Best AudioFile Magazine Podcasts (2025)

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Three Multifacted and Moving Memoirs 19:03

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3d ago19:03

19:03

Host Jo Reed welcomes AudioFile publisher Michele Cobb to discuss three powerful memoirs, narrated by their authors. Booker Prize–winning writer Arundhati Roy returns with a complex look at her relationship with her challenging and ‘visionary,’ mother in MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME; an unflinching, polarizing memoir about Elizabeth Gilbert’s sex and lo…

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Behind the Mic talks SHARP FORCE with January LaVoy 13:25

7d ago13:25

13:25

Golden Voice narrator January LaVoy speaks to AudioFile publisher Michele Cobb about the most recent entry in Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta Series, SHARP FORCE. January is a nine-time Audie Award winner, and she shares what it's like to revisit the voice of enduring character Kay Scarpetta, a forensic pathologist who now must deal with a new nightm…

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Phillip Pullman’s World 20:11

9d ago20:11

20:11

Today host Jo Reed welcomes AudioFile’s founder and editor, Robin Whitten, to discuss Phillip Pullman’s world and THE ROSE FIELD, read by Michael Sheen, the much anticipated conclusion of the extraordinary epic fantasy. It began in 1999 with THE GOLDEN COMPASS and with the story of Lyra Silvertongue, in an all-time-favorite full-cast performance. L…

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Behind the Mic talks with author Brian Andrews 21:42

14d ago21:42

21:42

Author Brian Andrews, who is, along with Jeffrey Wilson, half of the author duo Andrews & Wilson, speaks with AudioFile publisher Michele Cobb about THE ADVERSARY, the ninth book in the Tier One thriller series, narrated by Ray Porter. In their conversation, Andrews shares his longtime love of audiobooks and talks about his persistence in getting R…

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Stories that Spin and Satirize 16:40

17d ago16:40

16:40

Host Jo Reed welcomes AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff this week to dig into three new audiobooks that delight and satirize, often using humor to shed light on social issues. Three unlikely characters bond in an anger management class in SNAP, a comedic novel by Susin Nielsen and read by Carol Schneider; a failed poet with a snarky alter-ego str…

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Embracing the dark in MILLIE FLEUR SAVES THE NIGHT 27:42

21d ago27:42

27:42

AudioFile publisher Michele Cobb speaks with author and illustrator Christy Mandin and narrator Elizabeth Knowelden about the new audiobook MILLIE FLEUR SAVES THE NIGHT. This enchanting story for children, where night-blooming plants come alive, reassures the residents of Garden Glen—and the listener—that the dark is nothing to be afraid of, as lon…

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What Haunts Us: 3 Halloween Tales 18:32

24d ago18:32

18:32

This week on Behind the Mic, host Jo Reed welcomes our resident horror expert, Alex Richey. Together they discuss three gripping audiobooks that are more about the spooky atmosphere than jump-scares. A catastrophic event kicks off a series of bizarre deaths in LUCKY DAY by Chuck Tingle, read by Mara Wilson; a woman falls into a mirrored world in HE…

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Who’s Listening? Actor Courtney B. Vance 14:23

28d ago14:23

14:23

In this bonus edition of Behind the Mic, host Jo Reed speaks with actor Courtney B. Vance. His shelves are lined with awards—two Emmys, a Tony, a Critics Choice Award, and several NAACP Image Awards. Vance is also a dedicated audiobook listener and occasional narrator, nominated for a Grammy for his performance of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s and Avis Lan…

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Stories of Resilient Writers 21:30

1M ago21:30

21:30

Host Jo Reed welcomes AudioFile contributor Kendra Winchester to Behind the Mic this week to discuss one memoir and two biographies which center three different writing lives: A deaf, mixed-race writer finding his voice in THE QUIET EAR by Raymond Antrobus, read by the author; a cultural biography of Octavia Butler, the groundbreaking science ficti…

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MOCKINGBIRD COURT, Book 6 in the Shady Hollow Mystery series 12:15

1M ago12:15

12:15

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb is joined by Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell to chat about the sixth and newest audiobook in the Shady Hollow Mystery series, MOCKINGBIRD COURT. Vulpine reporter Vera Vixen finds herself the prime suspect in what looks to be a murder. Cassandra Campbell is the voice behind all six of the Shady Hollow mysteries, and…

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Dark Academia 20:20

1M ago20:20

20:20

AudioFile contributor Stephen Cummings is on Behind the Mic this week with host Jo Reed. This week’s theme is all about dark academia—suspenseful and often fantastical audiobooks that take place in a campus or school setting. Two graduate students descend into hell to get a recommendation from their professor in KATABASIS by R.F. Kuang, read by Mor…

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Behind the Mic talks Classic Crime Novels with David Timson 23:36

1M ago23:36

23:36

British narrator David Timson has recorded numerous audiobooks for Naxos AudioBooks, including the complete Sherlock Holmes stories, five Charles Dickens novels, and a complete unabridged reading of Edward Gibbon’s DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. During his time working with Naxos as actor, director, and writer, David has also directed five o…

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Captivating and Cruel: True Crime Spotlight 21:45

2M ago21:45

21:45

By AudioFile Magazine

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Three Engaging and Complex Mysteries 20:08

2M ago20:08

20:08

AudioFile Editor and Founder Robin Whitten joins host Jo Reed this week to discuss three gripping new mystery audiobooks that share a dark wit and anti-establishment protagonists. Martin Cruz Smith’s HOTEL UKRAINE, narrated by Jeremy Bobb, is a compact suspense about Detective Arkady Renko and the early days of the invasion of Ukraine; CLOWN TOWN b…

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Earphones Award Roundup 21:07

2M ago21:07

21:07

AudioFile awards Earphones to exceptional audio experiences—it’s our version of a starred review, specifically for the audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Laura Rossi discuss three recent Earphones Award-winning audiobooks that delve deeply into the human experience. Laura and Jo discuss the controversial, posthumously published NOTES TO JOHN b…

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Secrets From The Past Can Hide Anywhere 21:10

2M ago21:10

21:10

This week, host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Leslie Fine review three new audiobooks that harbor family secrets and feature excellent character development. A woman grapples with her roles as wife, mother, and more in SAME AS IT EVER WAS by Claire Lombardo, read by Emily Rankin; a father and daughter are living off the grid in WHAT KIND OF PAR…

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Family Tumult and Turmoil 17:41

2M ago17:41

17:41

This week, host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Alan Minskoff review three new audiobooks, both fiction and nonfiction, that revolve around diverse types of turbulence a family might encounter: The tragic American family saga of THE SPINACH KING by John Seabrook, read by Dion Graham; ON ISABELLA STREET, a historical novel set in a pre- and post-V…

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Experimental Genre-blending that Works 21:51

3M ago21:51

21:51

This week, host Jo Reed welcomes AudioFile contributor Kendra Winchester to chat about three new sci-fi/fantasy audiobook gems: MODERATION, written and read by Elaine Castillo, a cautionary tale that dives into tech, class, and immigration; SUNBIRTH by An Yu, a character-driven story in which slices of the sun start disappearing, read by Mei Mei Ma…

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Expertly Woven Fantasy & Sci-Fi Tales Across Time 21:05

3M ago21:05

21:05

This week, host Jo Reed welcomes AudioFile contributor Alex Richey. Together, they’ll chat all about vampires, monsters, and witches in three sci-fi/fantasy/horror audiobooks: BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL, a multiple-POV sapphic vampire story by V.E. Schwab, read by Julia Whelan, Katie Leung, and Marisa Calin; the “bonkers” genre-bending OF …

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Three Icons of Culture: Lives Shaped by New York City 20:17

3M ago20:17

20:17

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Stephen Cummings discuss three audiobook biographies in which the New York City of the 1970s and ’80s plays a key role. This week, they’ll highlight LORNE by Susan Morrison, read by Kristen DiMercurio and the author, about the Saturday Night Live creator; YOKO by David Sheff, read by Max Meyers, an intimate look at the …

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Multi-Voice Journeys Update Stories You Thought You Knew 18:35

3M ago18:35

18:35

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss three audiobooks that have two or more narrators in the cast. Together they’ll speak about: Taylor Jenkins Reid’s queer love story set in the 1980s space race, ATMOSPHERE read by Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio. A thriller complete with kidnappings and a mysterious house in THE OTHER PEOPLE by C…

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Who’s Listening? Author Adriana Trigiani 17:37

4M ago17:37

17:37

Adriana Trigiani is an award-winning playwright, television writer, producer, filmmaker, podcaster, and the bestselling author of some twenty books both fiction and nonfiction, including THE SHOEMAKER’S WIFE, the BIG STONE GAP series, and LUCIA, LUCIA. Adriana’s latest book is THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO, narrated by Academy Award-winner Mira Sorvino. …

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Earphones Award Roundup 17:09

4M ago17:09

17:09

AudioFile awards Earphones to exceptional audio experiences—it’s our version of a starred review, specifically for the audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Laura Rossi discuss three recent Earphones Award-winning audiobooks. Laura and Jo highlight WHALE EYES: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen written and read by documentarian James Robinson; …

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Behind the Mic talks TRANSMENTATION | TRANSIENCE 30:56

4M ago30:56

30:56

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb is joined by author Cadwell Turnbull and Golden Voice narrator Dion Graham to talk about TRANSMENTATION | TRANSIENCE, the first installment in a sprawling and ambitious multiverse filled with adventure and political intrigue. Graham’s intense yet soft-spoken presentation of the narrative sets the background for the dialogue…

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SOUTH OF NOWHERE by Jeffery Deaver, read by Kaleo Griffith 8:40

4M ago8:40

8:40

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed discuss this gripping audiobook. Colter Shaw—tracker and survivalist—is hired to locate a missing family trapped after a levee collapses during a catastrophic storm. As he searches, Shaw uncovers a sinister plot that suggests the disaster may not have been entirely natural. Narrator Kaleo Griffith delivers…

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WARRIOR POSE by Susan Rogers, John Roosen, read by Rupert Degas 8:49

4M ago8:49

8:49

Golden Voice Rupert Degas returns to transport listeners to New Zealand and Indonesia in the fourth Yoga Mat mystery. Fans will recognize returning characters, while listeners new to the series will find enough backstory to follow along. Australian secret agent Ric Peters wrestles with the dangers of his job and his need to protect his fiancée, a l…

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KING OF ASHES by S.A. Cosby, read by Adam Lazarre-White 8:12

4M ago8:12

8:12

Narrator Adam Lazarre-White once again immerses listeners in a dark, complex world crafted by S.A. Cosby. Join AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed as they discuss this gripping story which explores identity, justice, and long-buried family trauma. When Roman Carruthers returns to his hometown to care for his dying father and support his sist…

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KILL YOUR DARLINGS by Peter Swanson, read by Steven Weber 10:15

4M ago10:15

10:15

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Peter Swanson’s intriguing mystery, superbly delivered by Steven Weber. The audiobook’s structure goes backwards from 2023 to 1982—telling a story that’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Thom and Wendy Graves have been married for 25 years. When Wendy discovers Thom is about to reveal a terrible secret,…

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Behind the Mic talks THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SASHA RENEE, a Dreamscape ‘Audio First’ title 15:26

4M ago15:26

15:26

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb is joined by Golden Voice narrator Bahni Turpin to talk about THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SASHA RENEE, the first entry in THE GOSPEL OF GRACE WOMEN trilogy. Turpin’s masterful performance breathes relatability into the character of Sasha Renee Billingsly as she navigates her views on herself, love, and spirituality. Listen as T…

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ORDINARY TIME by Annie B. Jones, Emily P. Freeman [Fore.], read by Annie B. Jones, Emily P. Freeman [Fore.] 9:09

4M ago9:09

9:09

AudioFile’s Leslie Fine and host Jo Reed discuss Annie B. Jones’s essay collection, which she also narrates, about all the ways an ordinary life can feel extraordinary. An independent bookstore owner and host of the popular podcast “From the Front Porch,” Jones narrates with confidence, a lively intonation, and expert pacing. The Florida native has…

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MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman, read by Marin Ireland 9:32

4M ago9:32

9:32

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Leslie Fine dive into the latest novel by the talented Swedish novelist Fredrik Backman. Golden Voice narrator Marin Ireland grandly performs this story of art, friendship, and what it means to be a teen. Ireland replicates the snarky tone of Louisa, who has just released herself from foster care to go see the work of a…

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LIFE IN THREE DIMENSIONS by Shigehiro Oishi, read by Brian Nishii 8:53

4M ago8:53

8:53

AudioFile’s Leslie Fine and host Jo Reed explore Brian Nishii’s exceptional performance of this touching, well-documented personal growth audiobook. The author, a psychology professor and native of Japan, explains through vivid personal stories and accessible research that a psychologically rich life can be ours by nurturing our curiosity, explorin…

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I SEE YOU'VE CALLED IN DEAD by John Kenney, read by Sean Patrick Hopkins 11:09

4M ago11:09

11:09

Join host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Leslie Fine as they discuss John Kenney’s latest novel, which successfully walks a tightrope between dark humor and genuine warmth. Sean Patrick Hopkins’s narration provides the necessary balance. Bud Stanley is a newspaper writer who one night drunkenly writes and publishes his own obituary, setting in motion a gr…

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Celebrating Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday 12:42

4M ago12:42

12:42

In celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Margaret Pinard take a deep dive into one of Austen’s later novels, PERSUASION, marvelously narrated by Golden Voice Juliet Stevenson. Stevenson’s vocal interpretations make the characters pop with life, and her narration enhances the text so beautifully that one thinks th…

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THE LIVING MOUNTAIN by Nan Shepherd, read by Tilda Swinton, Robert Macfarlane [Intro.], Jenny Odell [Afterword] 6:47

4M ago6:47

6:47

Join AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff and Host Jo Reed as they share an audiobook for the soul. This exquisite work of nature writing celebrating Scotland’s Cairngorms mountains remains a classic of ecological observation. Tilda Swinton’s rendition of Nan Shepherd’s poetic prose mesmerizes. Her tone is exceptionally clear, her pace adds drama, and her sty…

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AFTERTASTE by Daria Lavelle, read by Ari Fliakos, Tessa Albertson, André Santana, Kristen Sieh 6:00

4M ago6:00

6:00

Ari Fliakos's exceptional performance of haunted Kostya Duhovny is among the many pleasures of this immersive debut, says AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff. In discussion with Host Jo Reed, they delve into Kostya’s supernatural ability to bring back the dead through food. Fliakos is ably aided by Tessa Albertson, André Santana, and Kristen Sieh, who all do…

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THE CONTAINMENT by Michelle Adams, read by Janina Edwards 7:43

4M ago7:43

7:43

This audiobook tells the story of the 1970 legal action that first attempted to desegregate Detroit’s schools. Join AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff and Host Jo Reed as they discuss this audiobook subtitled “Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North.” Janina Edwards narrates in a compelling tone, a vivid style, and a clear…

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MARK TWAIN by Ron Chernow, read by Jason Culp 8:00

4M ago8:00

8:00

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff kick off the week with this compelling and comprehensive audiobook delivered by Jason Culp. He convincingly portrays the great humorist in all his guises—raconteur, lecturer, parent, public figure, wit, and philosopher—homespun and not. Culp expertly narrates the exposition (and in a 44-hour biography ther…

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MURDER AT GULLS NEST by Jess Kidd, read by Siobhan McSweeney 8:35

4M ago8:35

8:35

Siobhan McSweeney captures each nuance of this creepy yet moving mystery set in 1952 in a decaying English seaside town. Join AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester and host Jo Reed as they meet Nora, who leaves a convent after 30 years to search for a young novice named Freda. McSweeney sounds determined as Nora subtly observes and questions the odd and se…

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FAULT LINES by Nora Shalaway Carpenter, read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, André Santana 9:16

5M ago9:16

9:16

Join host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester as they dive into narratives of two unique teens—Viv, who is fighting against fracking in her town, and Dex, who struggles with poverty and hopes his mother’s new job with the pipeline will provide security. André Santana’s calm delivery of Dex’s dialogue presents a counterpoint to Viv’s emotional…

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SOMEONE LIKE ME by Clem Bastow, Jo Case [Eds.], read by Kira Fixx, Scott Turner Schofield, Vera Tan, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Subhadra Newton, Elaine Wang, Sanya Simmons 8:07

5M ago8:07

8:07

To push back against the stereotype that all autistic people are cisgender white men, editors Clem Bastow and Jo Case have brought together twenty-five women and gender-diverse autistic writers. AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester and host Jo Reed discuss these writers and their lived experiences. Together, the ensemble of narrators creates emotional dep…

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HAPPY LAND by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, read by Bahni Turpin, Ashley J. Hobbs 9:03

5M ago9:03

9:03

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester dive into dazzling performances by Bahni Turpin and Ashley J. Hobbs in this historical fiction audiobook. When Nikki drives into the mountains of North Carolina to visit her grandmother for the first time, she doesn’t know what to expect. Soon, she’s learning all about her ancestor, Luella, who was que…

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Who’s Listening? Author Patti Callahan Henry 16:06

5M ago16:06

16:06

As readers of AudioFile Magazine know, we have a feature called “Listening With,” where AudioFile talks with top authors, narrators, and many others about how and why they listen to audiobooks. It's such a popular feature that we decided to expand it to the podcast, and our first guest for our Who's Listening bonus episode is Patti Callahan Henry, …

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THE LAMB by Lucy Rose, read by Emma Rydal 8:36

5M ago8:36

8:36

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alex Richey discuss Emma Rydal’s intense performance of this horror audiobook. Rydal’s portrayal of Margot, a child living with her cannibalistic mother (“Mama”), will remain with listeners long after the devastating climax of this audiobook. Throughout her childhood, lost and wayward travelers of all ages, people deeme…

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THE SUMMER I ATE THE RICH by Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite, read by Melinda Sewak, Mieko Gavia, Zuri Washington, Khaya Fraites, Fedna Jacquet, Ashley De La Rosa 8:33

5M ago8:33

8:33

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alex Richey chat about this horror audiobook about a Haitian American teen whose zombie abilities are grounded in Haitian folklore. Melinda Sewak primarily narrates with tender, sometimes sinister, delivery of food descriptions which enhances the story’s evocative language. Her narration smoothly transitions between Bri…

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WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME by Nat Cassidy, read by Helen Laser, Nat Cassidy 8:06

5M ago8:06

8:06

Narrated primarily by Helen Laser, this fast-paced horror story starts with a bang. Jess, a struggling actress, finds a scared 5-year-old boy hiding outside her apartment. When the boy’s angry father attempts to retrieve him, a monstrous creature attacks Jess’s neighbors and roommate, leaving behind death and destruction. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile…

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EAT THE ONES YOU LOVE by Sarah Maria Griffin read by Lauren O'Leary, Barry McStay 8:07

5M ago8:07

8:07

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alex Richey explore this horror audiobook about a possessive orchid and the humans it wants to consume. Narrators Lauren O’Leary and Barry McStay deliver a chilling performance. O’Leary seamlessly delivers Irish and American accents. McStay voices Baby, the orchid, by adopting a callous, judgmental voice as he describes…

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A conversation about SOUNDTRACK by Jason Reynolds 30:36

5M ago30:36

30:36

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb is joined by narrator Nile Bullock, producer Brian Ramcharan, and Penguin Random House Audio Senior Vice President of Content Production Dan Zitt for a conversation about Jason Reynolds’s SOUNDTRACK—an audiobook original about New York City teens whose talent and love of music lift them to unexpected heights. Listen as the …

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AWAKE IN THE FLOATING CITY by Susanna Kwan, read by Catherine Ho 8:00

5M ago8:00

8:00

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb chat about Catherine Ho’s masterful performance of Susanna Kwan’s poignant debut novel. Set in a rain-drenched near-future San Francisco, the story follows Bo, a young elder-care worker who faces uncertainty after her mother’s disappearance. When Mia, Bo’s centenarian neighbor, offers the solitary Bo a job,…