Davis is a force of nature, and her performance is riveting.
Viola Davis illuminates a tale of small minds dealing with big issues. In a book co-written with Patterson, Davis portrays elected judge Mary Stone, a highly respected Black woman in Union Springs, Alabama. Fair-minded and self-assured, Judge Stone faces a case that divides the town. She is threatened by everyone from local crazies to the state’s governor. Vicious, violent actions accompany verbal threats, and it’s back to the bad old days of the Klan. Davis is simply magnificent. She is both subtle and blatant, giving texture to each of her characterizations. With deftness and artistry, she creates a world of ordinary, flesh-and-blood people and handles preconceptions based on antiquated prejudices with controlled rage. This one really is unputdownable.
Davis is a force of nature, and her performance is riveting.Pub Date: March 9, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 20 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668653685
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026
C.J. Box writes about life in wild Wyoming, short stories of people living a rugged life by choice or by circumstance. David Chandler narrates in a rough-edged whiskey voice that suggests summer heat, bitter winters, and windswept prairies, guiding the listener through 10 adventures of men like Fish and Game Officer Joe Pickett. Chandler brings the listener into this strange world where, more often than not, men have to create their own justice. His performance of the economical stories, some rarely seen, is perfect. The tale of the frozen body of a Native American basketball player turned speed freak, her arm reaching through the ice of a lake in a final jump shot, is one of the most fascinating in the collection.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781470392796
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Fortgang’s bright and measured narration propels a claustrophobic stand-alone thriller.
Lauren Fortgang narrates a taut thriller as a disgraced spy and a rookie bodyguard converge on a secretive Texas town, not knowing they’re chasing the same missing man. January tracks the traitor who sold out her agency to Lethey, Texas, while July’s only client has disappeared. Fortgang’s low tone and leisurely pacing give the secluded town an increasingly claustrophobic feeling. Interviews with townspeople pull listeners in as the mystery deepens. Fortgang builds tension with measured accents, sometimes dipping into playful cadences. The final stretch speeds up and crescendos with a thrilling resolution, with January and July a capable pair of leads.
Fortgang’s bright and measured narration propels a claustrophobic stand-alone thriller.Pub Date: July 7, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798874823412
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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