Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Dr. Nahvi processes many experiences as an emergency room doctor, and Aden Hakimi effectively channels the author’s reflectiveness and compassion. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss how the author leads off the audiobook with a glimpse inside the chaos and bravery of a Manhattan ER at the start of COVID. Hakimi’s presence is assured and calm as he delivers terrible stories with careful attention and kindness. Dr. Nahvi also walks us through his pre-COVID career, giving fascinating takes on the healthcare system from a doctor’s perspective, and the many challenges healthcare workers face. 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 podcast comes from audiobooks.com. Visit audiobooks.com/freeoffer for three free audiobooks with a trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss two recent audiobooks written and read by former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo (Mvskoke Nation). Harjo shares short vignettes about her life and her inspiration for her poetry in CATCHING THE LIGHT, and her wide-ranging topics include language, Native American history, music, and human nature, with her soft and strong voice. She meditates on why she writes poetry, and the inspiration her studies in music and art bring to her work. Her recent children’s audiobook, REMEMBER, includes one poem as well as a beautiful author’s note on the need for a poetry room in our lives, where we keep poems we love. In both audiobooks, listeners will discover greater appreciation for the power of words, music, dance, and Harjo’s generous spirit and worldview. Read the full reviews of CATCHING THE LIGHT and REMEMBER on AudioFile’s Website. Published by Audible, Inc and Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, the 14th season of AudioFile’s SYNC launches, and Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed about this year’s excellent season of free audiobooks for teens, including YOU CAN’T SAY THAT! It’s a collection of interviews with authors of YA books about censorship and free expression, and it could not be more timely. Listen to hear professional narrators bring interviews with authors to life, including Angie Thomas, Katherine Paterson, and David Levithan. Sign up for this year’s SYNC program and learn more about how to download 28 free audiobooks for teens on our website: audiobooksync.com Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Brilliance Audio/Candlewick. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With her keen talent for British accents, narrator Orlagh Cassidy masterfully delivers this stand-alone historical mystery from Jacqueline Winspear. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Winspear’s new heroine, Elinor White. The story moves around in time from White’s life in Britain in 1947, to her recruitment in the Belgian Resistance as a teen during WWI, and her work as an SOE agent during WWII. Cassidy guides listeners through the emotional, physical, and long-term impacts of two wars and illuminates the unrecognized role of women. An engrossing experience of Winspear’s beautifully written work. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the opening lines, narrator Mela Lee draws listeners into this thriller. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss an audiobook with an action-packed plot. Tom, the recently remarried widower; Heather, the younger new wife; and Tom’s children travel to Australia for a medical conference. Then the family adventure turns into a terrifying situation on a remote island. As the bad goes worse, Lee’s narration never lets the suspense subside in this edge-of-your-seat thriller and 2023 Audies Finalist. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristen Sieh narrates Jenny Odell’s audiobook that is a dazzling meditation on the possibilities and abuses of time. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how Sieh gives a lovely, engaging performance of this wide-ranging compilation. Sieh narrates with emotional breadth and cultural awareness in this book with its sprawling range of perspectives, historical references, and moving personal vignettes. Odell shows how keeping track of time is a modern invention, and obsessing about measured external time keeps us from connecting more fully with our deeper selves and the beauty around us. 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 our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the fun of listening to Christina Soontornvat’s middle-grade graphic memoir translated into audio. Grace Li leads the narration as young Christina, a seventh grader navigating a particularly intense cheerleading tryout—plus a lot of middle-school drama. Christina was the only Thai American kid in her small town Texas school, and she faced microaggressions and outright racism. Sounds of ringing school bells and squeaking sneakers join the full cast to dramatize the story, full of joyful giggles, frustration, and determination. The audiobook’s gracefully expanded narration ensures an immersive standalone listening experience. Gimme a W . . . for WINNER! Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billie Fulford-Brown narrates this contemporary British novel from Alice Oseman, author of the HEARTSTOPPER series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this emotional audiobook about a memorable first year at University. Eighteen-year-old Georgia has never kissed anyone, had a crush, dated, or fallen in love—and really hasn’t ever wanted any of those things. As she begins her first year at Durham University, she can’t give up her idea of a “normal” university experience. It’s only after many missteps that she claims her identity as asexual and aromantic and recognizes the deep value of her friendships. Fulford-Brown’s soft-spoken, sensitive narration makes Georgia’s many emotions ring true. Elizabeth Schenk and Imogen Church narrate a bonus short story about two fiery characters falling for each other. Listeners can download LOVELESS during AudioFile’s SYNC free summer audiobook program for teens. Visit audiobookSYNC.com for more information — and mark your calendar for June 22nd to download LOVELESS! Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss how Kyla Garcia brings this award-winning 2018 novel by Cynthia Leitich Smith to life for listeners. Louise Wolfe is a smart and curious high school senior in Kansas, and a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation. Garcia’s bright narration suits the character as she finds her voice in the school paper, navigates crushes, and thinks about the future. Lou and her family face discrimination and harassment over her younger brother’s lead role in the school play, and she notes each time a Native stereotype appears, debating how it would be received if she spoke out. Louise is a character listeners will love to spend time with, and Garcia makes this a highly recommended and engaging listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joniece Abbott-Pratt and Zeno Robinson beautifully capture the voices of Cristina and Clement Trudeau, Black teenage twins growing up in a magical New Orleans family. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this action-packed YA fantasy from Terry J. Benton-Walker. A year after their father’s death, the twins fear their mother is soon to follow. Then they discover she isn’t just ill, but cursed, and they are all targets—so they set out to find the truth. Robinson and Abbott-Pratt pull out all the emotions in a tale full of closely held secrets, danger, romance, and incredible magic. Bahni Turpin and Torian Brackett narrate as additional characters, including ambitious antagonists and a terrifying god, giving listeners more insight into the complex tale. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Kim movingly narrates a raw and relatable memoir about grief and loss from Nicole Chung, author of ALL YOU CAN EVER KNOW. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Chung’s story of moving away from her parents and starting her own family, and the heartbreaking loss of both of her parents. Kim’s somber narration sensitively navigates the immense guilt and grief that Chung experiences having been far from her parents when they parents died and unable to help. Kim sharply captures Chung’s pointed criticisms of the U.S. healthcare system that failed her family because of their economic status. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Grann’s enthralling audiobook is performed by a masterful narrator, Dion Graham. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss an audiobook that details the true story of HMS WAGER, an English warship that sailed in the 1740s. Graham delivers the nautical adventures at a strong pace with a mesmerizing cadence and impeccable timing. The excitement and peril of the high seas are captured through Grann’s dramatic accounts of mutiny, shipwreck, and remarkable perseverance. A compelling and entertaining listen. 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 our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick Harrison combines a fine storytelling style with a sure sense of the dramatic and a good tempo as he narrates Malcom Harris’s monumental work. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this activist’s look at his hometown and the powerful institutions that reside there, revealing the dark side of Silicon Valley. The thesis is that technological innovators and their political allies became unfathomably wealthy as they despoiled the planet, exploited workers, and were ruthless in the accumulation of money and power. Harrison’s resonant voice fits this prodigiously researched audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lessa Lamb narrates Erica Berry’s audiobook about wolves with a fine tone and timbre. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how she inhabits the youthful sound and elegant style of this layered audiobook. Lamb’s timing and sense of occasion add richness to its informed foray into all things wolf as she captures the drama, fear, and anxiety that underlie the immersive presentation. The text weaves together the author’s own fraught coming-of-age story, recounts the accidental reintroduction of wolves in Oregon, and retells the foundational myths and lore of wolves around the world. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff talk about a fun history of food lore and language from Judith Tschann, and Alejandra Reynoso’s gifted narration. This witty treasury of food lore will enlighten listeners curious about the origin of the fine French wine Chateau Neuf de Pape or how the orange, the fruit, gave its name to the color. Reynoso establishes just the right tone and cadence for a global journey centered on foodways. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish climate activist, has a voice that rings with passion, palpable emotion, and earnest commitment. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss her audiobook of essays, where she’s joined by a talented trio of English narrators bringing skill and understanding to the text. Climate experts and other scientists sound the alarm about the shocking state of our warming planet. This anthology of experts, artists, and, especially, the young woman influencing a generation is a clarion call. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Jeanette Illidge’s impressive vocal versatility perfectly suits Monica Brashears’s debut novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this gothic novel featuring Southern and Appalachian folklore. Magnolia’s grandmother dies, leaving her alone at 19 with a predatory landlord and a job that pays poorly. When a white man offers her a strange but lucrative modeling job, she accepts and moves to his plantation-style house and funeral parlor. There as Magnolia impersonates the dead, Illidge’s numerous portrayals are realistically delivered. She immerses listeners in Magnolia’s horror as things gradually fall apart, and captures just the right amount of suspense for this creepy, almost supernatural listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ashraf Shirazi reads Lamya H’s extraordinary debut memoir with the perfect mix of tenderness and ferocity. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss Lamya H’s memoir, where they use stories and verses from the Quran to reflect on their life as a queer Muslim immigrant. Shirazi’s narration is searching, conversational, and often humming with emotion. Her voice flows naturally, drawing listeners into Lamya H’s lush prose and probing questions. This powerful, vulnerable, and beautifully written and performed audiobook is a game changer for queer Muslim literature and an absolute must-listen for 2023. Read the full review of the audiobook on Audio File’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Milton Barnes, Tymika Tafari, and Wesley French perform this historical novel set in Canada in the 1800s. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Kendra Winchester discuss this story within a story, where listeners receive a new piece of the puzzle with each chapter. Lensinda, a free Black woman working as a researcher for a Black journalist, interviews an older woman arrested for shooting a slave catcher who was trying to take her back to America. But when she begins the interview, Lensinda discovers there is more to the woman than meets the eye. Tafari’s performance of Lensinda is vibrant, while Barnes and French rotate through additional perspectives, helping listeners follow the large cast of characters. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Newbern performs this memoir by a journalist who became famous after he wrote about President Biden’s stutter and how he overcame it. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss John Hendrickson’s memoir that explores both the author’s own experiences with a stutter and the experiences of others. Newbern’s performance capures Hendrickson’s deep anguish from internalized ableism and an educational system that wasn’t equipped to help students with disabilities. With his ability to create emotional intimacy between the text and the listener, Newbern shows off his incredible range and skill as a narrator. 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 our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deepti Gupta performs Aanchal Malhotra’s lush historical novel set against the backdrop of the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Kendra Winchester discuss Deepti’s skill at giving voice to the dozens of characters in this multigenerational family saga. A Hindu teen named Samir, who is working in his family’s perfume shop in 1930s Lahore, falls in love with Firdaus, the daughter of a Muslim calligrapher. As tensions between Muslims and Hindus increase leading up to Partition, Samir and Firdaus believe their love can withstand anything. Gupta captures the deep emotional connection between the two young people, making listeners feel hope that they will find a way to stay together. Gupta’s performance complements this sweeping story, dazzling with every new chapter and plot twist. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Brilliance Audio’s I Will Find You. Five years ago, David went to prison for murdering his son. But when a mysterious photo reveals that the boy might still be alive, he plans a harrowing escape to achieve the impossible. Can David save his son, prove his innocence, and finally uncover the dark truth about that devastating night? Listen to the new audiobook thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben and read by Steven Weber. Learn more at Audible.com/IWillFindYou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simon Vance and Neil Patrick Harris combine their narrative talents to present an unusual mystery set in a 1950s school instructing students how to “morally” murder—and get away with it. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Rupert Holmes’s fun and over-the-top mystery audiobook. Listeners meet three students at this unusual school. In addition to learning methods to inventively delete (murder) deserving victims, cleverly rendered quotes from the school’s handbook offer further diabolical fun. The action and spirited renderings amp up as each student must successfully delete their intended victim—or be eliminated by the school. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrator JD Jackson acts out William Kent Krueger’s dramatic audio-original novella. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this AudioFile Earphones Award-winner set in Mississippi in 1927. Listeners learn of a potential breach of a levee, the only thing holding back torrents of water during unprecedented flooding of the lower Mississippi River. Four men arrive by boat and work tirelessly to save the levee and rescue stubborn stranded residents. Jackson’s deep, gravelly voice pervades the performance. The raging river’s inexorable attacks are reflected in Jackson’s cadence as he adds emotional energy to the exhausting fight between men and the mighty Mississippi. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear all about the 2023 Audie Awards from AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed! Listen in as they highlight the winners of Audiobook of the Year, Best Male and Best Female narrators, and more. You can visit www.theaudies.com for a full list of the Audie Award winners and finalists — and if you want to catch up with the full livestream of the event, visit the APA website. Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists of this year’s Audie Awards! See the full list of Audie Award winners and finalists at www.theaudies.com 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fans of comic, commentator, and actor Michelle Buteau will laugh out loud through her frank essays. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Buteau’s lively narration—and her upcoming role as host of the 2023 Audie Awards. Michele and Jo discuss Buteau’s essay collection that highlights key moments in her life, written and narrated in her fun and brash style. A stellar example of an entertainer turned writer using her talents as a narrator. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Whelan is the perfect narrator for Monica Heisey’s emotional novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss how her performance enhances the engaging journey of Maggie, a nearly 30-year-old graduate student whose life isn’t going as planned. At first, Maggie thinks the amicable ending of her short marriage as a modern uncoupling, but eventually she realizes she’s fallen into unhealthy habits—far after her friends and colleagues do. Whelan’s narration will have listeners rooting for Maggie to find herself even during her darkest moments. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vico Ortiz narrates an action-packed fantastical pirate adventure with gusto. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the excitement of listening to Gabe Cole Novoa’s thrilling YA audiobook. Sixteen-year-old Mar has to hide twice over—they wear a chest binder, and they have strong magical control over fire and ice that demands to be used. Slipping seamlessly between English and Spanish, Ortiz puts listeners firmly in Mar’s point of view with their appealingly husky voice and dramatic pacing. Listeners will be swept up in the action with shipwrecks, deals with the devil, and dramatic battles both magical and piratical. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Lew Kum Hoi brings an incredible range of languages and voices to life for listeners in this sharp fantasy from R.F. Kuang. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the skilled narration of this breathtaking alternate history. Orphaned and taken from China to be raised in England, Robin Swift trains for years to join the Royal Institute of Translation at Oxford, housed in its Babel tower. As he learns to wield the power that exists when language is translated, he discovers the violences that colonialism perpetrates—and aids in a rebellion. Billie Fulford-Brown narrates numerous footnotes playing up the author’s dry wit, while Bianca Chen voices key sections in Mandarin. It’s a story full of secrets, fierce friendships, betrayal, murder, and revolution. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Sanderlin narrates this charming romance set on the Pacific Crest Trail with the perfect mix of emotion and humor. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this hiking romance full of beautiful vistas, surprise rattlesnakes, and trail magic. Alexi and Ben set out to hike the PCT for very different reasons, but when they meet each other on the trail and decide to be hiking partners, they discover a sweet connection. Sanderlin’s narration sounds natural, and he smoothly captures Ben’s distinct laugh, Alexi’s nerdy monologues about birds, and their growth as they connect on the trail and off. A vivid and transporting listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Santino Fontana and Stephanie Einstein lead a full-cast performance of Cara Bastone’s newest audio-first romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun and joy of listening to one of Bastone’s romances. Robbie and Marigold are two older college students working on a group project for their psychology class exploring whether love at first sight exists. Listeners hear their lively interviews in a diner, at the zoo, even at the mall, and a full soundscape sets the scene. Fontana gleefully expresses Robbie’s flights of fancy as Einstein uses mock disapproval to illuminate Marigold’s eventual warming toward her project partner. A fun and engaging romance. Read our interview with author Cara Bastone for more on how she writes her audio-first romances. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Audible, Inc. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Keylor Leigh and Malik Rashad work together beautifully to deliver this heartwarming slow-burn romance from Kristina Forest. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this story of two twenty-somethings who fall for each other twice over — once over a months-long email conversation, and once when they serendipitously wind up as neighbors. Lily and Nick form an easy connection as friends, but it takes a long time for them to realize their feelings for one another. Leigh portrays Lily with bright, sympathetic tones, while Rashad splendidly expresses the undertone of family trauma that underlies Nick’s friendly persona. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Based on Pádraig Ó Tuama’s popular podcast, “Poetry Unbound,” this audiobook is a fine anthology of poetry, and a very good introduction to how to think about poetry itself. Ó Tuama is an especially good interpreter of poetry, both as a critic and as a reader, and he narrates brief and insightful essays about each of the fifty poems included in the collection. Each poem is read with thoughtfulness and skill in his Irish brogue, voicing poems from Ada Limón, Ilya Kaminsky, Ocean Vuong, and more. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Tantor Media. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter May’s excellent mystery pairs an outstanding performance by narrator Peter Forbes with a riveting story set in near-future Scotland. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this environmental sci-fi thriller set in the year 2051. Forbes is extremely easy to listen to, and he handles both dialogue and narration with aplomb. In this story, Detective Inspector Cameron Brodie is dispatched to the Highlands to investigate the murder of a man found encased in ice. The expressive narration and intriguing plot make for an atmospheric and memorable listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Quercus Editions. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The life of groundbreaking nuclear physicist Lise Meitner (1878-1968) is given voice by narrator Sandy Rustin. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how this inspiring audiobook will be available for free for teen listeners this summer through AudioFile’s SYNC program. Marginalized by sexism, Meitner, an Austrian Jew, struggled to pursue the field she loved, eventually earning her colleagues’ respect and a partnership with chemist Otto Hahn in Berlin. Nazi policies stripped her of her position and forced her to flee. In exile, she recognized the atomic behavior described by Hahn to be nuclear fission. Rustin’s nuanced delivery lets the story speak for itself, allowing listeners to feel Meitner’s anger and sorrow as Hahn eventually betrays their partnership and her world-changing insight is used in war. Learn more about free audiobooks for teens at audiofilesync.com 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 HarperCollins Focus, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edoardo Ballerini provides a gripping performance that captures the backdrop of historical events in Armando Lucas Correa’s novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this Golden Voice narrator’s skill at engaging listeners in a multi-generational saga that moves from Germany to Cuba to New York, encompassing war and revolution, family secrets, and devastating truth. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private detectives Lillian Pentecost and Willowjean Parker are back! Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a new mystery audiobook from Stephen Spotswood, with a smashing performance by Kirsten Potter. It’s New York City in 1947, and Holly Quirk, writer of gruesome murder stories for STRANGE CRIMES magazine, hires detectives Pentecost and Parker after discovering that three murders from her stories have been enacted in real life. Plot twists and Potter’s narration put this clever P&P adventure right up there with the best. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Nic Stone and narrator Dion Graham give voice to Shelbi and Andy, two teens who form an unexpected connection. Graham provides a multilayered portrayal of 18-year-old Andy, whose drinking is largely in response to trouble processing his younger sister’s death. Stone portrays Shelbi, a 16-year-old just released from a mental health facility for self harm. Together the narrators explore their characters’ vulnerabilities. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investigative journalist Jim Popkin takes listeners on an incredible journey through the life of Ana Montes, possibly the most damaging female spy in America’s history. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a story where truth is stranger than fiction. Montes, the government’s top Cuba expert, worked closely with the intelligence community in the Castro years. She had top-secret clearance—and passed classified documents to Cuba. Popkin presents this true account with a matter-of-fact delivery, telling of the damage caused by Montes’s seventeen-year spying career. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harlequin 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Barton Welch keeps Benjamin Stevenson’s entertaining, highly original mystery light and lively, even during its most intense moments. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a listen all about a family of killers (some more culpable than others). Ernie Cunningham self-publishes books on writing, and he speaks directly to listeners. Each chapter is dedicated to a family member responsible for a death, and Welch keeps Ernie’s tongue-in-cheek attitude and direct comments amusing. 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julia Whelan’s performance is so consistently gripping that listeners might attempt to finish Rebecca Makkai’s entire audiobook in a single sitting. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss an audiobook all about a true-crime podcaster. Bodie has returned to her boarding school alma mater to teach a few courses in her area of expertise, podcasting, and is encouraged by her students to re-investigate the murder of Bodie’s roommate, Thalia. There are doubts as to whether the man imprisoned for the murder is actually guilty, and as Bodie digs deeper, she’s forced to confront complicated relationships on campus and beyond. Whelan deftly navigates the cast of characters, and JD Jackson shines in a pivotal cameo. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kashana Cauley’s satirical comedy about survivalists, gun dealing, and finding happiness is masterfully narrated by Bahni Turpin. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this lively and surprising audiobook. Aretha, an up-and-coming attorney, falls for Aaron, and when she moves in, Aretha discovers another side of him. Aretha’s life is thrown into chaos when she’s fired for missing a day of work—and then Turpin embodies a new and improved Aretha who only looks out for herself. Turpin’s performance perfect for this story full of sharp dialogue and a wicked sense of humor. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Brilliance 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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Behind the Mic is revisiting favorite audiobooks that are contenders for the 2023 Audie Awards. In today’s episode, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss MIRACLE AND WONDER, which gives listeners insights into Paul Simon’s professional and private life. Hear all about Simon’s songwriting, in his own words, through hours of conversations with the musician. This audiobook is a finalist for the 2023 Audiobook of the Year. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Pushkin Industries. Explore a full list of this year’s Audie Award finalists, along with audiobook reviews and sound samples, at theaudies.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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Behind the Mic is highlighting audiobooks that are up for the 2023 Audie Awards. Today we’re hearing AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff and host Jo Reed in discussion about THE 1619 PROJECT, Nikole Hannah-Jones’s ambitious work with the New York Times Magazine that tells the story of America through the lens of slavery. It’s a contender for the 2023 Audiobook of the Year and a finalist in the Multi-Voiced Performance category. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Explore a full list of this year’s Audie Award finalists, along with audiobook reviews and sound samples, at theaudies.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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re revisiting favorite episodes this week on Behind the Mic, highlighting audiobooks that are up for 2023 Audie Awards. Today host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a fantastical full-cast audiobook adaptation of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s apocalyptic GOOD OMENS. This favorite comic novel gets the all-star treatment with narrators including Michael Sheen, David Tennant, and more. It’s up for Audie Awards in the Audio Drama and Fantasy categories this year. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Explore a full list of this year’s Audie Award finalists, along with audiobook reviews and sound samples, at theaudies.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 Joanna Gaines, Zachary Levi, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Willie Nelson, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind the Mic is sharing episodes this week focused on some of the 2023 Audie Award finalists. Today’s episode is on NIGHTCRAWLING, Leila Mottley’s novel narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. This audiobook is up for the Best Female Narrator Audie this year, and it was also one of AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of 2022. Listen in to hear host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discussing this powerful fiction audiobook with unforgettable narrators and a moving narration. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Explore a full list of this year’s Audie Award finalists, along with audiobook reviews and sound samples, at theaudies.com Behind the Mic is supported by Brilliance Publishing who recently released The Survivalists, a sharp, funny novel by Kashana Cauley. An ambitious Black lawyer has dreams of making partner, until she falls for a coffee entrepreneur and moves into his Brooklyn brownstone with his doomsday-prepping roommates. Packed with tension, curiosity and optimized soy protein bars, The Survivalists is a darkly funny novel by Kashana Cauley, a former writer for The Daily Show and Pod Save America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind the Mic is revisiting audiobooks that are up for the 2023 Audie Awards. The Audie Awards are the Oscars of audiobooks and shine a spotlight on excellent audiobook performances. We’re starting with an audiobook that has already won a Grammy this year — Viola Davis’s FINDING ME. Davis’s electric memoir is up for an Audie Award in both the Audiobook of the Year and Narrated by the Author categories, and it was on AudioFile’s list of Best Audiobooks of 2022. Learn more about this audiobook in host Jo Reed’s conversation with AudioFile’s Michele Cobb. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Explore a full list of this year’s Audie Award finalists, along with audiobook reviews and sound samples, at theaudies.com Behind the Mic is supported by Brilliance Publishing who recently released The Survivalists, a sharp, funny novel by Kashana Cauley. An ambitious Black lawyer has dreams of making partner, until she falls for a coffee entrepreneur and moves into his Brooklyn brownstone with his doomsday-prepping roommates. Packed with tension, curiosity and optimized soy protein bars, The Survivalists is a darkly funny novel by Kashana Cauley, a former writer for The Daily Show and Pod Save America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Brian Nishii’s delivery brings a multicultural finesse to author Cheuk Kwan’s search for Chinese restaurants around the world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this culinary journey across Brazil, Mumbai, Saskatchewan, the Caribbean, Israel, and to far flung outposts, all where Chinese restaurants can be found. Using delectable food creations as entry points, this heartwarming and enlightening exploration of the Chinese diaspora is a sumptuous smorgasbord of culture and history that is sure to satisfy even the biggest appetite. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Behind the Mic is supported by Brilliance Publishing who recently released The Survivalists, a sharp, funny novel by Kashana Cauley. An ambitious Black lawyer has dreams of making partner, until she falls for a coffee entrepreneur and moves into his Brooklyn brownstone with his doomsday-prepping roommates. Packed with tension, curiosity and optimized soy protein bars, The Survivalists is a darkly funny novel by Kashana Cauley, a former writer for The Daily Show and Pod Save America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicol Zanzarella’s crisp narration propels Margot Anne Kelley’s wide-ranging love letter to homegrown food. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Zanzarella performs this examination of the historical impulse to live off the land. Kelley looks back at utopian foodways, from failed 19th-century experiments to 20th-century back-to-the-land hippies to current rural escapees. She captures the yearning for self sufficiency, explores challenges for African American farmers, and reflects on the omnipresence of big agriculture. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Tantor Media. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Behind the Mic is supported by Brilliance Publishing who recently released The Survivalists, a sharp, funny novel by Kashana Cauley. An ambitious Black lawyer has dreams of making partner, until she falls for a coffee entrepreneur and moves into his Brooklyn brownstone with his doomsday-prepping roommates. Packed with tension, curiosity and optimized soy protein bars, The Survivalists is a darkly funny novel by Kashana Cauley, a former writer for The Daily Show and Pod Save America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Caroline Shaffer brings the right tone and tempo to Mary Beth Albright’s audiobook on “How Food Supports Emotional Well-Being” that examines the relationships between food and mood. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this packed audiobook that merges experience with science—and includes recipes. A talented food writer for the WASHINGTON POST, Albright has a gift for simplifying the complex and gamely participates in experiments. A fun and informative listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Behind the Mic is supported by Brilliance Publishing who recently released The Survivalists, a sharp, funny novel by Kashana Cauley. An ambitious Black lawyer has dreams of making partner, until she falls for a coffee entrepreneur and moves into his Brooklyn brownstone with his doomsday-prepping roommates. Packed with tension, curiosity and optimized soy protein bars, The Survivalists is a darkly funny novel by Kashana Cauley, a former writer for The Daily Show and Pod Save America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chef Marcus Samuelsson’s podcast gives listeners insider access to the world of fine dining. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the episodes dedicated to eight iconic eateries. Samuelsson and co-host chef Jonathan Waxman regale listeners with tales of famous restaurants including The French Laundry, Spago, and Dooky Chase, as well as Gabrielle Hamilton’s Prune, which shuttered during the start of the COVID pandemic. All the backstories and fortunes of the various establishments make this a compelling listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Behind the Mic is supported by Brilliance Publishing who recently released The Survivalists, a sharp, funny novel by Kashana Cauley. An ambitious Black lawyer has dreams of making partner, until she falls for a coffee entrepreneur and moves into his Brooklyn brownstone with his doomsday-prepping roommates. Packed with tension, curiosity and optimized soy protein bars, The Survivalists is a darkly funny novel by Kashana Cauley, a former writer for The Daily Show and Pod Save America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices