Category: Audiobook Page 1 of 25

by Walter Isaacson, appendices read by Holter Graham

DETAILS:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 1 hr., 28 min.
Read Date: February 18, 2026

What’s the Description of The Greatest Sentence Ever Written?

To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of one of history’s most powerful sentences: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundation for the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation.

Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating the then-radical concepts behind it. Readers will gain a fresh appreciation for how it was drafted to inspire unity, equality, and the enduring promise of America. With clarity and insight, he reveals not just the power of these words but describes how, in these polarized times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.

How Was the Narration?

If this is how his lectures go? Sign me up for a class. Isaacson comes across as a knowledgeable person just talking to you about something he cares deeply about–not as someone reading text (even text he wrote). There’s just enough personality to it to keep you listening, but not so much that it overshadows the material.

It’s just what this book needs.

So, what did I think about The Greatest Sentence Ever Written?

It feels strange to talk about a book that clocks in at 80 pages or 88 minutes in audiobook format (and that counts the appendices). But that’s how it’s being sold, so that’s how I’m going to talk about it. And really, he’d have had to tackle at least one more sentence

Do I wish he’d spent a little more time on a phrase or two? Did I really need as much detail has he gave on one thing or another? Yes to both. But I can’t remember what those things were now. And if I listened to/read it again today, I’d probably have other things I’d like to hear more/less about.

At the end of the day, this is a very nice meditation on that vital sentence, and a reminder that it’s still something important, something to rally around.

For the 250th anniversary of the Declaration, this is something important to think about. On the 249th or 252nd, it would be to. It’s sort of an evergreen idea. Probably an evergreen book, too.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Dentist (Audiobook) by Tim Sullivan, read by John Heffernan: A Promising Series Start for a Distinctive Detective

By HCNewton

On February 17, 2026

In Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Dentist

by Tim Sullivan, read by John Heffernan

DETAILS:
Series: The DS Cross Mysteries, #1
Publisher: W. F. Howes Ltd
Publication Date: September 2, 2021
Format: Unabridged Audiobook 
Length: 10 hrs,. 12 min.
Read Date: February 10-12, 2026

What’s The Dentist About?

DS George Cross is called to a murder scene for what the uniformed officers are assuming is going to be a simple, probably unsolvable, murder of a homeless man at the hands of another homeless person. Cross almost instantly sees some things that tell him that’s not the case at all, and saddles up for a complicated case.

It is a complicated one, too (obviously, you don’t want your novel’s protagonist to be wrong at the first thing he concludes in the book). Cross and his not-very-willing partner, DS Josie Ottey, start learning a good deal about this homeless man—who not that long ago was a prominent dentist in the area. Cross becomes convinced that this murder is tied to an unsolved case from over a decade ago and sets himself to solving both crimes.

This sets him at odds with former police detectives who investigated the earlier case, the higher ups in the Service who are looking for a quick conclusion, and parts of the dentist’s own family. Ottley supports him in this, but gets the other side, too—and will try to guide him to the “safer” conclusion (while hoping his obstinacy will show that he’s not the person she should be partnered with for the next case).

I Have to Talk About Cross and the Spectrum

We meet George Cross having a very awkward introduction to a new coworker—it doesn’t go well for either of them (and only one of them understands why). And then he finds calm in leaving that conversation to focus on the murder victim in front of him. A crime to investigate, clues to notice, a puzzle to solve—that’s what Cross needs. Not a friendly (and we’ll learn, clever) new coworker.

In many ways, Asperger’s Syndrome* is what distinguishes Cross from his peers (on the force and in Police Procedural fiction). But Sullivan never makes this out to be a super-power (as so many tend to do), or a disability for him to overcome in some inspirational manner (phew). Nor—and this is the big one—is it played for comedy (think Adrian Monk’s OCD which is portrayed comedically, tragically, and with sensitivity—often in the same scene.)

It’s just who Cross is. He is off-putting, he is borderline rude, he only realizes how to better handle a conversation at work or in private after the fact (and almost never goes back to redress things). He is hyper-focused at times, to the point of obsession. He is very self-aware of his challenges and has done many things to ease his way through them (one would argue, not enough). His co-workers and superiors are also very aware of his challenges and have done things to ease his way through them (one would more easily argue, not enough).

He’s on the spectrum, just the way that Ottley is a black single mom. The way that his father is a hoarder. The way that their civilian aid is anxious to prove herself. The way their DCI is a better politician than a detective (but one who can see when he needs to get out of the way and let detectives detect). It’s just part of him.

That’s the way this should be handled.

* I realize that “Asperger’s Syndrome” is considered an outdated term, but it’s what the novel uses, so I’m using it, too.

How was the Narration?

Well, first I had to cope with Heffernan’s pronunciation of “Asperger’s” (well, the British pronunciation, its not just his). It doesn’t really matter to me, but it, more than anything, reminded me where this book takes place (I really didn’t register the accent otherwise).

Other than that—I really appreciated and enjoyed Heffernan’s work here. He got the tension just right (when appropriate) and captured the humanity of all the characters and Cross’ investigation. He conveyed the rigor of Cross’ style and thought process as well.

I don’t know if I can separate the Heffernan’s reading of the book from my appreciation of it—it’s likely a series that I’ll have to continue on audio, because the two are joined so solidly in my mind. (and, boy, do I hope Heffernan’s got a long-term contract).

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this read “Mind and Matters of Crime: Meike Alana Lokos at the DS George Cross Mysteries” over at The Hard Word and the series seemed like something I should give a shot.

I kept going because I was right—this is totally my thing. Some great characters, a unique way to approach a criminal investigation, and a pretty twisty mystery.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

It feels like the obvious thing here is to talk about Cross being on the spectrum, and the way that others respond to him, avoid him, get frustrated with him, and yet respect his work. Or the way that has learned to make his way in the world. This is valid and important.

It also feels too easy—and like something I could copy and paste for the next however many books there are. More than that, it wasn’t the thing that jumped out at me the most.

What really rises to the top when I think about this book are the connections between the people—what forges them, what strengths (or weakens them), and how that plays out over the course of their lives. Cross and his father have a very solid relationship—it’s predictable, it’s reliable. Cross and Ottley have a…strained and awkward relationship—but one that Cross somewhat depends on, one that Ottley frequently resents (I think she softens a bit). The relationship between Cross and his superiors isn’t what you get from other procedurals—even with “the brass” isn’t wild about a particular detective who does things their own way.

And as for the relationships between the victims, suspects, and others that Cross encounters in this case—those are firmly in spoiler territory, but watching the web be revealed—and add layers as the book goes on was really intriguing. The book really is about human relationships and much of their diversity more than just about anything else—including the murders. (although, well, they’re rooted in them, too.)

So, what did I think about The Dentist?

I was charmed instantly, by the end of Chapter One—I was sold. My appreciation and enjoyment grew from there, and I wasn’t halfway through before I knew I was at least getting the sequel to this soon. And anticipated catching up on the series by the end of 2026.

This satisfied me on every front—mystery, character, storytelling, writing, and promise for things to come. I felt like I understood Cross and Ottley, and wanted to see them ply their craft with another case or twelve.

Lastly, while DS Cross isn’t DC Smith, and no one would confuse the Bristol police with King’s Lake Central—there’s something about this book (and Heffernan’s narration) that scratched a Peter Grainger-itch in my psyche. This is good, because now that I’ve caught up with Grainger’s series, he can’t produce things quickly enough to satisfy me. Also, it’s pretty high praise in my book for Sullivan.

For readers who are into British Procedurals, atypical Detectives, and/or quality fiction. I strongly encourage you to pick this up.

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2025

By HCNewton

On January 6, 2026

In Audiobook, News/Misc.

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2025

It’s time to talk about my favorite Audiobooks. How do I keep this from being just a rehash of my other year-end lists? By focusing on the audiobook experience over the content. What was it like to listen to it? How engaging was it, how did the narrator do? Was it a good match in terms of tone, content, and performance? All of these books are/were good—but the audiobooks are a bit better because of the narrator and the rest of the people involved in the production.

As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations

by Alton Brown

If you’re a fan of Brown, this is essential. It’s part memoir; it’s part behind the scenes of Good Eats, Iron Chef America, and more; it’s part musings on the state of cooking, food television, eating, etc.; and there’s even some cooking tips. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn a little more than that is covered.

The audiobook brings his signature style, snark, and passion to the material–which really doesn’t need anything to raise the level–but it doesn’t hurt. I had a blast reading it–I don’t know how many people I’ve pushed it on, either.

Sunrise on the Reaping

by Suzanne Collins, read by Jefferson White

I thought I was over the whole Panem/Hunger Games thing. I loved the original trilogy, but just couldn’t bring myself to read the prequels. A review or two and a co-worker convinced me to try this one.

As messed up as you may think that Haymitch was when we first met him…he deserved to be. He earned that–and more. Collins made that clear in the book, but Jefferson White brought that to life–with all the heartbreak, anger, and grief.

It was the audiobook that kept this from being something I checked off to satisfy an itch (and that itch would’ve been greatly satisfied, don’t get me wrong), and turned it into an experience that unsettled me in all the right ways.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

by Ian Fleming, read by David Tennant

I remember precious little about the movie version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and most of that is just the car. But some fellow-blogger mentioned Tennant doing this audiobook (and I’ve lost track of who that was, I feel lousy for it). Curious, I gave it a shot.

I came away with this with two firm impressions: when Fleming let his hair down, he could spin a fun tale. Not one that necessarily makes a lot of sense–but it’s fun. Second–David Tennant was as fantastic at this as I imagined.

I don’t know what else to say–I’m sure I’d have been entertained by just about anyone reading this book. But very few (if any) could’ve made me relish the experience the way I did.

Future Boy:
Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum

by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry

My original post

I was a huge Michael J. Fox fan at the time this book is set (okay, I’ve pretty much been a huge Michael J. Fox fan since then, too), I was definitely part of the target audience for this. Throw in Fox as narrator, and you know I’m in.

As far as the narration goes, age and disease have impacted his voice—but it’s still Fox, and he delivers it well. The quick audio clips from others involved in the productions Back to the Future and Family Ties are fun bonuses.

This is a fun—and fast—look at a madcap time in Fox’s life with enough of the behind-the-scenes stuff. Fox’s trademark self-deprecation is on display as well.

The only problem with this book is its brevity. Beyond that, I have no complaints—fans of the actor or the film should enjoy this book. I sure did.

I See You’ve Called in Dead

by John Kenney, read by Sean Patrick Hopkins

My original post

Hopkins did a great job of bringing this very strange book to life and convinced me that an outrageous character like Bud Stanley could not only exist, but be someone I wanted to spend several hours with. Not just Bud Stanely, either–there’s a pretty diverse and wide cast of supporting characters that Hopkins did an equally convincing job with (the little neighbor boy was one of his best).

It’s not just the performance, obviously, I really got into this funny and heartfelt novel about friendship, mortality, and thinking about mortality. But it’s what pops to mind as I’m talking about audiobooks.

This was the whole package.

Songs for Other People’s Weddings

by David Levithan with songs by Jens Lekman, read by Jefferson Mays

I found the resolution of this novel disappointing, but I enjoyed a lot of the journey worth the time. This is a novel about a pop musician of some (small) renown who is much sought after as a Wedding Musician–it’s more than I can get into here, but alone is a charming story.

A bonus to this book is that Jens Lekman wrote and performs songs to go with the weddings. I don’t know what this looks like in the text version of the book–maybe just the lyrics, which is nice enough. But a novel about a singer that contains actual songs (purportedly by this singer) is a great bonus and adds something to the book.

Sure, I’m not crazy about most of the songs–just not my vibe. But that they’re there is really nice.

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science

by Kate McKinnon, read by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne (Narrator)

My original post
(Edging out the sequel, Secrets of the Purple Pearl, by a hair–I did go back and forth on it a bit)

Would I enjoy this in print? Yeah—especially the illustrations. But the performance by McKinnon & Lynne makes these things you have to listen to. And likely re-listen to.

These are silly, silly, silly adventure novels about three sisters who wind up at The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette because they can’t manage to stay in other schools without being disruptive by being themselves. Quibb introduces them to a world of pizza, self-expression, curiosity, mystery, danger—and the chance to save the world from mad scientists.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. The plot is insane, the text are ridiculous, and the jokes are a great balance of silly enough for children but clever enough for adults. They’re perfect for young or young-at-heart readers. McKinnon and Lynne make a good book a great audio experience.

How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future

by Maria Ressa, read by Maria Ressa & Rebecca Mozo

Ressa’s story–from childhood up through the present–is mind-blowing, and the kind of thing one might be skeptical about in a novel. And I’m not going to say more about it now.

But it’s her delivering this material–the raw emotion, the pride, the anger, the conviction–that makes this audiobook. It’s a great story, it’s a powerful call to action–and a strong dose of hope for the future.

The Accidental Joe

by Tom Straw

It is difficult to explain just how entertaining this is–and I’m not sure if the narration or the text gets the majority of the credit. Tom Straw did both, so he gets all the credit.

This is the story of a celebrity chef with a travel show who is recruited by the government to use his show as a way to conduct espionage. Which totally makes sense, right? Well…with an iron-clad plan like that, things get out of control.

The book is a hoot. The jinks are hi. And Straw’s narration is perfectly suited to the material.

The Bang-Bang Sisters

by Rio Youers, Kristen Sieh (Narrator)

My original post
So, this is a story about a touring rock band–and after their shows at various bars around the country, they occasionally slip away to kill some criminals that the judicial system can’t put away. Totally normal, stuff right.

Youers fills it with humor, heart, and so, so much violence. It’s fast, it’s furious, it’s bloody, it’s raw emotion, it’s dangerous. It is so much fun. It is Rock and Roll.

And Kristen Sieh? She’s just the lead vocalist that this album needed. I believed the music, I believed the vigilantism, I believed the sisterly-tie between the bandmates/friends/allies; I believed every second of the trap they were caught in and the way they got out of it.

It’s the kind of audiobook that leads me to overhyping.

The Faithful Executioner (Audiobook) by Joel F. Harrington, read by James Gillies: The Plight of a 16th Century Executioner

By HCNewton

On December 15, 2025

In Audiobook, Humor, Non-Fiction

The Faithful Executioner:
Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century

by Joel F. Harrington, read by James Gillies

DETAILS:
Publisher: Novel Audio
Publication Date: October 24, 2017
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 9 hrs., 39 min.
Read Date: December 4-8, 2025

What Does the Publisher Say About The Faithful Executioner?

Based on the rare and until now overlooked journal of a Renaissance-era executioner, the noted historian Joel F. Harrington’s The Faithful Executioner takes us deep inside the alien world and thinking of Meister Frantz Schmidt of Nuremberg, who, during forty-five years as a professional executioner, personally put to death 394 individuals and tortured, flogged, or disfigured many hundreds more. But the picture that emerges of Schmidt from his personal papers is not that of a monster. Could a man who routinely practiced such cruelty also be insightful, compassionate—even progressive?

In The Faithful Executioner, Harrington vividly re-creates a life filled with stark contrasts, from the young apprentice’s rigorous training under his executioner father to the adult Meister Frantz’s juggling of familial duties with his work in the torture chamber and at the scaffold. With him we encounter brutal highwaymen, charming swindlers, and tragic unwed mothers accused of infanticide, as well as patrician senators, godly chaplains, and corrupt prison guards. Harrington teases out the hidden meanings and drama of Schmidt’s journal, uncovering a touching tale of inherited shame and attempted redemption for the social pariah and his children.

The Faithful Executioner offers not just the compelling firsthand perspective of a professional torturer and killer, but testimony of one man’s lifelong struggle to reconcile his bloody craft with his deep religious faith. The biography of an ordinary man struggling for his soul, this groundbreaking book also offers an unparalleled panoramic view of Europe on the cusp of modernity, a society riven by violent conflict at all levels and encumbered by paranoia, superstition, and abuses of power. Thanks to an extraordinary historical source and its gifted interpreter, we recognize far more of ourselves than we might have expected in this intimate portrait of a professional killer from a faraway world.

How’s the Narration?

Gillies was fine. I did wonder a bit about why a British narrator was used, especially when Harrington brings up his own U.S. citizenship at least once. It’s not a big deal.

He also didn’t pronounce the Lutheran theologian Philip Melanchthon’s name in a way I’ve never heard before—and that threw me out of things for a moment.

Other than that, I had no substantive complaints. I don’t know that he wowed me, but he didn’t detract from the material.

So, what did I think about The Faithful Executioner?

One thing that should be remembered that the description doesn’t mention is that Executioners in that day were also healers—as a result of their training and experience in their primary profession, they understood human anatomy to a degree that most people didn’t, so they augmented their income by helping heal others.

It’s interesting little tid-bits like that that’ll keep you reading. But not for trivia, for the history.

Okay, this didn’t resonate with me the way it did with my friends who read this. I didn’t get as invested in Frantz’s story as Lawrence did.

That said, I was fascinated by this. The history of the era. The cultural/political shifts going on—and how that impacted his life/profession were my focus. I could’ve read a lot more about the “criminal justice system” (as much as there was one) described. Well, I like to think I could’ve—but I really needed it tied to Frantz’s story for me to actually stick with it.

And honestly, that’s basically it—I was only mildly interested in Frantz. It was the changing context around him that got me. I do find that strange—I really would’ve thought I cared about the guy and his poor family (don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I didn’t care—but not much—also, I found what the author said about the life of two of his children at the end strangely heartening). But the history—culture, penology, politics, health care, criminology? That material was just great.

The story of one man is gripping (and really, the stuff of novels), as is the look at humans at the time—if you’re looking for either (possibly both), you’re going to relish this book and are going to be so glad that Harrington stumbled onto these journals to bring them to us.

Catch-Up Quick Takes—Books I Enjoyed Probably More Than I Should’ve

By HCNewton

On December 8, 2025

In Audiobook, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

I don’t know what to say about these books—I’m not the target audience for these, and I’m not sure exactly why I tried any of them. But something about them caught my attention and I had a blast with them all. I don’t have a full post about any of them in me, but I have a few things to say. As usual, the point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

On Again, Awkward Again

by Erin Entrada Kelly & Kwame Mbalia, read by Jennifer Aquino & James Fouhey

DETAILS:
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Publication Date: April 15, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 6 hrs., 48 min.
Read Date: September 17-18, 2025

(the official blurb)
It delivers on the premise precisely. It’s sort of a variation on Rowell’s Elenor & Park, but done in a way that probably won’t get anyone annoyed by the depictions of the various ethnicities depicted.

Two geeky kids (in their own ways) who see beyond the geekiness to the great person (not ignoring it, but embracing it and the person exhibiting it). They’re drawn to each other, enjoy each other, and you can’t help but hope for a Happily Ever After (or at least a Happily-‘Til-Graduation).

The narration was great. I really loved the way they brought the characters to life.

3 Stars

I Think I’m in Love with an Alien

by Ann Aguirre, read by Faith Clark & Cary Hite

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: June 17, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 47 min. 
Read Date: July 31-August 5, 2025

(the official blurb)
I’ve read some pretty good UF by Aguirre, and some good SF by her, too (and would’ve finished the series if I hadn’t had trouble finding a book or two at the library). But they were pretty serious—so seeing a Rom-Com with her name on it intrigued me. A Rom-Com with this premise even more so. An alien stranded on Earth meets some friends in an online chat room, develops a crush for one of them, and then they arrange to meet at a con. She’s a bit of a geek, who has a pretty sizable crush on him. Things spark at the con, just as you expect and…

I really liked our female main character and their friends. The alien intrigued me—and I did like him, but I think the narrator kept me from liking him as much as I should’ve—which is odd, because I think he nailed the character.

The story ends up not being as predictable as you’d expect, but it’s sweet. The found-family part of it is terrific. The romance will win you over. There are two occasions that it gets too steamy for me—but I really am a prude about that kind of thing (especially in an audiobook where I can’t just skim a few paragraphs to get past it), and it’s really not that bad (I don’t think).

3 Stars

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science

by Kate McKinnon, read by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, Book #1
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date: October 1, 2024
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 4 hr., 54 min.
Read Date: July 18-21, 2025

Secrets of the Purple Pearl

by Kate McKinnon, read by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, Book #2
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date:  September 30, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 4 hrs., 42 min.
Read Date: October 3-9, 2025

(the official blurb of Book #1) and (the official blurb of Book #2)
Would I enjoy these in print? Yeah—especially the illustrations. But the performance by McKinnon & Lynne make these things you have to listen to. And likely re-listen to.

These are silly, silly, silly adventure novels about three sisters (orphaned and living with unpleasant and demanding relatives) who wind up at The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette because they can’t manage to stay in other schools without being disruptive (by being themselves, not by being disruptive). Sure, their aunt may not truly understand the nature of this school—but that works for the sister’s benefit.

Quibb introduces them to a world of pizza, self-expression, curiosity, mystery, danger—and the chance to save the world from mad scientists.

I cannot say enough good things about these books. The plots are insane, the texts are ridiculous, and the jokes are a great balance of silly enough for children but clever enough for adults. They’re perfect for young or young-at-heart readers (or people who want to be young-at-heart, you will be in that condition while reading them).

4 Stars

I Hope This Finds You Well

by Natalie Sue, read by Nasim Pedrad

DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
Format: Unabridged Audiobooki
Length: 12 hrs., 3 min. 
Read Date: November 21-25, 2024

(the official blurb)
The entire setup for this book makes utterly no sense—and is likely technologically impossible. Suck it up, pretend it can happen. Once that’s done, you can bask in this feel-good, self-improvement story about love, people who shouldn’t interact anyone in public (without a lot of therapy), and friendship.

Jolene’s parents (and the mother’s social circle) are fantastic and add both comedy and heart.

Is the book predictable? Yes, but Natalie Sue may not time events/reveals the way you expect. Does the predictability matter? Nope. It’s the ride. And man, it was a fun one. Dynamite narration, too.

4 Stars

Back After This

by Linda Holmes

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: February 25, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 9 hrs .,12 min.
Read Date: April 30-May 2, 2025

(the official blurb)
I could copy the last paragraph for this one and be done (although I think Holmes times pretty much everything the way you’d expect). But it’s not just about the sweet love story.

Nor is it just about the fantastic dog character (but, yeah, that’s part of it).

It’s the personal/professional journey that Cecily takes and where she lands at the end that really sells this book for me.

3 Stars

Future Boy (Audiobook) by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry: How Marty McFly and Alex P. Keaton Crowded Out Michael J. Fox

By HCNewton

On December 2, 2025

In (Auto)Biography, Audiobook, Non-Fiction

Future Boy:
Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum

by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry

DETAILS:
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: October 14, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 3 hrs., 30 min.
Read Date: TEXT

What’s the Publisher’s Description of Future Boy?

A poignant, heartfelt, and funny memoir about how, in 1985, Michael J. Fox brought to life two iconic roles simultaneously—Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties and Marty McFly in Back to the Future. Read by Michael J. Fox, this program features renowned clips and music from Back to the Future, plus interviews with the cast and crew of these legendary film and TV productions. Hear this amazing true story as only Michael J. Fox can tell it.In early 1985, Michael J. Fox was one of the biggest stars on television. His world was about to get even bigger, but only if he could survive the kind of double duty unheard of in Hollywood. Fox’s days were already dedicated to rehearsing and taping the hit sitcom Family Ties, but then the chance of a lifetime came his way. Soon, he committed his nights to a new time-travel adventure film being directed by Robert Zemeckis and produced by Steven Spielberg—Back to the Future. Sitcom during the day, movie at night—day after day, for months.Fox’s nightly commute from a soundstage at Paramount to the back lot at Universal Studios, from one dream job to another, would become his own space-time continuum. It was in this time portal that Alex P. Keaton handed the baton to Marty McFly while Michael J. Fox tried to catch a few minutes of sleep. Alex’s bravado, Marty’s flair, and Fox’s comedic virtuosity all swirled together to create something truly special.In Future Boy, Fox tells the remarkable story of playing two landmark roles at the same time—a slice of entertainment history that’s never been told. Using new interviews with the cast and crew of both projects, the result is a vividly drawn and eye-opening story of creative achievement by a beloved icon.

The Extras

There were some brief audio excerpts from conversations with some of the people involved in the movie. I think the book faltered there—the excerpts needed to be longer and/or we needed more of them. It really seemed like little audio teases more than anything else.

That said, I enjoyed them—and it’s a great way to do that kind of thing. I just wanted more.

So, what did I think about Future Boy?

As far as the narration goes, age and disease have impacted his voice—but it’s still Fox, and he delivers it well.

This is a fun—and fast—look at a madcap time in Fox’s life with enough of the behind-the-scenes stuff. Fox’s trademark self-deprecation is on display as well.

The only problem with this book is its brevity. Beyond that, I have no complaints—fans of the actor or the film should enjoy this book. I sure did.

3.5 Stars
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Catch-Up Quick Takes — Some Recent Mysteries

By HCNewton

On October 30, 2025

In Audiobook, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these (have another two in the pipeline). This time, I’m looking at a few mystery novels that I just don’t have the time/will to do a “full” post on, as deserving as they are. I recommend all of these, and you’d do well to pick them up in one format or another. As always, the point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Keeper of Lost Causes

by Jussi Adler-Olsen, read by Erik Davies

DETAILS:
Series: Department Q, #1
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: August 23, 2011
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 15 hrs., 36 min.
Read Date: August 22-26, 2025

(the official blurb)
This is a novel about a broken—psychologically, emotionally, and physically—detective obsessed with remaining professionally active. He’s assigned to a new cold case squad and hampered bureaucratically at every turn. Saddled with what seems to be the worst assistant possible (but turns out to be anything but), he starts looking into the cold case surrounding the disappearance of a politician five years ago.

The characters are really well drawn, the story seems to meander a bit—but really never does (something you can only know in retrospect), and the pay-off is really satisfying. I didn’t love it, but I couldn’t stop listening, either.
The accents used by the narrator seem to fade in and out at times—and I wonder what someone from that part of the world would have to say about them (I’m prepared to be informed that [narrator’s name] is a native and this American doesn’t know what he’s talking about).

So obviously, this is significantly different than the adaptation—and in a way that makes me both admire the adaptation more, and realizing the way this was a stronger work, too. (I’m probably more interested in the second series of the show than in the second book, but I’ll probably give it a shot, too.)
3.5 Stars

Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride

by Will Leitch, read by Chris Andrew Ciulla

DETAILS:
Publisher: Harper 
Publication Date: May 20, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hr., 59 min. 
Read Date: August 27-28, 2025

(the official blurb)
This Better Off Dead-influenced Police Procedural didn’t really match my expectations. This is both good (the novel was much more rewarding and emotionally-rich than I’d anticipated), and bad (while definitely amusing and sometimes downright funny, I’d been hoping for more ridiculous humor rather than the grounded stuff the book delivered).

Absolutely worth the time. The most feel-good police procedural I can think of (unless you count Backman’s Anxious People, which I don’t).
3 Stars

Death at the White Hart

by Chris Chibnall, read by Jessica Gunning

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: June 10, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobooks
Length: 9 hrs., 32 min.
Read Date: September 5-9, 2025

(the official blurb)
I have two big take-aways from this book.

Let Chibnall do this kind of thing—murders in a small town without much violent crime.
Keep him away from things like Doctor Who.

This is such a rich book—the setting was fantastic. Chibnall populates this town with a wonderful assortment of characters from several walks of life—and you feel like you get to know them well. The police characters are the kind I’d like to see again (but, I just don’t see a sequel working). The mystery at the book’s heart was so cleverly laid out and the reveal was as good as you could hope for.

There’s a young girl character who will break your heart, and you will want to adopt her. Even if I didn’t so much like the book, I’d have been glad for her storyline alone.

3.5 Stars

The Silver State

by Gabriel Urza

DETAILS:
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: July 8, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 304 pg.
Read Date: September 17-19, 2025

(the official blurb)
Ohhhh, there’s so much to talk about with this one. There’s the discouraging, disheartening, troubling behind-the-scenes at the Public Defender’s Office material. All of which feels so true-to-life that I can only imagine that the reality is worse. What it says about our Criminal Justice System is even worse. The personal story about this one lawyer is pretty stark, too. You hope that things get better for him and his family, too.

Then there’s the murder, the court maneuverings, the way the lawyers’ lives are changed by this. It’s just so…bleak. Wonderfully done—it’s supposed to be bleak, it’s supposed to make you wonder about what we’re doing with criminals/the accused/those defending them right now. The author pulled off what he set out to here, but you’re going to want something light on-deck to read after this.

So why am I covering the book in a quick-take instead of a longer post where I can expand all that? Honestly, I just don’t care enough. That’s not a slight on the book, it’s just my energy levels and picking what I want to invest energy in. I’ll definitely pounce on anything else Urza puts out and recommend you do the same.
3 Stars

The Edge of the Crazies

by Jamie Harrison, read by Justin Price

DETAILS:
Series: Jules Clement, #1
Publisher: Highbridge Company  
Publication Date: November 5, 2024
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 9 hrs., 43 min.
Read Date: September 18-19, 2025

(the official blurb)
This is a very odd book, and hard to pin down. I like that about it, but it’s difficult to talk about. This is possibly the least effective, least qualified, small-town sheriff I can think of. It doesn’t matter how small his community is (still a sprawling metropolis compared to Longmire’s), he really shouldn’t have anything to do with law enforcement. Yet, I really like him—he seems like a decent guy, who’ll probably grow into the job (based on the number of books in the series)—assuming he can stay sober and keep his pants zipped.

The county and its residents…boy howdy. A great setting, that’s going to be rewarding. I don’t know if I have much else to say—maybe after another couple of books in the series.

Entertaining, puzzling, a nice mystery (hidden beneath so many wonderful misleading clues and red herrings), a good cast (decent narrator, too, I should add). Check it out.
3 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

REPOSTING JUST CUZ: I’m Not Sure How to Write About The Blacktongue Thief (Audiobook) by Christopher Buehlman, But I Really Liked It

By HCNewton

On August 14, 2025

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction

It really feels like I should take another crack or three at this before posting. But that’s just not going to happen. I either post this or I dither about for another eight months and give up. So, here it is.

The Blacktongue Thief

by Christopher Buehlman

DETAILS:
Series: Blacktongue, #1
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 12 hr.,  26 min. 
Read Date: January 2-5, 2024

What’s The Blacktongue Thief About?

I don’t know how to answer that question in under 8 single-spaced pages (okay, that’s hyperbole…but it feels honest). Also, this is one of those audiobooks that leaves a listener without a clue how to spell just about everything (for example, I just learned how to spell the main character’s name), so you have to factor into my utter inability to write character/nationality/etc. names to my trepidation about trying to sum it up.

So I’m going to just paste what the publisher’s site says…

Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.

But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.

Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.

Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva’s. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford.

The Narration

(I’m sure I’ve said this before) It can be dangerous for an author to narrate their own book, but when they’re good narrators, they can bring something special to the performance as they understand the book in a way a hired gun never can. Buehlman is one of those authors who should read his own material all the time. He did a bang-up job with the accents, the characters, the comedy, and the drama.

I don’t know how this would come across in the print version—I’m assuming it would somehow—but in the audiobook, Buehlman makes Kinch speak with some sort of Irish accent (probably safer to say it’s more Irish-ish so he can deviate when he wants), which communicates so much about him. You hear that, and you automatically get his strange cynical optimism, the poverty he came from, his odd sense of humor. I don’t know how quickly that would be communicated with some other accent—but it immediately made sense to me. Galva’s accent is very different, and utterly fitting, too. I don’t know if other narrators would’ve made choices like he did to communicate that all so well—but I have to give him kudos for that.

So, what did I think about The Blacktongue Thief?

I can’t really discuss what I think of this book and the various plotlines/characters without spoiling the whole thing. So let’s stick to overall impressions.

Buelhman can create a character that shows up for a few pages—or recurs throughout the whole book—that is so well-drawn that you could imagine them carrying their own novella (at least). The magic system (systems?) are inventive—or at least used inventively—and I can think of several mages from other series that would be in trouble if they tried to cross some of these. The main storyline for Kinch seems locked-in early on, but also it’s pretty clear (I think) that he’s going to diverge from his assignment early. But the way it happens is enough to make you sit up and take notice (and perhaps mumble something like, “Are you sure about this, man?”).

Among the many subplots here is a love story—and I don’t know if I’ll come across one so effective for the rest of the year.*note It’s so sweet, so real. And really strange in the way that only fantasy can pull off.

* Okay, I wrote that sentence before I got too far into Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman a day later, I really shouldn’t make statements like that in January.

By the same token, there’s this rivalry between Kinch and someone he knew in childhood. Their lives took very different paths, and Kinch (somewhat rightly) feels guilt over the way things went—Malk feels a lot of resentment about it (somewhat rightly, entirely understandably). Watching them navigate this reunion in various circumstances is a real treat. There’s some good depth, some believable realism to it—and Beuhlman is able to keep it entertaining.

I don’t want this to sound like it’s a comedy or a light-hearted caper kind of novel. It’s not. There’s a lot of darkness in these pages, a lot of tragedy and bloodshed, there’s some kind of duplicity on almost every page, and absolutely no one comes out of this unscathed. Assuming they come out of this at all. But you will be hooked; you will be invested in these characters; you will be mystified, weirded out, and perhaps a bit grossed-out by the magic; and you will probably want to avoid large bodies of water juuuuust in case one of Beuhlman’s krakens are nearby.*

* I know nobody has happy, shiny krakens full of humor and rainbows. But something about his seemed a degree or two worse.

I picked this up on a whim, mostly out of mild curiosity. But now I have to know what’s coming next.

4 Stars

DNFd—The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne (Audiobook) by Ron Currie, read by Lisa Flanagan: Stopped by a Prologue

By HCNewton

On August 6, 2025

In Audiobook, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne

by Ron Currie, read by NAME

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 37 min.

What Does the Publisher Say about The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne?

A mythic, propulsive novel about the tangled fates of a matriarchal crime family in Maine.

Your ancestors breathe through you. Sometimes, they call for vengeance.

Babs Dionne, proud Franco-American, doting grandmother, and vicious crime matriarch, rules her small town of Waterville, Maine, with an iron fist. She controls the flow of drugs into Little Canada with the help of her loyal lieutenants, girlfriends since they were teenagers, and her eldest daughter, Lori, a Marine vet struggling with addiction.

When a drug kingpin discovers that his numbers are down in the upper northeast, he sends a malevolent force, known only as The Man, to investigate. At the same time, Babs’s youngest daughter, Sis, has gone missing, which doesn’t seem at all like a coincidence. In twenty-four hours, Sis will be found dead, and the whole town will seek shelter from Babs’s wrath.

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne is a crime saga like no other, with a ferocious matriarch at its bruised, beating heart. With sharp wit and profound empathy, award-winning author Ron Currie, delivers an unforgettable novel exploring love, retribution, and the ancestral roots that both nurture and trap us.

A Word about the Narration

My problem with the book had nothing to do with Lisa Flanagan. Her narration wasn’t enough to keep me invested, but I had no problems with what she did.

If anything, the way she slipped back and forth into the occasional French word/phrase was rather adroit and smoother than similar transitions that I’ve heard.

So, Why Did I DNF The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne?

It’s pretty clear that this is a “literary” novel that has to do with a crime family, and not a crime novel that’s so good that it transcends the genre and can be called literary. (let the reader understand that I say these things while holding my nose, rejecting these distinctions, but it does give a pretty good feel for the book.)

I’m not opposed to the former books at all, but as a whole, they don’t grab me the way the latter do. And that’s part of the problem here–also, there was another library hold that became available the same day that appealed to me more–that didn’t help when my attention was wavering. But neither of those is enough to make me DNF it.

But the first 49 +/- minutes of this book (roughly 8%) was the prologue. Again, that’s not a deal breaker for me–it just felt like a slog. Why? Partially, it was a bunch of history about no one we were really given a reason to care about until nearly the end of it.

You couple that with the Prologue being in the second person and it’s just too much. I have a low 2nd-person tolerance. Something in the Second has to be compelling as all get-out and probably brief. I listened to just enough of the first chapter to be pretty sure that it was in the 3rd-person, but by that point, I was just turned off.

I may return to it sometime–now that I know what I’m getting in for, my expectations will be in the right place. But between timing, the long prologue, and an interest-killing 2nd person prologue…it just didn’t work for me–no matter how fine-and-possibly-good the narration was.

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I See You’ve Called in Dead (Audiobook) by John Kenny, Sean Patrick Hopkins: Friendship and Funerals

By HCNewton

On June 23, 2025

In Audiobook, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

I See You’ve Called in Dead

by John Kenney, read by Sean Patrick Hopkins

DETAILS:
Publisher: Zibby Publishing    
Publication Date: April 1, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hrs., 33 min.
Read Date: June 6-9, 2025

What’s I See You’ve Called in Dead About?

One night after a disastrous blind date (oh, and the word disastrous seems inadequate), obituary writer Bud Stanley gets drunk and accidentally publishes his own obituary. This earns him a suspension (once you get to the part where it’s revealed why he can’t be fired, you’ll roll).

During this suspension, he’s inspired to attend the funerals of strangers. He drags his close friend with him to these, and the two of them gain some new perspectives, new insights, etc.

I should add—before the drunken mistake, during the date itself, is when I decided I liked Bud and couldn’t wait to spend seven hours and change with him.

It’s, of course, after he published the greatly exaggerated reports of his own death that Bud finally has the opportunity to learn how to live. Will he take advantage of it?

Is He Maybe Too Perfect?

I’m not talking about Bud here. No one is going to spend more than a half a paragraph before they start finding flaws with him (love the guy…but man, is he a work in progress). But his landlord/friend, Tim, just might be too perfect.

He’s kind. He’s generous. He’s wise. He’s…well, really, you’re going to have to look long and hard for a problem with the character. And that, of course, is hard to swallow for a primary character in a work of fiction. As in life, so in fiction, pobody’s nerfect.

But…and here’s the thing that applies to a lot of Mary/Marty Sues (and I don’t think Tim is one, but he might be their first cousin)—he’s so fun that you get over it. He works as Bud’s Jiminy Cricket as well as the guy he can joke around with. It’s likely that Bud just doesn’t give us a lot of Tim’s flaws in his narration, because he doesn’t see them.

Friendship

Which leads us to one thing (there are others, but this dominates the novel) that Bud seems to be pretty good at, friendship. Sure, frequently being a selfish jackwagon, he’s not great at being a friend—but the bonds he’s made are strong enough that they can take it.

There’s Tim, Bud’s office-mate (a strange friendship, but one that’s deeper than one might think), the friendship between Bud and his editor/boss, and then a sweet friendship with a lonely and eccentric little boy* who lives nearby. Bud may not have figured out how to successfully adult, but he’s assembled a great group of friends to help him navigate through it.

I’ve read/listened to a lot of people (in fiction/non-fiction) talk about how close male friendship has really taken a hit in the current culture—it’s not emphasized, it’s not modeled, and almost never discussed after a certain age. Take or leave that argument, it’s rare enough to see a decent portrayal. Bud has four of them—of various strengths and circumstances. But all are wonderful to watch.

* That kid (his name escapes me, and that bothers me) deserves a book of his own. I need someone like Wesley King, Victoria Willimason, or R.J. Palacio to buy the rights.

What did I think about the narration?

Well, there were a couple of location names that I wondered if Hopkins was pronouncing correctly (he probably was). But beyond that, he nailed the work. He got the humor, he got the heart, he got the…strange mental place that Bud spent most of the book in.

I don’t believe I’ve heard him in action before, but I’d like to.

So, what did I think about I See You’ve Called in Dead?

I assumed this would be a fun read from the premise. I wasn’t prepared for something that would make me care so much.

I did think the humor around the millennial HR employee felt overplayed, and that Kenney should’ve dropped it (or skipped it entirely). There might have been one or two other jokes that he could’ve skipped—but on the whole? Some of the best comedy I’ve encountered this year—and some of the dumbest, too. Bud, Tim, and Tuan (his office-mate) don’t seem to think there’s a joke to dumb to make. I don’t disagree, but I figure I should warn you. They also aren’t afraid of being awfully clever in their jokes as well.

There’s an extended bit in a Greek funeral that Tim and Bud attend, for example, that will make you roll your eyes—and then you’ll end up really loving as it continues.

I haven’t talked about the strange friendship/romance at all between Bud and the woman who starts him attending the funerals of strangers. It’s the kind of quirky thing that filmmakers used to give Zach Braff, Michael Cera, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and the like. But it rarely feels forced, and she’s definitely not manic. I don’t think her storyline is nearly as well-done as the others, but it’s satisfying enough that I’m not going to complain.

And of course—we need to talk about death and life. Bud and his circle spend a lot of time witnessing death and grief—and how it looks for various people. And from that, they all take different lessons about death and what can—and should—come before. Sometimes it feels a little heavy-handed, or rather, it feels like it’s going to be—you can feel the “special episode” atmosphere building. But it typically is delivered subtly and almost seamlessly. Kenney does it the right way.

This is a funny, wise, and heartfelt book—affirming, challenging, and downright entertaining. What’s not to like?