Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine
1,485 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 119 ratingsFind your next great audiobook on our podcast, Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine. Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile Editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. All in 6 minutes or less. It’s short, sweet, and just what your ears need. Want more? Listen to our bonus episodes featuring conversations with the best voices in the audiobook industry.
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Episodes
SUNSHINE: AudioFile Favorites
December 27, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutesThis year, AudioFile introduced the new Audio Originals category in our 2023 Best Audiobooks list, including Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s moving memoir, SUNSHINE, which recounts his experiences as a counselor at a camp for terminally ill children. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this powerful adaptation of the graphic memoir, with the coordination of more than 50 narrators, carefully selected music, and sound effects that enhance the action. Be sure to listen to our conversation ...
NIC BLAKE AND THE REMARKABLES: AudioFile Favorites
December 26, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesToday we’re sharing a favorite audiobook for younger readers—and another of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Audiobooks. Magic flows as Joniece Abbott-Pratt brings to life Angie Thomas’s thrilling first middle-grade fantasy novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Thomas’s new series, which is perfect for family road trips and young fantasy fans. Nic Blake has just turned twelve, but her dad refuses to start teaching her to use her magical abilities. When Nic discovers shocking secrets...
TOM LAKE: AudioFile Favorites
December 25, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutesWe’re revisiting our favorite audiobooks from 2023. Today’s episode is our discussion of Meryl Streep’s captivating performance of Ann Patchett’s newest novel, TOM LAKE. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this Earphones Award-winning audiobook, one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Audiobooks, about the Nelson family isolating together at the start of the Covid pandemic. It’s a beautiful warm hug of an audiobook about a mother and the relationship she has with her children. Streep ...
THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING by Uzma Jalaluddin, Marissa Stapley, read by Ulka Simone Mohanty
December 22, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutesUlka Simone Mohanty narrates a joyous celebration of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan as two new friends are stranded in scenic Snow Falls, Canada, during a blizzard. Mohanty displays a fun sense of humor as multiple disasters threaten the travelers. While Maryam Aziz helps her family manage her sister’s wedding postponements and reflects on her own desires, and bustling Anna examines her life choices, Mohanty highlights their emotional journeys with a comforting intimacy. They discover a wel...
WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc
December 21, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutesIsabella Star LaBlanc narrates Angeline Boulley’s newest story set in Sugar Island, Michigan. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the thrilling follow-up to Boulley’s FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER. Sixteen-year-old Perry Firekeeper-Birch is resentful when she’s forced into a summer internship after wrecking her aunt’s car. LaBlanc captures Perry’s growth into a fierce protector of her community and their history. Perry gets caught up in a murder investigation, plans a heist, and disco...
NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. [Eds.], read by Erin Tripp, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Joelle Peters, Kaniehtiio Horn, Lisa Cromarty, Maika Harper, Shane Ghostkeeper, Sheldon Elter, Tara Sky
December 20, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesSettle in for a riveting collection of stories from 26 Indigenous authors, performed by 9 Indigenous narrators. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss these horror stories packed with fearsome creatures, dangerous spirits, and horrifying humans. Listeners will be shocked, scared, and delighted by stories from well-known and newer authors alike, all narrated with skill. Sheldon Elter’s matter-of-fact portrayal of a frustrated son transforms into very believable terror in Cherie Di...
A POWER UNBOUND by Freya Marske, read by Josh Dylan
December 19, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesJosh Dylan gives a stand-out performance in this stunning conclusion to Freya Marske’s Last Binding trilogy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fantasy romance series that weaves together magic, power, and a whole lot of romantic tension into an explosive listen. Jack Alston lost his magic and his twin sister in a dramatic betrayal years ago. Now, as Lord Hawthorn, he’s drawn back into the world of magic by a group of unlikely allies battling a conspiracy of power-hungry ...
SYSTEM COLLAPSE by Martha Wells, read by Kevin R. Free
December 18, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesHost Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a new audiobook in the beloved Murderbot series by Martha Wells. Kevin R. Free is the perfect voice for the rogue security unit who would rather just be watching serials, but is protecting its humans — and having a mental breakdown. In a story that takes place immediately after NETWORK EFFECT, Murderbot, ART, and their humans continue to assist colonists on a planet marked for corporate salvage. Free’s depiction of Murderbot’s unresolved men...
THE CHRISTMAS GUEST by Peter Swanson, read by Esther Wane
December 15, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutesNarrator Esther Wane narrates a thrilling holiday mystery from Peter Swanson. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the manor house mystery and its ghostly tale. One lonely Christmas night, Emma reads the diary of a fellow student she invited to her family’s English manor house for the holidays thirty years earlier. Wane uses a vague American accent for Ashley’s tale in the diary, full of wide-eyed pleasure at the “Gothic thriller” she feels transported into. With thrills, romanc...
JUNIPER'S CHRISTMAS by Eoin Colfer, read by Olivia Forrest, Eoin Colfer
December 14, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesOlivia Forrest narrates this magical story of Santa Claus. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a charming holiday audiobook for children from Eoin Colfer. Santa is grieving the loss of his wife and is fed up with the commercialization of Christmas. Juniper Lane, who is grieving for her dad, seeks to persuade Santa to resume delivering Christmas gifts. Then an evil gang steals and burns gifts intended for the poor. Forrest gives a spirited portrayal of Juniper and enchants as sh...
AudioFile’s Guide to Gifting Audiobooks
December 13, 2023 10:00 - 10 minutesAudioFile’s Robin Whitten talks with host Jo Reed about her tips for gifting audiobooks this holiday season. Listen to hear her thoughts on fun ways to get younger kids listening and more. For ideas on which audiobooks to give, we recommend perusing our list of 2023 Best Audiobooks — there’s something for every listener! Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie N...
Vikas Adam Interview: Best Young Adult Audiobooks 2023
December 12, 2023 10:00 - 10 minutesNarrator Vikas Adam joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss Abdi Nazemian’s ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT, which he co-narrated along with Fajer Al-Kaisi and Iman Nazemzadeh. It’s one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Young Adult Audiobooks, and each narrator gives a transcendent performance. It explores three generations of an Iranian family and is full of joy and anguish alike. Adam tells listeners about the preparation that went into recording this moving audiobook, working with his co-narrators, an...
Guy Lockard Interview: Best Children & Family Listening 2023
December 11, 2023 10:00 - 14 minutesNarrator Guy Lockard joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss STUNTBOY, IN-BETWEEN TIME, Jason Reynolds’s second audiobook about the adventures of an unforgettable young superhero. It’s one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Children & Family Listening titles and is packed full of sound effects, music, a full cast—and Lockard’s lively narration. Listen to hear Lockard’s thoughts on what makes STUNTBOY so special and his longtime friendship and collaboration with author Reynolds. Read AudioFile’s revi...
Thérèse Plummer Interview: Best Romance Audiobooks 2023
December 08, 2023 10:00 - 11 minutesNarrator Thérèse Plummer joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to discuss her narration of LOVE, THEORETICALLY by Ali Hazelwood. It’s one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Romance Audiobooks, and a fun and flirty story set in MIT’s theoretical physics lab. Dr. Elsie Hannaway is miserable in her role as adjunct professor, dreaming of tenure. She poses as a fake girlfriend to make ends meet and meets an infamous experimentalist, Jack Smith. Plummer fully embodies Elsie, making listeners feel every bit of this...
Daniel Henning Interview: Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Audiobooks 2023
December 07, 2023 10:00 - 10 minutesNarrator Daniel Henning joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to discuss his narration of T.J. Klune’s IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS, one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Audiobooks. In the audiobook, Henning demonstrates perfect comedic timing and impressive vocal versatility in a sci-fi retelling of “Pinocchio.” It’s a laugh-out-loud and emotional audiobook that asks listeners to question what it means to be human. In this interview, Henning tells listeners about preparing to voice the...
Adenrele Ojo Interview: Best Mystery & Suspense Audiobooks 2023
December 06, 2023 10:00 - 11 minutesNarrator Adenrele Ojo joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to discuss narrating Stacey Abrams’s ROGUE JUSTICE. It’s one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Mystery & Suspense Audiobooks and an intense listening experience. Ojo returns to portray the smart, feisty Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene. Abrams has written a complex plot that sweeps Avery into a dangerous situation, this time involving a threat to the power grid. Ojo discusses the fun and challenges of narrating mystery series, and what she loves bes...
Grover Gardner Interview: Best Nonfiction & History Audiobooks 2023
December 05, 2023 10:00 - 12 minutesNarrator Gover Gardner joins AudioFile’s Robin Whitten to discuss his narration of John McPhee’s TABULA RASA, one of the 2023 Best Nonfiction & History Audiobooks. It’s an audio collection of essays and sketches that brings two storytellers together for a memorable listen. Gardner discusses the challenges of recording an audiobook that ranges over so many topics, and how McPhee’s storytelling style is so well suited to audio. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Recorded Boo...
Dion Graham Interview: Best Biography & Memoir Audiobooks 2023
December 04, 2023 10:00 - 10 minutesNarrator Dion Graham joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss his narration of KING: A LIFE, written by Jonathan Eig, and one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Biography & Memoir Audiobooks. Listen to hear Graham discussing the research and preparations that went into this narration, and the challenges he faced bringing it to life. It’s a riveting audiobook, and Graham emulates the majestic cadence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches. It’s a monumental biography performed exquisitely by a Golde...
Helen Laser Interview: Best Fiction Audiobooks 2023
December 01, 2023 10:00 - 12 minutesNarrator Helen Laser joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss her narration of YELLOWFACE, R.F. Kuang’s novel with a sharp look at the publishing world and one of AudioFile’s 2023 Best Fiction Audiobooks. Laser gives a mesmerizing performance as June Hayward, a struggling author who steals her dead friend’s manuscript, passing it off as her own, and publishing it while pretending she is Asian. It’s a riveting production of a thrilling and thought-provoking story. Laser shares the challenges ...
Jarrett J. Krosoczka Interview: Best Audio Originals 2023
November 30, 2023 10:00 - 14 minutesAuthor, illustrator, and narrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to tell listeners about transforming his graphic memoir SUNSHINE into a moving full-cast audiobook. SUNSHINE is Krosoczka’s second graphic memoir, sharing his experience working at a camp for terminally ill children and the joy of the friendships he made there. It’s a powerful listen, and in this interview, Krosoczka tells listeners about the challenges of transforming a visual memoir into an audio experienc...
AudioFile’s 2023 Best Audiobooks!
November 29, 2023 10:00 - 15 minutesAudioFile’s Robin Whitten joins host Jo Reed to discuss AudioFile’s 2023 Best Audiobooks. Listen to learn how the winning audiobooks were chosen out of the thousands reviewed this year. Robin and Jo share their favorites from the list and discuss upcoming interviews with the narrators of some of this year’s honored titles. For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, ...
CLASS by Stephanie Land, read by Stephanie Land
November 28, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutesStephanie Land, author of MAID, had a laser-focused goal to succeed as a writer, and this memoir proves that in spades. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story that details Land’s life on the edge of poverty while raising her daughter. Land’s presentation of her life, which included an abusive husband, an unpredictable father to her daughter, and financial challenges, would send anyone over the edge. It all got her down, but she never gave up, and she ultimately succeeded...
THE WOMAN IN ME by Britney Spears, read by Michelle Williams, Britney Spears [Intro.]
November 27, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesActor Michelle Williams delivers a tell-all memoir from singer Britney Spears. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook full of pain detailing how a vibrant performing talent was ultimately used by her family and circle of handlers to make money off of her life. Williams uses a direct approach to voice Spears’s feelings, and her narration gives added perspective on the trauma, stress, and pressure Spears endured for so many years. Rarer joyful moments are delivered wit...
PREQUEL by Rachel Maddow, read by Rachel Maddow
November 24, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesTV host and political commentator Rachel Maddow shines at framing the backstory of current American politics in her latest audiobook, narrated in her signature forthright style. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the audiobook that builds off the success of her award-winning podcast Ultra. Here, Maddow lays out the historical seditionist plot to not only keep the U.S. out of WWII, but also convince Americans that the Nazi attacks against Jewish people were justified and that N...
THE DISH by Andrew Friedman, read by Michael Lomonaco
November 23, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesMichael Lomonaco narrates Andrew Friedman’s high-energy audiobook with the right tempo, cadence, and tone. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this tale of all the work that goes into creating a perfect dish. Lomonaco is a famed chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, so he understands the intensity and focus of a creative kitchen. The author is especially adept at profiles, including farmers, chefs, and employees at every level of a restaurant, as well as the people in distrib...
FIRE WEATHER by John Vaillant, read by Alan Carlson
November 22, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesCarlson reads John Vaillant’s intense recreation of a massive fire with controlled urgency. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the audiobook that unspools the remarkable trajectory of a wildfire that ultimately engulfed one million and a half acres, burned for 15 months, and caused the evacuation of 90,000 residents of the Alberta city of Ft McMurray. The colossal conflagration dubbed “The Beast” began in May 2016, and this audiobook tells in meticulous details the climate cha...
THE TIMES by Adam Nagourney, read by Robert Petkoff
November 21, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutesRobert Petkoff delivers a masterful performance of Adam Nagourney’s detailed history of the NEW YORK TIMES from 1976 to 2016. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss his smooth and nuanced narration, and how his tempo and cadence move these inside stories forward. It’s a gripping media story of how the Times survived scandals, the turnover of top editors, and the transition from print to online. THE TIMES remains vital, and this audiobook explains why. Read the full review of the a...
DIFFER WE MUST by Steve Inskeep, read by Steve Inskeep
November 20, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesIt’s no surprise that Steve Inskeep of NPR narrates well. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how he narrates with a practiced cadence and the authoritative tone of a polished broadcaster. The subject is Abraham Lincoln, the most studied and written about president in American history. Inskeep examines how Lincoln dealt with those he disagreed with (Stephen Douglas), those who were critical of him (Frederick Douglass), those who didn’t follow his directions (General George McCl...
AND THEN SHE FELL by Alicia Elliott, read by Cheri Maracle, Jenna Clause
November 17, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutesJenna Clause and Cheri Maracle perform this heart-rending novel by Mohawk author Alicia Elliot. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss how from the outside, Alice appears to have it all. She lives with her successful white husband and beautiful baby girl in the “nice” part of town. But when Alice begins to have horrible visions and the trees begin sharing their memories with her, she realizes something is horribly wrong. Jenna Clause performs Alice with an incredible ear for d...
THE WREN, THE WREN by Anne Enright, read by Anne Enright, Aoife Duffin, Owen Roe, Liza Ross
November 16, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesAnne Enright, Aoife Duffin, Owen Roe, and Liza Ross perform Enright’s latest novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a story of family and the complexities of young love. Duffin narrates as Nell, a 20-something woman who, when she meets her boyfriend’s parents, finds they care to discuss only her famous grandfather, Irish poet Phil McDaragh. Enright performs the perspective of Nell’s mother, Carmel, a woman who lived her childhood in her father’s shadow, and her narratio...
GOOD WOMEN by Halle Hill, read by Tovah Ott
November 15, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesTovah Ott performs a debut short story collection from East Tennessee author Halle Hill. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss the collection of twelve stories that all feature Black women confronting societal expectations of how a “good woman” should behave. Ott’s narration makes each character’s viewpoint sound unique, capturing their narrative voice and perspective. Ott uses just a touch of Southern accent in her performance, adding just the right touch for each character’...
OPINIONS by Roxane Gay, read by Roxane Gay
November 14, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutesAuthor Roxane Gay performs a collection of her nonfiction pieces from the last decade. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss the essays that range from cultural criticism to celebrity profiles. Gay also writes about big cultural moments, carefully crafting her thoughts with fresh insights. Whatever her subject, Gay’s performance highlights her clear, direct prose and sense of humor. She presents her ideas in a deeply personal way that connects with her listeners. Read the ful...
THE ILIAD by Homer, Emily Wilson [Trans.], read by Audra McDonald
November 13, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesTony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald performs Emily Wilson’s new translation of one of the world’s oldest stories. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss revisiting Homer’s classic work. McDonald gives a performance for the ages as she narrates this epic with a masterful sense of rhythm, drawing out the suspense of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans. Her voice captures the clamor and clash of war, bringing to our mind’s eye the deadly battles. Read the full review...
THE GOLDEN GATE by Amy Chua, read by Robb Moreira, Tim Campbell, Suzanne Toren
November 10, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesRobb Moreira portrays police detective Al Sullivan, who tells listeners about a prominent industrialist who is murdered in San Francisco’s posh Claremont Hotel in 1944. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how the Claremont Hotel is essentially a character in this story that features layers of San Francisco history with the intersection of its diverse communities. Moreira’s Sullivan is competent, persistent, yet caring, animating characters from low-life thugs, the upper-class B...
CROOK MANIFESTO by Colson Whitehead, read by Dion Graham
November 09, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutesWith his mesmerizing and versatile voice, Dion Graham masterfully narrates Colson Whitehead’s second audiobook featuring reformed criminal Ray Carney. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this trio of stories about Harlem and how Graham brings them to life. He perfectly complements Whitehead’s intricate and beautifully written portrayal of 1970s Harlem. Carney, a landlord, proud furniture store owner, and family man, is reluctantly drawn back into the criminal underworld by a vi...
THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Anna Lyse Erikson [Adapt.], read by Rufus Sewell, Sarah Drew, Nate Corddry, and a Full Cast
November 08, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutesIn this smart, sensitive, and faithful adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterwork, the ill-fated relationships between a mysterious big spender; a young, married socialite; and their bevy of privileged friends are given center stage. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this audio theater adaptation of the classic, with the action driven by the characters talking to one another. And what talk it is. Rufus Sewell finds the tender bravado of Jay Gatsby, who is seeking to win b...
THE DEADLINE by Jill Lepore, read by Jill Lepore
November 07, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutesJill Lepore, NEW YORKER staff writer and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, is a captivating essayist and performer of her own writing. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss hearing Lepore narrate her work, collecting essays from THE NEW YORKER. She narrates with an upbeat pace, and her voice blooms with enthusiasm. That enthusiasm, combined with humor and smarts, makes for enticing listening. Her essays are personal, and her emotional connection to the material is clear. Lepore i...
MAKING IT SO by Patrick Stewart, read by Patrick Stewart
November 06, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutesYorkshireman Sir Patrick Stewart presents a revealing, clear, and beautifully written memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how Stewart is an icon to multiple generations, and the warmth and joy with which he shares his own story. Listeners follow his career from humble beginnings that include domestic violence to the heights of international film, stage, and television stardom. His performance is compassionate, sensitive, and powerful. An audiobook not to miss. Read the ...
WORTHY by Jada Pinkett Smith, read by Jada Pinkett Smith
November 03, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesActor and talk-show host Jada Pinkett Smith foreshadows the range of emotions she projects into her memoir by beginning with quiet despair and transitioning to a fierce tone. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Smith’s willingness to explain her perspective with her strong, unique, and compelling narration. Smith shares intimate details of growing up in Baltimore; shouts as she recounts being held at gunpoint while dealing drugs in her youth; and speaks fondly of the late legend...
MISTER MAGIC by Kiersten White, read by Rebecca Lowman, Kiersten White [Note]
November 02, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesRebecca Lowman’s narration is captivating in this novel by Kiersten White. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this novel centered around a canceled TV series for kids, “Mister Magic,” and the five members of its final cast who are brought together to record a podcast. No recordings of the original show exist, and there’s no record of who filmed it, but fans still have its haunting kids’ songs stuck in their heads. Lowman captures the buildup as the cast piece together the tragi...
WITH A KISS WE DIE by L.R. Dorn, read by Thérèse Plummer, January LaVoy, et al.
November 01, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesThérèse Plummer leads a full cast with her captivating performance as true-crime podcast host Ryanna Raines. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook that is meant to be heard. It’s the story of a podcaster, Ryanna, who is contacted by a pair of UC Santa Barbara theater students who are suspected of murder and want to tell their story. What follows is a twisty psychological thriller. It plays out like a true-crime podcast with interviews, recaps, potent details, and a ...
MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by Nina Simon, read by Jane Oppenheimer
October 31, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesNina Simon’s funny, touching, character-driven mystery is superbly narrated by Jane Oppenheimer. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a story of three generations of women coming together to solve a murder and prove their innocence. Los Angeles real estate mogul Lana Rubicon is diagnosed with cancer and moves into a small-town home with her adult daughter, Beth, and Beth’s teenage daughter, Jack. Then Jack finds a body. Oppenheimer is outstanding, capturing the story’s humor. Her...
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE TONIGHT by Kalynn Bayron, read by Hewot Tedia
October 30, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesNarrator Hewot Tedla captures the tone of brassy independence, fiery romance, and chilling terror in this teen thriller by Kalynn Bayron. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Charity’s unusual job — being the “final girl” in a live action horror film experience at Camp Mirror Lake. When employees go missing and strange happenings pile up, Tedla’s tone devolves into gut-wrenching emotion as Charity uncovers the real evil lurking in Mirror Lake. A taut slasher-movie homage. Read th...
THE SKULL by Jon Klassen, read by Fairuza Balk, Jon Klassen [Afterword]
October 27, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesFairuza Balk’s talented narration will draw listeners into this retelling of a mysterious Tyrolean folktale. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the rich sound effects and music that bring Jon Klassen’s tale to life. Balk captures the youth and curiosity of Otilla, a young girl fleeing into the forest who discovers a mysterious home inhabited by a skull. Balk renders Otilla and the skull’s warm dialogue, conveying their easy friendship and growing trust. When the skull confess...
THE LOVER by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, read by Nina Yndis
October 26, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesNina Yndis narrates a bewitching short story about a girl, Judith, who longs for adventure and romance in her quiet life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this atmospheric tale from Silvia Moreno-Garcia that reads like an enchanting—and slightly sinister—fairy tale. Judith dreams of the world beyond her small village, and resents her lot working for her beautiful and cruel older sister. Listeners hear her thrill as a handsome stranger comes to town—and devastation when he c...
THOSE PINK MOUNTAIN NIGHTS by Jen Ferguson, read by Julie Lumsden, Aaliya Warbus, Kimberly Woods, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
October 25, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesFour talented narrators voice a compelling story of teenagers finding community and struggling with loss over a tumultuous week in their small Canadian town. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Jen Ferguson’s skilled writing, creating a window into the lives of four teens who all worked at the Pink Mountain Pizza parlor, and were impacted by the ongoing missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls crisis. Each narrator voices their characters with care as the teens discover...
MASTERS OF DEATH by Olivie Blake, read by Steve West
October 24, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesSteve West gives a lively performance of this romantic fantasy audiobook, voicing each mortal, immortal, and undead character with the humor, sarcasm, and sinister whispers required. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun of diving into this fantasy world from Olivie Blake. Fox D’Mora is a bit of a rake posing as a medium, though as the godson of Death he has an unusual connection to those beyond the veil. When Viola Marek, a vampire and real estate agent, calls on him wi...
ROMAN STORIES by Jhumpa Lahiri, Todd Portnowitz [Trans.], read by Deepti Gupta, Carlotta Brentan, Cassandra Campbell, Ari Fliakos, Michael Obiora
October 23, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesFive talented narrators join forces to deliver a nuanced performance of Jhumpa Lahiri’s new collection of short stories. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this collection written originally in Italian, the author’s third language, and translated into English. The contemplative and elegant stories revolve around outsiders drawn to the City of Light. The mix of voices - Indian subcontinent, mid-American, British-African, Italian-American - highlights the atmosphere of displace...
BARTLEBY AND ME by Gay Talese, read by Mike Ortego
October 20, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesMike Ortego artfully performs Gay Talese’s polished sentences and captures the flavor of his urbane worldview with a writerly tone. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Talese’s audiobook focused on three of his works. He returns listeners to the sights and sounds of his most famous piece of creative nonfiction, “Frank Sinatra Has a Cold,” entertaining listeners with the backstory. There is a fine new piece on the bizarre death of Dr. Nicholas Bartha, and an insightful profile o...
HOW I WON A NOBEL PRIZE by Julius Taranto, read by Lauren Fortgang
October 19, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesLauren Fortgang performs Julia Taranto’s clever satirical novel with a quick pulse and snappy cadence. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Fortgang gets the tone just right for the story’s protagonist, a self-referential narrator with a sense of the absurdity of her situation and plight. A brilliant scientist, Helen follows her mentor to a research university set on an imaginary island, a kind of home for anti-woke academics and other culture warriors. A fun and worthwhile ...