Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine
1,567 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 123 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
THE WATER DANCER by Ta-Nehisi Coates, read by Joe Morton
October 28, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesDebut fiction from the author of Between the World and Me that moves into the realm of magical realism. Jo Reed and editor Robin Whitten talk about how this work fits into the canon along with the work of Colson Whitehead and Toni Morrison. Hiram Walker is a young man with remarkable gifts working on The Underground Railroad. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s ...
THE INSTITUTE by Stephen King, read by Santino Fontana
October 25, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesCompulsively entertaining and dazzlingly performed. AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith and Host Jo Reed discuss Stephen King’s latest horror audiobook. Santino Fontana does wonders with a diverse lineup of characters, including supernaturally gifted children trapped at The Institute, and the many voices of their menacing adult captors. If you’re looking for an unforgettable story of kids confronting evil, or new sinister listening for your weekend, look no further. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio...
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BOOKS by Leah Price, read by Elisabeth Rodgers
October 24, 2019 09:00 - 5 minutesPerfect listening for book lovers. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss the history of the book as told by Rutgers English professor Leah Price. Narrator Elisabeth Rodgers’s eloquent narration lets the wide-ranging content take center stage. Take a world tour of an iconic object — the book — and a deep dive into the history of reading. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for ...
DAD'S MAYBE BOOK by Tim O'Brien, read by Tim O'Brien
October 23, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesA wise guide through life’s challenges from a father to his sons. AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith and host Jo Reed talk about this collection of advice from the author of THE THINGS THEY CARRIED, Tim O’Brien. This memoir and tribute are made all the more meaningful with O’Brien’s gravelly delivery and tone of love and hope. The author’s father had always been a mystery to him, and this memoir provides “scattered glimpses” of the author for his sons. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Find mor...
TALKING TO STRANGERS by Malcolm Gladwell, read by Malcolm Gladwell
October 22, 2019 09:00 - 5 minutesHow do our biases about others make us misread strangers? Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss the latest audiobook from Malcolm Gladwell. In an Earphones Award-winning performance, Gladwell’s narration skills add sparkling energy to his writing. His examination of interactions with people we don’t know will intrigue. Woven into the listening experience is audio from many of those scientists, criminologists, and psychologists he interviewed, creating a listen that’s part audiob...
HERE WE ARE by Aarti Namdev Shahani, read by Aarti Namdev Shahani
October 21, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesNPR reporter Aarti Shahani shares her family’s American Dream — and American nightmare. In today’s episode, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith talk about Shahani’s moving memoir. Shahani reports on Silicon Valley for NPR and is the daughter of an immigrant who served time when caught up in a money laundering scheme. Shahani shifts seamlessly between the multiple languages her family speaks to narrate her family’s story of struggle, hardship, family strife, and finally achieving that ...
AN AMERICAN SUNRISE by Joy Harjo, read by Joy Harjo
October 18, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesBeautifully written and performed poetry from the first Native American to be poet laureate of the United States. Jo Reed and AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb talk about Harjo’s Earphones Award-winning poetry collection, filled with emotions and moments of song. The poems are even more moving thanks to the author’s vivid and emotional interpretations. Joy Harjo is in the front rank of poets—and poetry readers—working in English today. Published by Blackstone Publishing. Find more audiobook r...
A WALK IN THE WOODS by Lee Blessing, performed by Alfred Molina, Steven Weber
October 17, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesNuclear proliferation takes center stage as AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed discuss what makes an audio play performance different from an audiobook. Notable actors Alfred Molina and Steven Weber perfectly portray the humor and the frustration of their jobs to negotiate between the United States and Russia while taking a series of walks. Published by L.A. Theatre Works. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sig...
WITHIN THESE LINES by Stephanie Morrill, read by Morgan Fairbanks, Andrew Kanies
October 16, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesLove against the odds. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb talk about the powerful emotions at play in this YA historical fiction audiobook about a romance during World War II. The dual narration allows listeners to hear perspectives from both of the characters, an interned Japanese American young man, and a young woman appalled by his treatment by the U.S. Government. Published by Blink. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recom...
THE GIFTED SCHOOL by Bruce Holsinger, read by January LaVoy
October 15, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesJanuary LaVoy makes this an A+ listen. AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb and Jo Reed discuss the ways in which January’s performance beautifully finds the sadness, desperation, and humor in the audiobook. These Colorado parents are willing to do anything to get their kids recognized as gifted, landing them a spot in the exclusive Crystal Academy. January creates distinct voices and personalities for both children and adults, particularly the four friends at the novel’s center. The only questio...
RED AT THE BONE by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Jacqueline Woodson, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Peter Francis James, Shayna Small, Bahni Turpin
October 14, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesA highly anticipated adult fiction novel with a multivoice cast. Join Jo Reed and AudioFile publisher Michele Cobb discussing the emotionally connective reading by five narrators, including the author. Meet three generations of an African-American family. Bahni Turpin narrates as sixteen-year-old Melody, whose mother Iris is rarely around. She was a teen mother, and narrator Shayna Small fills in Iris’s complexities. The rich voices of Quincy Tyler Bernstine and Peter Francis James evoke the ...
Talking with George Guidall Golden Voice Narrator
October 11, 2019 13:00 - 36 minutesJoin host Jo Reed as she talks with one of the greats in the world of audiobooks, George Guidall. Hear what drew him to the world of audiobooks, highlights from his impressive career, and what he's loved about narrating the series that listeners adore. He has won accolades including AudioFile Earphones Awards, Audie Awards, and the APA Special Achievement award. George has narrated more than 1,700 audiobooks over his long career. He has come to appreciate the depth of the narrator-listener co...
WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY by Wendy Wax, read by Orlagh Cassidy
October 11, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThe new “Downton Abbey” film inspired our choice of this contemporary story about three very different women who form a lasting friendship as they watch weekly screenings of the TV series. We chat about how much narrator Orlagh Cassidy’s marvelous accents add to the listening experience. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. Join New York Times bestselling ...
GOTHIC TALES by Arthur Conan Doyle, Darryl Jones [Ed.], read by Gary Furlong
October 10, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesListen to our conversation about the author of classic gothic and supernatural tales, master storyteller Arthur Conan Doyle. Think of the creator of Sherlock Holmes as the great-great-grandfather of pulp fiction and binge-worthy television and it all makes sense. Irish narrator Gary Furlong adds the right fresh approach to the tales and handles myriad accents. Perfect for Halloween. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobo...
THE LAGER QUEEN OF MINNESOTA by J. Ryan Stradal, read by Judith Ivey
October 09, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesEnjoy the conversation about this charming story of two sisters, Edith and Helen, as podcast host Jo Reed and editor Robin Whitten highlight what makes this a great listen. Narrator Judith Ivey delivers a tone of Midwestern pragmatism as the women bake pies, brew beer, nurture unlikely friendships, and find redemption. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter....
THE MARYLEBONE DROP by Mick Herron, read by Gerard Doyle
October 08, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesFans of spy stories—as podcast host Jo Reed and editor Robin Whitten are—like nothing better than talking about the details of the classic tradecraft of spies. We can’t give the details away, but we share just enough to get you listening to the short and satisfying audiobook from British author Mick Herron and Golden Voice Gerard Doyle. A fortuitous pairing. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sig...
AKIN by Emma Donoghue, read by Jason Culp
October 07, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThe newest literary drama from the author of ROOM takes listeners on a trip to the French Riviera. Host Jo Reed and editor Robin Whitten chat about the appeal of listening to unlikely traveling companions Noah—a 79-year-old retired professor—and Michael, his 11-year-old grand nephew he barely knows. How does narrator Jason Culp nail the dialogue, bickering, and self-discovery? Our podcast discussion sheds some light on his skilled performance. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook...
WAYWARD SON by Rainbow Rowell, read by Euan Morton
October 04, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesWhat happens to the “chosen one” after the big bad guy’s gone? Join host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly as they talk about this highly anticipated sequel to Rainbow Rowell’s CARRY ON, and the exceptional skills of narrator Euan Morton. Simon Snow defeated the Insidious Humdrum, and now he’s flunking out of university, has lost his magic, and feels very glum. His best friend Penelope hatches a plan for a good old-fashioned road trip in America, so Simon, his vampire boyfriend Baz, and ...
THE LONG CALL by Ann Cleeves, read by Ben Aldridge
October 03, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesA smashing start to a new mystery series from Ann Cleeves. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly take listeners to charming North Devon, England, where DI Matthew Venn’s team has just found the body of a dead man on the beach. Ben Aldridge narrates with a cool and easy pace, mirroring Matthew’s calm demeanor as he leads his team on the investigation. The clues all point toward Matthew’s own past with his estranged religious community, and his sweet husband. Aldridge’s smoothly shifting ...
THE TEN THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY by Alix E. Harrow, read by January LaVoy
October 02, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesJanuary LaVoy’s breathtaking narration shines in this historical fantasy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly marvel at LaVoy’s ability to bring dynamic and diverse characters to life. January Scaller is a daring young girl who feels trapped in the country home of her guardian, Mr. Locke, while her dad is off on adventures. When she finds a Door that leads to another world, and a book that points to the existence of thousands of doors, everything changes. Published by Hachette Audio. ...
FRANKLY IN LOVE by David Yoon, read by Raymond J. Lee
October 01, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesEmotionally and culturally authentic teen listening. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed all the many reasons she loved listening to David Yoon’s new YA bestseller. Franki Li is a sweet, nerdy high school junior falling in love with his classmate. Only trouble is, she’s white, and his Korean parents only want him dating Korean girls. Narrator Raymond J. Lee’s empathetic performance captures everything in Frank’s life from the disconnect between first- and second-generation immigrant...
THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood, read by Ann Dowd, Bryce Dallas Howard, Mae Whitman, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Margaret Atwood
September 30, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThis impressive sequel is even more dramatic on audio. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly recommend Margaret Atwood’s sequel to her dystopian classic, THE HANDMAID’S TALE. Set fifteen years after Offred fled Gilead, the story focuses on the lives of Aunts, Wives, and children in that society. The imposing Aunt Lydia is a central player in Gilead, and her secretive diary entries are narrated by Ann Dowd, known for her role as Aunt Lydia on the television adaptation. Witness testimonie...
ENDLESS NOVELTIES OF EXTRAORDINARY INTEREST by Doug Macdougall, read by Sean Runnette
September 27, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesA compelling tale of scientific discoveries at sea. AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith and host Jo Reed learn about H.M.S. Challenger, which made the first scientific explorations of the sea in the 1870s. Sean Runnette’s steady voice suits the spirit of the narrative written by an esteemed oceanographer. Hear of the biological riches dredged up from the ocean floor and the legacy the voyage left for our ongoing study of the ocean. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at aud...
THE MOSQUITO by Timothy C. Winegard, read by Mark Deakins
September 26, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesGet up close and personal with one of humankind’s fiercest enemies. Join host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith to hear how mosquitoes have changed the course of human history and still impact us today. Mark Deakins’s skillfull narration holds listeners’ attention as we learn how mosquitoes could have been the downfall of King Tut and the reason the Magna Carta was signed. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook re...
THE MAN IN THE WHITE LINEN SUIT by David Handler, read by Peter Berkrot
September 25, 2019 09:00 - 5 minutesListen as Peter Berkrot captures all of ghostwriter Stewart Hoag’s wit, wisecracks, and warmth. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss this latest mystery from David Handler. The down-on-his-luck Hoag is penning celebrity memoirs, but he might finally have a handle on his own second novel. Literary mischief and mayhem ensue when he’s called upon to investigate a missing manuscript, and Berkrot has a lot of fun bringing the story to life. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audio...
THE GRAMMARIANS by Cathleen Schine, read by Hillary Huber
September 24, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutes“Her words are candy on my tongue,” says narrator Hillary Huber of author Cathleen Schine. AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith tells host Jo Reed about this fiction audiobook perfect for lovers of words — and great narration. Twin girls are born with a love of language, honed with their parents’ encouragement and centered around the family’s dictionary. Their shared love for the English language draws them ever closer together until a fierce rivalry tears them apart. This is a fun, captivating audiobo...
STEALING THE SHOW by John Barelli, Zachary Schisgal, read by Mack Sanderson
September 23, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesDive into the world of art theft with the Met’s former Chief Security Officer. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discover the history of famous art heists and discuss how narrator Mark Sanderson’s deep voice lends an authoritative tone to John Barelli’s memoir. Being responsible for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s vast collection meant not only guarding against thieves but also working to secure the large institution against acts of terrorism. If watching THE GOLDFINCH makes you wo...
AudioFile Favorites: BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey, read by Tina Fey
September 20, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThe perfect audiobook if you need a laugh. This 2012 Audie winner for Audiobook of the Year is a great example of how an author narrating their own work can bring that extra something. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb chat about how Tina Fey’s challenges as a busy working mother are relatable and her comedy amplified through her perfectly delivered performance. It’s one of AudioFile’s favorites, and on the top of our recommended listening list. Published by Hachette Audio. Fi...
AudioFile Favorites: THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo, read by Elizabeth Acevedo
September 19, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesAn audiobook you absolutely have to hear. Jo Reed and AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb express their admiration for the author’s poetic performance of her own work, one of AudioFile’s favorites and a National Book Award and Carnegie Medal winner. Xiomara is a 15-year-old first-generation Dominican-American girl who finds her voice through poetry. Acevedo’s performance chops pull the listener into Xiomara’s world, making this audiobook the ideal way to experience this novel. Published by Harpe...
AudioFile Favorites: HIDDEN FIGURES by Margot Lee Shetterly, read by Robin Miles
September 18, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesRobin Miles’s narration brings out the heart in a story built on incredible science. Michele Cobb, AudioFile Publisher, and host Jo Reed discuss an AudioFile favorite that went on to become a hit movie. Forget about breaking the glass ceiling — these four black women worked for NASA as “computers” and were instrumental in breaking the sound barrier and paving the way for space exploration. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free a...
AudioFile Favorites: HAMILTON by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeremy McCarter, read by Mariska Hargitay, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeremy McCarter [Intro]
September 17, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutes“Hamilton: the Musical” is a cultural phenomenon, and the audiobook is a must-listen. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile Publisher Michele Cobb discuss their delight at this Audie Award Audiobook of the Year winner. It’s an AudioFile favorite packed with behind-the-scenes insights into how a Broadway musical gets made. Narrated by superfan Mariska Hargitay along with Lin-Manuel Miranda himself reading the libretto footnotes. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofil...
AudioFile Favorites: BELOVED by Toni Morrison, read by Toni Morrison
September 16, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThe Pulitzer Prize-winning modern classic narrated by author Toni Morrison herself. Jo Reed and AudioFile publisher Michele Cobb start a week of episodes of AudioFile Favorites—audiobooks we love to recommend. BELOVED is a compelling and complicated tale with an emotional punch, where the wounds of slavery run deep. It has controversial characters and a musical pace that will stay with the listener. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com...
AudioFile Favorites: THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT by Alan Furst
September 13, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesWith so many historical mysteries to choose from, why does Alan Furst’s WWII noir make the AudioFile Favorites list? Host Jo Reed and Robin Whitten talk about the appeal and compare two versions of the audiobook. In Paris in the late 1930s, journalist Carl Weisz takes over an antifascist newspaper and is swept deeper into the international émigré community and the increasing danger of work for the Resistance. This 2007 spy novel has two audiobook versions—unabridged read by celebrated narrato...
AudioFile Favorites: BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah, read by Trevor Noah
September 12, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThe host of “The Daily Show” gives a candid, unflinching look at his South African childhood. Editor Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed talk about why this author-read memoir is one of AudioFile’s go-to recommendations. Trevor Noah injects his candor and uses his wry humor with his innate storytelling and mimicry to leaven the story commenting on the absurdities of apartheid while giving a stark portrait of the repressive lives of Black South Africans. Published by Audible. Find more audiobook re...
AudioFile Favorites: BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter, read by Edoardo Ballerini
September 11, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThe charm of the Italian coast, movie star glamour, hope, and heartbreak are wrapped in a magical narration by Edoardo Ballerini. Editor Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed talk about why this audiobook performance makes the novel one of AudioFile’s Favorites. Listeners start with an Italian innkeeper in the 1960s and and move all the way through present-day Hollywood with dozens of unforgettable characters: husbands and wives, lovers and dreamers, superstars and losers, all warmly and vividly por...
AudioFile Favorites: THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman, read by Neil Gaiman
September 10, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesGaiman’s fantastic worlds are an absolute delight on audio, and listeners are especially lucky to get to experience this Newbery Award-winning middle grade fantasy in Gaiman’s own voice. Host Jo Reed and Editor Robin Whitten chat about why THE GRAVEYARD BOOK is an AudioFile Favorite. Fans of AMERICAN GODS or GOOD OMENS may not know about Gaiman’s children’s audiobooks.This story of an orphaned boy—“Bod,” short for Nobody—who is raised by ghosts in the local graveyard also features an array of...
AudioFile Favorites: THE GOLDEN COMPASS by Philip Pullman, read by Philip Pullman and a Full Cast
September 09, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesA window into Philip Pullman’s fantastic universe is the way many listeners first entered the audiobook world. Editor Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed start a week of episodes of AudioFile Favorites—the audiobooks we always recommend. The first in the His Dark Materials trilogy sets the stage with miraculous creatures—daemons, armored bears, and witches—who join 12-year-old Lyra Belacqua in her quest for truth. The multi-actor cast of this audiobook version engages listeners from the opening sc...
THE VAGABONDS by Jeff Guinn, read by Josh Hamilton
September 06, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesTake a road trip around America with Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile reviewer Jonathan Smith discuss a new American history audiobook. Josh Hamilton narrates the story of Ford, Edison, John Burroughs, and their ten years of summer road trips across the United States in the 1910s and 1920s. But they weren’t simply adventuring—they were working to transform the way we travel. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine....
SEMICOLON by Cecelia Watson, read by Pam Ward
September 05, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesAn audiobook devoted to the semicolon? Hear host Jo Reed and AudioFile reviewer Jonathan Smith discuss this unlikely yet lively audiobook. Narrator Pam Ward’s expressive narration delights as she recounts the history of grammar’s most misunderstood punctuation mark, the semicolon. It’s a listen that’s brisk, witty, and provocative; a genuine pleasure for the ear. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com For more free audiobook recommendations, si...
NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson, read by Joshilyn Jackson
September 04, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesBrace yourself for a roller coaster of a story. AudioFile reviewer Jonathan Smith tells host Jo Reed why NEVER HAVE I EVER is such a captivating thriller. When a newcomer to Amy’s neighborhood starts blackmailing her, she finds herself in a battle to conceal her deepest, darkest secret. Author Joshilyn Jackson is also a skilled narrator—she breathes life into her characters, setting the scene in the Florida Panhandle. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofile...
DEEP RIVER by Karl Marlantes, read by Bronson Pinchot
September 03, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesDive into a sprawling, incandescent historical novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile reviewer Jonathan Smith share an audiobook recommendation that will see you through any road trip. DEEP RIVER is an engrossing and commanding historical epic about one immigrant family’s shifting fortunes in Washington state. Bronson Pinchot’s extraordinary ear for language and his nuanced delivery enliven the prose and capture the heart of the listener. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommen...
BEIJING PAYBACK by Daniel Nieh, read by Ewan Chung
September 02, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesJourney to Beijing with this fast-paced thriller. Join host Jo Reed and AudioFile reviewer Jonathan Smith as they recommend BEIJING PAYBACK. This is an audiobook for anyone who likes a great crime novel performed by a truly talented narrator. Ewan Chung smoothly narrates the story of Victor, a Chinese-American college student whose father was just murdered. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up...
MAGIC FOR LIARS by Sarah Gailey, read by Xe Sands
August 30, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesXe Sands creates a gritty and entirely believable voice for Ivy Gamble, a P.I. who is recounting the investigation of a gruesome murder case at Osthorne Academy for Young Mages. Sands captivates listeners with a fatigued yet steady delivery of the first-person story and creates an atmosphere of intrigue with masterful pacing. Ivy’s anxiety about taking on her first murder case is amplified by the fact that she’s the non-magical twin sister of a powerful mage who teaches at Osthorne. Sands wra...
DESIRE LINES by Elizabeth Kingston, read by Nicholas Boulton
August 29, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesNarrator Nicholas Boulton’s rich baritone amplifies the drama and intrigue in this intense medieval romance. Gryff is a Welsh prince in hiding who is captured by violent thieves and kept alive simply because he knows how to care for his valuable hunting falcons. A small, nearly silent, and deadly woman slays his captors, and the pair form an alliance as they travel together. Boulton’s talents are impressive as he smoothly transitions between the many characters and their Norman and Welsh acce...
DON'T DATE ROSA SANTOS by Nina Moreno, read by Almarie Guerra
August 28, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesBursting with winsome charm, this audiobook whisks listeners to the cozy coastal community of Port Coral, Florida, where Cuban-American Rosa Santos lives with her abuela, the neighborhood healer. Everyone in Port Coral knows about the curse on Rosa: Since the sea claimed the lives of her father and grandfather, anyone who dates her risks a similar fate. Yet smart, pragmatic Rosa can't help falling for Alex, a tattooed baker with a boat, anymore than she can help dreaming of college in Havana....
THE HERO NEXT DOOR by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich [Ed.], read by a Full Cast
August 27, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesFourteen stellar narrators each read one short story in this anthology by a diverse group of authors. The fictional stories all feature ordinary young people performing extraordinary acts of kindness and friendship. Some are large and heroic, and some are seemingly small but still meaningful. Most memorable is “Reina Madrid” by R.J. Palacio, in which narrator Frankie Corzo brings 1970s Queens to life with New York accents and exquisite Spanish pronunciation. The stories cross genres from cont...
SPEAKING OF SUMMER by Kalisha Buckhanon, read by Karen Chilton
August 26, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesSimply put, this audiobook is extraordinary. Narrator Karen Chilton portrays Autumn Spencer, whose twin sister, Summer, has disappeared from the roof of their building without a trace. As Autumn attempts to find out what happened, she becomes obsessed with the way that society treats black women—as if they are invisible and the violence perpetrated against them doesn’t matter. As her mental health deteriorates, Autumn reevaluates her trauma. Chilton provides an outstanding narration. Her pace...
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ALISTAIR AINSWORTH by Leonard Goldberg, read by Steve West
August 23, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesIn a remarkable performance, Steve West becomes Dr. John Watson, Jr., husband of Joanna Blalock, daughter of Sherlock Holmes. West also gives dozens of other characters honest and convincing personalities. In this third adventure John, Joanna, and Dr. Watson, Sr., are called upon to find Alistair Ainsworth, a missing cryptographer who has access to secret government information. It’s 1915. The Germans have abducted Ainsworth and are holding him prisoner, torturing him for sensitive British wa...
DEVIL'S FJORD by David Hewson, read by Saul Reichlin
August 22, 2019 09:00 - 6 minutesThis audiobook is a perfect example of the popular Nordic noir genre. Listeners will be transported to a small fishing village ominously named the Devil’s Fjord on a remote island in the Faroe Islands. It’s a place, as one resident describes it, where you don’t belong unless you can kill. Narrator Saul Reichlin, who is English (as is the author), tells this gritty story in a cordial voice that makes its human savagery all the more terrifying. Reichlin’s character portrayals are vivid and conv...
MR. SAMMLER'S PLANET by Saul Bellow, read by George Guidall
August 21, 2019 09:00 - 7 minutesIt’s as much about the language in Saul Bellow’s 1970 novel as it is about the philosophical, and what better narrator to handle Bellow’s complex characters, ideas, and luscious layering of words than AUDIOFILE Golden Voice George Guidall? Arthur Sammler is a Polish refugee—a Holocaust survivor with only one good eye. But that doesn’t keep him from seeing. Guidall portrays the septuagenarian Sammler as an observer of the human condition. He calls himself a “registrar of madness.” He worries a...