Listeners and mystery fans will be thrilled with excellent new entries from favorite authors, including Janet Evanovich, Patricia Cornwell, and Dan Brown. Plus, the debut collaboration from Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben, performed by a winning ensemble, and a beautifully narrated historical mystery from a Golden Voice.
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GONE BEFORE GOODBYE
by Harlan Coben, Reese Witherspoon | Read by Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Suehyla El-Attar Young, Peter Ganim, Saskia Maarleveld, James Fouhey
AudioFile Earphones Award
[Hachette Audio | 10.5 hrs.]
Listeners are treated to a nonstop thrill ride in Reese Witherspoon’s first novel and Harlan Coben’s debut collaboration. An exceptional cast, including Witherspoon herself, brings to life a host of vividly drawn characters from around the globe. Maggie McCabe, a gifted reconstructive surgeon who’s lost her license, seizes a chance to return to the operating room when a Russian oligarch makes her an offer. Each narrator is perfectly matched to their character(s).
MIRAGE CITY: Evander Mills, Book 4
by Lev AC Rosen | Read by Vikas Adam
AudioFile Earphones Award
[Macmillan Audio | 9.25 hrs.]
Golden Voice Vikas Adams’s excellent narration gives personality and distinction to the characters in this audiobook. Several members of the queer rights organization called the Mattachine Society have disappeared, and Private Investigator Evander “Andy” Mills is hired to find them. Adam’s vocal dexterity makes it seem like there’s a full cast portraying the men and women in the audiobook. With its historic setting, this mystery explores some of what the queer community experienced in the mid-20th century, and Vikas Adam is an excellent guide.
THE KING’S RANSOM: The Recovery Agent, Book 2
by Janet Evanovich | Read by Lorelei King
[Simon & Schuster Audio | 8.5 hrs.]
Narrator Lorelei King masterfully voices the second entry in this series. Recovery Agent Gabriella Rose commits to getting her ex-husband’s cousin out of trouble by traveling the globe to retrieve missing art and antiquities. With her ex, Rafer Jones, Rose confronts lots of villains. King expertly delivers the signature Evanovich blend of humor, danger, and charm, skillfully performing men and women of multiple ages and nationalities.
SHARP FORCE: Kay Scarpetta, Book 29
by Patricia Cornwell | Read by January LaVoy
[Hachette Audio | 11 hrs.]
Golden Voice Narrator January LaVoy returns to the world of Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta in this new thriller in which not even Christmas morning is safe. A serial killer is projecting ghost-like holograms into the homes of those they kill. LaVoy ensures that the most recent audiobook in the extensive Scarpetta series shines with her emotionally intelligent and creative character portrayals.
THE SECRET OF SECRETS
by Dan Brown | Read by Paul Michael
[Random House Audio | 22.75 hrs.]
Dan Brown has done it again—created another scintillating story that mixes real science and recent discoveries with things existential—perhaps the most existential of all. Fans will be riveted by Paul Michael’s narration as the story delves into the science of human consciousness and questions of what happens to our “self” once our physical body gives out. Michael captures the myriad characters, including a creepy golem, a brilliant scientist, a vengeful local cop, a shadowy rogue CIA operative, and, of course, our hero—Professor Robert Langdon.
AudioFile Magazine—About: AudioFile is the place to discover more about audiobooks. Every day, its reviews and recommendations tell you which audiobooks are worth your listening time. AudioFile reviews about 50 audiobooks a week, features narrator profiles, and awards exceptional performances with AudioFile’s Earphones Awards. AudioFile publishes in print, newsletters, and a blog, and podcasts daily recommendations on Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine.
