Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Golden Voice narrator Bahni Turpin’s versatile narration pulls together the many threads in Nicole Glover’s debut novel, a heady mix of historical fantasy, magic, and mystery set in Reconstruction-era Philadelphia. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Bahni’s many skills used to bring this audiobook to life -- and so many other memorable listens. Hetty and Benjy Rhodes, once conductors on the Underground Railroad, now use their magic to investigate crimes in Philadelphia’s Black community. When a friend is found murdered, they realize with horror that the murderer may be someone from within that community. An excellent and engrossing listen for fans of genre-blended books. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan’s immersive narration and Emily Henry’s rich prose draw listeners into this slow-burn romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Julia’s many narrating talents at play in this audiobook. Poppy is uninspired by her work as a travel writer and missing Alex, her best friend, after a falling out. She texts to see if he’ll revive their summer trip tradition, and Julia’s narration makes Poppy’s jumbled hope, anxiety, and joy palpable when he agrees. Too bad nothing goes according to plan! Alternating chapters jump back in time to trace their friendship from college to the present. Julia wrings out all the emotions as Poppy and Alex inch ever closer to giving into their shared longing for each other. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s special bonus edition of Behind the Mic, host Jo Reed interviews Michael Crouch, who was inducted as one of AudioFile’s 2021 Golden Voice narrators this June. Michael discusses his entry into audiobook narration, the joys of narrating audiobooks for listeners of all ages, and what he finds most special about the profession. Michael Crouch has versatility and impressive skills with bringing characters to life on audio, and he has won numerous awards for his work in contemporary fiction and young adult and middle-grade novels. His performances have landed him on AudioFile’s Best of the Year lists for titles including Stefan Merrill Block’s OLIVER LOVING, Gayle Forman’s I HAVE LOST MY WAY, and Ruta Sepetys’s SALT TO THE SEA, which was also a 2017 Audie Award winner for Young Adults. Learn more about Golden Voice narrator Michael Crouch and read reviews of his audiobooks on AudioFile’s website. For the full list of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, visit our website. Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice Barbara Rosenblat brings her inimitable vocal energy and joy to every project, and this crisp production with original music is no exception. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this fairy tale that stars the fairies of SLEEPING BEAUTY,, with Rosenblat going full New Yorker for the good fairy Hazel and dripping with evil for the bad fairy Tormaleen. A curse is cast, a handsome prince is involved, and listeners can be assured that there will be a happily ever after. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Design Sound Productions. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear the remarkable story of Katherine Johnson, one of the brilliant NASA mathematicians who made the Mercury program a success, brought to life through Golden Voice Robin Miles’s skilled narration. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Miles’s engaging narration style, capturing the wonder, triumph, and grit of the author. Johnson tells her own inspiring life story, including her battles against racial barriers and her intellectual triumphs, and Miles makes listeners feel as if they are hearing the words directly from Katherine Johnson herself. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Dion Graham conveys the dreamy quality of Milo’s imaginings, along with a weighty message, in his captivating delivery of this thoughtful children’s story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Graham’s skill and evident fun in bringing this picture book adaptation to life. Milo imagines and sketches the stories of passengers he sees on the subway, but soon realizes the conclusions he’s drawn based on appearances alone may have been wrong. Graham’s voice is large but has a gentle robustness that immerses listeners in Milo’s thoughts. He turns this meaningful story into a heartfelt listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Emily Woo Zeller skillfully steers the dramatic plot of Susie Yang’s audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Golden Voice narrator Zeller’s skills in narrating this story full of twists. As a rebellious teen, Ivy Yang was sent to China after her mother discovered her shoplifting. Years later, back in Boston, she enters a relationship with a teenage crush, and just when things seem perfect, a ghost from her past threatens to undo everything she’s worked for. Zeller breathes life into the story, deftly switching between characters, making for a perfect match between performance and text. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines: find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator JD Jackson exudes the perfect jazzy style for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the Golden Voice narrator’s skills at bringing this story about class and regret to life. Merlin Grainger’s entire life is a series of missed moments and frustrated hopes, punctuated by the mysterious appearances of a dazzlingly beautiful woman he dubs Caroline--but Merlin goes on to pursue a less fulfilling relationship with a different woman. Jackson’s deliciously vibrant narration brings to life Fitzgerald’s pointed examinations of class and social aspiration. This all-too-brief production will leave listeners wanting more. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Dreamscape. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed discuss the remarkable vocal agility of narrator Michael Crouch, newly named one of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators. He is brilliant at helping listeners make an emotional connection with characters; he has a versatile voice, bringing stories to life with fluent accents, subtle shifts, and exceptional timing. Michael gives listeners a powerful bond with characters of any age, whether it’s capturing Simon’s voice in Becky Albertalli’s smash hit SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA or voicing Lydia Fitzgerald’s impactful and fascinating LIGHTS ALL NIGHT LONG. Robin shares a sound sample from the latter and more thoughts on Michael’s skilled narrations. Read the full review of LIGHTS ALL NIGHT LONG on AudioFile’s website. Look for Michael Crouch’s longform interview with Jo Reed on our podcast on June 11. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Support comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Tarzan and the Ant Men, the tenth in the complete Authorized Tarzan collection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss new Golden Voice narrator Soneela Nankani and her animated and lively storytelling style. Her clear connections with characters draw listeners into any story, helping listeners share all the feelings in roller-coaster romances like ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED by Farah Heron. Her skills with accents mean audiobooks come alive with her narrations, and she has a special gift with the worldbuilding necessary for fantasy, especially for younger listeners. Robin shares her thoughts on Soneela’s narration of Roshani Chokshi’s middle-grade fantasy ARU SHAH AND THE CITY OF GOLD, along with a clip. Read the full review on AudioFile’s website. Look for a longform interview with Soneela Nankani from Jo Reed on our podcast on June 18. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal, a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the many talents of narrator Cassandra Campbell, one of AudioFile’s 2021 Golden Voices. Cassandra does a spectacular job narrating historical fiction and is able to convey all of the pertinent details that set a story in time and place. She explores the emotional tone of each character, and her voice has a lightness about it that seems to convey her interest in and ease with the characters. Robin shares thoughts on recent favorites narrated by Cassandra, including a selection from Beatriz Williams’s OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW, which Cassandra co-narrated with Nicola Barber. Read the full review of the audiobook on our website. Look for Cassandra Campbell’s full interview with Jo Reed on June 25th here on the Behind the Mic podcast. Learn more about all of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile is excited to announce three new Golden Voice narrators for 2021 — Cassandra Campbell, Michael Crouch, and Soneela Nankani. AudioFile’s Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed about this lifetime achievement award that goes to the stars of the narrating universe. AudioFile has bestowed the Golden Voice prize on just 34 voice artists, including George Guidall, Bahni Turpin, Simon Vance, Edoardo Ballerini, Julia Whelan, and Scott Brick. The award celebrates an artist’s iconic role in the field of narration and honors those who have made significant contributions to the audiobook art form. Robin and Jo each share thoughts and clips from two Golden Voice narrators who helped them discover the joy of listening to audiobooks decades ago -- narrators Simon Prebble and Barbara Caruso. Find the complete list of AudioFile’s Golden Voice narrators on our website. Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Heavenly Mortal a suspenseful story of the battle between light and darkness by Jack Cavanaugh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You don’t have to be a grandparent to enjoy this brief but compelling compendium of wisdom on grandparenting. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this fun listen from Paula Span, a professor of journalism and author who narrates her lively guide to grandparenting with warmth. She explores issues to help ease the transition into grandparenthood—the dilemma of what to be called as a grandparent, her battle to not be too overbearing, and new research into child safety. This delightful listen has all the hallmarks of an intimate conversation over a friend’s kitchen table. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First Nations theater artist Jennifer Bobiwash captures the enthusiastic voice of first-grader Jo Jo Makoons in her lively narration of Dawn Quigley’s audiobook for young listeners. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed all the many reasons she loved listening to Jo Jo’s stories as told through Bobiwash’s expressive narration. Jo Jo is seven years old, proudly Ojibwe, and growing up with her mother and grandmother on a fictional reservation. She also knows how to get in trouble and will have listeners laughing (hard!) over her antics and goofy rhymes. This delightful start to an early chapter book series is not to be missed. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by HarperAudio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dual narrators bring reverence and joy to Floyd Cooper’s audiobook about the June 19 anniversary known as Juneteenth. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this audio adaptation of the much-loved picture book. Tyla Collier’s youthful voice portrays Mazie, who is tired of being told “no.” Then, in Rhett Samuel Price’s deep, rich voice, Mazie’s father explains the story of their enslaved ancestor’s struggles and perseverance, and the joy of hearing about the Emancipation Proclamation. Cheerful music provides an uplifting background as listeners hear a broad history of Juneteenth commemorations from then to today. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Poet and journalist Clint Smith’s debut work of nonfiction captivates as he explores the ways that we confront and reckon with the legacy of American slavery. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed of the power of hearing the work in Smith’s own voice, which moves with a poet’s rhythm as he takes listeners to former plantations, on historical tours, and to Angola Prison. Listeners meet those who are working to explore the gaps in our historical records and uncover the true history of these sites--and also those who are willfully ignoring the historical record, relying instead on shared nostalgia. Listening makes a lasting impact. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Adenrele Ojo marshals listeners through Stacey Abrams’s complicated legal-political-medical thriller with ease. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the engaging, fast-paced plot involving the Supreme Court, weaponized genetics, and a corrupt president. At the center is the brilliant Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene, whom Ojo portrays with just the right amount of emotion as she goes from a hard-working clerk to being thrust into the center of a wide-ranging conspiracy. Ojo’s clear vocal differentiation will help listeners follow the points of view of the many characters, making for a smart and intense 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 AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin R. Free narrates the latest Murderbot novella, in which nothing is as straightforward as it seems. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this much-loved sci-fi series starring a “construct made of cloned human tissue, augments, anxiety, depression, and unfocused rage,” and Free’s engaging and empathetic portrayal of this SecUnit. When a dead body shows up on Preservation Station, Murderbot enters into an uneasy partnership with station security to discover who the victim was, and why they were shot--and if it has anything to do with the sinister corporation from their past. Free creates a deeply relatable portrait of an individual struggling to find their place in an often hostile and confusing world, while also taking listeners through a fast-paced murder mystery--in space! 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Corinthia Soukup provides the perfect voice for this quirky novel by Elizabeth Leiknes. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the story of Lucy Burns, who, as a child, wrote a letter “to whom it may concern” to try and save the life of her sister. It turns out that she inadvertently struck a deal with the devil, and now she must act as the facilitator for hell and stay forever single. But Lucy’s looking for a way out. Soukup’s narration illuminates the humor in the writing as hijinks ensue. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Bancroft Press. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harvard law professor Noah Feldman narrates his examination of the Federalist Society, the conservative organization that has had a heavy sway on the members of the Supreme Court. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook that feels more like a podcast, with audio clips, commentary, and interviews that seek to fill out the picture of this group and their influence. It takes listeners on a deep dive into the idea of being an Originalist judge, and also explores the American Constitution Society, which is the liberal counterpoint organization. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Pushkin Industries. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini gives the Garnett translation of Turgenev’s classic novella a wonderfully expressive reading. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this work first published in 1860—an older man’s recollection of his adolescent crush on a neighboring princess. Thanks to Ballerini’s narration, the listener definitely feels the youthful infatuation, and the young man’s pain when his heart is broken. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Sylo Studios. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soneela Nankani and Vikas Adam narrate an entertaining romance from Falguni Kothari. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this short novella that follows doctor Aditi and lawyer Krishna, two Indian American characters whose grandparents push them to explore dating one another. Both narrators capture Aditi and Krishna’s personalities, along with the chemistry between the initially unenthusiastic would-be-couple. A fun and quick listen for romance enthusiasts. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Susan Orlean narrates a short essay about overcoming her fear of flying. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss her introspective narration. Orlean highlights her phobia and the path she took to overcome it, including hypnosis. Orlean’s experience is shared with a touch of humor, and coming in at 40 minutes, it’s an enlightening and short production for anyone interested in exploring the topic. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yen is an engaging and engaged narrator of this tour of American foods. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Yen’s evident joy and sense of fun as he narrates David Page’s exploration of comfort food and folkways. Page is the show runner for Dinners, Drive-ins and Dives, and he has a skill with interviewing those who run historic eateries. Yen narrates in a conversational and informative manner, well serving the text. Listen for many profiles and plenty of recipes to try. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Alison Fraser’s ability to deliver character voices and accents is on display in this biography of mid-twentieth-century painter Helen Frankenthaler. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff talk about this audiobook by Alexander Nemerov, which is at once an appreciation of a major figure and a close look at the avant-garde scene of 1950s New York City. Fraser narrates with skill, capturing the times with excellent imitations, most notably Frankenthaler’s airy upper-class sounding speech. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kotaro Watanabe’s performance gently pulls listeners into Murakami’s imaginary worlds. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how his flat delivery makes the plot unfold like a morning paper, while the action arrives deliberately. While magic happens in the stories, the characters often seem listless, even as the setting feels surreal. Watanabe maintains the sense of unease and disconnection that pervades this audiobook where magical realism reigns, and he makes sure that each story will linger with the listener. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hillary Huber narrates this intrepid audiobook with controlled irony. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Huber’s plaintive interrogative tone highlights Jenny Price’s striking critique of why so little has been achieved in five decades of battling climate change. The talented narration of this environmental manifesto is critical to its message -- why have governments and corporations done so little for the planet and the poor, and why are they still allowed to pollute the earth? The question shouldn’t be “What can I do?” but “What needs to be done?” 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darrell Dennis captures the angst of the unnamed narrator in James Welch’s classic novel of modern Native Americans on the Great Plains. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Dennis’s ability to shift between the flat dialogue of ranch life and the lyricism of the Western setting. The unnamed narrator is alienated from all and is defined by self-awareness and woe. Dennis is able to express the audiobook’s humor and pathos, as well as the tension of Native life on and off the reservation. 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 PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this captivating adaptation of Yuyi Morales’s beloved picture book. Adriana Sananes narrates the simple text with a hopeful spirit, mirroring the tale of a young family coming to America and finding themselves unintentional migrants. Lilting guitar music, the giggles of a baby, wind chimes, and more sound effects set the scenes as Morales tells of exploring a new country, and the joys of finding the free public library. Listen with the book in hand to enjoy the award-winning illustrations from Morales. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and narrator Marie Arnold shines in this enchanting audiobook about immigrating from Haiti to Brooklyn in 1985. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Arnold’s lively narration of the funny and bold Gabrielle, a 10-year-old who has moved to America ahead of her parents. Gabrielle is struggling to fit in amongst her bullying classmates and her already settled family. She jumps at a witch’s offer to make a simple trade to become the “perfect American girl.” Of course, nothing goes as planned, and she relies on new friends and her own wits to recover what was lost. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com AudioFile is hosting a webinar at 12 ET on May 6th featuring children’s and teen audiobooks to inspire conversations around immigration in schools and at home. Join to hear live readings and discussions with narrators Priya Ayyar, Marisa Blake, and Anthony Rey Perez, and Kirsten Cappy of I’m Your Neighbor Books. Sponsored by Dreamscape Audio. Register here. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Anthony Rey Perez’s voice is full of heart and hope in this moving novel from Ernesto Cisneros. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this story for middle-grade listeners that tells of one family’s fear and determination in face of separation Efrén Nava is a 12-year-old whose mother is suddenly deported for being undocumented, and listeners hear his fear and worry over her fate, and his father’s. Suddenly balancing care for his younger siblings and his responsibilities at school, Efrén slowly learns that there are many in his community who will rise up to help his family in their time of need. Perez’s warm English and Spanish narration enlivens the characters and makes for an ultimately hopeful audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com AudioFile is hosting a webinar at 12 ET on May 6th featuring children’s and teen audiobooks to inspire conversations around immigration in schools and at home. Join to hear live readings and discussions with narrators Priya Ayyar, Marisa Blake, and Anthony Rey Perez, and Kirsten Cappy of I’m Your Neighbor Books. Sponsored by Dreamscape Audio. Register here. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Nayeri intrigues listeners from start to finish with his powerful autobiographical novel for children, a finalist for both the Audie Award and the National Book Award. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Nayeri’s patchwork of compelling stories woven from Persian history and myth, and stories from his own childhood. Listeners go back and forth in time, hearing of his early childhood in Iran, their escape, his time as a refugee in Italy, and starting over with his mother and sister in Oklahoma. Nayeri’s story was made to be listened to. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com AudioFile is hosting a webinar at 12 ET on May 6th featuring children’s and teen audiobooks to inspire conversations around immigration in schools and at home. Join to hear live readings and discussions with narrators Priya Ayyar, Marisa Blake, and Anthony Rey Perez, and Kirsten Cappy of I’m Your Neighbor Books. Sponsored by Dreamscape Audio. Register here. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Soneela Nankani returns to voice seventh grader Amina, whom listeners met in Hena Kahn’s AMINA’S VOICE. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Nankani’s skill at bringing the characters to life and conveying all of Amina’s joy and delight in visiting family in Pakistan. When Amina returns home to the U.S., she’s surprised to find her friends aren’t as interested in hearing about her time in Pakistan, and her classmates are fearful after a presentation she gives on Malala Yousafzai’s life and activism. Listeners will enjoy hearing Amina’s creative ways to help others see beyond the stereotypes of her family and their country, and her growing confidence in herself. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com AudioFile is hosting a webinar at 12 ET on May 6th featuring children’s and teen audiobooks to inspire conversations around immigration in schools and at home. Join to hear live readings and discussions with narrators Priya Ayyar, Marisa Blake, and Anthony Rey Perez, and Kirsten Cappy of I’m Your Neighbor Books. Sponsored by Dreamscape Audio. Register here. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fans will be absolutely delighted by this collection of short stories featuring author Kerry Greenwood’s irrepressible Phryne Fisher. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how narrator Wendy Bos brings the sultry, smart, sophisticated lady detective to life. She is in step with Greenwood’s witty dialogue and detailed descriptions of luxurious clothes, delectable food, and fine young men. A totally engaging listen, ideal for fans of the series. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Bolinda Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com A growing collection of Naxos AudioBooks Podcasts, featuring our readers, producers and directors introducing a wide variety of titles at naxosaudiobooks.com/category/podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Jason Culp relies on careful modulation to convey this nuanced, comprehensive examination of a dangerous time in twentieth-century history—the period of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Culp’s approachable performance of Albert Marrin’s nonfiction audiobook for teens. Culp delivers the words of famous leaders with slight accents or impressions and narrates the most blatant examples of propaganda with a suitable hint of sarcasm. As for everyday communists, Culp successfully infuses them with humanity, underscoring that they genuinely believed, albeit often mistakenly, that the end justifies the means. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com A growing collection of Naxos AudioBooks Podcasts, featuring our readers, producers and directors introducing a wide variety of titles at naxosaudiobooks.com/category/podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten dive into Kim Todd’s accomplished history of the female “stunt reporters” of the late nineteenth century. The audiobook is a sensational adventure for the ears, and narrator Maggi-Meg Reed is the ideal choice to deliver the narratives of women journalists who donned disguises and alternate identities to go undercover. Reed’s intelligent and fully engaged tone makes clear the significance of their investigations as vehicles for societal change, and as positive representation of women of this era. A terrific pairing of an impressive work of nonfiction and a splendid performer. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com A growing collection of Naxos AudioBooks Podcasts, featuring our readers, producers and directors introducing a wide variety of titles at naxosaudiobooks.com/category/podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A great example of the magic that happens when a masterful author and a talented narrator come together to deliver a captivating story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Peter Forbes’s skill at performing the prolific Scottish mystery author Peter May’s latest. When forensic scientist Enzo Macleod is drawn out of retirement to advise on the body of a WWII soldier that was exposed by an uprooted tree, he happens into a current murder investigation. The two stories, set 70 years apart, are seamlessly woven together. Listeners will hang on till the end and then wish it weren’t over. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Quercus Editions Limited. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com As an English writer who reflected and highlighted the social issues of his time, Charles Dickens has no equal. Naxos AudioBooks salutes his towering gift with a remarkable series of audiobooks, providing an unmatched picture of his time as he breathed life into the myriad issues of the Victorian era through his vast range of entertaining, sympathetic, and frightening characters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The inviting performances of Marisa Calin, Shiromi Arserio, Katherine Littrell, Danielle Cohen, and Siobhan Waring add to the immersive pleasure of this engaging historical novel by bestselling author Julia Kelly. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss an intriguing story setting: the English garden at Highbury House over three generations, complete with romance, tragedy, and secrets. Set alternately in 1907, 1944, and the present day, the plot follows compelling written characters with affecting lives and interesting personal challenges, all connected to one another by Highbury’s gardens. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Shakespeare inspired over 25 titles for Charles Dickens writings. Like the story of Hamlet, David Copperfield is the story of the boy trying to control his own destiny despite the duties he feels obligated to fulfill. Listen at Naxos AudioBooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Jane Wells wrote and performed this play, now audiobook, based on the life of Danna Davis, U.S. soldier, veteran, and survivor of military sexual trauma during the Iraq War. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about this moving audiobook, originally performed as a play at the Kennedy Center. Wells vocally becomes this ten-year veteran with vibrant and graphic, disturbing accounts of battles and other military experiences, PTSD, and bouts of grief interspersed with healing. Her voice is primary, and she is backed by a small cast with sounds effects and music to heighten the tension. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Mary Jane Wells. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com On the day we remember William Shakespeare, it is fitting to recognize an author Shakespeare inspired: Herman Melville. The Great American Novel Moby Dick draws on both Biblical and Shakespearean myths. Just as Macbeth and Lear subvert the natural order of things, Ahab takes on Nature in his determination to kill his prey…doomed from the start (The Guardian). Visit the Naxos Spoken Word Library to hear William Hootkin’s Audie and Earphones Award winning presentation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners are invited to an intimate chat with Jamie Kern Lima on how she went from starting IT Cosmetics on a budget to selling the company for more than a billion dollars. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss her candid narration of her sacrifices and successes. The author conveys her emotions during personal and professional challenges, along with her awe at finally meeting Oprah. Lima leaves listeners with a toolbox of vital lessons learned as well as an inspiring meditation to get started on the path to their dreams. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com William Wordsworth’s The Prelude is his personal journey to a belief in Nature as the great moral and spiritual force which shapes human life, but on which human society all too often turned its back. “Nicholas Farrell's narration is intimate, not pompous, or bombastic. He articulates Wordsworth's ideas without forgetting this is verse but without overstressing the metrical regularity and variations.” (AudioFile) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout this absorbing memoir-in-essays, there are moments where you can hear laughter beneath author Randa Jarrrar’s narration. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this journey across the U.S., told by Palestinian American writer and professor Jarrar. Her warm, no-nonsense tone adds levity to the heavy subject matter, which includes domestic abuse and sexual violence. But her laughing voice, sly asides and obvious affection for friends and lovers also highlight what make this a memorable listen: her exuberance, self-love, and pride in her identity as a fat, queer, Arab American woman. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Religions of the World tells the remarkable story of some of the faiths which have helped to shape the way we live today. Aimed at younger listeners, it introduces the history and scriptures, beliefs and customs of some of humanity’s most enduring religious traditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Irish actor Gabriel Byrne’s smoky voice whispers in your ear, gets in your head, and takes you on a deeply personal journey of his life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this memoir written in a style that feels like stream-of-consciousness poetry, with a gorgeous narration. Byrne reveals his attraction to the rituals of the Church, his desire to become a priest—until he was molested by a priest—finding his way into acting, and his struggles with addiction. A fantastic recording of a well-written book, this memorable autobiography is outstanding. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Edgar Allen Poe’s story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, first appeared on today's date. "Naxos ties up a great package of dramatic performances with a wonderful selection of classical music between chapters for this tale (AudioFile)"...generally considered to be the first detective story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and podcast Luvvie Ajayi Jones narrates her second manual for authentic living with flair. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss her straightforward approach and conversational style that will have listeners nodding along. According to Jones, to be a professional troublemaker is to have a clear sense of personal identity and the ability to act without fear. She guides listeners through the many common pitfalls of fear and how to combat them. Jones lovingly references her Yoruba heritage, especially her boisterous grandmother, as a source of wisdom and fearlessness. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com From David Copperfield: My father had left a small collection of books in a little room upstairs, to which I had access…They kept alive my fancy, and my hope of something beyond that place and time.” While you are waiting for your next Audiobook Break, come visit David’s “glorious host” - Roderick Random, Tom Jones, the Vicar of Wakefield, Don Quixote, and Robinson Crusoe at the Naxos Spoken Word Library unlimited streaming service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt’s warm and vibrant voice embodies Marti Greenwood in Rachel Howzell Hall’s chilling and fast-paced suspense novella. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this new audiobook that is perfect for your weekend listening. Marti, a writer, is trying to carve out a new life for herself away from her ex-husband, Emery. She’s just moved into a new home in L.A. with fresh oranges and cheerful neighbors—mostly. When she’s attacked in her home, Abbott-Pratt has listeners sharing Marti’s terror and her lingering trauma afterwards. Listeners won’t want to put the audiobook down while Marti is determined to find her attacker. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com The Lyrids meteor shower can be seen April 16 -25, great family fun! In Jen Green’s The Planets and The Solar System, narrator Ruth Sillers treats young listeners and their families to an impressive scope of space information. “Given Sillers’s lively sense of wonder, the listener can’t help but be impressed by the vastness of the universe and our newfound knowledge of it.” (AudioFile) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soneela Nankani narrates Farah Heron’s delightful contemporary romance with her whole heart, drawing listeners in with her enthusiasm. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss her skill at embodying the main character, Reena Manji, who has a job she doesn’t love and anxieties about her meddling Indian Muslim family. When she bumps into her new across-the-hall neighbor Nadim Remtulla, she’s initially intrigued by his British accent and easy charm--and then appalled when she learns her parents have arranged their marriage! Nankani takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster ride as Reena and Nadim navigate their growing attraction, a fake engagement scheme, a Canadian reality-TV cooking contest, and explosive family secrets. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Observe the birth of Henry James with The Spoils of Poynton, performed by Juliet Stevenson. "Juliet Stevenson's love of reading aloud is obvious to anyone lucky enough to hear her." (AudioFile) On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Emily Connelly and host Jo Reed discuss Angeline Boulley’s stunning debut and Isabella Star LaBlanc’s powerful narration. Set on state and tribal lands in Michigan, the story of Daunis, who has grown up between two cultures, is told with heartfelt compassion. While Daunis is an unenrolled tribal member, she has strong connections to her community and has chosen to stay home and take classes at the local community college to be near family. When tragedy strikes, she is suddenly caught up in an FBI investigation into a new form of meth tearing through her town. LaBlanc’s compelling narration, including skilled pronunciations of words in the Anishinaabe language, combined with the riveting plot truly makes this a young adult audiobook not to miss. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com In April, 1963, Winston Churchill was the first foreign national to receive honorary United States citizenship. An elegantly written tribute to the man and his place in history can be heard in Farewell the Trumpets: An Imperial Retreat; “Roy McMillan’s reading glows with the same infectious passion for the subject as Jan Morris’s own.” (The Observer). On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss A.E. Ali’s sweet and comforting picture book, which Almarie Guerra narrates with a warm voice, perfect for young listeners. On Musa’s first day of kindergarten, his welcoming teacher, Ms. Gupta, promises the class that they will all become friends. Sweet-voiced Musa is worried, but Ms. Gupta provides a fun topic for the class—what is everyone’s favorite day of the year? Musa is surprised and delighted to find that the other children all have their own favorite days, and each enjoys getting a turn in the spotlight sharing their favorites, including Edi al-Fitr, Rosh Hashanah, Las Posadas, and Pi Day. It makes for a comforting listen for children, especially in this tumultuous school year. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, narrator David Rintoul sweeps listeners into historian Alistair Moffat's tapestry of memoir, journalism, and religious history in To the Island of Tides: A Journey to Lindisfarne. “…a perfect blend of narrator, author, production team, and unique subject.” (AudioFile) On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xe Sands narrates with a quiet tension that suits the slow creep of Sarah Gailey’s sci-fi domestic thriller. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about Sands’s skill with delivering all of the slowly building suspense in a smooth first-person narration. Evelyn Caldwell is an accomplished scientist in the field of cloning human adults, although her victories feel bittersweet. Her husband, Nathan, is having an affair, but the sweet-voiced Martine isn’t just another woman--Nathan has used Evelyn’s own research techniques to create a domestic and illegal clone of Evelyn herself. It makes for a satisfying, if disturbing audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Galileo was convicted of heresy for holding the belief that the Earth revolves around the sun: Younger listeners learn more about scientists and their impactful discoveries in the Junior Classics series Great Scientists and their Discoveries by David Angus, his companion volume to Great Inventors and their Inventions from Naxos AudioBooks. “Clare Corbett and Benjamin Soames narrate conversationally, making the information vibrant.” (AudioFile) On April 15, join a live talk with celebrated narrators of David Copperfield — Martin Jarvis, Simon Vance, Derek Perkins, and Nicholas Boulton each talk about how they approach the memorable characters of Charles Dickens’s DAVID COPPERFIELD. Register for the live talk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Cass vividly reads this captivating audiobook from Anthony M. Amore. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this true story of a 1970s aristocrat turned revolutionary. Wealthy Rose Dugdale, who begins as a conservative debutante who attends Oxford and earns a Ph.D in Economics, transforms into a radical supporter of the IRA She not only becomes a political revolutionary but masterminds a world-class art theft, including a Vermeer. Cass situates the listener with her apt English and Irish accents. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Earphones Award Winner Bill Homewood talks to Raymond Bisha about the story of King Arthur and Thomas Malory’s much-loved reinterpretation Le Morte d’Arthur at Naxos AudioBooks Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Kathe Mazur carefully crafts the diverse characters in this entertaining novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Mazur’s talented narration of Carol Edgarian’s VERA, a riveting story set in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake. Mazur’s rendition of whip-smart 15-year-old Vera captures her ability to see all sides of people, good and bad. Listeners will vividly imagine turn-of-the-century San Francisco, replete with scoundrels and kindly prostitutes. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com April is the month that birds migrate north to settle down for the summer. Revive in yourself that old spring feeling, the passion for wild nature, with W.H. Hudson’s Birds in Town and Village, read with an easy, relaxed tone by Neville Jason: which Goodreads called “It is unfailingly charming…” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices