus. Her vocal acuity gives each character a unique sound, and her acting brings the story to life. This stand-alone space opera with contemporary political sensibilities and intriguing scientific ideas features a diverse space crew. Having traveled 250 years and 27 light years... Read More

David Holt raises the level of this unadorned but deeply researched biography of George Harrison--the reluctant, shy, sometimes overlooked Beatle. The dichotomies and contradictions of his complicated life abound, a life sadly cut short by cancer. His excessive cocaine use is discussed as continuously as his life journey with deep meditation. Holt has a relaxed, comfortable... Read More

Avi Roque is the perfect narrator for this queer YA fantasy. Gem is a nonbinary teen just trying to survive high school in Gracie, Georgia. His life is upended when a new girl explains that the nightmares they've been having are memories and that they're the reincarnation of an ancient god--one of many who fled their home world long ago. Chaos and adventure ensue. The novel... Read More

Author Michael Lewis (MONEYBALL, THE BIG SHORT) knows the world of investing and the math savants who often inhabit its higher levels. His subject for this audiobook is the Bitcoin gazillionaire and super-eccentric Sam Bankman-Fried, who is currently on trial for defrauding investors in his Bitcoin exchange, FTX. Lewis narrates this gripping audiobook with relaxed authority... Read More

After the ending of this compelling crime story, listeners hear a conversation between the author and narrator Robb Moreira. Moreira was enthusiastically selected by the audiobook producers to portray police detective Al Sullivan, who narrates this story about a prominent industrialist who is murdered in San Francisco's posh Claremont Hotel in 1944. Moreira's Sullivan is... Read More

Tovah Ott performs this debut story collection from East Tennessee author Halle Hill. The 12 stories all feature Black women who are confronting societal expectations of how a "good woman" is supposed to look and act. One woman is secretly taking birth control pills while she and her husband are supposedly trying to have a baby. Another woman is attending a weight-loss group,... Read More

Lol Tolhurst of the goth band The Cure describes the feelings of otherness behind his music. In a rough timbre and British accent he reveals insights into goth music and literature. He recalls early musical influences, such as John Peel, the pirate radio veteran who joined the BBC, and growing up Catholic in protestant England. Tolhurst's voice still reflects his joy at... Read More

Narrators CJ Bloom and Teddy Hamilton bring to life two talented college hockey players in this new contemporary romance. Gigi Graham has big dreams of making the women's national hockey team and stepping out of her famous hockey-playing father's shadow. She makes a deal with grumpy but extremely hot Luke Ryder to help her improve her game. In return, she promises to help him... Read More

In this smart, sensitive, and faithful adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 masterwork, the ill-fated relationships between a mysterious big spender; a young, married socialite; and their bevy of privileged friends are given center stage. Often THE GREAT GATSBY's 1920s glitz, glamour, and excesses are allowed to overshadow the story, but with audio theater all the action is... Read More

Alex Gino offers a warm, effervescent narration of their latest middle-grade audiobook. Nonbinary Green Gibson is a member of Jung Middle School's LGBTQIAP+ Rainbow Spectrum club. As the group excitedly prepares for the school's revamped production of THE WIZARD OF OZ, for which every actor can choose the gender of their character, Green contends with complicated feelings about... Read More

Hilarie Burton Morgan shares new stories from Mischief Farm, expanding upon the relationship she began with listeners with her first memoir. Traditionally, a grimoire is a book of magic spells. Morgan's unique twist begins with her definition of a grimoire: a personal collection of practices, beliefs, and knowledge to be handed down to her children. Morgan describes how... Read More

Narrators Ariana Delawari and Vaneh Assadourian portray best friends Layla and Mira after a road trip mishap leaves them stranded in a motel. Their room is inhabited by a dark force, voiced by narrator Ramiz Monsef. The room wants Mira because she carries the burden of her brother's death; Assadourian's mature and measured voice works well for the mourning teen as she and Layla... Read More

Fenella Woolgar gives an exemplary performance of this gentle comic novel, which skews the English class system. Ethelberta is a beautiful and clever young widow who is struggling to provide financial support for her nine siblings and invalid mother. When her efforts as a poet fail, her practicality impels her to consider marriage to one of her many tenacious suitors. Woolgar... Read More

Amy Bentley leisurely narrates this magical audiobook full of intriguing world-building and a slow-burn romance. Lark ran away from her abusive father years ago. Still desperate to find a home, she hopes for sanctuary in Cagmar, the city of trolls. There, she reluctantly reveals her power to thrust fear into others, and the trolls are intrigued. Lark's voice is higher pitched,... Read More

Shannon Tyo, Sean Patrick Hopkins, and Thomas Pruyn narrate this riveting story, which begs the question: How well do we truly know the members of our family? Twenty-year-old Mia and her twin brother are home from college during the pandemic when their father goes missing. He was at the park with their younger brother, Eugene, an autistic teenager with Angelman syndrome, but... Read More

Merriment turns to misgiving when a corpse transforms Christmas cheer into a season of speculation. Kate Rawson deftly narrates this atmospheric addition to the Shell House Detectives series. The spotlight is on all the residents of Mousehole when JP Sharpe, an unpopular chef, is found dead in a dingy. Rawson blends congeniality and solemnity in her portrayal of the town's... Read More

Narrator Leonie Elliott skillfully transports listeners to Harlem with an impressive story that contrasts the changes in Black life in the early twentieth century. In 1936, as jazz singer Lena Aldrich sails from England to New York, she encounters shipboard musician William Goodman. She gratefully accepts his offer to stay with his family as she searches for information about... Read More

Elizabeth Hand's riff on Shirley Jackson's HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, narrated with aplomb by Carol Monda, thrums with tension and dread. When New York City playwright Holly Sherwin stumbles across an eerie mansion in Upstate New York, she's certain it's the perfect place to rehearse her new play. Holly; her partner, Nisa; fading actress Amanda; and sound technician Stevie gather... Read More

Natalie Naudus narrates the conclusion to The Radiant Emperor Duology. A fierce power struggle is underway to reign as emperor in this retelling of the Ming dynasty's rise to power and wresting of control from the Mongols. Naudus is an admirable guide through a complicated plot with multiple points of view. The characters include a collection of cruel and manipulative people,... Read More

Everyone thinks they know the story of Hercules, but this retelling changes everything. A talented ensemble brings to life those who surround the famed hero. Previously untold or ignored stories of family, lovers, enemies, and more are included. Each narrator represents a different person connected to Herc; the story unearths secret lovers, violent interactions, buried crimes,... Read More

Sarah Slimani uses crisp consonants and fluid vowels as she inhabits the characters in this paranormal mystery set in an alternative universe where magicians, sorcerers, and powerful creatures hide in the shadows. Isolde Wilby's role as wielder of hexes meshes with her husband Warren's unassuming ways as a protector and a superb chef. Hired to locate the king's missing signet... Read More

The Wharton psychology professor and popular author narrates the bulk of this creative production with persuasive enthusiasm while a collection of non-voice pros describe their often unlikely paths to success. The sound quality of their comments is spotty, but their journeys are so inspiring and apropos to the author's message that they quickly become essential. The... Read More

Simon Vance's pleasant, inviting tones draw listeners into Chaney's expansive examination of J.M. Barrie's remarkable life. Chaney traces Barrie's modest beginnings as a Scottish weaver's son whose mother paid little attention to him, preferring instead his older brother, David. Sadly, David died in a skating accident at 13, and Jamie made up stories to assuage his mother's... Read More

Escape with narrators Joy Nash and Chris Brinkley to the snowy town of Christmas Notch, where a holiday movie is being filmed. As one of the lesser-known former boy-band members of INK, Kallum Lieberman enjoyed his short run of fame and then moved home to open a pizza business. Now ready to step back into the spotlight, he signs on to star in a new, sexy Santa movie alongside... Read More

An audiobook that tracks Homer's composition of THE ILIAD sounds speculative at best. Such discussions usually rely on verbs like "might have" and "could have." But working largely from the poem itself, Oxford scholar Fox assembles a remarkably rich and convincing portrait of a figure who could have composed and recited from memory a poem of over 15,000 lines. Narrator Robin... Read More

Four intrepid narrators perform this creative retelling of the Trojan War from three Trojan women's perspectives plus a bird's-eye view from "the Hawk" and Cassandra. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld voices Prince Hector's wife, strong-willed Amazonian Andromache. Vainglorious Helen of Sparta, whose capture by Paris launched this ten-year war, is portrayed by Hillary Huber. The... Read More

David de Vries has a fine time delivering this comic tribute to life in a 1920s New York luxury hotel. He narrates in a rich tone and lively style that fits this satire of the opulent life of the Hotel Splendide, a slightly fictionalized version of the Ritz, where Bemelmans worked as a waiter. He ably does the necessary French and German accents and captures the demimonde of... Read More

One of this year's finest novels is also one of its most satisfying audiobooks. Set in colonial Malaya (now part of Malaysia), it marks this author's third nomination for Britain's Booker Prize. These narrators convey the full grace and subtlety of his prose. David Oakes narrates the chapters in the third person, which depict author W. Somerset Maugham's visit to Penang in 1921... Read More

Zac Aleman begins Perez's memoir tenderly as the author gazes at the house on G street that was his father's Cuban home. It's a formerly elegant building now moving toward ruin, a house that represents his past and that of many Cubans. So begins this ambitious memoir, which merges the personal and the political as it ranges from nineteenth-century Castilian Spain to... Read More

Lauren Fortgang performs this clever satirical novel with a quick pulse and a snappy cadence. She does a fine job adjusting to the mood swings as two courses of action--science and revolution--intersect. She gives Helen, the protagonist and self-referential narrator, a sense of the absurdity of her plight. A brilliant scientist with an extraordinary ability at calculation,... Read More

If you've ever found yourself curious about how and why the Supreme Court does what it does--particularly during the past decade or so--this audiobook is for you. Graham Winton offers a measured yet compelling delivery of Sunstein's interpretations of recent major Court decisions and how they impact all Americans. The arguments on the correct way to interpret the Constitution... Read More

NEW YORK TIMES opinion columnist David Brooks offers another work that promotes the principles, character traits, and social habits that can make life more fulfilling. Advancing the idea that healthy people need to be valued and understood by others, he combines his personal experiences with examples from history, literature, and social science to show how we can have more... Read More

With fascinating research and examples of breaches in trust among celebrities, management professor Kim explains how trust is lost more quickly when people perceive sins of integrity than when they are disappointed by incompetence. Trust is also harder to restore with integrity issues; instances of incompetence can be a one-time event. With either type of lapse, restoring trust... Read More

Donna Postel and Bahni Turpin effectively complement each other in this mystery, especially as the tension mounts. In a Southern town, a local radio station has been hosting an annual hunt for their Golden Egg, with a big reward for the finder. Mysterious deaths have occurred ever since the launch of the hunt, with a growing group of citizens demanding that the hunt be stopped.... Read More

Janet Metzger's thoughtful presentation enhances this charming story set in a California houseboat community. Listeners meet 12-year-old Frankie, who's on probation for misbehaving in New Jersey. Standouts performances include the character Michael, who repeats everything after a skateboard accident, and former TV star Margie, who refers to herself in the third person and helps... Read More

Tiana Yarik does well in narrating Kostyuchenko's collection of essays and stories of life in Russia as she saw it. Kostyuchenko, an émigré Russian journalist now living in Germany and an outspoken critic of Putin, has compiled a work that one critic has called a "haunting book of rare courage." Yarik, a non-native speaker of English, does a splendid job delivering this work.... Read More

Molly Secour's portrayal of a self-absorbed actress infuses a bit of noir into this cozy mystery. When there's a homicide on the set of an amateur theater production, a has-been actress resurrects the skills she gained from her television role as a sleuthing pastor. Secour's languid voice as Miranda Abbott brings out the former celebrity's entertaining narcissism. Despite a few... Read More

Memoirs narrated by their authors always sound more authentic. This audiobook is no different. Jonathan Conyers, who works with at-risk communities in Brooklyn, shares his complex personal story of growing up in a chaotic household with two parents whose drug addictions often kept the family homeless. Yet they were committed to their children obtaining an education. Conyers's... Read More

Greenleaf Book Group CEO Tanya Hall offers insider advice to listeners interested in getting a book published. She explains how to monetize ideas, whether at the beginning of the writing process or when a book is ready to be published. Narrator Carol Grace Anderson delivers Hall's insights on the publishing industry in a clear voice and welcoming tone. Her pacing keeps the... Read More

High school seniors Nell and Fay come to a crossroads in their intense friendship while attending a Quaker school in New York City in this character-driven production. Kristen DiMercurio adeptly shifts her tone as she moves between Nell's and Fay's viewpoints as the narrative weaves between the 2002-2003 school year and the present day 15 years later. DiMercurio's... Read More

Narrator Kathleen McInerney's range is perfect in this touching comedic drama. When a beloved patriarch dies suddenly, his wife, three children, and four grandchildren unite for his funeral in a small Georgia town. During the eulogy, Gerry's best friend shares a secret, which sets the town abuzz with gossip. Over the course of a week, each family member faces their own... Read More

Tony Award-winning actor Audra McDonald performs Emily Wilson's new translation of one of the world's oldest stories. The ten-year war between the Greeks and the Trojans nears its end, but Achilles, the mightiest warrior of his time, refuses to continue fighting after receiving a gross insult from Agamemnon. Without Achilles, the Greeks begin losing droves of warriors, and the... Read More

Raquel Beattie's enchanting narration elevates this fantastical misadventure featuring the Mandolinis--a family of magical artists. Chaos abounds after 11-year-old Rosa Mandolini accidentally unleashes a vengeful little monster that could destroy her family's legacy. Beattie's voice perfectly emulates Rosa's youthful spirit as she conspires with Payne, a talking crow, to... Read More

Rob Shapiro balances a neutral tone and deep emotions as he recounts the horrific and sometimes miraculous experiences of Rudi and Gerta, two Jewish Slovakian teens who are trying to survive WWII. Shapiro captures the author's engaging writing style as he reveals Rudi's horrific experiences in Auschwitz and Gerta's secret activities as a member of the Slovakian underground.... Read More

Freya Miller narrates an adventure story with little action. Leigh, a Dutch marine biologist who is fascinated by the origin of life, has a remarkable experience while on an expedition to explore a newly discovered trench in the ocean. From there, she joins a long space mission on which she works to develop strains of algae for the crew's food. Miller portrays Leigh as... Read More

Dutch narrator Mounya Dahma's narration lends an authentic sense of culture and place to Marjolijn van Heemstra's meditations on the universe. Van Heemstra becomes fascinated by NASA astronauts' shift in perspective after they view the Earth from space, and she seeks to develop her own routes to this overview effect. She gets involved in campaigns for dark skies, becomes... Read More

Narrator Joel Froomkin brings comedic and contrasting touches to his narration of this light mystery-romance set in Regency England. John Pickett, a former law enforcement officer turned private investigator, and his wife, Julia, are nervously expecting a new baby. Then, Pickett's no-good father returns from serving a prison sentence in Australia--only to be murdered. There is... Read More

Narrator Kaipo Schwab brings a bright, naturalistic delivery to this collection of decidedly academic essays that re-examine the first and continued contact between Native peoples and the Europeans who arrived to "conquer" the Americas. The eye-opening contention is that after 1492, one group did not simply replace the other; instead Indigenous peoples used politics, labor... Read More

Erin Tripp chronicles the scientific advancements of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island, or North America, in a matter-of-fact voice that complements the narrative. An introduction includes a note on pronunciations and word usage. Throughout each section, extra facts and information are shared, offering more context for the listener. As Tripp covers topics that range from... Read More

This book-length poem delivered by the author is grounded by her experience working at the information desk at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It sprawls out from there to just about everything that has ever crossed the poet's mind. It includes a great deal of art, of course, and family life, and history, but any attempt to summarize it would be not much... Read More

Sura Siu returns to narrate the second story in a delightful middle- grade fantasy series. Plum passed the test to stay on and train as a Guardian--a shape-shifting caretaker of the people and the land of the Santipap Islands. While Plum can transform into a deer-like roan and speaks to plants and animals, listeners hear her uncertainty when she discovers her true Guardian... Read More

Author Alicia Roth Weigel takes listeners through her life as an intersex person and her activism in a world that fears differences in sexuality. Born with both male and female reproductive organs, Weigel experienced life-changing surgery and procedures performed long before having the ability to consent. As an adult, she found a passion for politics and became an activist to... Read More

Kristen DiMercurio returns triumphantly as narrator of the third Bright Falls novel. Romance writer Iris Kelly is the only one who is single in her Sapphic circle, and that's how she likes it. Or so she thinks until she meets a cute aspiring thespian. Unfortunately, Stevie Scott's generalized anxiety disorder leads to a disastrous first date. Life gets more complex when Iris... Read More

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Pete Cross narrate a festive gay update of a holiday classic. Bailey George wants to change her life and leave her hometown but feels stuck. With the unexpected assistance of fabulous drag queens from the House of Angel, Bailey just might get her wish granted. Bailey's ambivalence and frustration are captured by Hutchinson-Shaw: Everyone she loves lives... Read More

Rasha Zamamiri and Peter Ganim narrate this Egyptian-inspired fantasy audiobook. Since the murder of her family and the outlawing of Jasadi magic 10 years ago, Sylvia, the Jasad heir, has been in hiding. But now she has a chance encounter with the Nizahl heir, Arin, who is hunting for a group of Jasadi rebels, and that encounter puts her quiet life in jeopardy. Sylvia's... Read More

Welsh actress Perdita Weeks gives a spirited performance as Jezebel, the infamous Old Testament queen of Israel. Born in the neighboring kingdom of Tyre (now Lebanon), she is married off to Ahab, the king of Israel. Weeks captures Jezebel's imperious nature and sense of entitlement with a haughty accent. Yet she also imbues Jezebel with warmth and humanity; when Jezebel speaks... Read More

Motivational speaker and former "Survivor" contestant Alexis Jones shares stories of her life that come straight from her heart. Her radically honest sharing of her strengths and challenges becomes clear in her account of discovering that the father she knew all her life was not her biological father. Jones's nonstop energy and fierce pursuit of her interests have driven her... Read More

Narrator Robert Petkoff seamlessly steps into the late Richard Ferrone's shoes, breathing life into Lucas Davenport, Virgil Flowers, and the extensive cast of characters in the 33rd installment of Sandford's series. Davenport and Flowers, still recovering from serious gunshot wounds from their last outing, are tasked with investigating the brutal murder of a federal judge and... Read More

Louise Brealey powerfully performs this sci-fi novel, inspired by the novel 1984. In George Orwell's work, Julia serves as a secondary character to Winston, the beleaguered staffer at the Ministry of Truth who is struggling to live under the specter of Big Brother. Newman's audiobook expands the story, capturing the unique struggles of its women, a theme clearly missing in the... Read More

The effervescent, purposeful voice of Pamela Klein delivers this Christian murder mystery set in Venice and featuring two newly wed self-styled detectives, Lord and Lady Astley. Some listeners will be charmed by this romantic duo who delight in God's love, their mutual love, and their love of adventure. Every mystery writer's trick is employed in this story. There is a treasure... Read More

Olivia Forrest, with a few words from author Eoin Colfer, charmingly narrates this magical story of Santa Claus. Grieving the loss of his wife, Santa is fed up with the greed and commercialization of Christmas. Instead of delivering presents, he decides to befriend the homeless. Juniper Lane, who is grieving for her dad, seeks to persuade Santa to resume delivering Christmas... Read More

Angelina Rocca and John Lane combine their talents to enliven the romance between Georgia Brooks, a nonprofit worker, and Drew Daniels, a lawyer. Sparks fly between the two when they meet at a dinner honoring Georgia's father. Later, Georgia's sister wins Drew at a charity bachelor auction and offers him to Georgia for her birthday. Lane brings a deeply masculine quality to his... Read More

This twisty police procedural has fantastic narrators--Joanne Froggatt, Justin Avoth, and Kerry Wotton. It does a spectacular job of building on the ticking clock of a missing-person investigation and the ethical dilemma of the detective heading it. Julia's career as a detective is immaculate except for one accident, which she's kept a secret. A man with a hidden identity knows... Read More

Mark Elstob is especially effective at narrating classical history, medieval fantasy, and complicated scientific and theoretical narratives. His deliberate pace, expressive diction, and carefully calibrated tone are invaluable to the listener who is less informed about subjects remote, specialized, or abstract. Those skills prove essential in this portrayal of the sixth-century... Read More