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
DISRUPTIONS by Steven Millhauser, read by Gisela Chípe, Vas Eli, Arthur Morey
October 18, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesGisela Chípe, Vas Eli, and Arthur Morey enrich these tilt-a-whirl stories from Steven Millhauser. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this Earphones Award-winning audiobook full of a remarkable variety of imaginary worlds. Three different yet all very convincing narrators voice simple characters whose lives become fantastically disrupted. Mischief, restrained malevolence, and twisty plots abound. Millhauser’s resourceful imagination is well served in this rich audiobook. Read t...
SWIM HOME TO THE VANISHED by Brendan Shay Basham, read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett
October 17, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesShaun Taylor-Corbett performs Brendan Shay Basham’s immersive audiobook in a restrained style. Magical realism colors this fine debut novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Taylor-Corbett shifts his tone to reflect the various characters and authentically delivers the Diné language in the text. He inhabits the soul of Damien, who has just lost his younger brother, and seeks refuge from his wounds by traveling to a mysterious seacoast town. The author takes listeners on ...
SOMEBODY'S FOOL by Richard Russo, read by Mark Bramhall
October 16, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesHost Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Richard Russo’s newest book, given a very fine narration by Mark Bramhall. Russo is at his storytelling best here, returning to the North Bath community of NOBODY’S FOOL and EVERYBODY'S FOOL. A broad array of characters interacts credibly thanks to Bramhall’s strong performance. As Peter Sullivan mulls over his relationship with his estranged son, Janie struggles in her role as daughter and mother, and Raymer ponders a new life and a violent ...
EVIL EYE by Etaf Rum, read by Vaneh Assadourian, Gail Shalan
October 13, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesVaneh Assadourian and Gail Shalan perform the intimate coming-of-age story of a woman in her thirties. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss the story of Yara, a 30-something daughter of Palestinian immigrants who has it all—but who still feels burnt out and wishes for more. After an incident at her job, she starts seeing a therapist, begins to confront the trauma of her past, and works toward a better future. Assadourian skillfully narrates Yara’s emotional arc in the story,...
LAND OF MILK AND HONEY by C Pam Zhang, read by Eunice Wong
October 12, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesEunice Wong performs this immersive tale of an Asian American chef during an apocalyptic event in Earth’s near future. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss how Wong captures the chef’s strong narrative voice. The unnamed narrator is unable to return to America after smog covers the globe, blocking sunlight and killing most of Earth’s plants and animals. To escape impending disaster, the chef takes a job cooking for a billionaire living in an isolated compound on the top of a...
HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim, read by Shannon Tyo, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Thomas Pruyn, Angie Kim
October 11, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesShannon Tyo, Sean Patrick Hopkins, and Thomas Pruyn perform this riveting story that begs the question, how well do we truly know the members of our family? Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a story Kendra calls one of the best of 2023. Twenty-year-old Mia and her twin brother are home from college during the pandemic. Their father goes missing while at the park with their younger brother Eugene, who is autistic. Tyo perfectly captures Mia’s narrative voice as we follow t...
THE FRAUD by Zadie Smith, read by Zadie Smith
October 10, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesZadie Smith expertly performs her historical novel inspired by true events. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story set in 1873, when Mrs. Eliza Touchet, a Scottish housekeeper, is watching the trial of a working-class Australian man who claims to be the true inheritor of a great estate and title. Listeners explore Mrs Touchet’s past and get the perspective on an enslaved man called upon as a star witness. Smith’s performance is an equal match to her prose. Her narra...
EVERY DROP IS A MAN'S NIGHTMARE by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto, read by Michelle Sekine
October 09, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesMichelle Sekine performs this debut short story collection by Native Hawaiian and Japanese American author Megan Kamalei Kakimoto. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss how the collection celebrates what it means to be Kānaka Maoli, in all of its complexities and contradictions. Each story examines the life of a different woman or girl as they try to make their way in the world. Sekine’s narration skillfully anchors listeners in each story, and her performance gives listeners...
THE SECRET HOURS by Mick Herron, read by Gerard Doyle
October 06, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesGerard Doyle performs this stand-alone dispatch from Mick Herron’s cynical “spook street” world with such dry resignation that it is often laugh-out-loud funny, or would be if it weren’t so believable. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how perfectly Doyle narrates this series, laconic at just the right points while also slyly building tension. His vocal control is masterly, and his pacing, range, and attention to detail a perfect match for Herron’s. Fans of Herron’s Slough Ho...
DEAD MAN'S POSE by Susan Rogers, John Roosen, read by Rupert Degas
October 05, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesGolden Voice narrator Rupert Degas takes listeners to Sydney, Australia, where Elaina Williams and yoga student Ric Peters are shocked to find a student dead after class. Degas’s spirited Elaina and ingenious Ric delightfully play off each other—the most fun arises from their zany disguises as they try to learn whether the student died of natural causes. Audio is ideal since conversations and evocative descriptions abound in this start to a quirky new series. Read the full review of the audio...
THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BIG BAD WOLF by Alexander McCall Smith, read by David Rintoul
October 04, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesNarrator David Rintoul returns in another charming trip to Alexander McCall Smith’s Department of Sensitive Crimes. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this tongue-in-cheek take on the dour Scandi noir genre, with Detective Ulf Varg investigating the missing cabin of a bacon magnate while negotiating trouble at work. Rintoul strikes the perfect balance between seriousness and satire. His tone of wry affability as Ulf and his voicing of various secondary characters will keep lis...
THE STOLEN COAST by Dwyer Murphy, read by Robert Petkoff
October 03, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesRobert Petkoff is the perfect narrator for Dwyer Murphy’s quirky heist novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this New England noir crime novel with an engaging narration. Jack Betancourt is a people mover — when questionable people need to disappear, Jack is their go-to guy. When his ex-girlfriend returns to Jack’s tiny beach town with a plan for a heist, things do not go according to plan, and Petkoff’s narration grows ominous. Well-defined characters; an attention-grabbi...
THE LONGMIRE DEFENSE by Craig Johnson, read by George Guidall
October 02, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesGeorge Guidall once again enchants listeners with his performance in this 19th audiobook in Craig Johnson’s Longmire series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this new title that dives back into a 70-year-old crime involving Longmire’s grandfather. Guidall’s rich, weathered tones continue to be the perfect match for the series characters. Listeners learn more about Longmire’s family history, Wyoming’s government and financial structures, rules of law in the Wild West, and Lon...
THE PARA METHOD by Tiago Forte, read by Tiago Forte
September 29, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesTiago Forte reads his updated 2022 book on digital organizing with a laid-back and inviting narrating style. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this organization system that uses four categories to define your files: Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives, that works with any digital platform. It is a brief and easy to follow title written to help listeners achieve more of what is important, keep track of essential information, and let go of what is not needed. Read the full ...
SURE, I'LL JOIN YOUR CULT by Maria Bamford, read by Maria Bamford
September 28, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesStand-up comic Maria Bamford shows her sense of timing, audience, and humor as she narrates her memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Bamford’s audiobook that takes listeners all through her life, dealing with mental health, eating disorders, and more, following a nonlinear structure. While pondering bouts of mental illness and her need to belong, Bamford continually takes detours filled with irreverent, laugh-worthy details and tongue-in-cheek observations. All are delive...
CONGRATULATIONS, THE BEST IS OVER! by R. Eric Thomas, read by R. Eric Thomas
September 27, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesWriter R. Eric Thomas’s second essay collection is just as funny and exuberant as his debut—and if possible, even more nuanced and moving. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Thomas’s fun and heartfelt narration of his collection that’s laugh-out-loud funny but real enough to make you cry. Writing about the complicated emotions that arise when he moves back to his hometown, the beautiful challenges of marriage, the isolation of the pandemic, and so much more, Thomas offers a hea...
THICKER THAN WATER by Kerry Washington, read by Kerry Washington
September 26, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesKerry Washington’s heartfelt memoir takes listeners from her childhood in the Bronx through her award-winning acting career. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss an audiobook narrated by the author with ferociousness and emotional intelligence. Washington recounts her extraordinary life as an actor, an activist who aims to break down barriers, and a devoted daughter, mentor, director, and producer. She narrates with grace and style as she offers candid moments of joy and anguish,...
WHALEFALL by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne
September 25, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesNarrator Kirby Heyborne embodies the gruesomeness, terror, and beauty in Daniel Kraus’s novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the story of a scuba dive that goes horribly wrong. Teenage scuba diver Jay is consumed by guilt as he seeks to find the remains of his father, who died by suicide, in the Pacific Ocean. As Jay searches the ocean’s depths, he’s swallowed by a sperm whale. Heyborne’s performance robustly expands Krauss’s intense tale. Read the full review of the audio...
STUNTBOY, IN-BETWEEN TIME by Jason Reynolds, read by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock, Angel Pean, James Fouhey, and a Full Cast
September 22, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesGuy Lockard is the energetic and enthusiastic heart of this new Stuntboy adventure from Jason Reynolds, narrated by a talented cast with lively music and goofy sound effects. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this sequel to the Audie, Odyssey, and Best Audiobook award-winning title from Jason Reynolds. All of the action takes place in Portico’s building, where he lives with his parents and Gran Gran. At least, they used to all live together—now Portico’s parents have split u...
CHINESE MENU by Grace Lin, read by Lisa Ling
September 21, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesLisa Ling delivers Grace Lin’s delectable food-based tales drawn from Chinese Culture. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this fun and fascinating children’s audiobook all about the foods you’ll discover on menus in American Chinese restaurants, delving into the history and mythology behind everything from the importance of tea to the delightfully named Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. In a conversational tone, Ling describes an iconic dish, offers historical context and etymology...
GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner, read by Kit Griffiths
September 20, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesHannah Kaner’s fantasy with captivating world-building and characters requires an expert emotional performance—and Kit Griffiths delivers. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this rich fantasy where gods live and fight—and die—alongside people. After Kissen’s family is sacrificed by followers of a reckless fire deity, she dedicates her life to hunting gods. But her path changes when she meets Inara, a young heiress who is mysteriously linked to a small god of white lies. Trave...
VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE by Isabel Cañas, read by Jose Nateras, Krysta Gonzales
September 19, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesJose Nateras and Krysta Gonzales convey the romance and spine-tingling horrors in this audiobook set during the Mexican-American war. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this new novel from Isabel Cañas, author of THE HACIENDA. Nateras narrates as Néstor, channeling his dread at being summoned back to the rancho where, 9 years ago, he witnessed his best friend’s gruesome death at the hands of a monster. He’s shocked to discover Nena is alive, angry, and has no time for Néstor’...
THE VASTER WILDS by Lauren Groff, read by January LaVoy
September 18, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesJanuary LaVoy gives a breathtaking narration of an astonishing historical novel from Lauren Groff. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this story set in 1609 that starts with a servant girl fleeing from a failing colony into the forest. What follows is a dramatic, beautifully wrought story of survival, narrated with precision, emotion, and a keen sense of the story. LaVoy puts care into every word she narrates as the girl struggles through the wilds, heightening the joy of dis...
THE BOUNTY by Caroline Alexander, read by Nicholas Boulton
September 15, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesThe beautiful tone and pure British diction of Nicholas Boulton are put to fine use in this history of the mutiny on HMS BOUNTY. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how this history differs from previous explorations of the BOUNTY mutiny. Golden Voice Boulton has a masterful ability to let this fascinating re-creation of events unfold for listeners. His performance highlights how this often romanticized story made Captain Bligh into a monster and Fletcher Christian a Byronic he...
THE DEEPEST MAP by Laura Trethewey, read by Gabra Zackman
September 14, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesGabra Zackman brings her convincing style, resonant tone, and exacting timing to Laura Trethewey’s exploration of the deep sea. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Zackman’s authoritative tone works with this fascinating story of ocean mapping and high-seas adventures. The implications of mapping the ocean floors, which we know less about than the surfaces of the moon or Mars, are extraordinary. There are minerals, buried ships, and undiscovered life forms, as well as possi...
WASTELAND by Oliver Franklin-Wallis, read by Chris Harper
September 13, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesChris Harper has his work cut out for him in Oliver Franklin-Wallis’s chilling audiobook about waste around the globe. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the challenge of maintaining a reportorial tone amid the horrifying reports of toxic mountains of garbage. He keeps the right pace and cadence as he recounts the author’s discoveries, including an island of plastic three times the size of France floating in the Pacific, corporate mismanagement, the idiocy of fast fashion, and...
THE HEAT WILL KILL YOU FIRST by Jeff Goodell, read by L.J. Ganser
September 12, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesL.J. Ganser superbly reads Goodell’s audiobook on the dramatic impact of climate change on our planet. As host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss, the book explores the how and why of global heat and its devastating effects, from wildfires to melting glaciers. Ganser delivers an exceptional performance. With a bold and intense delivery, Ganser transforms the investigative report into a masterpiece. Anyone concerned about our future and that of future generations should listen. Read...
THE PARROT AND THE IGLOO by David Lipsky, read by Mike Chamberlain
September 11, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesMike Chamberlain’s believable tone and unhurried pace make him a great choice to narrate this audiobook subtitled “Climate and the Science of Denial.” Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this story examining facts versus falsehoods, and the climate-change deniers. These are the folks who still pit themselves against the scientists revealing unyielding truths of melting glaciers, warming temperatures, and catastrophic weather events. Chamberlain’s careful narration of Lipsky’s p...
THE APOLOGY by Jimin Han, read by Kathleen Kim
September 08, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesKathleen Kim’s magnificent performance brings out the complexity and drama in Jimin Han’s outstanding saga. Kim is the compelling voice of Jeonga Cha, a strong-willed woman who is haunted by the decisions she made based on pride and honor. Generations later, as a ghost, she must rectify the consequences of her actions. The wide range of emotions in Kim’s evocative narration deftly reveals Jeonga Cha’s evolving voices as woman, daughter, mother, sister, and grandmother across the intersections...
FAMILY LORE by Elizabeth Acevedo, read by Danyeli Rodriguez del Orbe, Elizabeth Acevedo, Sixta Morel
September 07, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesThree narrators portray the viewpoints of uncommon women leading full, magical lives in Elizabeth Acevedo’s first novel for adults. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story of Flor, an older Dominican American woman who decides to throw herself a living wake. One of four sisters, Flor dreams about when people are going to die. Author Acevedo narrates the majority of the novel; her poignant turns of phrase and delivery in English and Spanish provide a musical listening...
KUKUM by Michel Jean, Susan Ouriou [Trans.], read by Erin Tripp
September 06, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesErin Tripp, a Lingít actor and performer, narrates this historical novel based on author Michel Jean’s Innu ancestry. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss how Tripp evokes the snowy landscape and beautiful sections of nature writing. Almanda Siméon, the daughter of Irish immigrants, falls in love with Thomas, an Innu man, and is welcomed in his Pekuakami Innu community. Tripp perfectly pastures Almanda’s horror and fury as she experiences the loss of her community’s Indigeno...
THOSE WE THOUGHT WE KNEW by David Joy, read by MacLeod Andrews
September 05, 2023 09:00 - 8 minutesMacLeod Andrews performs David Joy’s riveting novel set in the mountains of western North Carolina in 2019. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s contributor Kendra Winchester discuss this literary crime novel about Toya, a young Black artist from Atlanta who returns to her grandmother’s Appalachian town to learn more about her family’s history. When she discovers a Confederate statue in town, she calls for its removal. At the same time, a white deputy discovers a list of high-ranking members of the K...
TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett, read by Meryl Streep
September 04, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesMeryl Streep’s captivating performance of Ann Patchett’s new novel transforms this fine book into a must-listen. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this Earphones Award-winning audiobook about the Nelson family isolating together during the start of the Covid pandemic. Lara entertains her daughters with memories of working in summer stock theater at nearby Tom Lake and dating an actor who became a famous movie star. It’s a beautiful warm hug of an audiobook about a mother ...
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU: AudioFile Favorites
September 01, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesJulia Whelan’s performance is so consistently gripping that listeners may attempt to finish this entire audiobook in one sitting. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this bestselling story of a decades-old murder at a New Hampshire boarding school. A successful podcaster, Bodie teaches a course on the subject at her alma mater, and one of her students turns to that murder for inspiration on her school project. As the research progresses, Bodie is forced to confront complicated r...
BAD CREE: AudioFile Favorites
August 31, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesTanis Parenteau leaps right into narrating this chilling debut horror novel from Jessica Johns. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a story of dreams come to life — but these dreams are full of crows and sinister winter woods. Parenteau portrays all of Mackenzie’s anxiety, quickening her pace as her nightmares turn more sinister. She lives a solitary life far from her Cree family’s home, and still feels isolated when she returns home. The suspense mounts as Mackenzie and he...
THE WAGER: AudioFile Favorites
August 30, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesDavid Grann’s enthralling audiobook is performed wonderfully by Dion Graham, a master narrator. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this compelling tale of a shipwreck, mutiny, and murder. Dion Graham commands the listener’s attention with this true story of HMS WAGER, an English warship that sailed in the 1740s. The excitement and peril of the high seas are captured through the dramatic accounts of remarkable perseverance. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s w...
HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND UNFAIRLY CUTE: AudioFile Favorites
August 29, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesAmina Koroma and Jonathan Andrew Hume bring liveliness and charm to this utterly delightful YA debut from Talia Hibbert, a beloved British romance author. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this audiobook full of humor and heart. Koroma delivers all of the snark and wit of Celine, a stellar student and TikTok star who is ready to take on the world—starting with a wilderness adventure that could win the attention of her hero. Unfortunately, her ex-best-friend-now-rival Brad is...
VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS: AudioFile Favorites
August 28, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesHost Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the start of a fun and unusual new mystery series from Jesse Q. Sutanto, narrated with brisk humor by Eunice Wong. The lonely existence of 60-year-old Chinese immigrant Vera Wong takes a wild turn when she discovers a dead body in her rundown San Francisco tea shop. Vera is a woman of strong opinions and decisive actions, and Wong’s crisp, accented portrayal reveals all of Vera’s amusing, endearing, and exasperating traits. Perfect for fans of...
THE RAGING STORM by Ann Cleeves, read by Jack Holden
August 25, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesJack Holden’s return to narrate the third installment in Ann Cleeves’s Matthew Venn series is a treat. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a story full of twists and turns that will keep listeners engaged. Cleeves’s descriptive prowess transports listeners to the bleak and formidable cliffs of Greystone, Devon. When adventurer Jem Roscoe is found dead in a dinghy after a raging storm, Detective Matthew Venn and his team are called in to investigate. Holden masterfully conveys t...
LEARNED BY HEART by Emma Donoghue, read by Shiromi Arserio
August 24, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesShiromi Arserio is the ideal choice for this touching novel about two 14-year-old girls who attend a boarding school in York, England, in 1805. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Arserio’s compassionate portrayal of these unforgettable characters. Arserio vividly conveys the emotional complexities of Eliza Raine, a lonely, wealthy orphan from India, and Anne Lister, an audacious, highly intelligent tomboy. The social outcasts quickly become inseparable, and their friendship bl...
THE FIRST LADY OF WORLD WAR II by Shannon McKenna Schmidt, read by Suzanne Toren
August 23, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesSuzanne Toren’s rich, assured performance transports listeners in this absorbing discussion of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s World War II contributions. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how Eleanor expanded the role of First Lady during wartime by becoming actively involved in social issues and traveling widely. She visited troops stationed in the Pacific theater, providing practical support and bolstering troop’s morale. An archived radio broadcast of Eleanor’s spee...
HOMECOMING by Kate Morton, read by Claire Foy
August 22, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesClaire Foy gives listeners a remarkable performance of Kate Morton’s sweeping new novel about family, love, and secrets. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a mysterious story about one family’s secrets. On Christmas Day, 1959, a bizarre tragedy strikes the Turner family of South Australia. In 2018, Jess Turner, a London-based journalist, is summoned back to Sydney, and she stumbles across the decades-old mystery that leaves her wrestling with the stunning truth of what has bee...
THE BOOKBINDER by Pip Williams, read by Annabelle Tudor
August 21, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesAnnabelle Tudor completely inhabits the English characters at the center of this engrossing tale of gender, class, and World War I. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a story of Peggy and Maude, bookbinders at Oxford University Press. Peggy’s intellectual curiosity is discernible in her voice; she chafes at the reminder that her job is to bind the books, not read them. Maude, who is neurodivergent, has a knack for parroting the core words of every conversation. Tudor rounds he...
GOODBYE EARL by Leesa Cross-Smith, read by Mela Lee, Kamali Minter, Sarah Beth Goer, Erin Bennett, Traci Odom, Julian Thomas
August 18, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesThis heartfelt audiobook about four friends who are seeking revenge is a must-listen. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Leesa Cross-Smith’s novel set in a small town. Mela Lee narrates as Kasey, who has returned home and is haunted by the truth of her mother’s death. She reunites with three friends, Ada, Rosemarie, and Caroline. Caroline has recently married the town’s richest bachelor, Trey, but when his abusive behavior sends Caroline to the hospital, the other girls plan hi...
THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF ILL-MANNERED LADIES by Alison Goodman, read by Kristin Atherton
August 17, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesKristen Atherton’s excellent use of accents, inflection, and tempo brings Alison Goodman’s characters to life in a lively feminist Regency adventure. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a story of single 42-year-old twin sisters, Augusta and Julia, who are way ahead of their time. They may be considered “on the shelf” by some, but others know them as determined deliverers of women and girls in calamitous situations. Atherton’s animated performance captures all the aristocratic a...
THE WHISPERS by Ashley Audrain, read by Jill Winternitz
August 16, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesJill Winternitz perfectly captures the strain of maintaining facades in her narration of four women forced to confront unearthed truths. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Ashley Audrain’s suspenseful thriller about the bitter secrets, despair, and rage hidden away in a quiet neighborhood. From the first crack in the veneer at a neighborhood barbecue to a tragic incident befalling one of their children, each woman’s world starts to unravel and affect the other women in the grou...
ALISON BECHDEL'S DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR by Alison Bechdel, Madeleine George, read by Jane Lynch, Carrie Brownstein, Roberta Colindrez, Roxane Gay, and a Full Cast
August 15, 2023 09:00 - 6 minutesThis full-cast audio adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s classic comic strip about the messy lives of a group of queer women in the 1980s is absolutely flawless. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this hilarious, heartfelt, and utterly compelling adaptation of a lesbian classic. Jane Lynch grounds the production as the narrator, and Carrie Brownstein gives a knockout performance as Mo, a self-righteous but well-intentioned lesbian who is prone to panic attacks. Sound effects, music,...
BEWARE THE WOMAN by Megan Abbott, read by Brittany Pressley
August 14, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesBrittany Pressley captures a young woman’s fear as her world closes in on her. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Megan Abbott’s mystery about a family vacation gone wrong. Newly married Jacy and Jed are traveling to the wilds of Michigan to meet Jed’s parents. But soon things start to feel off, especially when Jed’s father, Dr. Ash, takes an uneasy interest in Jacy’s pregnancy. Pressley provides the perfect mix of mounting terror and rage and creates a progressively suffocatin...
Christine Baranski and Jesse Green in conversation about SHY
August 11, 2023 10:00 - 49 minutesActor Christine Baranski and New York Times theater Jesse Green join host Jo Reed in a special bonus edition of Behind the Mic. The two joined forces to create the audiobook of SHY: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers, written by Mary Rodgers and Jesse Green. Listen to our interview to hear from Jesse Green about how this lively and memorable book was written, and how Christine Baranski’s talented narration brings this unusual memoir to life. Mary Rodgers was the daughter of the ...
WE STILL BELONG by Christine Day, read by Katie Anvil Rich
August 11, 2023 09:00 - 7 minutesKatie Anvil Rich gives an engaging narration of a heartwarming middle grade audiobook that takes place over the course of a single day. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Christine Day’s newest quiet, thoughtful audiobook exploring identity and belonging. Rich captures Wesley’s nervous excitement for this year’s Indigenous People’s Day. She’s publishing a poem on the holiday in her middle school paper, and she’s going to ask her cute gaming club crush out to a school dance. W...