Best AudioFile Magazine Podcasts (2024)

1
STORIES ARE WEAPONS by Annalee Newitz, read by Alexandra Cohler 7:10

3h ago7:10

7:10

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss how Alexandra Cohler has the right tone, tempo, and style for this polemical and highly informed audiobook on propaganda. She can sound like she’s reporting on a real-life scene or immersed in a sci-fi setting. Her narrative approach works well with this provocative work by journalist/science ficti…

1
WANDERING STARS: AudioFile Favorites 6:48

3h ago6:48

6:48

This audiobook reveals that Tommy Orange is among the most insightful novelists writing today and a poet of pain. In their conversation from earlier this year, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss this immersive novel set in Oakland that makes for a powerful listening experience. Among the segmented novel’s stellar performances, Charl…

1
THE WOMEN: AudioFile Favorites 6:21

2h ago6:21

6:21

The sure touch of Golden Voice narrator Julia Whelan transforms Kristin Hannah’s absorbing novel about Vietnam War combat nurses into an addictive listen. In their conversation from this winter, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this intimate portrait and sprawling account of a searing time. The story focuses on 20-year-old Frances…

1
COME AND GET IT: AudioFile Favorites 7:21

20m ago7:21

7:21

Nicole Lewis performs this sophomore novel from Booker longlisted author Kiley Reid. In their conversation from earlier this year, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester talk about how Reid excels at writing dialogue, and how Lewis’s performance of those conversations takes them to a whole new level. Millie Cousins is a senior resident assi…

1
FIRST LIE WINS: AudioFile Favorites 6:55

2h ago6:55

6:55

Listeners will be convinced there’s a full cast delivering this fast-paced thriller from Ashley Elston. Yet it’s just one narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, who masterfully voices all of the characters. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this mystery audiobook in their conversation from earlier in 2024. Evie Porter has many names and perso…

1
GRETA & VALDIN: AudioFile Favorites 7:15

2h ago7:15

7:15

This week, we’re revisiting discussions of favorite audiobooks from this year. Narrators Natalie Beran and Jackson Bliss portray queer Russian-Maori siblings Greta and Valdin. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss Rebecca K. Reilly’s wise, hilarious audiobook about a loving and chaotic New Zealand family. Beran depicts Greta, a 20-som…

1
Interview with J. Michael Straczynski 11:55

37m ago11:55

11:55

Author J. Michael Straczynski joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb for a conversation about his new audio original, EARTHLIGHT. Straczynski is well known as the creator of the “Babylon 5” TV series and has written comics for Marvel and DC. His newest book, EARTHLIGHT, is a high-stakes military sci-fi audiobook performed by Erik Braa and a full cast with …

1
PINK GLASS HOUSES by Asha Elias, read by Stacy Gonzalez, Saskia Maarleveld, Andi Arndt, Helen Laser, André Santana, Amy Landon, John Pirhalla, Robin Miles, Michael Crouch, Jane Oppenheimer 8:57

11d ago8:57

8:57

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Asha Elias’s new audiobook, performed by an ensemble cast. The action centers around the PTA at an elementary school. Things get ugly when Melody Howard’s family moves from Kansas into the land of wealth and privilege for her husband’s new job in Miami. Melody, portrayed by Andi Arndt, gets sucked i…

1
THE SONS OF EL REY by Alex Espinoza, read by Gisela Chípe, Tony Chiroldes, Lee Osorio, André Santana 7:50

1h ago7:50

7:50

Alex Espinoza’s riveting audiobook delves into the lives of three generations of luchadores, masked Mexican wrestlers, who are grappling with love and family secrets in Mexico City and Los Angeles. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this powerful story where narrators Gisela Chípe, Tony Chiroldes, Lee Osorio, and André Santana bring …

1
NEPHEW by M.K. Asante, read by M.K. Asante, Dion Graham, Adenrele Ojo, Neph 7:58

1h ago7:58

7:58

M.K. Asante's performance captures the essence of what makes the audiobook medium vital: a living experience that grabs listeners from start to finish. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss a book that Michele calls memorable and affecting. Asante unfolds the story of his nephew Nasir's emergency treatment in intensive care after multip…

1
HUSBANDS & LOVERS by Beatriz Williams, read by Helen Laser, Caroline Hewitt 7:38

1h ago7:38

7:38

Beatriz Williams’s new romantic audiobook is rendered perfectly by two narrators, Helen Laser and Caroline Hewitt. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss this story about two women who are separated by decades and continents but joined by blood, tragedy, and a jeweled cobra bracelet. Laser portrays the contemporary New England heroine, M…

1
THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore, read by Saskia Maarleveld 8:40

6d ago8:40

8:40

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss Liz Moore’s fascinating listen brought to life by Saskia Maareleveld. Thirteen-year-old Barbra Van Laar goes missing from her bunk at an Adirondack summer camp in 1975—and her brother vanished from the same location 16 years earlier. Maareleveld explores the impact the disappearances have on th…

1
MIDNIGHT ROOMS by Donyae Coles, read by Georgina Campbell 7:31

9d ago7:31

7:31

Georgina Campbell performs Donyae Coles’s gothic tale set in 1840s England. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this sinister listen. Orabella Mumthrope finds herself marrying a mysterious, wealthy stranger to help settle her uncle’s debt. At her new husband’s historic home, she finds his family seems to have far too many secrets…

1
THE BRIGHT SWORD by Lev Grossman, read by Nicholas Guy Smith, Lev Grossman [Note] 6:25

10d ago6:25

6:25

Nicholas Guy Smith evokes the Arthurian legends of old in Lev Grossman’s tongue-in-cheek Knights of the Round Table-inspired novel. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss a story of Collum, who dreams of joining King Arthur’s knights, but when he arrives in Camelot, King Arthur is dead. Smith shines in this grand, ambitious novel, e…

1
NO SON OF MINE by Jonathan Corcoran, read by Christopher P. Brown 7:44

9d ago7:44

7:44

Christopher P. Brown performs Jonathan Corcoran’s intimate memoir of his relationship with his mother after she discovers he’s gay. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this moving listen. Corcoran’s mother dies during the first years of the Covid pandemic, leaving him and his two sisters to handle her affairs. From there, Corcora…

1
REDNECKS by Taylor Brown, read by Ramiz Monsef 7:36

15d ago7:36

7:36

Ramiz Monsef performs Taylor Brown’s historical novel set during the Battle of Blair Mountain in the early 1920s. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Kendra Winchester discuss this listen that will keep listeners on edge until the very last second. Lebanese American “Doc Moo” Muhanna serves as a medical doctor during the Mine Wars. Monsef’s narration enli…

1
CALL FOR THE DEAD by John le Carré, read by Simon Vance 7:32

11d ago7:32

7:32

Simon Vance affably narrates George Smiley in this first novel by John le Carré, published in 1961. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the thrill of listening to Vance narrate this classic mystery and Smiley’s origin story. It centers around a faux suicide, East German espionage agents, and a Secret Service that prefers to sweep thi…

1
SHANGHAI by Joseph Kanon, read by Jonathan Davis 7:24

19d ago7:24

7:24

Jonathan Davis digs deep into his narration toolbox in Joseph Kanon’s atmospheric audiobook set in 1939. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this tense listen. As the world prepares for war, displaced European Jews attempt a departure to parts unknown. Davis employs a stoic tone when describing Kristallnacht, the beatings, and the ro…

1
OUR MAN IN HAVANA by Graham Greene, read by Matthew Lloyd Davies 7:13

6d ago7:13

7:13

Narrator Matthew Lloyd Davies brings his considerable talent to one of Graham Greene’s best-known novels. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss the story of how James Wormold, a vacuum cleaner retailer, invents a spy ring in order to cover his daughter’s extravagances. Davies manipulates accents, vocal tones, and pitch ranges to bring …

1
THE LAST HOPE by Susan Elia MacNeal, read by Susan Duerden 9:04

7d ago9:04

9:04

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss Susan Elia MacNeal’s 12th and final Maggie Hope novel. Susan Duerden gives a strong performance as the intrepid heroine takes on a frightening mission, meeting up again with Coco Chanel, the French fashion designer and Nazi collaborator. British concerns about the Germans acquiring a fission bomb l…

1
A NEST OF VIPERS by Harini Nagendra, read by Soneela Nankani 7:38

8d ago7:38

7:38

AudioFile Golden Voice Soneela Nankani immerses listeners in 1920s India. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Robin Whitten discuss this third installment in Harini Nagendra’s Bangalore Detectives Club series that’s rife with intrigue, politics, and the fight for autonomy. Nankani’s brisk, distinctly voiced performance is riveting as she expertly distingu…

1
HUDA F ARE YOU? by Huda Fahmy, read by Huda Fahmy, Aixa Kay, Ayman Samman, Christie Bahna, Rasha Zamamiri, and a Full Cast 7:22

27d ago7:22

7:22

Huda Fahmy’s hilarious graphic novel for teens will delight listeners. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the fun of listening to this lively audio adaptation. Huda’s having a bit of an identity crisis. Her family’s just moved from a small town to Dearborn, Michigan, and suddenly her personality can’t just be “the hijabi girl” beca…

1
THE NIGHT OF BABA YAGA by Akira Otani, Sam Bett [Trans.], read by Cindy Kay 7:20

26d ago7:20

7:20

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss this dramatic Japanese thriller from Akira Otani. Cindy Kay’s steely voice ensures the listener feels every bit of tension in this short and memorable audiobook. After Yoriko Shindo is kidnapped, she finds herself forced into working for an arm of the yakuza—she has to serve as the driver for Shok…

1
Summer Break 0:57

12d ago0:57

0:57

The Jane Austen Podcast is taking a summer break. But you can catch Alison Larkin now on tour with her show "Alison Larkin: Grief… A Comedy". To find tour dates go to alisonlarkin.com The Jane Austen Podcast with Alison Larkin is a Realm production. Listen away. For more shows like this, visit Realm.fm, and sign up for our newsletter while you're t…

1
A SHORE THING by Joanna Lowell, read by Ros Watt 7:57

13d ago7:57

7:57

Ros Watt’s narration highlights all the charm of Joanna Lowell’s queer historical romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss a story set in Cornwall’s countryside, complete with a bicycle race, a botanist, and a rake. Kit Griffith is a dashing bicycle shop owner who left his old life behind, in which he belonged to a sisterhood of…

1
THE UNDERMINING OF TWYLA AND FRANK by Megan Bannen, read by Nicol Zanzarella 7:52

14d ago7:52

7:52

Nicol Zanzarella brings heaps of charm to her narration of this engaging fantasy romance. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Emily Connelly discuss the sequel to Megan Bannen’s THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCY. Twyla and Frank have been neighbors, then best friends, then partners in the Marshals, spending 8 years patrolling the dangerous Tanrian world t…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

AudioFile Magazine Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine

AudioFile Magazine

1
Audiobook Break with AudioFile Magazine

Robin Whitten

1
The Jane Austen Podcast with Alison Larkin

Realm

1
STORIES ARE WEAPONS by Annalee Newitz, read by Alexandra Cohler 7:10

1
WANDERING STARS: AudioFile Favorites 6:48

1
THE WOMEN: AudioFile Favorites 6:21

1
COME AND GET IT: AudioFile Favorites 7:21

1
FIRST LIE WINS: AudioFile Favorites 6:55

1
GRETA & VALDIN: AudioFile Favorites 7:15

1
Interview with J. Michael Straczynski 11:55

1
PINK GLASS HOUSES by Asha Elias, read by Stacy Gonzalez, Saskia Maarleveld, Andi Arndt, Helen Laser, André Santana, Amy Landon, John Pirhalla, Robin Miles, Michael Crouch, Jane Oppenheimer 8:57

1
THE SONS OF EL REY by Alex Espinoza, read by Gisela Chípe, Tony Chiroldes, Lee Osorio, André Santana 7:50

1
NEPHEW by M.K. Asante, read by M.K. Asante, Dion Graham, Adenrele Ojo, Neph 7:58

1
HUSBANDS & LOVERS by Beatriz Williams, read by Helen Laser, Caroline Hewitt 7:38

1
THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore, read by Saskia Maarleveld 8:40

1
MIDNIGHT ROOMS by Donyae Coles, read by Georgina Campbell 7:31

1
THE BRIGHT SWORD by Lev Grossman, read by Nicholas Guy Smith, Lev Grossman [Note] 6:25

1
NO SON OF MINE by Jonathan Corcoran, read by Christopher P. Brown 7:44

1
REDNECKS by Taylor Brown, read by Ramiz Monsef 7:36

1
CALL FOR THE DEAD by John le Carré, read by Simon Vance 7:32

1
SHANGHAI by Joseph Kanon, read by Jonathan Davis 7:24

1
OUR MAN IN HAVANA by Graham Greene, read by Matthew Lloyd Davies 7:13

1
THE LAST HOPE by Susan Elia MacNeal, read by Susan Duerden 9:04

1
A NEST OF VIPERS by Harini Nagendra, read by Soneela Nankani 7:38

1
HUDA F ARE YOU? by Huda Fahmy, read by Huda Fahmy, Aixa Kay, Ayman Samman, Christie Bahna, Rasha Zamamiri, and a Full Cast 7:22

1
THE NIGHT OF BABA YAGA by Akira Otani, Sam Bett [Trans.], read by Cindy Kay 7:20

1
Summer Break 0:57

1
A SHORE THING by Joanna Lowell, read by Ros Watt 7:57

1
THE UNDERMINING OF TWYLA AND FRANK by Megan Bannen, read by Nicol Zanzarella 7:52

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