Our editors weigh in on May’s most anticipated new releases.
All aboard
What if you could go back in time, but doing so risked everything? Matt Haig takes us on a magical and quietly devastating ride in The Midnight Train. The time-traveling love story follows Wilbur, a man whose life flashes before his eyes and is given the extraordinary chance to relive the moments that mattered most. For Wilbur, that moment was with the love of his life, Maggie, on their honeymoon in Venice, before everything changed. James Norton’s narration poetically brings out Wilbur’s vulnerability, and I found myself rooting for Wilbur and Maggie throughout the entire story. If you loved The Midnight Library, then grab yourself a ticket on The Midnight Train.
My Americana
As we march toward America’s 250th anniversary, I find the only piece of Americana I’m truly excited for is this new collection from David Sedaris. The Land and Its People is not really a reflection on the occasion, but few people feel more American to me than Sedaris, a great humorist in the spirit of Twain and Wodehouse. While he does share quite a few regionally specific stories, the underlying theme is, as ever, about what it means to be human. As contacts in his phone die off and he is confronted with aging (his partner’s hip surgery; yelling at a young tube rider for their taste in music), I found myself aching with something akin to grief. But don’t worry, there were plenty of laughs along the way, too. And as a bonus for us audiophiles, the collection is composed solely of live recordings, so you have the intimate experience of feeling like you’re right there in the audience, laughing alongside the people.
A love story best heard in audio
Trust me when I tell you, the audiobook is the only way to experience Score. Wesleigh Siobhan and Winston James are perfection as Verity Hill and Monk Bellamy, the screenwriter and music composer who must work together on the set of the Harlem Renaissance biopic first introduced in Reel—years after their devastating college breakup. Nicole Small reprises her role as Dessi Blue, and just like in Reel, there's original music woven throughout the audiobook of Score. This second-chance love story is epic on its own, but Verity's bipolar diagnosis—rendered with author Kennedy Ryan's signature care—is what elevates it into something unforgettable. Reel made history in 2022 as the first Black romance to win the Audie for Best Romance, and I'd bet anything Score lands there, too.
Your curiosity will be richly rewarded
Chang and Eng Bunker occupy a unique place in history. The 19th-century conjoined twins, connected at their chests, were known the world over, and still are. Now, novelist Christina Baker Kline provides an intimate lens on their eyebrow-raising domestic lives: After making their fortune in exhibitions, the brothers settled in North Carolina (it reminded them of their native Siam), where they married two sisters and fathered 21 children. Through Eng’s intended, Sarah, we see how the educated and worldly twins made a dashing contrast to other available suitors—how two sisters might choose this lifestyle with brothers who had no such choice themselves. Questions about their wedding night, how the couples found privacy, or how Chang and Eng sought to justify slave-holding after fleeing the plight themselves? It’s all here, and in the voice of the divine Marin Ireland, it’s a moving and sensitive tale.
Proud to be an American rambler
If it takes the average person around 20 minutes to walk a mile, then a listener could theoretically hike the length of Johnny Appleseed’s iconic trek through Massachusetts (or traverse Manhattan’s perimeter, which happens to be my current to-do) in almost the exact time it takes to finish this audiobook. Infused with literary history and humor, Isaac Fitzgerald’s latest memoir chronicles his quirky commitment to tracing the tracks of a true American legend, offering a natural listening companion for anyone who enjoys walking even reasonable distances. Much like the author, I am heavily inspired by New England’s Transcendentalist thinkers, including Emerson and Thoreau. Likewise, my own precarious mental health has brought me along for a life-long journey that seems to always lead back to nature, where moving my legs becomes the best medicine.
Love is the answer
I love this book and would love to have the privilege of hugging each of the main characters, the good ones that do no harm. Ghalen and his parents are three exquisite people brought to us by Walter Mosley. I love the food they eat, the friends at their table, and how their humanity saves their day. The story takes place in LA (the author’s hometown), and I smiled at the mention of Dorsey High, where my brother played on the football team and his Dorsey friends became lifelong “cousins” to us. This is the American family we don’t hear enough about and topics we (us Black folk) don’t talk enough about, especially neurodiversity, written about with a sensitivity as only Mosley can.
Language, memory, and revolution
With its rich world-building, complex character dynamics, and ambitious subject, it’s hard to believe The Republic of Memory is Mahmud El Sayed’s debut novel. Set aboard a ship halfway through a 400-year journey to its new home and inspired by the events of the Arab Spring, the novel is the first in a planned duology. One of the highlights of this listen is the language: In the tradition of the Belters of The Expanse series, El Sayed has crafted NuPol, a dialect that has evolved over 200 years on the ship. Combined with the cast of talented narrators, each of whom vibrantly portrays their characters, I was completely immersed in this story.
Contrary to unpopular belief, Garcelle’s life is very interesting!
As a longstanding fan since her “Fancy” days, I was sad to see Garcelle Beauvais depart after five seasons of keeping not only herself but the entire Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast open and honest. However, if there’s one thing Garcelle does well, it’s to keep on pushing—and keep her peace! In her aptly named memoir, she opens up about more than just her time on the reality TV show, sharing an expanded view of her past struggles: single motherhood, her Hollywood career, and more. She narrates the audiobook herself, giving listeners even more depth and understanding of her journey.
A delightful whodunit
If you love cozy mysteries with genuine Irish charm, this audiobook is perfect. Actor/comedian/debut author Ardal O'Hanlon's narration adds so much warmth to this tale of murder in a small County Wexford town. With a TV gardener-turned-amateur sleuth, a suspicious death at choir practice, and a town full of quirky characters, listening to this gently funny and properly mysterious story feels like chatting with a friend over tea. If you enjoy Graham Norton's books or TV’s Death in Paradise, you'll adore this witty mystery. Hopefully, we won’t be waiting too long for book 2—I can’t wait to hear what happens next!
A soundtrack of liberation and love
Barry Walters has spent 40 years documenting the intersection of LGBTQIA+ and mainstream pop culture. Now, he's sharing a personal, expansive chronicle that documents how queer artists and audiences revolutionized popular music, with 60 bite-sized chapters spanning from the Stonewall riots through to the end of the 20th century. The work highlights the intersection of racial and sexual minorities—profiling artists such as David Bowie, Grace Jones, Jackie Shane, the Indigo Girls, and Sylvester (whose iconic disco anthem "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" lends its title to the audiobook)—to illustrate how queer expression reshaped mainstream music across genres. Walters narrates this essential text himself, adding to what will surely be a treasured reference for anyone seeking to understand this musical family tree and how it continues to shape our world.
Tick. Tock. Choose.
Five has easily earned its place among my favorite listens so far this year. The premise alone instantly drew me in—five strangers on a train platform, five minutes until the next train to London, and one of them won't make it. Each character steps onto the platform carrying a story you can't look away from. A gambler teetering on the edge. A mother stretched past her limit. A child mid-meltdown. An old woman too proud to ask for help. A businessman carrying damage he's learned to hide. In five minutes, Ilona Bannister makes you care about all of them, and then forces you to decide who deserves to live. The ensemble narration is perfection, making Five a must-listen.
You are what you think
Beliefs aren’t facts, but they are real, and they have a measurable impact on your health, mood, and success. That’s the premise of happiness expert and researcher Shawn Achor’s latest listen, The Power of Beliefs, and wow, was I blown away by the studies he shared in support of this hypothesis. We’ve all heard of the home-field advantage, but did you know that college football teams win games on their school’s turf a whopping 64 percent of the time? Or that patients given a placebo in medical trials report having a more positive outcome than the control group 35 percent of the time? Achor’s data and science-backed exploration of this uniquely human power will change the way you value your thoughts for good.
Will they or won’t they ship?
As a Katherine Center stan, every one of her books feels like a treat for me, and The Shippers was no different. JoJo Burton heads to her sister’s destination wedding determined to fix her love life once and for all, which somehow involves asking her childhood best friend Cooper to help her win over someone else. From there, it’s everything I’ve come to love about Center’s stories. It’s warm, it’s emotional, and it just feels good to settle into. Patti Murin returns as narrator and, as always, she delivers.
Anime-inspired fantasy
The first book of a fantasy trilogy is always exhilarating—you’re breaking ground on a brand-new world that you know is only just beginning. Add to that excitement a backdrop rooted in ancient Japanese folklore and inspiration drawn from Hayao Miyazaki films (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle), and I’m more than ready to press “play.”
Why we must party on!
To have read the famed work of Alice McDermott is to know too well that our weekends can become an endless parade of communions, confirmations, graduations, weddings, and, alas, a few wakes. It can sometimes feel more rote and obligatory than a true opportunity to connect. Leave it to lifeologist Bruce Feiler, author of Walking the Bible and countless other examinations of how we live and work, to find the refreshingly new ways we are personalizing celebration, and how any and all gatherings give us the ballast we need in these destabilizing times. After attending countless Vegas weddings, Irish wakes, and a Taylor Swift divorce party, Feiler not only offers a lovely reflection on human connection, but also suggests ways to make these invitations, fetes, and collective moments richer and more rewarding to you.
Don’t miss this debut
Years ago, I found myself on the periphery of a pickle that left me temporarily caring for my incarcerated friend’s daughter. I hoped I was doing the right thing, keeping her away from the foster system until her father could find a more permanent solution while out on bail. Candidly, however, I seriously wondered if I was making the right decision, especially as I later observed how turbulent their relationship truly was. While every situation is unique, I’ve finally found some solace in this tender debut by Harriet Clark (whose own parents spent time in prison), which paints the world through the lens of a child attempting to maintain a relationship with her incarcerated mother. A moving meditation on freedom, intergenerational trauma, and how we prioritize time with our loved ones—which really is the most precious resource of all—this audiobook is an eye-opening, worthwhile use of eight hours.
An enjoyable tour through the apocalypse
Ah, May: blue skies, pretty flowers, and me, happily devouring a gruesome history of the Black Death. Humanity’s most cataclysmic plague, an event so brutal and so long-lasting it reshaped culture and society, this real-life horror story comes alive in the grave British elegance of Justin Avoth’s narration. Historian Thomas Asbridge delivers a global, human-centered narrative of the plague’s show-stopping debut (pestilence-ridden corpses shot from cannons over Genoese city walls), symptoms, and ricocheting effects—some, like the resilience of civilization and persistence of kindness, are even heartening to hear. The book concludes with Asbridge’s account of just what the disease actually was—and surely, while getting after my spring cleaning and strolls in the sunshine, I’ll delight in hearing all about it.
Douglas Stuart has done it again
I thought I was prepared for the quiet, beautiful devastation of Booker Prize-winning author Douglas Stuart’s third novel, but I wasn’t quite ready for all the threads he managed to weave into this latest tale. While touching on many of the same themes as Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo, John of John trades the industrial grit of Glasgow for the harsh beauty of the Scottish Western Isles. The pastoral setting only enhances a storyline that’s just a tad bit slower, quieter, and imbued with the harsh and unforgiving elements of the islands themselves. Stuart has never needed help when it comes to crafting characters who feel real, but his gift is further elevated by actor Lorne MacFadyen’s performance, which perfectly captures the desperation and restlessness of the characters, their community, and the island they call home.
Reading women
I love short-story collections. I love stories that unapologetically center the lives of women. So, when I came across Patient, Female, I couldn’t wait to dig in. These tales, each centering a different female narrator—ranging from adolescent girls to older women—are funny while also being true, earnest, and cutting. Each gloriously self-possessed protagonist speaks with her own unique voice while a common ethos threads its way through the entire work: Bear witness to the beautiful absurdity of these women’s lives. Find the beautiful absurdity in your own.
