THE FRAUD by Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith expertly performs her historical novel inspired by true events. It’s 1873, and Mrs. Eliza Touchet, a Scottish housekeeper, is watching the trial of a working-class Australian man claiming to be the true inheritor of a great estate and title. Mrs. Touchet begins thinking about her cousin, a formerly great novelist who she suspects never actually wrote any of his novels himself. Is her cousin a fraud, too? Smith’s performance possesses considerable emotional depth, and she delivers lines with her characteristic searing wit. Smith’s ear for accents turns into perfectly performed dialogue for characters from every corner of London.
HOLLY: Holly Gibney, Book 3 by Stephen King
Justine Lupe brings a beloved Stephen King character, Holly Gibney, vividly to life with her narration. When a distraught mother with a missing daughter calls Holly’s investigative agency for help, quirky, brilliant Holly takes the case. She soon finds connections to other missing people and is drawn into a world of pure evil. Listeners will feel like they are part of a true-crime podcast as Lupe transports them to this relentless nightmare. King delivers his author’s note, adding to this amazing listening experience.
ALCHEMY OF A BLACKBIRD by Claire McMillan
Six narrators add unique layers to this well-researched novel featuring Surrealist artist Remedios Varo, a refugee who is fleeing Europe during WWII. With her warm tone and rich timbre, Aida Reluzco sets a captivating mood in the chapters involving Remedios. Between each chapter, Erin deWard delivers a mesmerizing Tarot card reading that introduces the upcoming principal character. The overall effect of the Tarot card readings and myriad perspectives and accents, along with Reluzco’s rendering of Remedios, is positively entrancing.
NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell
Alix is a successful podcaster, a seemingly happily married mother of two who is living a carefree life, narrated by Nicola Walker. Louise Brealey portrays Josie, who first appears to be an awkward, sheltered woman with a disturbing past. Both narrators embody their characters in a way that drives the story forward and makes the novel seem frighteningly believable. The other performances add even more drama as the plot twists and turns. All of the narrators are top-notch, making this audiobook a riveting and cinematic listen.
GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner
This first in a new fantasy series with captivating world-building and characters requires an expert emotional performance—and Kit Griffiths delivers. After Kissen’s family is murdered as sacrifice to a fire deity, she dedicates her life to hunting gods. But her path changes when she meets young Inara, who is mysteriously connected to a small god of white lies. They travel alongside Elogast, a knight turned baker, and uncover a plot that upends everything known about gods. Griffiths is the perfect narrator to usher listeners through this queer-normative fantasy. It’s a master class in inclusive narration within a highly engaging story.
ROLE PLAYING by Cathy Yardley
Chris Brinkley and Elyse Dinh pair up for a delightful performance in this fresh nerdy romance. Maggie is 48 and a new empty nester who channels her emotions through an online role-playing game. She becomes close with her guild leader, Aiden, but is shocked when they meet in person. He isn’t the college-aged player Maggie thought—he’s a 50-year-old man. Dinh’s and Brinkley’s performances have the right intense beats when narrating gameplay. The romance unfolds more slowly, and both narrators depict the genuine struggle faced by characters who are coping with life’s new chapters and finding joy in unexpected places.
SISTERS IN RESISTANCE: How a German Spy, a Banker's Wife, and Mussolini's Daughter Outwitted the Nazis by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Narrated in a perfect tone and mix of emotions by Lisa Flanagan, the work focuses on how a German agent, a prominent American’s wife, and Mussolini’s daughter, Edda Ciano, worked to transfer the diaries of Edda’s husband, Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano, to the Allies in order to document Nazi atrocities at Nuremberg. Flanagan’s performance is flawless, and the story—which includes espionage, romance, counterintelligence, and more—reads like the best spy novels.
THE LONG GAME by Elena Armas
Narrators Frankie Corzo and Shane East fully immerse listeners in this small-town enemies-to-lovers soccer romance. Adalyn Reyes is banished by her father, the Miami Flames’ owner, to a backwoods town to turn around a struggling youth soccer team for girls. Her first encounter with the coach, a broody retired professional goalkeeper named Cameron, is anything but pleasant. Corzo’s inflections shine in her portrayal of Adalyn’s witty banter and emotional longing, while East’s charming British accent and smooth delivery of swoony heartfelt words will have listeners pining for Adalyn and Cameron to find their happily-ever-after.
THE STOLEN COAST by Dwyer Murphy
Robert Petkoff is the perfect narrator for this quirky heist novel. When questionable people like mobsters, crooks, or others in dire straits need to disappear, Jack Betancourt is their go-to guy. His ex-girlfriend, Elena, herself a shady operator, returns to Onset, Jack’s tiny Massachusetts beach town, with a plan for a daring heist. Petkoff captures every nuance and subtlety of author Murphy’s stylish writing. Well-defined characters; an attention-grabbing, highly original plot; and Petkoff’s superb performance make this an audiobook not to miss.
DON'T FORGET TO WRITE by Sara Goodman Confino
It’s fun listening to narrator Helen Laser depict 20-year-old Marilyn’s adventures while visiting her Great-Aunt Ada in 1960s Philadelphia. She’s been sent there after being caught kissing the rabbi’s son. Marilyn can give as good as she gets—as can Ada, the queen of Philadelphia’s Jewish matchmakers. She employs Marilyn to vet young Jewish men for her clientele. Laser is pitch-perfect in her characterizations. This listening treat is part coming-of-age story and part romance, with family secrets galore.
This story appears through BookTrib’s partnership with AudioFile and contains material originating from the AudioFile website.
