When I think of summer, I think about abundance and possibility—how I’ll fill all those hours of daylight, what meals I’ll throw together using the weekly bounty from the farmers market, how many books and audiobooks I’ll get through during our annual family vacation at the lake. Of course, any audiobook you cue up while basking poolside, reclining in a backyard hammock, or heading out on a road trip counts as “summer listening,” but the season calls for audiobooks that are especially entertaining, immersive, and transporting, and the choices for summer listening are abundant indeed.
“A fizzy exploration of love, fame, fantasy, middle age, and possibilities” is how our review describes American Fantasy (Penguin Audio, March 17), Emma Straub’s latest novel. You needn’t have loved a boy band to be intrigued by the plot, in which 3,000 passionate fans of a 1990s boy band set off on a four-day cruise with the now middle-aged band members. After all, most of us have been fans of something at some point in our lives, and summer is a season that definitely evokes nostalgia. Narrator Marin Ireland’s enthusiastic narration engages the listener, offering vivid interpretations of the characters and illuminating the action.
Amy Jo Burns’ Wait for Me (Macmillan Audio, March 31) is another novel set in the world of music—in this case, country music. And the production takes full advantage of the audio format, including original songs performed by narrators Gail Shalan, Mark Sanderlin, and Patti Murin. In this dramatic and tender story, a woman debuts at the Grand Ole Opry and then vanishes. Eighteen years later, a young musician plays a mandolin that may have belonged to her. According to our Earphones Award review, “This is a rich, lyrical reflection on love, friendship, and the enduring power of music.”
True-crime podcast fans will love Tiffany Crum’s addictive This Story Might Save Your Life (Macmillan Audio, March 28), which our reviewer calls “truly unputdownable.” Best friends Joy and Benny co-host a podcast about survival stories. When Joy and her husband disappear, Benny races to solve the mystery of what’s happened to them. Julia Whelan and Sean Patrick Hopkins trade off narrating the novel’s alternating perspectives; they also come together to perform the podcast segments, adding verisimilitude. The audiobook is further enhanced with sound effects and tip-line voicemails, making for another audio-centric experience.
Finally, if you’re feeling as ambitious about your summer listening as I am, then summer is a great time to immerse yourself in a series you’ve been meaning to start. Cool Machine (Random House Audio, July 21) is the final installment in Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy. All three audiobooks are narrated by Dion Graham, who invites listeners into the world of 1960s-80s Harlem and furniture store owner Ray Carney who, despite being reformed, can’t seem to escape the criminal underworld. “As his voice captures the feel of the times, he skillfully brings listeners the coffee shops, storefronts, and conversations of the era,” writes our reviewer. Start with Harlem Shuffle (Random House Audio, 2021) and you’ll be ready for Book 3 when it comes out later this summer.
Jennifer Dowell is the audiobooks editor.
