Discover more listening recommendations from the Audible Editors.
S.A. Cosby sure has a way with words, and narrator Adam Lazarre-White delivers them seamlessly as he inhabits Nathan Waymaker, the main character, an ex-Marine, ex-cop now working in his cousin’s funeral home. I loved how Waymaker described someone’s teeth as being so spread apart they should have a sign warning “next tooth a mile away.” In Black communities, funeral homes and churches are drama hubs for folks dead or alive, as Cosby demonstrates. In this case, a beloved minister is found dead. The church ladies aren’t buying suicide and ask Waymaker to help. There’s sex, drugs, and very little rock and roll in this heart-pounding thriller replete with a series of twists and turns and brawls and bullets until the truth comes to light. Praise the Lord! —Yvonne D.
Three generations, one wonderful story
This month Mindy Kaling will launch Mindy’s Book Studio with its inaugural selection, The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev. After listening, it’s easy to see why Kaling chose Dev’s work to anchor her new endeavor. Dev weaves humor and romance through her tale of three generations of women: Bindu, a grandmother with a mysterious new inheritance who’s now living in an upscale retirement community; her divorced daughter-in-law, Aly; and her tech genius granddaughter, Cullie. Each woman has their own distinct voice, and their personalities are adeptly captured in the performances by Deepti Gupta, Soneela Nankani, and Anita Kalathara. I was completely charmed by these women—particularly Bindu—and their desire to live life on their own terms, and I was fascinated to learn in my conversation with Dev that she considers this to be her most autobiographical work yet. —Katie O.
Conversations with a legendary leader
Activist-turned-South African President Nelson Mandela is undoubtedly one of the most revered figures in global history. A recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize who spent nearly three decades in prison for his revolutionary crusade against Apartheid, Mandela is a leader whose very name is synonymous with social justice and the fight for freedom. This Audible Original podcast sheds new light on the antiracist pioneer, offering an intimate glimpse into Mandela’s life, mission, and political career that only further underscores his lasting legacy. In unearthing these rare, exclusive recordings, Richard Stengel, who collaborated with Mandela on his 1994 memoir Long Walk to Freedom, extends not only a greater understanding of a remarkable leader but a study of the bond between writer and subject and an invitation to be a more compassionate, ethical human. —Alanna M.
Shayna Small and Brittany Pressley take turns narrating the story of two young women tangled in a twisty murder plot in Amber and Danielle Brown’s suspenseful debut, Someone Had to Do It. Brandi’s internship experience at the fashion house of her dreams is cut short after overhearing Taylor, daughter of fashion mogul Simon Van Doren, plotting to kill him. Framed for the murder, Brandi fights to clear her name and bring his real killer to justice. Switching the point of view between Brandi and Taylor allows both narrators to shine and ratchets up the tension until the final twist. —Margaret H.
The absurdist pandemic and #Me Too-era dark comedy I didn’t know I needed
Performed by a brilliant cast led by Mandi Masden and Ato Blankson-Wood, Nick Jones’s new play, Complicity Island, follows ambitious young playwright Ivey Viola as she reluctantly agrees to join problematic star Merlin Spooner at his private getaway to assist with a project he’s hoping will allow him to re-enter the limelight. Ivey quickly learns that everything on the island, including Merlin’s agenda, is as unclear and full of blurred lines as cancel culture itself. Amid the laughs and shocked gasps, this play poses challenging questions about the reality of second chances and how far one should be willing to go for success. —Caitlyn L.
The novelist who came in from the cold
You may know the contours of John le Carré’s life—real-life spy turned bestselling spy novelist who elevated the genre “to the realm of literature,” as his son Tim Cornwell notes in the introduction to this enlightening compilation of never-before-seen letters. But you’ve never known le Carré (real name David Cornwell) like this—an intimate portrait that transported me to the stormy, wind-swept cliffs of the late novelist’s longtime home and writing studio on the Cornish coast. With immersive narration from David Harewood (Homeland) and Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh, I felt like I was right at le Carré’s elbow as he corresponded with friends, family, fans, and fellow artists, revealing a driven, sensitive, sophisticated novelist striving “to live an intelligent life.” —Phoebe N.
The Resurrection MC is certainly giving me life this season
Over the summer, I listened to The Break-Up Artist, narrated by Regan Linton, and I loved her performance. So, when I noticed that she narrates Kristen Ashley’s Smoke and Steel, along with Joseph Discher, I downloaded my second-ever Motorcycle Club romance listen. (You don’t need to be familiar with the first Wild West MC title, I promise!) I guess I really needed some escapism in my life because I can’t stop listening to Regan and Joe (another new favorite narrator of mine) voicing the roles of Hellen and Core (short for “Hardcore.”) They have chemistry...and there’s a plot about interstate fraud, and the danger takes everything up a notch. This is great listening for dark winter nights, and you should probably just start Smoke and Steel too. —Christina H.
An absurd rabbit hole of folklore and feminism
From the moment I started down this absurd rabbit hole of a listen, I found myself reminded of some of my favorite storytellers, including Nikolai Gogol and Mary Shelley. Likewise, Bora Chung, the up-and-coming Korean writer responsible for this genre-defying monstrosity (which I truly use as a term of endearment), has proven that her name is not to be forgotten. As fresh as it is folkloric, this fantastic anthology—which marks Chung’s English-language debut and has been shortlisted for the International Booker Prize—feels like stumbling, story after story, upon the next best feminist retelling of your favorite fable, and will make your hairs stand on edge with its gruesome dissections of gender and greed in contemporary society. —Haley H.
As a rule, I don't do horror, but I was intrigued by the premise of this one so I went for it and within minutes I was hooked. (My dog got an extra-long walk out of this one-and-done listening binge!) An Audible Emerging Playwrights' commission from James Fritz, this experimental piece employs audacious storytelling and sophisticated sound engineering to create a horrific but also incredibly beautiful production. Amid the backdrop of madness and horror there's so much humanity here. The father in the story is 100 percent Nick in Gone Girl. He's guileless but untrustworthy, with that “aw shucks, who me?” quality that’s both enraging and endearing. And the two women in the story are so recognizable, so sympathetic—even if their stories push the boundaries of believability—that your heart will hurt for them. My verdict: Skyscraper Lullaby is the most bizarre and compelling thing I've listened to all year. I love that this story didn’t hold back, it just went for it. And so should you. —Emily C.
Football fanatics and trivia connoisseurs unite
Football season is THE season. There’s nothing like putting on my team gear each week. When it’s not game time, it’s fantasy football, it’s stalking players on social media, it’s my day-to-day! The addition of podcasts like The League has only boosted the fandom and, quite frankly, I’m prepared to walk into any sports trivia night ready to rock. Listening to Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman tell these untold, fun stories had me hooked. If he said the world was flat, I’d believe him. And I can’t say enough about Taylor Rooks. I could listen to that lady all day. With her incredible voice and captivating storytelling, it’s no wonder she’s a leader in sports. These two are the dream team in a winning podcast. —Caitlyn L.
Bushra Rehman's novel, Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion, is the perfect example of autofiction—a story deeply connected to the writer's life, but not exactly. The author narrates, and hers is precisely the voice I wanted to hear. The novel follows Razia, a young Pakistani American girl growing up in New York City in the 1980s. It chronicles her childhood in Corona, Queens, and then the rebellion of her adolescence as she discovers who she is and where she belongs in the world as a queer brown girl. I was completely transported to every vibrant neighborhood in the story, and transfixed by Razia’s journey. To get to know Rehman even better, check out Editor Michael's interview with the author. —Tricia F.
A family secret, a curse, and a heist
Over the years I’ve devoured several of Avery Flynn’s steamy, fierce, and downright AWK-WEIRD novels. When I noticed that Flynn was working on a new series, that was all I needed to know to get on board. Witcha Gonna Do? is Book 1 of the Witchington series, and brings together Tilda, a witch without powers, and Gil, a double agent trying to save his parents from exile. This dual POV, enemies-to-lovers story is full of loveable characters that I am already invested in, while cheering for Gil and Tilda to have their happy ending. Witcha Gonna Do? has witches and warlocks and magic gone awry. This quick listen also includes magical surprises, steamy scenes, and an amazing setup for the rest of the series. —Patty K.C.
