Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this new horror story from Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk. Natasha Soudek performs this story of a young Polish man suffering from tuberculosis who arrives at a health resort in the Silesian mountains in 1913. There he meets other men with similar conditions, each of whom is sure the mountain air will cure him. But when they learn about all the men who have gone missing from the resort, they fear they will meet the same mysterious fate. Soudek uses her skill to advance the suspense of the sinister happenings. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gabby Beans performs this suspenseful novel about a Black nonbinary protagonist who is haunted by the events that occurred at their childhood home. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this tale of suburban horror from Rivers Solomon. After years of living in the UK, Ezri finds themself on a plane back to the U.S. to visit their parents in their suburban home outside Dallas, Texas. There, Ezri finds their parents dead and begins trying to reconstruct their last moments. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a new collection of stories from one of Argentina’s most beloved authors, Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell. It’s performed by an ensemble cast, and the dark tales often feature the magical, mysterious, and bizarre. One standout includes Lee Osorio’s narration of “A Face of Disgrace,” in which Osorio’s voice is full of the protagonist’s panic and horror as her face begins to disappear. Annette Amelia Oliveira expertly performs “My Sad Dead,” capturing the protagonist’s nonchalance as she explains that she can see ghosts as they wander her neighborhood. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National Book Award finalist Sarah Smarsh performs a collection of her essays written from 2013-2024. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss how Smarsh’s narration captures the emotional depth of her essays. After growing up on a wheat farm in Kansas, Smarsh went on to join academia and found herself writing about her working-class childhood. Smarsh’s essays are full of sharp observations that are as relevant now as when they were first published. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Simon & Schuster. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ashley Callingbull gives a heartfelt narration of Violet Duncan’s story of a young girl who starts having strange dreams while visiting family on the Cree reservation. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this National Book Award finalist for young people’s literature. Everyone is talking about researchers discovering unmarked children’s graves at the nearby residential school.Twelve-year-old Summer is curious to learn more, but it is a painful history. Callingbull brings a youthful enthusiasm to her narration of Summer and deeper, more resonant voices for the elders who share their stories. Summer slowly realizes that her dreams of a girl’s escape from the residential schools might be more real than she first thought. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Listening Library. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guy Lockard narrates this fresh and funny novel YA from Jason Reynolds. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss another excellent collaboration between Reynolds and Lockard. Told from the perspective of 17-year-old Neon, this novel explores moments leading backwards from Neon’s past twenty-four months. As Neon prepares to celebrate his anniversary with his girlfriend, Aria, he reflects on everything that has happened since they first met. Lockard’s deep, resonant voice is expressive and full of humor that fits Neon’s youth and the bright banter between Neon and his friends. This contemplative novel is a joyful celebration of young love. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this delightful romance audiobook set in a fantasy world. Omari Douglas has a teasing, mischievous lilt to his narration that perfectly suits Marske’s vivid world building. Dutiful Mattinesh Jay is entering into an arranged marriage to save his family’s failing textile business. An encounter with conman and duelist Luca Pierre leads Matti to hire him as his ceremonial best man; Luca also reluctantly agrees to give Matti sword-fighting lessons. Douglas captures the sparking, zinging dynamic between Matti and Luca. The more time they spend together, the harder it is to resist each other, and the more secrets are revealed. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Éanna Hardwicke's narration highlights the rich emotionality of Sally Rooney’s newest novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Hardwicke’s skill at capturing every mood—becoming desperately angry, bitter, and frantic, yet also achingly tender, patient, and loving—as he performs a story of two grieving brothers. Peter and Ivan’s father has died, leaving them unmoored and their relationship strained. Hardwicke subtly captures the shifting perspectives of each character as he performs a story full of pain, hope, and love. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Nagle gives a clear and compelling narration of her look into how a small-town murder on the Muscogee Nation led to a significant 2020 Supreme Court case—and the largest restoration of Native tribal land in American history. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Nagle’s extensive research into the history behind this case, and how she contextualizes its impact on her own nation, the Cherokee, and other Oklahoma nations. An illuminating listen. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Multitalented playwright/director/actor Colman Domingo gathered an internationally acclaimed cast to hit this spirited blend of social satire, love, responsibility, and grief out of the park. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this play that revolves around the character of Gil, an out-of-work actor played by Domingo, who returns home to face the heartbreak of burying his late mother. He receives all kinds of advice performed by a marvelous cast that makes for a delightful roller coaster of a comedy. An absolute keeper. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Audible, Inc. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Flanagan performs this group story of a faculty at one public high school as if she were herself an entire acting company. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this engaging adult debut from a YA author. At the beginning of the story’s school year a superannuated substitute teacher dies ingloriously on a couch in the eponymous lounge. That episode and each one following introduces more linked characters, events, complications, and unintended consequences, sometimes funny, sometimes sweet, occasionally shocking, but all absorbing and believable. Flanagan’s skill and control with her narration are a quiet marvel. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Kristen Ariza lends her expert skills to Danzy Senna’s intimate character study. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine’s Michele Cobb discuss a story of a professor and struggling writer, Jane. She moves her family near Hollywood, where she meets a producer who wants to make her book into a television show. Jane is a complex character who is often skeptical, and when she is met with the usual difficulties while navigating Hollywood, she becomes even more suspicious. A great listen for fans of contemporary fiction. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss how this performance by a five-narrator cast is truly special. The Fall children harness unique powers. When a magical rainbow-haired girl reveals her connection with the family, it kicks off a whirlwind of secrets that will either break them apart or further unite them. What’s more magical is the gorgeous concoction of every narrator’s style. It genuinely feels like each character is a complete story on their own, but when blended together, they create a symphony of mystery, challenges, and compelling world-building. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Listening Library. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners join Texas Ranger Darren Mathews who, after turning in his badge, reluctantly investigates the disappearance of a young, Black student from an otherwise all-white sorority house. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story set in 2019 that concludes Attica Locke’s Highway 59 trilogy. JD Jackson’s pitch-perfect narration is the ideal match for this fast-paced story, which is seen through the eyes of a Black man who is living in Trump’s America. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Hachette Audio Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a new thrilling audiobook from Liane Moriarty. Narrators Caroline Lee and Geraldine Hakewill weave the threads of this tense exploration of free will. Everyone on a delayed flight across Australia is tired and frustrated. Suddenly, a nondescript woman stands and begins pointing to fellow passengers and stating how they will die and when. She won’t remember this later—when the predictions start coming true. Lee voices Cherry, the Death Lady, with petulant sincerity, while Hakewill portrays the other passengers as they struggle to forget the predictions or change their destinies. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Voice Adjoa Andoh’s remarkable skills of characterization and pacing are on full display in this reissue of le Carré’s novel of espionage and manipulation in the Middle East. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this story of a naïve English actress, Charlie, who agrees to work undercover for an Israeli spy to identify a Palestinian terrorist, and is co-opted by morally ambiguous people. Andoh gives Charlie a light, sweet voice and an unsophisticated tone that emphasize her bravado and innocence. From slow-burn psychological seductions to rapid-fire arguments, she makes the complex multilayered story accessible and provocative throughout. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Dreamscape. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed about the fun of diving into the start of a new series from a favorite author, Allison Brennan. Hillary Huber has the perfect voice for PI Margo Angelhart, portraying her as confident, righteous, and brave. Margo’s chapters, told in the first person, let listeners experience her thoughts and emotions as she protects abused women and uncovers her own client’s deceptions. But listeners also hear the points of view of several other characters in their own chapters, adding depth to our understanding and all masterfully differentiated by Huber. A fantastic start to this new series. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Harlequin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Linda Emond returns to deliver a masterful performance in the 23rd installment of the Temperance Brennan series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the newest book from author Kathy Reichs, this time set in Washington, D.C., at the site of a tragic fire. Emond has found the perfect voice for the forensic anthropologist who relentlessly works to put together the puzzles provided by body remains. Listeners will learn about criminals from the Prohibition era and their continued legacy. Reichs’s engaging plot partnered with Emond’s exceptional narration will keep listeners glued to their earbuds. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine’s Robin Whitten discuss a magical children’s audiobook from author Katherine Rundell, and narrated by English actor Samuel West. If Christopher weren’t holding a baby griffin, he never would have come to believe his grandfather about the hidden archipelago where magical creatures live—or agreed when Mal, a girl who is looking for her griffin, asks him to go there and help her find out why they’re dying. West’s presentation shines as he provides voices appropriate for the magical world’s denizens, and increasing emphasis as the journey becomes more dangerous and its consequences more dire. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Listening Library. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edwidge Danticat’s audiobook of essays testifies to a close reader and observer of human affairs. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how the famed Haitian American novelist, memoirist, and children’s author is clearly a practiced narrator. Her essays range from the horrors of racism, the toll of hurricanes, and the inequity of climate change to the appreciation of writers she admires. A fine collection that creates an indelible portrait of a keen and remarkable mind. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Recorded Books. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean Patrick Hopkins narrates a globe-trotting audiobook, bringing enthusiasm and the right tempo to his narration. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Rob Jackson’s examination of the scientific basis for climate change. Stanford-based Jackson, chair of the Global Carbon Project, does hands-on work in ecology: He has marked gas leaks in Washington, D.C.; witnessed the deaths of river dolphins in the Amazon; and reported on rewilding efforts in Finland. A primer for positive action and a warning about what happens if we don’t act. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Easter narrates his guide to where our food comes from and how its production affects the planet. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Easter’s calm and clear delivery of his highly informed text. His urgent focus, agriculture’s carbon footprint, is told through research, reporting, and anecdotes. A primer on macro issues of food and climate change that also offers useful micro suggestions. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist and podcaster Nicola Twilley has dedicated years to the study of refrigeration. AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff tells host Jo Reed how this is one of the most important environmental studies of the year. The audiobook reveals the significance of cooling food and the cost to the environment of doing so, as well as its effect on flavor. Twilley is witty and ably simplifies science. She describes the elements of the “cold chain” that bring us our food, but bemoans how the convenience of the fridge often displaces flavor and sacrifices vitamins. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Dreamscape, an award-winning audiobook publisher with a catalog that includes authors L.J. Shen, Freida McFadden, and Annie Ernaux. For more information, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rumaan Alam’s new novel tells the story of a mega-rich octogenarian and a 33-year-old Black woman. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how narrator Nicole Lewis does an excellent job voicing the story with subtle gradations of tone and tempo. The plot involves Vassar-educated Brooke Orr; Lewis gets her sound and style. Orr goes to work for wealthy philanthropist Asher Jaffee to help him give away his billions, and the story explores wealth and aspiration, race, and power. This often dark story stays with the listener. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Dara Rosenberg joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb for a conversation about the joy and fun of her work narrating The Undoubtable Rose Beaufont fantasy audiobooks. In this series, written by Sarah Noffke and Michael Anderle, listeners meet magicians, witches, giants, and talking dragons! Listen to hear about how Dara approaches narrating this action-packed series starring Rose Beaufont, who suddenly learns she’s half mortal and half magician and has to save the mortal world from uncontrolled magic. Read our review of the first in the series, THE MYSTERIOUS DAUGHTER. Published by Dreamscape. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is sponsored by Dreamscape. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A full cast performs John Patrick Green’s humorous investigation featuring upright-walking, talking, vest-wearing alligators. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the fun of listening to this wacky kids’ audiobook adapted from the graphic novel. Mango and Brash go undercover at Batter Down Bakery to find a kidnapped baker and fight the evil “Crackerdile.” This pun-filled story includes clever acronyms, vocal sound effects, and catchy tunes that will make listeners of all ages laugh out loud. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Connelly’s eight-part podcast is wonderfully produced and offers a handful of actors woven in and out of a riveting and well-paced story. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this adapted horror story that smoothly intertwines the fantastical into the plot. After a novelist calls a locksmith to open a safe, things get a bit scary for them both. Listeners will remain engaged, and once you start listening, you won’t want to stop. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Audible, Inc. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Henry Hwang’s sharp, purposeful, yet very playful “unreliable” memoir is serious satirical fun performed by a full cast. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story of a white actor being cast as a lead in a play that strongly protests casting white actors in Asian American roles. David Henry Hwang, portrayed by a droll Daniel Dae Kim, has a hard decision to make: Come clean or cover it up. As this production unfolds fast-paced scenes of phone calls, monologues, memories, and kitchen-table conversations, it takes on the serious subjects of cultural appropriation, artistic freedom, and flat-out discrimination. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Audible, Inc. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Baldiwn’s three-act play about the power of religion to shield people from the outside world has a cast that is quirky, protective, gossipy, dogmatic, and spirited. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this full cast performance that honors Baldiwn’s narrative and enhances it by capturing the intensity and emotions of the play. This is a story of the highs and lows of passionate people who are trying to survive the best way they can. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Santino Fontana delivers Riley Sager’s trademark psychological suspense. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this twisty thriller that’s a great slow-burn mystery with a touch of the paranormal. It’s 1994, and 10-year-old Ethan and his best friend, Billy, camp out in Ethan’s backyard. The night will tragically be remembered as the night Billy was taken from the tent while his best friend slept beside him. Thirty years later, Ethan reluctantly returns to his childhood home. Immersive storytelling helps listeners follow dual timelines. Fontana’s expressive tone enhances the multiple points of view. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. The sponsor for today's podcast is Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, a witty memoir about legendary journalist Connie Chung's experience as the first Asian woman to break into the overwhelmingly white male dominated news industry--read by Connie Chung! Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Jennifer Ikeda reintroduces listeners to power couple Diana and Matthew de Claremont, witch and vampire, and their equally magical children. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this continuation of the tale that Deborah Harkness first started in A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES. When a black bird brings Diana a message, she heads to Ravenswood, her Aunt Gwyneth’s property in Massachusetts, to uncover the dark side of her magic. Ikeda brings every corner of Ravenswood to life, pointing out its marshes, barns, and haunted woods in warm, wondrous tones. Her narration illuminates the shadowy paths Diana now chooses to tread. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kendra Winchester tells host Jo Reed about one of the most delightful science fiction stories of the year. Katharine Chin performs Yume Kitasei’s Indiana Jones-like adventure that’s perfect for lovers of great heist stories. Maya Hoshimoto, former thief, has retired to Earth to be a graduate student in anthropology. But when her best friend asks her to do one last job, she reluctantly agrees. Chin’s narration captures Maya’s adventurous spirit as she travels across space with her crew, and she keeps listeners on the edge of their seats with her performance. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. The sponsor for today's podcast is Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, a witty memoir about legendary journalist Connie Chung's experience as the first Asian woman to break into the overwhelmingly white male dominated news industry--read by Connie Chung! Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adepero Oduye and Chukwudi Iwuji perform Akwaeke Emezi’s novel told by a group of characters who are all connected by the events of a single night. AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester tells host Jo Reed about what she describes as one of the most whirlwind stories she’s listened to all year. In an unnamed city in Nigeria, Kalu attends a sex party to help him forget that his girlfriend, Aima, has just left him. But everything goes wrong, and Kalu finds himself sucked into the city’s seedy underbelly with no way out. The narrators work together to draw listeners in with the emotional depth of their performances. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today's podcast is brought to you by the audiobook edition of CONNIE, read by Connie Chung, on sale today from Hachette Audio. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mikaela Hoover performs Porochista Khakpour’s wildly delightful novel about Iranian American fast-food heiresses and wannabe reality television stars. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this story about four sisters at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which toppled their dreams of a reality series focused on their family. The Milani family is forced to spend all of their time together and tensions rise. Hoover gives each dramatically different viewpoint character a distinct narrative voice, highlighting the charming and unique qualities of each character. Read our review of the audiobook at our website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a middle-grade novel that is perfect for heading back to school — and is a little bit haunted. Eva Kaminsky depicts Violet, who is nervous about moving into the strange attic bedroom of her family’s new home and worried about starting 6th grade. Kaminsky reflects the uncertainty that creeps into Violet’s voice when she feels betrayed by her two best friends’ cruelty at a sleepover. Then she gets sick and doesn’t get better, spending more time in her room with its creepy yellow wallpaper. Violet’s fear becomes palpable as her weakness and fatigue intensify, and she starts to hear a terrifying voice from within the wallpaper. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today's podcast is brought to you by the audiobook edition of CONNIE, read by Connie Chung, on sale this September 17th from Hachette Audio. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss an audiobook for teens where four narrators in alternating chapters depict intergenerational Filipino sons and fathers over the course of a century. Ramón de Ocampo portrays young Francisco, who left the Philippines and works on California farms in the 1930s. JB Tadena captures angry Emil, whose father Francisco, now an adult, deserts his family to pursue Filipino rights in 1965. Manny Jacinto portrays cowed, bitter Chris in 1985, whose father, Emil, pushes him to assimilate. During the pandemic, Jesse Inocalla reveals sensitive Enzo’s worry about disease and his father’s relationship with Lolo Emil, who moves into their home. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victoria Villarreal and an ensemble cast narrate a thrilling epic set in 1950s Hollywood. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this lush historical novel based around a Biblical sword-and-sandal film. When an unknown actress from Mexico is cast to play Salome in the latest picture, tempers flare. Villarreal capably narrates the three main storylines: Vera Larios, the unknown Mexican ingénue; Nancy Hartley, a bit player who feels cheated out of a starring role; and Salome herself. Additional narrators voice brief interviews and gossipy articles to give listeners further insight into the tragic tale. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. The sponsor for today's podcast is Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, a witty memoir about legendary journalist Connie Chung's experience as the first Asian woman to break into the overwhelmingly white male dominated news industry--read by Connie Chung! Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jorjeana Marie’s captivating narration brings this portal fantasy to life. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a story of lost children, fractured friendships, and magical worlds. Mourning the loss of her adoptive mother, Emilie Wendell vows to find her half-sister she never knew, who disappeared in a West Virginia forest years ago. Desperate for a lead, she enlists the help of Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell—estranged friends who emerged from the same forest after an unexplained disappearance 15 years earlier. Marie tells the story with a gentleness and warmth that add to its nostalgic premise. It’s an immersive experience that mirrors Emilie’s descent into a dark yet enchanting realm and her companions’ traumatic memories. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today's podcast is brought to you by the audiobook edition of CONNIE, read by Connie Chung, on sale this September 17th from Hachette Audio. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Galvin and Max Meyers voice the perspectives of sommelier-in-training Theo Flowerday and French pastry chef Kit Fairfield. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this story of two bisexual exes who wind up on a three week European food tour together—the same tour they were meant to take together before they broke up four years earlier. Their skills at narrating Theo and Kit, along with everyone they encounter along their decadent tour, make for a true feast of vocal work and culinary descriptions. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A master performer, Grover Gardner elevates Dreiser’s naturalistic 1925 novel, an account of the strivings and disappointments of Clyde Griffiths, a flawed but fascinating protagonist whose rise and fall end when he commits a heinous crime and is executed for it. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss a title that Alan says will make even the most hard-hearted listener yearn for restorative justice, thanks to its precisely chiseled anti-capitalist details of a stratified collar factory with its nepotistic organization and its evocation of prison life—rigid, punitive, and unyielding. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TV writer/producer Janetti is a fine traveling companion as he takes the listener on a grand tour of his favorite places. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Janetti packs this audiobook with observations on such topics as the decline of fashion on airplanes, along with tips on how to shut off unwanted conversations and how to only pack for three days. An entertaining storyteller, Janetti pitches an idea to Maggie Smith (a no), falls in love on Mykonos (an everlasting yes), and lovingly recounts a family cruise. Worth your time. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. The sponsor for today's podcast is Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, a witty memoir about legendary journalist Connie Chung's experience as the first Asian woman to break into the overwhelmingly white male dominated news industry--read by Connie Chung! Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paige McClanahan gives this audiobook a sense of her lived experience as a travel writer, reporter, and thoughtful interpreter of the world of travel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss her exploration of this reconsideration for how we travel, told in her appealing voice and persuasive narration. The listener goes along on forays to Iceland and Hawaii, as well as to overly visited Amsterdam and Barcelona, where travel is meaningful to the economies but not always to the locals. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today's podcast is brought to you by the audiobook edition of CONNIE, read by Connie Chung, on sale this September 17th from Hachette Audio. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Anthony Fauci’s new memoir on audio. Doctor Fauci's public career spans five decades, and gained prominence during the COVID-19 epidemic for his confrontations with the former president and far right members of Congress. Tinged with his Brooklyn accent, his reading is authentic, if not melodic. He ably simplifies the scientific concepts he encountered in his life in medicine. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Support for our podcast comes from Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, this behind the scenes look into Connie Chung's life, read by Connie Chung herself. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Alexandra Cohler has the right tone, tempo, and style for this polemical and highly informed audiobook on propaganda. She can sound like she’s reporting on a real-life scene or immersed in a sci-fi setting. Her narrative approach works well with this provocative work by journalist/science fiction novelist Annalee Newitz, who challenges preconceived notions about messages and messaging. An idea-rich listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by HighBridge Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today's podcast is brought to you by the audiobook edition of CONNIE, read by Connie Chung, on sale this September 17th from Hachette Audio. Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This audiobook reveals that Tommy Orange is among the most insightful novelists writing today and a poet of pain. In their conversation from earlier this year, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this immersive novel set in Oakland that makes for a powerful listening experience. Among the segmented novel’s stellar performances, Charley Flyte’s reading of Victoria Bear Shield’s dramatic monologue to her unborn daughter is a tour de force—a haunting performance with an expressive tone and intimate voice. Alma Cuervo portrays Jacquie Red Feather and Victoria—the unborn infant, now a grandmother—with candor, compassion, and a thoughtful pace. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at Brilliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sure touch of Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan transforms Kristin Hannah’s absorbing novel about Vietnam War combat nurses into an addictive listen. In their conversation from this winter, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this intimate portrait and sprawling account of a searing time. The story focuses on 20-year-old Frances McGrath, who, in 1965, impetuously chooses the Army Nurse Corps over cotillions and marriage. As the novel interweaves historical research with the characters’ Vietnam and post-war lives, Whelan’s intensity and warmth help listeners empathize with the personal and understand the big picture. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at Brilliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicole Lewis performs this sophomore novel from Booker longlisted author Kiley Reid. In their conversation from earlier this year, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester talk about how Reid excels at writing dialogue, and how Lewis’s performance of those conversations takes them to a whole new level. Millie Cousins is a senior resident assistant at the University of Arkansas with big dreams, and when a visiting professor and journalist offers her money in exchange for eavesdropping on her dorm’s residents, she takes the risk. As the drama twists and turns, Lewis’s narration keeps listeners enraptured until the very end. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at Brilliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will be convinced there’s a full cast delivering this fast-paced thriller from Ashley Elston. Yet it’s just one narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, who masterfully voices all of the characters. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this mystery audiobook in their conversation from earlier in 2024. Evie Porter has many names and personas she has adopted for her work for the mysterious Mr. Smith. The narrative goes back and forth in time, revealing the successful and disastrous assignments that have landed her in a small town in Louisiana, where she’s building a loving relationship with her next target. The twists and turns will keep listeners glued to their earbuds all the way to the satisfying conclusion. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at Brilliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’re revisiting discussions of favorite audiobooks from this year. Narrators Natalie Beran and Jackson Bliss portray queer Russian-Maori siblings Greta and Valdin. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Rebecca K. Reilly’s wise, hilarious audiobook about a loving and chaotic New Zealand family. Beran depicts Greta, a 20-something PhD student in a perky, wry tone that is dripping with millennial angst. Bliss narrates Valdin’s sections with a mix of earnestness and detachment. A year after being dumped by his boyfriend, he’s just (maybe) starting to get his life back on track. The narrators’ varied New Zealand accents and ease with snappy dialogue make every moment of this joyful audiobook a pleasure. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is brought to you by Brilliance Publishing. The Sound of Storytelling. Discover your next great listen at Brilliance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author J. Michael Straczynski joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb for a conversation about his new audio original, EARTHLIGHT. Straczynski is well known as the creator of the “Babylon 5” TV series and has written comics for Marvel and DC. His newest book, EARTHLIGHT, is a high-stakes military sci-fi audiobook performed by Erik Braa and a full cast with immersive sound effects and music. Listen in to learn about the approach Straczynski took when writing an audio original and why this story fits so well with the audio format. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile’s website. Today’s episode is sponsored by Random House Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices