Editors Select | June 2021

Podcast | True Crime

A heartbreaking Hollywood drama

For a former '80s kid like me, Casey Kasem’s voice is pure comfort food. Warm, nostalgic, instantly evocative. So it was deeply disturbing to learn that the host of American Top 40 was the focus of a harrowing family scandal, when Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia left him in the care of his second wife—who separated him from his children in a devastating legal and emotional battle. Looming over it all: Kasem's $100 million fortune. While this sensitively reported podcast enraged and unnerved me, it also opened my eyes to the deep well of Kasem's accomplished career, kindness, and moral compass (he was a fiercely committed vegan, for one), and the perils of just how wrong things can go when money, family, and incapacitation are involved. So what did happen to this beloved icon at the end of his life? Through archival recordings and exclusive personal interviews, this riveting investigation goes inside the explosive feud to bring answers and, ultimately, pay beautiful tribute.

Kat J.

Editor Audible

Fiction

A second chance at love

I can count on Tia Williams to deliver a delicious plot, compelling characters, and steamy sex scenes, and her new novel, Seven Days in June, does not disappoint. As seniors in high school, Shane and Eva shared a passionate week together. Fifteen years later, now both successful authors, the two have a surprising reunion. Sure, the sparks are still there, but has too much time—and life, in the form of marriage, kids, and addiction—gone by for them to make it work as adults? Narrator Mela Lee beautifully navigates the complex story that shifts back and forth between teenage love and grown-up entanglements. I was sobbing by the end as past traumas are resolved and broken hearts are healed.

Margaret H.

Editor Audible

Podcast | Kids & Family

A (second!) summer of mystery and fun

It's the summer of 2006, and for better or worse, Mookie’s back at Camp Cartwright. While she's desperately trying to fit in a little better this go-around by quelling her investigative spirit, her inner news reporter cannot be denied—which is probably a good thing, considering the new camp counselor is super sketchy. Sunny Sandler and Jamie Lee Curtis reprise their roles from Season 1—and the one and only Daniel Radcliffe (of Harry Potter fame) joins in on the fun, making this a truly memorable and enticing listen for you and your kids.

Sean T.

Editor Audible

YA | Fiction

Kindred spirits rekindled

I spent many a long, hot West Texas summer lying on either my best friend's living room floor or watching L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables from start to finish, followed swiftly by Anne of Avonlea. The lovable, fierce protagonist, Anne Shirley, was one of my favorite heroines. Imagine my delight when I learned that Brina Starler's debut novel was a modern take on this nostalgic tale, set in New York City, far from Prince Edward Island. Come for the memories of the classic and stay for the updated takes on the pivotal characters, such as Diana Barry, and, of course, Anne's nemesis/soulmate Gilbert Blythe, this time around with a steamier romance. Marilla is also a presence as is her sweet brother, Matthew. Carly Robins's spirited narration brought me back to vintage Anne, channeling her characteristic feminism and dogged determination. Just in time for summer listening, just like the good old days.

Kelley S.

Editor Audible

Podcast | Comedy

A new kind of heist

Have you been waiting for an Ocean’s Eleven-like heist story in the form of a scripted comedy podcast featuring an all-star, all-queer cast narrating the voices of a team of thieves going after the sperm of the world’s richest and most powerful men, which is in a secret bunker under Seattle’s Space Needle? No? Well, why not? Hot White Heist is a new Audible Original featuring a list of comedy’s funniest LGBTQ+ stars of today. Featuring the voices of Bowen Yang, Alan Cumming, Jane Lynch, and many more, Hot White Heist is a hilarious take on the heist genre and the perfect listen to get your summer started.

Aaron S.

Editor Audible

Romance

A temporal romantic delight

I’m not normally a romance listener, but I devoured Casey McQuiston’s debut, Red, White & Royal Blue. Imagine my queer, nerdy little heart exploding when I discovered the author’s next book would be a missed-connections-style rom-com—in which one of the love interests is unstuck in time. McQuiston’s writing is as razor-sharp and delightful as ever, and narrator Natalie Naudus makes these endearing characters feel so real—like people you might have a chance encounter with on a train, say. It’s a love story to love, to New York, and to the magic of a simple train ride. I’m not swooning, you are.

Sam D.

Editor Audible

Fantasy

Sci-fi, fantasy, and comic book geeks? Hang on for a wild ride

You know how Hollywood loves the elevator pitch (''It's Pride and Prejudice meets Jaws!''). Well, you could ride that elevator to the top of the Empire State Building and you wouldn't get to all that The Long Haul is. Ray guns and jet packs, wizards and magic stones, visitors from alternate worlds, a secret society deep below Oxford, people who can see across timelines, killers in bowler hats, and a cross-country pursuit that could determine the fate of three worlds. If you're a fan of great world-building and dramatic productions featuring big casts, you'll definitely want to hop on board.

Steve F.

Editor Audible

Memoir

A raw, honest memoir from one of rock's most misunderstood musicians

''I don't know no shame,'' sings Sinéad O'Connor in her electrifying breakthrough second single, ''Mandinka,'' and like that song's raw power, the singer unapologetically reveals all—or what she can recall—in her new memoir, Rememberings. From the onset, O'Connor says she's written it in her own voice as if she's having a conversation with someone, and it definitely sounds like that. Mental illness is a central point as she candidly narrates her suffering at the hands of her mother and how it shaped her life. These early chapters are undoubtedly the strongest and truly bring you into her heart, placing the missing pieces of a complex puzzle and cementing her as a true rock legend. While the stories of her early life are traumatic with graphic depictions of child abuse, they evoke compassion for O'Connor. Through it all, she is fearless and owns up to everything she has done. Rememberings is a must-listen, and O'Connor must be commended for calling out hypocrisy wherever she saw it and for staying true to herself in the 34 years since her epic debut LP.

Edwin D.

Editor Audible

Podcast | Fiction

A haunting, and a mind, examined

This haunted house story told in the format of a podcast interview between an unnamed male paranormal investigator and a woman named Anne is nothing like what I expected. First off, the tenor and tone of our interviewer's voice immediately made me suspicious—but I am a skeptic by nature. Then, Anne comes across as being quite difficult—not an easy case study. As Anne recounts memories of events that took place within the Craftsman-style bungalow in Pasadena, California, where she grew up, it becomes increasingly clear that pretty much nothing she says can be taken at face value. Anne is the epitome of an unreliable narrator—plus, she clearly has ''issues.'' Although she and her interviewer are aware their conversation is being recorded to be shared, I felt like a fly on the wall and an anonymous witness to something more than a simple retelling of an entertainingly spooky story.

Tricia F.

Editor Audible

Fiction

Another hit from P. J. Vernon

As soon as I heard this thriller pitched as ''Gone Girl with gays and Grindr,'' I knew I had to listen. Bath Haus is a dark, gritty, and suspenseful ride—one twist after the next. At first glance, Oliver and Nathan seem to have the perfect life. But when Oliver goes to a gay bathhouse looking for an anonymous hookup, he finds himself involved in something much more dangerous. As the story unfolds, Oliver spins himself deeper and deeper into a web of lies and bad decisions—all in an attempt to hide his indiscretion and stay alive. Featuring incredible dual performances from Michael Crouch and Daniel Henning, Bath Haus is a twisty queer thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat for all 12 hours.

Michael C.

Editor Audible

Podcast | Celebrity

LGBTQIA+ history like you’ve never heard it before

I've been on a Queer Eye binge lately, and while each of the Fab 5 members has their charms, I am particularly obsessed with Tan France's voice. It's soothing, stabilizing, unique—and it always carries an insightful message. So it's no surprise that I'm looking forward to playing every episode of his latest podcast. I've already listened to Episode 1, Gladys Bentley, the story of an unapologetically queer Harlem blues singer who crushed societal expectations when she rocked a top hat and tuxedo onstage—in the 1920s. This series is the perfect blend of history, narrative, and social relevancy that I've been craving, and I can't wait to hear more.

Rachael X.

Editor Audible

Memoir

A raw, beautifully written, and profoundly empathetic debut memoir

There is a moment in Ashley C. Ford's stunning memoir, Somebody's Daughter, where the author visits her father in prison and shares that she's been writing about her youth, his incarceration, and the letters he's sent her. Ford asks if that's okay, and her father offers his blessing alongside some advice: ''You gotta be tough to tell your truth, but it's the only thing worth doing next to loving somebody.'' And Ford certainly demonstrates that very strength of spirit in her author-narrated coming-of-age debut. An astonishingly tender reflection that's full of heartfelt contemplation on family, survival, adversity, love, and selfhood, this deeply human listen—which tackles a complicated mother-daughter relationship, the complexities of a childhood spent longing for a parent imprisoned, the lasting trauma of sexual violence, and the search for a sense of security, love, and acceptance—is a feat of vulnerability and craft that's impossible to forget.

Alanna M.

Editor Audible

Podcast | True Crime

Bitter Blood: Kasem V Kasem

Annoyingly unsatirsfying

Fiction

Seven Days in June

Better than the Reviews Say

Podcast | Kids & Family

Letters From Camp, Season 2

Love 💘 Mookie Cookie 🍪 😋

YA | Fiction

Anne of Manhattan

it’s ok

Podcast | Comedy

Hot White Heist

Now THIS is original. More of this please.

Romance

One Last Stop

Disappointing

Fantasy

New Found Land: The Long Haul

You'll like this if you liked The Zeta Family.

Memoir

Rememberings

Brilliant

Podcast | Fiction

Marigold

WTF?

Fiction

Bath Haus

Absolutely Gripping

Podcast | Celebrity

Tan France's Queer Icons

Schooled.

Memoir

Somebody's Daughter

It gives words to the journey of so many brown girls.