Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Harrowing, evocative, and timely, Paul Lynch’s 2023 Booker Prize-winning novel is a deep dive into what happens when democracy devolves into totalitarianism. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Gerry O’Brien’s narration of this tense and unforgettable audiobook. Set in Dublin, the story begins when Eilish Stack finds officers from the secret police at the door looking for her husband. An emergency is happening, and people are rapidly losing their rights as reality shifts under their feet. O’Brien’s excellent pacing and strong narration capture the tension, fear, and uncertainty as Eilish struggles to keep her family safe. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Bolinda Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Henry Nixon builds the panic that listeners will feel intensely as characters are trapped in underwater caves and grow desperate for their next breaths. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Margaret Hickey’s thriller set on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, known for cave diving. While on vacation, Detective Sergeant Mark Ariti is drawn into a complicated investigation that spans decades. The seamless blend of Hickey’s narrative prowess and Nixon’s exemplary performance ensures an engaging experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Random House Australia Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Liz Cheney’s memoir about the investigation into the January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. It combines an able narration by Cheney with clips of quoted material from news reports and recorded speeches, giving the audiobook a sense of immediacy that can’t be duplicated in print. Because she was a longtime U.S. representative, Cheney knows how to effectively utilize the spoken word, and it makes for an enlightening listen even for well-informed readers. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Suzanne Toren’s exquisite enunciation and no-nonsense manner meld beautifully with Donna Leon’s sardonic, witty reflections on Venice and its denizens. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine’s Robin Whitten discuss how American-born Leon has made her home in the watery city for more than 40 years, and the long-running mystery series she’s penned set in Venice. These essays, first published in 2013, explore Venice’s oddity and inscrutability in depth, as well as touching on Leon’s New Jersey childhood. Toren narrates it all with perfect timing and a wink. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will have a grand time with Daisy Goodwin’s historical novel about famed opera singer Maria Callas, performed with a versatile narration by Lorelei King. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Goodwin’s imagining of Callas’s glamorous and haunting life. King gives Callas a slightly detached, poised tone as she rehearses and performs, and socializes with the rich and famous of the 1950s and ’60s—including Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and, of course, her longtime lover, Aristotle Onassis. Listeners will feel as though they are globe-trotting alongside Callas as she performs in classic opera houses of Europe and the U.S. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grab your chopsticks and get ready for a delectable performance by Fuchsia Dunlop. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Dunlop’s tales of epicurean adventures around China, and the history of Chinese food. Dunlop’s narration imparts wisdom and reverence for Chinese culture and China’s diverse cuisine. Her Mandarin accent and satiny voice add to the lyrical descriptions and intricate history of mouthwatering dishes like steamed reeves shad and places like Dragon Well Village. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by HighBridge Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss an audiobook where the brilliance of the novel is enhanced by the excellence of the performers. Daniel Mason’s novel is expansive, employing a wide array of audiobook narrators. A secluded spot in Massachusetts becomes home to many over a four-hundred-year span. With each tale of shifting inhabitants, the listener is treated to a performance by one of several gifted narrators. The storytelling itself is original, and each narrator is perfectly cast for their section. History blends seamlessly with the supernatural and natural worlds, and the performances are consistently powerful to bridge the spaces between. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Atta Otigba and Yetide Badaki give outstanding performances in Teju Cole’s imagistic, nonlinear novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this distinctly postmodern work that captures the complexity of love and marriage. Badaki has precise diction and a lovely artistic tone, while Otigba delivers his parts in a powerful and authoritative voice. Both serve as grand guides to a world of art, history, and criticism. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christopher Brown uses the voice of a confidant for this cornucopia of pleasures—literary and gustatory. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Dwight Garner’s text crammed with words, quotes, and anecdotes about food and literature. Brown takes on a conversational style for this audiobook rich with literary figures and family members whose food opinions the author shares. Listening to this audiobook is mouthwatering and mind-expanding. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile Golden Voice narrator Grover Gardner comfortably inhabits McPhee’s curious mind and captures the eloquence of his prose in this splendid rendition of ORANGES. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this short classic that brings together the supreme storyteller and the exceptional story performer. McPhee’s exploration of oranges ranges widely and digs deeply. From grove to glass, McPhee has done the work, and this pleasurable listen is delivered by a master. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss a delicious and thoughtful collection of essays narrated by an ensemble cast. Nikki Massoud gives an inspired performance of “Border Lines,” Anya von Bremzen’s nuanced debunking of national dishes. Johnny Rey Diaz uses clear Italian enunciation for John Last’s clever “There is No Such Thing as Italian Food.” Editor Bittman has found remarkable selections from EATER, GRUB STREET, HIGH COUNTRY NEWS, and even the JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Gabra Zackman’s warm and authoritative narration of Dr. Monica Gandhi’s guide to the COVID-19 pandemic and strategies for managing future pandemics. The audiobook is full of practical research findings and emphasizes the importance of providing harm reduction tools for any virus to make the world more equitable. Zackman’s performance is quietly persuasive, and the clarity of the writing is helped by her pure timbre, natural-sounding diction, and skill at strategic pauses to emphasize important phrases. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Mayo Clinic Press. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a useful and often moving audiobook about promoting curiosity in people, written and read by Scott Shigeoka. His performance is a wonderful vehicle for his altruistic message and charming personal stories. Describing the uses and misuses of inquiry, he shows how we can question the world more intentionally while also being sensitive to others. His examples from the corporate world are especially useful as he details the attitudes and verbal tools that encourage creative expression and collaboration. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a book of essays on improving your life and learning from adversity narrated by JC Mackenzie. L.A. psychotherapist Phil Stutz began his work in prisons, which provided him with fodder for creating an “adversity is good” approach to personal growth and change. JC Mackenzie’s tone connects with the author’s intelligent perspectives on humanity and compassion for the challenges of modern culture. Stutz says living well is less about results and more about learning, moving forward with discipline, and embracing our connection to higher spiritual forces. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss an audiobook all about setting goals. Productivity expert Jon Acuff narrates his audiobook with an infectious spontaneity and energy. His hero’s journey is full of optimism and will sound familiar to listeners. His core ideas about goal setting may not be revolutionary, but he adds creative strategies and colorful rationales that will speak to anyone who wants to create a better life. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed discuss a week of new and favorite personal development and business books, beginning with DIALED IN. After coach Dana Sinclair delivers her introduction with inviting sincerity, Eunice Wong performs the bulk of this captivating audiobook with the perfect blend of authority and spirit. The majority of the power of the audiobook can be found in the success stories that build the credibility of the author’s message: Guidance and support, as well as a strategic blend of insight and action, can help people break through performance blocks. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this Booker Prize-longlisted novel. Rose Akroyd performs as Sunday Forrester, an autistic woman navigating a neurotypical world as a single parent. Sunday lives a quiet life in rural England with her daughter. When a middle-aged couple moves into the neighborhood, Sunday and her teenage daughter become smitten with these sophisticated city people who seem to live much more glamorous and full lives. Akroyd captures Sunday’s straightforward way of speaking while still imbuing her performance with Sunday’s complex emotions, which she expresses differently than neurotypical people. Akroyd’s narration creates an intimate and beautiful performance. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joniece Abbott-Pratt masterfully re-creates a 1950s Florida reformatory in this story based on a relative of author Tananarive Due and other actual people and events. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this painful but essential story. Listeners meet 12-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr. after he’s arrested for defending his sister Gloria from a white boy. While in the segregated reform school, Robbie experiences and witnesses unfathomable punishment. Abbott-Pratt expertly portrays the story’s crushing atmosphere, as well as fearless Gloria fighting to rescue Robbie, terrified boys, and, most movingly, the “haints”—ghosts of dead boys—who assist Robbie with his escape. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/239837/ Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com https://audiofilemagazine.com/ This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Lost-Van-Gogh-Audiobook/B0CP9WNVPW?qid=1703016878&sr=1-1&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=9CKKXZK94F7XV484DMAH&pageLoadId=QWpPK8dP4gsSjF8Q&ref_plink=not_applicable&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss Paul Murray’s Booker-shortlisted novel of an Irish family falling apart at its seams, performed by a talented ensemble. Ciaran O'Brien performs the perspective of Dickie, a car salesman whose business is going under after the financial crash. Beau Holland narrates the perspective of Dickie’s shopaholic wife with a scheme to save her husband’s business. The couple’s children, performed by Heather O’Sullivan and Barry Fitzgerald, each have secrets of their own. The narrators embody their point-of-view characters, capturing their insecurities and eccentricities as their familial relationships deteriorate. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author/narrator Safiya Sinclair emphasizes the poetry of her words as she narrates her memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this powerful memoir. Sinclair begins by defining “Babylon,” the term that Rastafarians coined to refer to the corrupting influences of Western culture—white oppression, in particular. Her father, a musician, became a strict Rastafarian, and when Sinclair reaches puberty, her rageful father turns on her and rains down abuse. The memoir’s throughlines are Sinclair’s depictions of her mother’s gentle love, her siblings’ tenderness, her own determination, and the poetry that grew within her. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julianne Moore performs this pandemic novel told in three sections. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester start the new year with this moving family story. Each section is set on April 5th of a different year. In 2019, we meet Isabel; her husband, Dan; and her brother, Robbie—who are all living together in New York City. Each section reveals more about the family members, weaving together the threads of their lives. Moore’s narration is engrossing and moves easily among the different characters’ points of view, giving each family member emotional depth and development. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. From the author of The Last Mona Lisa comes a thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery. Alternating between a perilous search and the history of stolen art and lives, listen at audible.com/TheLostVanGogh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode revisits a favorite biography from this year’s 2023 Best Audiobooks. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this Golden Voice narrator’s captivating performance. Dion Graham captures the Civil Rights leader’s deep, resonant tone; deliberate ministerial intonation; and during offstage moments, his world-weariness. Author Jonathan Eig renders King as a great but flawed man. A monumental biography performed exquisitely. Be sure to listen to our interview with Dion Graham about the making of this powerful biography. Find KING: A LIFE and more excellent listening on our list of 2023 Best Audiobooks. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re revisiting favorite listens from our 2023 Best Audiobooks. Today’s episode features a discussion about a fantastical romance from A.J. Lancaster, read with skill by Golden Voice narrator Nicholas Boulton. It’s part fantasy, part murder, part romance, and a total delight. When botanical scholar Marius encounters a murdered colleague in his greenhouse, the enthralling fae, Prince Rakken, is there to investigate. Amid more dead colleagues and adventures in various realms, Marius and Rakken begin a romance. Boulton’s crisp, drawling voice meets the challenges of this fantastical romp. Find A RAKE OF HIS OWN and more excellent listening on our list of 2023 Best Audiobooks. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Podium Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This 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 with author Jarrett J. Krosoczka about transforming his graphic memoir into an audiobook. Find SUNSHINE and more excellent listening on our list of 2023 Best Audiobooks. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today 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 he’s kept from her—and he’s arrested for a crime he didn’t commit—it’s up to her to find the truth. Abbott-Pratt captures listeners’ attention with her dramatic narration, voicing each character with heart and emotion and leaving listeners eager for the next in the series. Find NIC BLAKE and more excellent listening on our list of 2023 Best Audiobooks. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’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 narrates with breathtaking sensitivity, savoring the novel’s many lessons and satisfactions. Find TOM LAKE and more excellent listening on our list of 2023 Best Audiobooks. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. 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 Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ulka 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 welcoming community in Snow Falls, and may just find a new holiday romance in the sweet small Canadian town. Mohanty fosters an atmosphere of wonder as travel delays turn into the best holiday ever. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isabella 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 discovers dangers targeting Indigenous women and girls. A powerful listen, and one of AudioFile’s Best Books of 2023. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Settle 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 Dimaline’s “Tick Talk.” Tara Sky’s youthful voice enlivens two disturbingly realistic stories of white people manipulating Indigenous girls and women with unsettling sincerity. Listeners will find stories full of horror and fear—yet community, humor, and joy abound. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. 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 Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh 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 magicians. He’s surprised when Alan Ross, a prickly journalist and thief, offers his assistance. Action and romance come together in a richly written and beautifully performed audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. 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 Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host 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 mental trauma is harrowing, especially as it digs into its memories to find the possible sources. There is plenty of action, too, as the team faces possible corporate and alien dangers and corruption. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. 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 Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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, romance, and a ghost, this novella is a big gift in a small package. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. 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 Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olivia 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 she delivers descriptions of Earth from above. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. 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 Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’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 Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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, and what has stayed with him about narrating this work. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Harper Audio. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Young Adult Audiobooks are: ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE by Jonny Garza Villa, read by Avi Roque FOR LAMB by Lesa Cline-Ransome, read by Tyla Collier, Kevin R. Free, Rebecca Lee, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Dion Graham, Angel Pean FREE RADICALS by Lila Riesen, read by Gilli Messer THE GRIMOIRE OF GRAVE FATES by Hanna Alkaf, Margaret Owen [Eds.], read by January LaVoy, Nicky Endres ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT by Abdi Nazemian, read by Vikas Adam, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Iman Nazemzadeh WARRIOR GIRL UNEARTHED by Angeline Boulley, read by Isabella Star LaBlanc For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Vikas Adam photo by Ilya S Savenok for Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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 review of the audiobook. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Children & Family Listening titles are: ELF DOG AND OWL HEAD by M.T. Anderson, read by Pete Cross NIC BLAKE AND THE REMARKABLES: THE MANIFESTOR PROPHECY by Angie Thomas, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt REMEMBER US by Jacqueline Woodson, read by Jacqueline Woodson SANDOR KATZ AND THE TINY WILD by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, June Jo Lee, read by Lori Prince, Sandor Katz THE SKULL by Jon Klassen, read by Fairuza Balk, Jon Klassen [Afterword] STUNTBOY, IN-BETWEEN TIME by Jason Reynolds, read by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock, Angel Pean, James Fouhey, and a Full Cast For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Guy Lockard photo by Miguel Herrera. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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 enemies-to-lovers romance. Plummer tells listeners what she enjoyed most about narrating this audiobook, and how her own science background informed her narration. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Penguin Audio. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Romance Audiobooks are: 10 THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED by Alexis Hall, read by Will Watt EVEN IF THE SKY IS FALLING by Taj McCoy [Ed.], read by Adenrele Ojo, Soneela Nankani, Karen Murray, Marissa Hampton, Donnabella Mortel, Joy Beharie, Teddy Hamilton FULL MOON OVER FREEDOM by Angelina M. Lopez, read by Stacy Gonzalez LOVE, THEORETICALLY by Ali Hazelwood, read by Thérèse Plummer A RAKE OF HIS OWN by A.J. Lancaster, read by Nicholas Boulton ROLE PLAYING by Cathy Yardley, read by Chris Brinkley, Elyse Dinh For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Thérèse Plummer photo courtesy of the narrator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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 characters, human and non-human, and the fun of bringing this queer Pinocchio retelling to life. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Macmillan Audio. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Audiobooks are: GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner, read by Kit Griffiths HOLLY by Stephen King, read by Justine Lupe, Stephen King [Note] IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS by TJ Klune, read by Daniel Henning THE WATER OUTLAWS by S.L. Huang, read by Emily Woo Zeller SILVER NITRATE by Silvia Morena-Garcia, read by Gisela Chipe TRANSLATION STATE by Ann Leckie, read by Adjoa Andoh For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Daniel Henning photo by Stephen Mosher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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 best about narrating suspense audiobooks. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Random House Audio. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Mystery & Suspense Audiobooks are: ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S.A. Cosby, read by Adam Lazarre-White BIRNAM WOOD by Eleanor Catton, read by Saskia Maarleveld DEAD MAN'S POSE by Susan Rogers, John Roosen, read by Rupert Degas ROGUE JUSTICE by Stacey Abrams, read by Adenrele Ojo THE SECRET HOURS by Mick Herron, read by Gerard Doyle VERA WONG'S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto, read by Eunice Wong For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Adenrele Ojo photo by Michael Roud Photography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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 Books. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Nonfiction & History Audiobooks are: DIFFER WE MUST by Steve Inskeep, read by Steve Inskeep MISBELIEF by Dan Ariely, read by Simon Jones POVERTY, BY AMERICA by Matthew Desmond, read by Dion Graham TABULA RASA by John McPhee, read by Grover Gardner THE WAGER by David Grann, read by Dion Graham WASTELAND by Oliver Franklin-Wallis, read by Chris Harper For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Grover Gardner photo courtesy of the narrator. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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 Golden Voice narrator. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Macmillan Audio. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Biography & Memoir Audiobooks are: THE ART THIEF by Michael Finkel, read by Edoardo Ballerini, Michael Finkel [Note] HOW TO SAY BABYLON by Safiya Sinclair, read by Safiya Sinclair KING: A LIFE by Jonathan Eig, read by Dion Graham MAKING IT SO by Patrick Stewart, read by Patrick Stewart WHILE YOU WERE OUT by Meg Kissinger, read by Meg Kissinger WHY FATHERS CRY AT NIGHT by Kwame Alexander, read by Kwame Alexander For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Photo of Dion Graham by Max Flatow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator 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 of narrating YELLOWFACE, and what has stayed with her about this audiobook. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Harper Audio. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Fiction Audiobooks are: CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, read by Shayna Small, Aaron Goodson, Michael Crouch, Lee Osorio THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by James McBride, read by Dominic Hoffman I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU by Rebecca Makkai, read by Julia Whelan, JD Jackson THE LATE AMERICANS by Brandon Taylor, read by Kevin R. Free TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett, read by Meryl Streep YELLOWFACE by R.F. Kuang, read by Helen Laser For the full list of 2023 Best Audiobooks visit our website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperAudio. Get up-close to artists you admire with Willie Nelson’s Energy Follows Thought, Melissa Etheridge’s Talking to My Angels, and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Worthy. Listen to samples at www.hc.com. Photo of Helen Laser by John DeAmara. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author, 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 experience. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. AudioFile’s 2023 Best Audio Originals 2023 are: 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 EXODUS: THE SHANGHAI JEWS by Kate McAll, read by Edita Brychta, Michael Canavan, Shannon Cochran, Arye Gross, Anna Mathias, Alan Shearman, André Sogliuzzo, Joanne Whalley THE SCAVENGER DOOR by Suzanne Palmer, read by Karen Novack, John Kielty, Rayner Gabriel, Gail Shalan, and a Full Cast SUNSHINE by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, read by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Jaiden Meltzer, Xavier Krosoczka, Noah Rico, and a Full Cast THIRD EYE by Felicia Day, read by Sean Astin, Felicia Day, Neil Gaiman, LilyPichu, London Hughes, Wil Wheaton, and a Full Cast 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, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Photo of Jarrett J. Krosoczka courtesy of StudioJJK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’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, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie 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 in graduating from college and getting her Master of Fine Arts. Fans of her previous work will be drawn to this memoir for its honesty, integrity, and candor. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actor 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 with warmth, reminding listeners that Spears is more than the spectacle the media has made her out to be. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TV 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 Nazi control of Europe would be acceptable and fascist control of the U.S. would be, too. Maddow’s wry storytelling ability is on full display, and the result is a terrifyingly familiar look at America’s earlier, and continuing, dance with fascism. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael 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 distribution. Friedman’s portrait of Chicago’s former Wherewithall Restaurant is a loving testimony to high-end dining, specifically the restaurant’s complex four-course tasting menus that delighted diners and critics alike. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carlson 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 change backstory while also describing the impact to the city and its citizens. Ominous, predictive, and frightening. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert 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 audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile’s Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices