Entertainment icon brothers Ron and Clint Howard share a memoir that doesn’t stray far from being a sincere loving tribute to their late Midwestern parents and grandparents for the values they instilled. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss this personal shared narration as the Howards tell of their lives at home, and their journey into acting and directing careers in the 1950s and 1960s and beyond. A delight, and a must-listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Douglas Abrams’s resonant voice sounds peaceful and strong as he interviews the 87-year-old naturalist in this invitation to take action against the perils of our time. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss this audiobook told in a friendly and conversational interview format where Goodall and Abrams find hope in the human determination to survive. They touch on global warming, terrorism, attacks against democracy, widening gaps between haves and have-nots, and the threat of future pandemics. An engaging listen, and a call to action. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Lorelei King returns to bring life to Evanovich’s characters and joy to listeners. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss all the fun of reconnecting with the much loved characters, including bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, her pal Lula, and irrepressible Grandma. This 28th in the series follows the successful formula for the whole series: Stephanie gets herself into ridiculous situations as she pursues her list of bond-skipping criminals. Fans will be delighted. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind. Try a radically different audiobook! Dramatized adaptations produced with a full cast, cinematic music and sound effects. Action packed productions like you never heard before. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deep-voiced narrator Rory Kinnear hits the performance sweet spot for this mystery that doesn’t take itself all that seriously. Anthony Horowitz is both the author and a character in this British mystery, and AudioFile contributor Sandi Henschel shares her thoughts on it with host Jo Reed. Former Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Daniel Hawthorne and Horowitz, his sidekick scribe, are invited to a literary festival in the quiet English Channel island of Alderney—where murder ensues. An entertaining listen for fans of the series, though it also makes for a fun stand-alone. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No wonder Hanif Abdurraquib’s collection of lyrical essays—thoughtful, beautifully written, and intelligently performed by JD Jackson—is a finalist for the National Book Award. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss Abdurraquib’s essays and Jackson’s skill at bringing them to life. Abdurraquib focuses on Black life, Black performance, and Black exceptionalism, and Jackson delivers each small gem with as much delight as there is anger and pain behind the words. 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 Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will delight in this memoir by the strong-willed and always opinionated Nadia Wassef, one of the co-owners of Diwan, a group of independent bookstores founded in Cairo in 2002. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed how the strong voice of the author comes through so well through the narrator, Vaneh Assadourian, that she had to keep checking to make sure it wasn’t narrated by the author herself. The structure walks listeners through various sections of the bookstore, exploring the business as they start, grow, and expand to multiple locations. Assadourian brings forth the enthusiasm and feisty determination of this passionate advocate for intellectual freedom and women’s rights. An uplifting and memorable listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Brandy Colbert’s first nonfiction work for teens, which opens with the award-winning African American author narrating her foreword. Kristyl Dawn Tift then vividly narrates a contextual account of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, a tragic event often omitted from history books. Colbert’s direct, stirring writing and Tift’s sensitive but straightforward narration reveal how linked events led to a complicated web of violence, explaining connections such as those between the police and the KKK. Colbert ends with a poignant afterword that draws chilling connections between the past and the present. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elisabet Velasquez narrates her debut novel-in-verse for teen listeners with vividness, honesty, and poignancy born of her life experience and performance expertise. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this captivating audiobook told in short, powerful, and energetic vignettes. Like her heroine, Sarai, Puerto Rican American Velasquez grew up in Bushwick and knows what it’s like to be poor amidst gentrification. Sarai is working hard to discover her identity despite intense struggles, and repeated titles and lines serve as haunting refrains. The book slams into you in audio—it’s a story meant to be heard, and with the author’s specific voice and rhythms. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind. Try a radically different audiobook! Dramatized adaptations produced with a full cast, cinematic music and sound effects. Action packed productions like you never heard before. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and narrator Qian Julie Wang captivates listeners with this poignant and powerful memoir. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this Civil Rights Attorney's story that absolutely should be heard in the author’s own voice. Wang vividly describes living with her family in poverty and fear in New York City as undocumented immigrants from China. While often heartbreaking, Wang’s writing is sparse yet beautiful. Her deeply personal and affecting performance compels one to keep listening even through the most painful moments of her family’s struggle to survive. 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 Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Aoife McMahon’s voice makes the conflicts of Irish millennials beautiful in Sally Rooney’s messy world. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this tableau of friends—Eileen, Alice, Felix, and Simon—who are wrestling with relationships, mental health, politics, and the purpose of life. McMahon’s musical Irish voice enhances the story, and she brings a flair for storytelling and vocalization to this narration. She makes her transitions between points of view with the lightness of a lark, and Rooney’s peerless descriptions imprint upon the mind’s eye. A hopeful millennial journey shines through McMahon’s performance. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com     Support for Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the joy of hearing GOOD OMENS once more in a full-cast, unabridged production! Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s fan favorite comes to life with this new recording. Rebecca Front’s narration perfectly matches the wry, dry, very British humor. A star-studded cast chimes in with character dialogue—including Michael Sheen and David Tennant reprising their roles from the streaming TV series as an angel and demon duo trying to avert the apocalypse. Listen as Armageddon approaches, much to the horror of Aziraphale and Crowley, and enjoy the wild ride. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by HarperAudio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mc comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frankie Corzo narrates Donna Barba Higuera’s sci-fi thriller with the perfect combination of gusto and tenderness. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the upper-middle-grade listen that takes you off into space with Petra—after Earth has been destroyed. Petra’s family is supposed to be crossing the universe to a new life on a recently discovered planet, Sagan, but when she wakes alone after hundreds of years in stasis, a frightening group of fanatics have taken over the ship and erased all memories of Earth… except hers. Corzo keeps the high-tension story humming as Petra uses her stories and her bravery to fight to save humanity and infuses her descriptions of Sagan with delighted wonder. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mc comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dion Graham makes every audiobook he narrates into a special event, and his charisma just overflows in this one about Ant, a 10-year-old boy from South Carolina. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Varian Johnson’s newest middle-grade audiobook about Ant’s obsession with winning the community’s spades tournament—and getting his father’s hard-won approval despite changes at home. When Ant’s best friend and spades partner is grounded, he finds an unexpected partner in Shirley, the new girl in school. Graham imbues each character with personality, but the standout is his vivid portrayal of the omniscient narrator watching Ant’s struggles. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mc comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind. Try a radically different audiobook! Dramatized adaptations produced with a full cast, cinematic music and sound effects. Action packed productions like you never heard before. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moira Quirk brings an easy charm to a queer Regency romance between bluestocking Philippa York and rakish master of disguise Thomasina “Tommy” Wynchester. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the fun of listening to Moira animate all the many characters in this audiobook, including the clever women of Philippa’s beloved reading circle and Tommy’s remarkable family. Tommy always sounds full of confidence—except when she’s near Philippa. When a case of plagiarism brings the two together, Tommy dons the disguise and bravado of Baron Vanderbeen, finally giving her the courage to approach Philippa. Quirk amplifies the humor and the romance as the two work together and slowly discover a deep attraction that absolutely sparkles on audio. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mc comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring dramatized adaptations of the TERRA IGNOTA science fiction series by Ada Palmer. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Discount prices reflected on product pages at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adjoa Andoh’s masterful narration channels the power running throughout Lauren Groff’s latest. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the National Book Award Finalist novel about Marie de France, half sister of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is sent to a decrepit, far-flung abbey in England. Andoh allows listeners to fully experience the nuns’ rich personalities, using an impressive range of accents, timbers, and rhythms throughout. Above all, it is her depiction of Marie that shines most brightly. This resonant and authentic narration honors the novel and makes for a truly compelling audiobook. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mc comes from Graphic Audio. Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind featuring DARK HORSE COMICS dramatized adaptations of X, Ghost, The Mask and Living With The Dead. Savings of up to 60% Off this month! Find out more at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Morris Gleitzman returns to narrate a well-paced, heartfelt final adventure featuring Felix Salinger in the seventh installment of his series spanning WWII to the present day. AudioFile’s Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed about the thrill of hearing Gleitzman narrate the work. Wassim, a biracial 10-year-old boy living with his uncle in Eastern Europe, turns to Felix, now in his 80s, for help in dealing with a group terrorizing his family. Alternating between Wassim’s and Felix’s points of view, Gleitzman’s comforting voice bolsters listeners as they encounter virulent injustice, racism, and other challenging subject matter. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Bolinda Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Haswell Green’s life and death lingered in obscurity until it was revived through this fascinating audiobook. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Graham Halstead’s smooth narration that makes the story come alive. Green’s murder was the tragic ending to the life of a key architect of Central Park, the New York Public Library, and more. His shooting was never solved, but Jonathan Lee tries to fill in the blanks. Halstead’s superb narration serves as a light into Green’s psyche. 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 Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Entertainment icon Eartha Kitt’s daughter, Kitt Shapiro, offers a stirring and nuanced memoir of her mother and herself. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss narrator Karen Chilton’s performance that is evocative, moving, and makes listeners believe in the connection between mother and daughter. Eartha insisted that her daughter travel with her wherever she performed, so Kitt went everywhere with her from an early age and then became her manager for many years. The love shared by mother and daughter is most palpable throughout the transfixing narration. 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 Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Brick returns to perform the justice-seeking, iron-man Jack Reacher. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this latest that will appeal to the authors’ many fans. Brick’s voicing of Reacher brings listeners right into Jack’s thoughts as he makes his way to the West Coast and gets distracted on the Arizona-Mexico border by an ex-Army woman looking to rescue her brother. Brick ratchets up the tension in an audiobook full of action. 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 Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stig Wemyss’s outstanding narration, accompanied by awesome sound effects and ambient music, animates the zany antics in this tenth audiobook of the beloved Australian series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the fun of listening to this imaginative performance. Treehouse residents Andy and Terry and their friend, Jill, introduce listeners to the 13 fantastic new levels of their treehouse, including a soap-bubble blaster, a time-wasting level, and a toilet paper factory. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Bolinda Audio. Sign up for a lively conversation with Australian kids’ audiobook narrators on October 26 -- including Stig Wemyss! Register here. Miss the live event? Visit AudioFile’s YouTube channel for the full video soon. With thanks to Bolinda Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marin Ireland and Simon Jones sparkle as they narrate this immersive time-travel novel from Anthony Doerr. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the story presented with five interlocking plots from the fall of Constantinople to present day Idaho, and into the future. Marin Ireland narrates the majority of the audiobook and is splendid with a multitude of accents, while Simon Jones brings a welcome voice in his British accent. Doerr’s novel pulls out all the stops, and the narrators create an enduring listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stanley Tucci narrates his moving, funny, heartwarming, and gut-wrenching audiobook with vigor and style. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Tucci’s skills as a performer. Listeners who are looking for mouthwatering stories about food will not be disappointed. Delightful pastas, sauces, and signature cocktail recipes are shared. But he also delves into the story of his family, and into his battles with throat cancer, and his conversational style makes the listener feel as though he is speaking directly to the audience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stacey Glemboski performs T.C. Boyle’s unique audiobook about the power of human love for an animal with a convincing style and unswerving fairness. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Glemboski’s skill at bringing an unusual story to life, centered around a love triangle between a researcher, an assistant, and Sam the chimp, who has learned to communicate with sign language. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Frankie Corzo’s lovely smooth voice eloquently depicts the mostly female characters in María Amparo Escandón’s novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss her skill with the high drama, emotional undertow, and cultural complexity of the story set in 2016. It is centered on the inner lives of the Alvarados, a disintegrating Mexican American family in fictional Rancho Verde, where there’s a severe drought. Secrets are concealed and revealed in this intricately plotted novel. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator John Lee delivers a well-constructed, ably paced, and stylish performance of John Banville’s elegantly written mystery. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss Lee’s Irish intonations that help bring the characters to life. Lee’s portrayal of the garrulous pathologist, Quirke, sets the tone. Quirke and his Austrian wife are vacationing in San Sebastian, Spain, when he sees a woman named April—long thought to be murdered years ago. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harlequin Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s bonus edition of Behind the Mic, host Jo Reed interviews renowned actor Alfred Molina. He’s a chameleon, with amazing versatility in the characters he plays on stage, on film and television, and in the recording booth. Jo and Molina discuss his work on audiobooks, including the new full-cast audio adaptation of Agatha Christie’s THE MURDER ON THE LINKS. Listen in to hear about Molina’s approach to choosing what projects to work on, when he first knew he wanted to be an actor, and behind-the-scenes insights into many favorite productions. Discover reviews of Alfred Molina’s audiobooks at AudioFile Magazine’s website. Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Gisela Chípe successfully juggles the many characters and subplots in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s exciting mystery set in 1970s Mexico. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss the fun of listening to this mystery from the author of the bestselling MEXICAN GOTHIC. The story focuses on Maite, a lonely secretary with an active imagination, and Elvis, a conflicted enforcer for a group of thugs paid by the government to keep down student protests and civil unrest. Maite’s life takes a thrilling turn when the neighbor she agrees to cat-sit for never returns. An artful narration by Chípe and an ingeniously plotted thriller by Moreno-Garcia make this prime listening. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An ensemble of talented narrators enhances the humanity of the family members in Harriet Kline’s beautifully conceived novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss the emotional story of a family deeply affected by the terminal illness and death of a loved one. After Rich is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, the shock reverberates throughout the lives of his family, exploring each character’s point of view. All of the narrations are top-notch. A moving audiobook and a must-listen. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Random House Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Adam Grupper is impressive as he portrays writer-director James Lapine in this audiobook that is part oral history, part memoir, and part description of the making of a musical. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss this tale of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony Award-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. Alyssa Bresnahan, Eva Kaminsky, T. Ryder Smith, and Graham Winton provide the voices for the 40 people interviewed about the making of the show, expressing conflicting memories, personal anecdotes, and varying points of view. Len Cariou portrays a raspy-voiced Sondheim. A perfect fit for audio. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mira Dovreni’s narration of Claire Heywood’s reimagining of the Trojan War from the points of view of Klytemnestra and her sister, Helen, will enthrall lovers of mythology. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss Dovreni’s performance, including her excellent storytelling skills and Greek pronunciations. The novel’s focus is on women and their place in society rather than on the war. Dovreni makes each poignant moment ring true, and Heywood makes us wonder: Was Helen solely to blame for the Trojan war? Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nothing is exactly what it seems in Louise Candlish’s expertly plotted mystery. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Sandi Henschel discuss Steven Mackintosh’s chilling performance. Jamie and Claire live well off Claire’s income, and due to extreme claustrophobia, Jamie commutes to work by boat. He begins a friendship of sorts with a fellow commuter and shen she disappears, Jamie is suddenly the focus of a police investigation. Candlish brings extraordinary psychological insights into play, and Mackintosh delivers the emotions. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Sneha Mathan mesmerizes listeners with Shruti Swami’s coming-of-age novel set in 1960s and ’70s Bombay. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the emotional tale of Vidya, a young girl whose mother has died by suicide and who is left to help her father and raise her brother. Longing for her absent mother, Vidya immerses herself into kathak, a rigorous traditional dance, through which she can finally express herself. Mathan’s pleasing voice and understated performance are the perfect match for Vidya’s quiet strength in the face of prejudice. An immersive production.  Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Workman Publishing. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com  Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

JD Jackson’s performance is particularly skillful as he shifts among the multiple points of view of key characters in Wiley Cash’s tense thriller. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook set in a North Carolina beach town in the 1980s. Sheriff Winston Barnes is struggling with his political rival Badley Frye when he gets dragged into an unusual case with a crashed plane and a Black man who has been shot. Details are scarce, and Winston soon clashes with his opponent in the upcoming election, as well as with the father of the deceased man. Jackson captures the sheriff’s frustration, fear, and need for justice.  Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Nishii delivers a flawless narration of Eto Mori’s classic Japanese bestseller, translated by Jocelyne Allen. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story of a soul getting a new chance at life, inside another’s body. A dead soul wins a lottery, and an angel named Prapura guides the soul as it occupies the body of a 14-year-old who recently attempted suicide. The soul must learn from its past mistakes in order to be reincarnated. Nishii nimbly varies his tone between serious and comical and displays a masterful ability to imbue each scene with heartfelt emotions. As an added bonus, listeners can hear from Brian Nishii about his experience narrating the audiobook in his video for AudioFile.  Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rarely will listeners find a dark contemporary novel so exquisitely narrated that it becomes an instant classic. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Cassandra Campbell’s pitch-perfect narration of Megan Abbott’s audiobook full of tension and devastation. Campbell portrays the story of two sisters, Dara and Marie, who are carrying on the legacy of the Durant School of Dance, started by their mother. They hire a contractor, Derek, who becomes Marie’s unhealthy obsession--but Dara is suspicious of him. Campbell vividly captures the world of ballet and the paranoia and family secrets.  Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Penguin Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast.  Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com     Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With beautifully developed characters and expertly intertwined storylines, a talented team of narrators captures the emotions in Elizabeth Brundage’s compelling listen. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this audiobook that is part romance and part mystery. Five points of view lead listeners through a story that takes place over two decades. Julian and Ry met as photography students at the prestigious Brodsky Workshop. They compete in photography and for the love of a fellow student, Magda. Two decades later, Rye’s proclaimed dead, but there is no body, and a multilayered thriller unfolds.  Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Hachette Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast.  Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com     Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A full cast of Cherokee, Navajo, Choctaw, and Chickasaw narrators deliver a moving audiobook companion to Traci Sorell’s informative picture book. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this audiobook that takes young listeners from the history of treaty-making between Native nations and the U.S. Government up to the present. Twelve students recite brief presentations in youthful voices on topics including Assimilation and Tribal Activism as sound effects and music evoke the bright illustrations. Each presentation ends with a chorus of voices proudly declaring: “We are still here.” An excellent resource for classrooms, and for family listening. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Live Oak Media. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic Podcast comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of bestselling and award-winning books and audiobooks by fantastic writers and narrators. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Bahni Turpin embraces every emotional moment in this inspiring story for middle grade science and IT enthusiasts. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed about the fun of listening to Maya’s story all about friendship--and robots! Maya is excited to be starting 5th grade, until she discovers her best friends are in a different class. She struggles with loneliness and self-doubt, but she discovers a homemade robot named Ralph who helps inspire her to be herself and do good in the world. Turpin infuses the diverse characters with distinct and relatable personalities, creating a memorable listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Listening Library. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. James Joyce's Finnegans Wake: In the rich nighttime and the language of dreams, here are history, anecdote, myth, folk tale and, above all, a wondrous sense of humor, colored by a clear sense of humanity. In this exceptional reading by the Irish actor Barry McGovern, with Marcella Riordan, the world of the Wake is more accessible than ever before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Marcella Cox’s warm voice draws listeners into the story of Mari, a Black teenager getting a fresh start in a town full of secrets. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Tiffany D. Jackson’s creepy tale of hauntings and hidden histories. Mari and her blended family have just moved from California to a Midwestern town where they get a house for free, courtesy of her mom’s new job. They hadn’t realized it would be on a street full of burned-down houses, or that they’d hardly get a warm welcome. Cox amplifies Mari’s anxiety and her fear as horrors unfold, and listeners will be riveted. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Roy McMillan delivers Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote quickly and crisply, an approach that allows the listener to focus on its humor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Jane Wells bursts onto the scene in BOMBSHELL, the first entry in Sarah Maclean’s newest historical romance series, Hell’s Belles. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun of this romance, and getting to hear the story of the most scandalous of the Talbot sisters, Lady Sesily Talbot. Sesily learns to use her reputation to her advantage when she joins a team of women working in secret to take down society’s worst men. Caleb Calhoun is a handsome and cool-voiced American with a mysterious past who seems immune to her many charms. Wells skillfully amplifies the tension as the two finally give in to long pent-up feelings while Caleb tries to protect Sesily from danger. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Harper Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Neil Wenborn's Confucius – In a Nutshell: Opening with delightfully mood-setting music, narrator Nigel Carrington takes the reins and uses his well-modulated authoritative voice to transmit the time-tested wisdom of the great philosopher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joniece Abbott-Pratt makes a triumphant return to narrate this thrilling sequel to RAYBEARER. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about Jordan Ifueko’s brilliant YA duology and how Abbott-Pratt brings it to life for listeners. Tarisai is now empress of Aritsar, and she is reckoning with its disturbing legacy and facing daunting tasks. Tarisai’s strength and the love of her friends shine in Abbott-Pratt’s compelling narration. Listening to the audiobook provides an added bonus, with beautiful songs and chants woven throughout. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. On September 27, 1825, the Stockton-Darlington Railway inaugurated its first steam engine-powered trip, carrying passengers and coal. More Great Inventors and Their Inventions explores the creation of eight great innovations, and the minds behind them. Narrator Benjamin Soames' unhurried tones of quiet wonder add drama to the stories of men who influenced history with their gadgets. Even listeners who don't usually choose nonfiction audio will find something to fascinate them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This adaptation of a classic Agatha Christie whodunit to a vintage radio drama format is absolutely delicious. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how this totally diverting Golden Age mystery comes to life on audio, complete with sound effects and perfectly balanced music. Alfred Molina’s Poirot is punctilious and obsessive, but also warm and funny as he sorts out a blindingly baroque murder plot and keeps insisting the answer is totally obvious. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by L.A. Theatre Works. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Today in Literary History -September 24, 1896 – F. Scott Fitzgerald is born. Only receiving critical acclaim after his death F. Scott Fitzgerald is now widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Canadian actor William Hope reads Naxos AudioBooks’ first unabridged production of Fitzgerald’s classic novel of the Roaring Twenties, The Great Gatsby. Michael Adams, School Library Journal, writes, "It is a book that deserves a perfect reading, and though numerous other narrators have tried—(William) Hope may have come closest to achieving this perfection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth Scurr, one of our most original and engaging historians, reconstructs Napoleon’s life from the perspective of the gardens he kept, first as a military cadet and later on Elba and St. Helena. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this refreshing look at Napoleon. Narrator Tanya Cubric’s clear, light voice captures with particular spirit and grace a portrait that comes to life here fresh and richly highlighted and shaded. 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 Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos recommends Honoré de Balzac’s Colonel Chabert, "Bill Homewood’s reading, as always, is first class." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With this final title in his Greek trilogy, Stephen Fry himself narrates “Troy” with unbounded enthusiasm and high energy. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how Fry’s deep voice and rich accent are perfect for these conversational retellings of classical tales. The audiobook makes an ideal companion for listeners of classical works such as THE ILIAD, available now in AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Chronicle Books. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Sholem Aleichem's tales of Tevye the Milkman inspired "Fiddler on the Roof" which opened on Broadway, September 22, 1964. AudioFile says, "Neville Jason's performance makes Tevye's Yiddish wit, wisdom, and melancholy utterly believable." and the Naxos AudioBooks production, "Delightful listening." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator George Guidall performs Book 17 in the Sheriff Walt Longmire series with all of his masterful storytelling talent on display. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss how George’s familiarity with all of the characters helps listeners feel like they know them, too. The sheriff and his partner-in-justice, Henry Standing Bear, are requested by Tribal Police Chief Lola Long to investigate death threats sent to her niece, a talented basketball player. They also are called upon to look into past disappearances, and the story draws attention to the true tragedies of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. A standout in the series for story and performance. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Today we celebrate the birth of H.G. Wells and encourage you to discover, or re-discover, these science fiction classics through the talents of narrators Roger May, Daniel Philpott, and Jonathan Keeble, keeping Wells' imagined future alive for a new generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss a new mystery from Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera mysteries. The violent murder of an all-around good citizen brings DI Matthew Venn and his team in to investigate, and soon they have two murders on their hands. Jack Holden demonstrates his full talents, bringing the extensive cast of characters in this small and close-knit community in Devon to life with his strong narration.  Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Macmillan Audio. Listeners can enjoy Homer’s THE ILIAD, translated by Ian Johnston, and narrated by Anton Lesser, on AudioFile’s Audiobook Break podcast.  Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com     Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. P.C. Wren’s Beau Geste, read by Rupert Degas: "If you like adventure novels, please, do yourself a favor and pick up this audiobook...You will not be disappointed...I believe that I may listen to Beau Geste again." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Larissa Zimberoff’s narration works in this food-centric listen because she has a pleasing voice and good reportorial skills. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff dig into Zimberoff’s audiobook exploring food engineering; she covers everything from vertical farms to plant-based and cell-based meats. Her decision to let food experts predict “What We’ll Be Eating in Twenty Years” makes for a fitting ending to her investigations of algae, fungi, and the brave new worlds of the future of food. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. ‘…as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print…’ is how Jane Austen described Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of her novel Pride and Prejudice, and, indeed, many of us could not fail to agree with her. This marvellous account of family life in Regency England is read with customary panache by Juliet Stevenson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A full cast narrates J. Michael Straczynski’s novel of 12 strangers who embark upon a cross-country road trip, brought together by their mutual desire to die by suicide. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this haunting audiobook performed by a gifted cast of professional narrators who capture the depth of the passengers’ personalities and circumstances, skillfully conveying their pain, shame, and exhaustion while also highlighting their enduring tenderness. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Jonathan Booth performs Thomas à Kempis' The Imitation of Christ first published in 1471, the year of the author’s death, The Imitation of Christ is a highly influential Christian text. A celebration of God’s mercy, holiness and love. St Thomas More commended the work as one of the three books that everyone ought to own, while John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, called it the best summary of Christian life that he had ever read. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices