Fifty years after four young people were shot by the National Guard at Kent State University, Deborah Wiles gives us an honest fictional account enhanced by this production. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the moving and powerful narration of this young adult novel in verse. The narrators give voice to several witnesses, each with a unique perspective. We hear the truth as perceived by students, townies, the National Guard, and others. Published by Scholastic Audiobooks. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surrender to the worlds that Stephen King has created. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about the horror author’s latest collection of novellas, featuring gems for longtime fans and new listeners alike. Stephen King was honored earlier this year with a lifetime achievement award from the Audio Publishers Association, and the care he takes with his audiobook narrations is apparent. Three narrators familiar to Stephen King fans return to narrate a coming-of-age tale, a story of a descent into darkness, and what our reviewer calls “King’s most imaginative work in years.” Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Musician Alicia Keys delivers her memoir with a rich, inviting style, and listeners are treated to cameos from family and friends. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed discuss this celebrity memoir that makes for an outstanding listen. Keys’s famous friends including Oprah, Bono, and Michelle Obama chime in during chapters relevant to their expertise or those that describe shared moments with the author. Keys herself is confident, warm, and personable as she narrates her story of becoming who she wanted to be rather than what others expected. Published by Macmillan Audio.= Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investigative reporter Jack McEvoy is back in Connelly’s thrilling series. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the creepy and engaging dual narration. Peter Giles returns to portray McEvoy, the persistent and self-righteous investigator. When a one-time hookup becomes a murder victim, Jack connects the dots between her death and others across the country. Zach Villa provides the calm and creepy voice of the serial killer, The Shrike, an unusual but effective way to amp up the intensity of this audiobook. This is a fast paced and engaging listen. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten appreciate the poise and directness of Jesmyn Ward’s narration of her 2018 commencement address. The author of SING, UNBURIED, SING and SALVAGE THE BONES performs the moving speech she shared with the 2018 graduates of Tulane University. With raw emotion, Ward describes her disappointment and disillusionment when, after college graduation, she had no job offers or prospects to follow her passion, writing. Ward proclaims a powerful and persuasive message: Look beyond the horizon, set your sights on a star, and sail toward it. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ex-CIA operative and outsider Milo Weaver is caught up in a web of changing alliances in Steinhauer’s latest thriller. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about the meticulous yet conversational narrator, David Pittu, who uses subtle yet distinctive characterizations to make the story come alive. It’s a twisty thriller and needs your attention – there are many subtleties you don’t want to miss. The action takes place around the globe, and listeners will admire Steinhauer’s writing and Pittu’s skill as they create an unsettling, immersive experience. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and narrator Adrienne Raphael’s voice is bursting with enthusiasm as she dives into the world of crossword puzzles and cruciverbalists, or people who do crossword puzzles. AudioFile’s Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed why she enjoyed learning more about this pastime shared by many since crosswords first appeared in 1913. Whether you’ve enjoyed solving crossword puzzles all your life or are newly discovering the hobby in quarantine, this is sure to be an engaging listen. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actor and narrator Steven Weber is known for his roles in “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Wings,” and “Indebted.” He has narrated audiobooks by Harlan Coben and Stephen King, and has starred in audio dramas from L.A. Theatre Works. In our bonus episode, he speaks with host Jo Reed about his career—creating engaging characters on stage and screen and his journey to becoming an audiobook narrator. Discover his insights into heightening the tension in mysteries and keeping up with the intensity of Stephen King’s works of horror. Read reviews of Steven Weber’s audiobooks and thousands of other titles at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Lucas Davenport’s 30th PREY title, the daughter of a U.S. Senator and the children of other politicians become social media targets for some unsavory radical groups Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Richard Ferrone’s long-running narration of this engaging police procedural series. His voice has matured along with the lead character, to the point where he IS Lucas Davenport for longtime listeners. The topical plot takes on our obsession with social media and the potential threats posed by those who manipulate it. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Almarie Guerra brings Claribel A. Ortega’s humourous, energetic ghost hunting story to life as she introduces young listeners to Lucely Luna and her firefly spirit family. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed all about this adventurous children’s audiobook that’s perfect for kids who are ready for an exciting new listen. Lucely lives in Florida with her father and her ancestors' spirits, who flit back and forth between appearing as fireflies and showing their human forms. Lucely and her best friend work to unravel a decades-old mystery that is endangering her family and the whole community. The story is rooted in Dominican folklore and is a thrilling adventure brought to life with Guerra’s vibrant narration. Perfect family listening. Published by Scholastic Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Jennifer Finney Boylan’s memoir, telling the story of her life centered around seven dogs she loved. Boylan is a writer, a columnist for the New York Times, and a professor at Barnard College. Kesley Navarro narrates with warmth and highlights the author’s wry humor. Each dog’s story pivots around crucial moments in Boylan’s life, from a childhood rambling about in the woods with her father’s ridiculous dalmatian, to her retriever-chow chow mix full of scorn for her family. Boylan is trans, and she speaks about feeling as though she has been many people throughout her life—with a canine companion for each of those seasons. Hers is an insightful and intimate memoir. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phuc Tran’s story is an American immigration story and so much more. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly and host Jo Reed discuss Tran’s memoir about growing up as a Vietnamese refugee in small-town Pennsylvania and the unusual way he discovered he could fit in. Tran’s narration is crisp and engaging as he highlights both the humor in his story and the intensity of the difficulties he faced. Two very different forms of media shaped who he became—literature and punk rock. Each chapter is told in conversation with a classic work of literature as Tran traces his path from nerdy child to punk-rock misfit to college-bound scholar. His is a story about trying to find meaning in life and a sense of belonging, told beautifully. Published by Macmillan Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Skillful soundscaping and a full cast heighten the atmosphere and emotion in this audiobook inspired by the childhood of coauthor Omar Mohamed. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly talk about the audiobook that captures the intensity and tedium of life in a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. Faysal Ahmed is extremely emotive as Omar, an 11-year-old boy who fled Somalia as a 4-year-old with his younger brother, but was separated from his mother after his father died. The full-cast narration helps listeners imagine the lively and warm community surrounding him throughout his childhood in the camp, where he finds joy in school and tries to balance the hope of resettlement against grim reality. It’s a moving and memorable listening experience. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly applaud Elizabeth Acevedo’s newest audiobook, told in free verse and narrated with passion and heart by the author along with Melania-Luisa Marte. Two girls lose their father in a plane crash and come to discover his deepest secret — they are sisters living an ocean apart. Melania-Luisa Marte narrates as Camino, the Dominican daughter whose father comes home every summer. She’s longed to take what she’s learned as an apprentice healer and start medical school in New York, and now knows her father had a secret life there. Elizabeth Acevedo narrates as Yahaira, who lives in New York with her mother and has a loving girlfriend in the apartment next door; she discovered her father’s secret marriage but didn’t confront him about it before he died. The two narrators alternate perspectives between chapters, and each narrator highlights the girls’ passion, grief, and resiliency. Extraordinary on audio. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

History and theater create a suspenseful mix in David Haig’s dramatic tale based on the true lead-up to D-Day. AudioFile contributor Brian Price tells host Jo Reed about a favorite way to experience the drama of a theatrical production at home — with audiobook listening. A Scottish meteorologist is summoned to the headquarters of the Allied forces on the eve of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He must convince Eisenhower that they face two enemies—the Nazis and the fickle English weather, which could doom their expedition to failure. The dialogue is tense and convincing as British actor Jonathan Cake leads a stellar cast. Riveting. Published by L.A. Theatre Works Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a vocal naturalism and a wonderful feel for the author’s prose narrator, Kitty Hendrix makes this first masterwork by Sinclair Lewis sound as fresh and real as the day it was published. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss this classic American work, shared in an annotated 100th Anniversary Edition. Full of penetrating detail, memorable characters, and wry observations. Hendrix’s nuanced reading of the intelligent, sensitive, and idealistic city girl Carol Kennicott takes this production to another level. Published by Post Hypnotic Press Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamie Renell’s narration of Ted Gioia’s sprawling work on music is confident and fast paced, which is just what this serious tome needs. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss the author’s exploration into the many ways music touches our lives and culture. The author argues that for all of human history, the most important music starts out as subversive and only later is embraced by the establishment. The work crescendos as it moves from the Classical era into its discussion of twentieth-century jazz, blues, and rock musicians who have touched our own lives. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madhuri Shekar’s truly original and entertaining play won a well-deserved Audie Award in 2020. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile contributor Brian Price discuss this story told through a series of phone calls and voicemails. It centers around a mother in New Delhi who is desperately trying to steer her Americanized daughter into a proper marriage. But when the daughter thinks she’s found the perfect match, the fine vocal symmetry between British-Indian actress Rita Wolf and American newcomer Annapurna Sriram intensifies as the story evolves from rom-com to ghostly thriller. The production is everything that contemporary audio drama should be. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh voice talent Dana Dae leads a cast of 15 actors who deliver a cinematic atmosphere in this intricate story set in a Caribbean resort. Host Jo Reed talks with AudioFile contributor Brian Price about how the multicast narration enhances this atmospheric listen, written by Alexis Schaitkin. A family is vacationing at an exclusive resort, and their teenage daughter goes missing. Her body is found washed up on the beach two days later and her death is never solved. Seventeen years later, her younger sister, portrayed by Dae, tries to make sense of her sister’s tragic death — and here is where the ensemble approach shines. Separate distinct voices deftly magnify the complex issues of race, class, and gender that come together in the heartrending conclusion. Published by Macmillan Audio Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SYNC: Audiobooks for Teens has started its 2020 season! AudioFile’s Michele Cobb and host Jo Reed share the excitement about AudioFile’s 11th season partnering with publishers and OverDrive to bring free audiobooks to teens across the globe. This year SYNC includes 26 titles available over 13 weeks using Sora, the student reading app from OverDrive. Two new titles are free to download each week. Visit www.audiobooksync.com for the full season of titles. Michele shares audiobook samples from two titles in particular. SISTERS MATSUMOTO by Philip Kan Gotanda is brought to life by a cast live on stage. Published by L.A. Theatre Works. Octavia E. Butler’s KINDRED is skillfully narrated by Kim Staunton, and her story, originally published in 1979, still resonates today. Published by Recorded Books. Learn more about SYNC: Audiobooks for Teens at audiobooksync.com Support for Behind the Mic comes from Blackstone Publishing, publisher of the audiobook of Richard Adams’ classic tale WATERSHIP DOWN. This May Blackstone is celebrating the centenary of the author's birth. This is a great moment to reflect on the novel and experience it all over again, as well as introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Read by the actor Peter Capaldi, WATERSHIP DOWN is an exciting adventure story and an engaging allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, the beloved classic continues to be discovered by readers of all ages. WATERSHIP DOWN from Blackstone Publishing is available wherever you get your audiobooks, including Downpour.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Robin Whitten and host Jo Reed discuss a murder mystery that’s sure to delight film buffs everywhere. Marissa Dahl is a film editor who is hired to replace a recently fired editor and stumbles into a murder on a resort island off of Delaware. Julia Whelan is a magnificent narrator and delivers all the many emotional shifts—fear, comedy, romance, anxiety—with absolute certainty. The audiobook succeeds as both a witty send-up of the film industry and a lively mystery full of mayhem. Published by Penguin Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Food writer Michael Pollan investigates how we all became addicted to the most commonly used drug in the world — caffeine. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Pollan’s persuasive narration and writing as he mixes personal experimentation and historical research into the impact of caffeine around the world. Listeners will come away with a potful of information on the worldwide economic importance of coffee and tea, and the ubiquitous presence of caffeine in the world. Published by Audible, Inc. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this true tale of Russian espionage from Gordon Corera, the BBC’s Security Editor. Derek Perkins is the perfect narrator, with engaging storytelling skills and the believability of a broadcast narrator. Listeners learn about Russian tradecraft: coded radio messages, bag-drops of cash, private wireless networks, and stenography. These incidents might be intriguing to spycraft fans, but the listener is reminded of the chilling reality of cyber-espionage and poisonings. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alison Larkin is a narrator, comedian, actress, and novelist, and she joins host Jo Reed to share the ways English light verse has been a comfort to her in our present time of social isolation. Alison has narrated a wide range of award-winning audiobooks, including many classic favorites. She spoke with Jo about the limericks and nonsense poems she grew up with in Britain, many of which she’s narrated embedded within classic works for children. She reads favorite limericks and poems with all of her signature lively wit, sure to delight listeners of all ages. Find more of Alison’s narrations at AlisonLarkinPresents.com Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Celebrate poetry every day with Naxos AudioBooks’ Poem For Today project, where each weekday in April they share a poem from a classic poetry audiobook, including fantastic performances by Michael Sheen, Ian McKellen, and John Cleese. Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Fiona Shaw reads A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, the original feminist manifesto, written by Mary Wollstonecraft; Wollstonecraft was the mother of Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Courtney Patterson’s lively delivery hits all the right tones of both humor and melancholy in this charming novel about a 50-year-old woman, Judy, who is trying to cope with too much change. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about Judy’s unusual solution to dealing with anxiety—wearing her pet dog in a baby sling. We all deal with stressful times; why not face life’s struggles with a dose of absurdity? Listeners will feel Judy’s all-too-familiar pain while laughing at how she handles everything life throws her way. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos invites you to enjoy David Shaw-Parker’s AudioFile Earphones Award-winning performances of the works of Anthony Trollope, one of the most successful, prolific, and respected novelists of the Victorian era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the new memoir from Bess Kalb, a writer for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show. Listeners will hear the admiration in Kalb’s voice as she expresses the determined spirit of her beloved grandmother, Bobby Bell, with whom she shared a special bond. Bobby was the primary caregiver for Bess for the first year of her life, and she was a woman with strong opinions who gladly shared those opinions with Bess. There are many fun nuggets to find in these sketches, stories, and voicemails that jump around through time periods. Bobby faced enormous difficulties growing up, and her remembrances will bring comfort to listeners facing today’s struggles. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks and David Timson offer a collection of the best of Shakespeare’s love sonnets in From Shakespeare – with love, read by David Tennant, Juliet Stevenson, Anton Lesser, and many more. A winner of AudioFile's Earphones Award: "They’re perfect for audio." (AudioFile) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cameron Esposito invites listeners along as she recounts her journey from self-identified “Little Gay Kid” to an established comedian. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed about Esposito’s skill at telling her own story in her voice, with an ability to move from snarky to serious. Espositio is the host of the LGBTQ+ interview podcast Queery, and with this audiobook, she provides longtime fans and new listeners with fortifying encouragement and starting points for meaningful conversations. Listen and discover an engaging author performance. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. The Yosemite, John Muir's ode to nature and the magnificence of the outdoors, and Christina Hardyment’s collection The Pleasures of the Garden, containing the work of classic writers on the theme of horticulture, are two good listens for Earth Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen to an audiobook about the ultimate escape room — no one can leave until someone dies. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this psychological thriller read with intensity by Kate Rudd. Six teens are locked together in a room and have to choose which one must die. Rudd continually turns up the heat—quite literally at a party where the thermostat is stuck on high and a bomb is ticking, and metaphorically as the protagonist has a series of epiphanies about what is actually going on. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Neville Jason performs The Periodic Table by Primo Levi, an impassioned response to the Holocaust. It consists of twenty-one short stories, each possessing the name of a chemical element. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The listener is taken through Natalie Wood’s life from child star to mysterious death. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Suzanne Finstad’s updated biography of Natalie Wood, read with an intelligent interpretation by Rose McGowan. McGowan’s reading of Wood’s intense and abusive childhood is matter-of-fact, unbiased, and doesn’t over-dramatize. Finstad conducted hundreds of interviews, examined Wood’s unpublished memoir, and reveals stunning details about what really happened the night Natalie Wood drowned. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue, generally considered to be the first detective story, first appeared on today's date. "Naxos ties up a great package of dramatic performances with a wonderful selection of classical music between chapters for this tale” (AudioFile). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrators Shiromi Arserio and Jason Carpenter are perfectly matched in this modern-day fairy tale with a forbidden romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this delightful start to a new series by Sandhya Menon that relocates Beauty and the Beast to the Colorado mountains. Princess Jaya is a new student on a mission to avenge her younger sister and is unexpectedly drawn to her target — the brooding Grey Emerson, son of a rival family. Together, Arserio and Carpenter bring this story of a cursed love to life. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rick Adamson narrates as a friendly guide to Bernd Heinrich’s insights into the natural world. AudioFile’s Emily Connelly tells host Jo Reed how this audiobook centered around the many ways animals find their homes brought her comfort in these trying times. Heinrich dives into the research around how animals find their homes, how they make their homes, and how they learn how to return to their homes year after year. Adamson’s varied inflections draw listeners into the curious mind of Heinrich. These tales of natural history are well suited to a wide audience. Published by HMH Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Today we remember John Millington Synge, best known for his play, The Playboy of the Western World, which caused riots on its opening night. This timeless recording stars the Irish actors who made it a classic, including Siobhan McKenna and Cyril Cusack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dylan Moore’s cool, smooth narration carries listeners through this story of deception, betrayal, and the cost of guilt. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Emily St. John Mandel’s newest audiobook centered around a fictional Ponzi scheme and the impact of its inevitable collapse. This is a novel that drifts from one point of view to another, and Moore’s narration guides listeners through subtle shifts in tone and accent. It’s a quiet ghost story and a carefully crafted mystery. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Observe the birth of Henry James with a winner of AudioFile's Earphones Award, What Maisie Knew, performed by Juliet Stevenson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robin Miles gives voice to everything New York in this fantastical celebration of the city’s spirit. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the latest audiobook from renowned author N.K. Jemisin and Golden Voice narrator Robin Miles. New York City is going through a transformation—it’s becoming sentient, embodied by six human avatars who represent the city’s five boroughs plus New York as a whole. Those avatars must find each other to reject a viral alien threat. Miles creates distinct voices and accents for the diverse cast of characters and goes all-in with her energizing performance, making listening a joy. An ideal audiobook companion in a time of uncertainty. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, A pivotal moment in our nation's history, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, happened on April 14th. Through a balance of biography and Lincoln's key speeches and letters, The Essential Abraham Lincoln demonstrates his keen intelligence and determination, which were maintained all the way to his tragic death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Edoardo Ballerini joins host Jo Reed to honor National Poetry Month and shares his thoughts on the power of poetry, especially in trying times. Edoardo has loved poetry from a young age, and it has a special place in his life as both a reader and a narrator. In this episode, Edoardo also narrates a poem for our podcast listeners, bringing a bit of brightness and hope into our dark spring with William Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.” Celebrate poetry every day with Naxos AudioBooks’ Poem For Today project, where each weekday in April they share a poem from a classic poetry audiobook, including fantastic performances by Michael Sheen, Ian McKellen, and John Cleese. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Samuel Beckett, one of the great avant-garde Irish dramatists and writers of the second half of the twentieth century, was born on 13 April 1906. Sean Barrett leads a full cast in the production of Waiting for Godot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator George Guidall bestows his abundant gifts on this sprawling audiobook about the history of Texas. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten talk about Stephen Harrigan’s audiobook, which covers thousands of years of history and the people—famous, the infamous, and the obscure—who made Texas what it was and what it is today. Guidall’s melodious tone serves the outsized events and unusual folklore of the Lone Star State. By turns travelogue, political treatise, and thoughtful guide to personalities, this audiobook leaves the listener fully satisfied. Published by Recorded Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fear and mistrust are pervasive in an alternative Europe at the end of the 1980s. AudioFile’s Robin Whitten tells host Jo Reed about how this listen makes for a great escape into the past while still maintaining enough of a parallel to today to engage listeners. Narrator Julian Rhind-Tutt brings the wide cast of characters alive and builds the tension as the plot develops. His voicings of key protagonists are strong and packed full of individuality, making for a thrilling and fun presentation of an early novel that at one time author Ian Rankin wanted to disown. Published by Hachette Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, discover the people and the stories behind classical music new & old with Naxos at classicalmusicpodcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kirsten Potter expertly narrates this teen biography of the famed and controversial aviator Charles Lindberg. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the many facets of Lindbergh’s public and private life, making this a biography that will hold listeners’ attention. Kirsten Potter’s strong and lively performance imbues the narrative with emotion, and it earned her AudioFile’s Earphones award. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, observe National Poetry Month with William Wordsworth’s The Prelude, an autobiography in verse read by Nicholas Farrell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten celebrate all things poetry on today’s episode. April is National Poetry Month in the U.S., and there is a wealth of poetry on audio worthy of celebration. Choose from numerous excellent audio editions of collections from classic poets. Contemporary poets now record their own audiobooks beautifully and with intense emotion, with AudioFile’s favorites including works by Joy Harjo (Muscogee Creek Nation), Richard Blanco, Tracy K. Smith, and Maya Angelou. We consider poetry to be a good remedy in trying times, and author William Sieghart agrees in THE POETRY REMEDY, where he suggests a poem for a specific emotional condition. Hear a clip from a Wendell Berry poem he prescribed for anxiety, stress, and worrying. Published by Penguin Audio. Celebrate poetry every day with Naxos AudioBooks’ Poem For Today project, where each weekday in April they share a poem from a classic poetry audiobook, including fantastic performances by Michael Sheen, Ian McKellen, and John Cleese. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, April is National Poetry Month. Join the celebration with The Great Poets series from Naxos AudioBooks. Anton Lesser reads Joseph Auslander's translation of the works of poet Francesco Petrarch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Natalie Naudus keeps listeners on the edge of our seats with her luscious voice and her clearly delineated characters. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss the many dangers of small towns on the coast of Maine found in fictional worlds. Tess Henshaw is a teacher at the elite boarding school where she was once a student. When a teen is discovered dead on the seaside cliffs, Tess’s carefully constructed life begins to crack. This novel weaves setting, history, and a mythical connection to unsolved disappearances into a compelling audiobook. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, enjoy a collection of short stories from America’s first professional author, Washington Irving. Adam Sims performs some of the earliest examples of American fiction, Rip Van Winkle, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Pride of the Village & The Spectre Bridegroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Mallory Ortberg’s narration is undeniably powerful as he combines memoir, Biblical exegesis, and a trans retelling of fiction and myth into a book about gender and transition unlike any other. His narration is multilayered and alive, and even listeners who are unfamiliar with the author’s writing will be drawn in. It is a fresh listen—and odd in the best possible way. Every moment of this audiobook is a joy to listen to. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, celebrate the birth of two authors born on April 2nd: Giacomo Casanova, the infamous libertine who wrote The Story of My Life, an explosive and exhilarating autobiography, read by Peter Wickham, and Émile Zola, whose Nana receives a “beautiful and devastating” performance by Leighton Pugh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Louise Erdrich gives a rewarding listening experience based on historical events of the 1950s, when the U.S. government sought to dissolve its treaty with the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation. AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed why she enjoyed hearing the characters portrayed by the author herself, and how she was drawn into the minutiae of everyday life as the story’s mounting crisis builds. It is a fictional tale, but the factory night watchman at the center of the story is based on Erdrich’s own grandfather, and his character spends each night writing letters to politicians to maintain the location of his tribe. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic for AudioFile Magazine comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Naxos AudioBooks says, Happy April Fool’s Day! Enjoy a laugh with David Timson’s delightful anthology of some of the funniest extracts in English literature, 1000 Years of Laughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Fass narrates this compelling and timely guide to eating a balanced diet to reduce our risk of disease. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb talk about how Mark Bittman and Dr. David L. Katz put food fads and trends into perspective and encourage common-sense decision-making when it comes to food. The audiobook is presented as an easy-to-digest “multi-course Q & A” to shatter myths about diet and examine the food industry’s role in society’s unhealthy eating habits. Fass’s calm and well-spoken narration keeps this audiobook enticing and easy to hear. Published by HMH Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AudioFile’s Michele Cobb tells host Jo Reed how this beautiful combination of text and performance makes for a wonderful listening escape. Casey is a young writer who is drowning in college debt and getting by as a waitress as she watches her friends find financial success. Narrator Stacey Glemboski disappears into the characters in this surprisingly funny story, and her warm voice has great narrative appeal as she populates the wealth of interesting characters with believable, imaginative voices. Published by Blackstone Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steven Weber returns to narrate the newest Harlan Coben thriller, and it’s a suspenseful listen. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith talk about this audiobook that goes beyond just a missing person story to explore terrifying depictions of the vulnerability that arises from our reliance on social media for facts. Narrator Weber is perfectly in step with the pace of the action. When his classmate goes missing, Matthew Crimstein turns to his grandmother, Hester, for help. Hester engages a private detective to help her with the case. Weber masterfully gives Hester a big attitude and strong New York accent, and his acting talents also shine in his performance of sulky, awkward teenagers and class bullies. Published by Brilliance Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fascinating account of the industry of reuse, running the gamut from local thrift stores to Japanese vintage shops to used-goods enterprises in Ghana. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith talk about the mystery of what happens to our unwanted, discarded, and donated stuff. Daniel Henning is a capable narrator who is easy on the ear, and he always sounds both interested and educational. It’s a lively production that will stick with listeners, inviting them to consider—or reconsider—their choices as consumers. Published by Dreamscape. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The famously hoarse, hesitant, and always interested voice of renowned public radio host Diane Rehm is a trustworthy guide for listeners to her excellent new audiobook about allowing terminally ill patients control the time and manner of their deaths. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss this audiobook that blends personal anecdotes, reportage, and interviews with patients, doctors, advocates, and opponents. Interviews are read by Rehm and several talented narrators, as well as Rehm’s grandson, and they make for compelling listening. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An absorbing audiobook with vivid stories that bring each American president’s struggles with his writing (or ghostwriting) alive. AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith and host Jo Reed discuss this surprising audiobook packed with tales of presidents and their writing habits, and how the reading public evolved over our country’s history. Fred Sanders narrates with a warm voice and clear diction, revealing the presidents’ insecurities, intellect, and often, ego. A rich political and social history of the republic, seen through the prism of books, their presidential authors, and readers. Published by Simon & Schuster. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will be on the edge of their seats while listening to John Lee’s superb narration of Winston Churchill’s first year as Britain’s prime minister, 1940-41. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Jonathan Smith discuss this most perilous year in Britain’s history, as told through Erik Larson’s captivating writing and Lee’s polished and expressive narration. The German invasion was expected at any moment, and listeners gain a new appreciation for the perilous state England was in as they faced Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, and the Blitz. Published by Random House Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of Jolina Petersheim’s How the Light Gets In — a 2020 Audie Awards winner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices