12 New Audiobooks to Add to Your Wish List

I love audiobooks, and that’s no secret. Summertime is listening time, as I work in the garden, take walks, relax on the deck, and generally enjoy the long evenings. This year, my audiobook consumption has been depleted by travel. Still, hitting the road to spend time with friends and family and to see new places is well worth the trade-off.

Fortunately, July is a great month for audiobook fans, and it wasn't easy narrowing down my roundup to just 12 titles. The audiobooks recommended today reflect my own listening tastes and are based on both the author and the narrator. The selections are all adult fiction, and I left off the books that appeared in last week’s diversity roundup.

Grab your earbuds, charge up your phone, and get ready to be entertained. The audiobooks are presented in no particular order; all are scheduled for a July 2018 release.

• What We Were Promised by Lucy Tan (Hachette Audio; ~11 hr) read by Jennifer Lim. Publisher’s summary: “Set in modern Shanghai, a debut by a Chinese-American writer about a prodigal son whose unexpected return forces his newly wealthy family to confront painful secrets and unfulfilled promises.” Why I want to listen: I don’t know much about contemporary Shanghai, and I loved Lim’s performance of Little Fires Everywhere.
• The Shortest Way Home by Miriam Parker (Penguin Audio; ~9½ hr) read by Abby Craden. My summary: A grad student moves to Sonoma wine country to figure out what she really wants out of life. Why I want to listen: I know Miriam and can’t wait to dig in to her debut. I've never listened to Craden, but based on audio clips, I'm willing to give her a chance.
• It All Falls Down by Sheena Kamal (Harper Audio; ~8½ hr) read by Bahni Turpin. Publisher’s summary: “The brilliant, fearless, deeply flawed Nora Watts . . . finds deadly trouble as she searches for the truth about her late father in this immersive thriller that moves from the hazy Canadian Pacific Northwest to the gritty, hollowed streets of Detroit.” Why I want to listen: The novel has been getting high praise and starred reviews, and Turpin is usually a fantastic narrator.
• Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (Random House Audio; ~18 hr) read by Lisa Flanagan. Publisher’s summary: “A fresh and imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale.” Why I want to listen: I’m a big fan of fairy tale retellings and loved Novik’s Uprooted. Flanagan is sure to build a magical atmosphere.

• A Death in Eden by Keith McCafferty (Recorded Books; ~10 hr) read by Rick Holmes. My summary: The seventh book in a private investigator mystery series set in Montana and combining fly-fishing, murder, and environmental issues. Why I want to listen: I really like this series, and Holmes does a great job bringing the main characters alive for me.
• Clock Dance by Anne Tyler (Random House Audio; ~9 hr) read by Kimberly Farr. My summary: A story of family and a woman's journey of personal growth and change by one of my go-to authors. Why I want to listen: The combination of Tyler and Farr is hard to resist.
• Age of War by Michael J. Sullivan (Recorded Books; ~15hr) read by Tim Gerard Reynolds. Publisher’s summary: “The epic battle between humankind and their godlike rulers finally ignites in the masterful follow-up to Age of Myth and Age of Swords.” Why I want to listen: I love this adult epic fantasy series. Plus, Sullivan’s stories and Reynolds’s delivery is a match made in heaven.
• The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley (Macmillian Audio; ~9 hr) read by Susan Bennett. Publisher’s summary: “A modern retelling of the literary classic Beowulf, set in American suburbia as two mothers—a housewife and a battle-hardened veteran—fight to protect those they love.” Why I want to listen: I'm curious about a contemporary Beowulf story, and I enjoy Bennett's narrations and never hesitate to listen to her.

• A Double Life by Flynn Berry (Penguin Auido; ~7 hr) read by Fiona Hardingham. Publisher’s summary: “A gripping, intense, stunningly written novel of psychological suspense” that focuses on the long-reaching affects of a murder. Why I want to listen: I like a good thriller, and I like the idea that this one is loosely based on a true story. Hardingham is always a pleasure.
• Mary B by Katherine J. Chen (Random House Audio; ~12 hr) read by Marisa Calin. Publisher’s summary: “The overlooked middle sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice casts off her prim exterior and takes center stage in this fresh retelling of the classic novel.” Why I want to listen: I can’t resist a P&P spin-off. Calin is new to me, but clips of her work are appealing.
• She Was the Quiet One by Michele Campbell (Macmillan Audio; ~11 hr) read by January LaVoy. Publisher’s summary: “A riveting new suspense audiobook about privilege, power, and what happens when we let ambition take control.” Why I want to listen: I admit, it's LaVoy who draws me to this book; I love her performances.
• Girls’ Night Out by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke (Brilliance Audio; ~10 hr) read by Karen Peakes. Publisher’s summary: “A chilling novel of psychological suspense that will make you think twice about what your best friend may be hiding.” Why I want to listen: Fenton and Steinke are a reliable team and Peakes knows how to deliver up the suspense.