Tag: Audiobooks Page 1 of 23

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 Non-Fiction Books of 2025

By HCNewton

On January 7, 2026

In (Auto)Biography, History, News/Misc., Non-Fiction

My 2025 Wrap-up continues and now we’re on to the Non-Fiction list. While I liked a number of works that didn’t make this list, I felt strange calling them a “favorite.” These are the ones that stuck with me through the year; the ones I cited in conversation; that I thought about when reading something else or watching something on TV. Yeah, there’s some overlap between this list and the audiobook list from yesterday—lately, most Non-Fiction books I work through are in audiobook format. So it makes sense, even if it makes this post seem like an echo.

As always, I only put books that I’ve read for the first time on this list. I don’t typically return to NF books (outside of looking up things for one or three points), but occasionally I do—for example, The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs would get a permanent spot on this list, were it not for this rule.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Algospeak:
How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language

by Adam Aleksic

My original post
Language in general—but English particularly—is a constantly-changing thing, and these changes are happening faster and faster all the time. Algospeak is a great look at the hows and whys of a lot of the current evolutionary processes. It is about more than language—it’s also about how the Internet changes the way we think and express ourselves in general. And therefore, how society changes (which leads to Internet changes, and other circle-of-life things).

Aleksic has obvious expertise and passion for the subject (look at just one of his videos). He’s also active in these areas. It’s a great read, informative and entertaining. Hard to ask for more.

Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass—How I Went 77 Years Without Growing Up

by Dave Barry

My original post
It comes as no surprise to any that I loved a Dave Barry book. It takes something pretty lackluster by him to get that reaction (and he doesn’t do that often–but I can prove it if you want). But this is something else–it’s insightful, it’s touching, it’s (seemingly) honest, and human. It’s a look at his childhood, his professional humorist origin story, and then scattered accounts of some of the very strange things that his profession has let him do.

I don’t say this about many authors–but I really don’t know that I’ve wondered anything about Barry’s personal life. But now that I know? I am more than happy to get some understanding about it. Does it necessarily help me understand his work better? No (but we’ll see the next time I take up his work, I guess). But it makes me like Barry the person a bit more.

Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations

by Alton Brown

Like any good fan of a TV show/personality, I like to know how they got started, how the show was developed, etc. Brown talks about how he got into food education media–and it’s not really how you’d expect. How he moved on from Good Eats to other things. There’s some great stuff about his education. But perhaps the most rewarding portion of the book is his musing and observations on the place of food/eating to human society (writ large or on an individual level).

Really, there’s so little to not appreciate from this book. Alton Brown has spent decades thinking and writing about food. This is the result of all that.

Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It

by Cory Doctorow

I don’t know how to talk about Doctorow’s screed against Big Tech, the policies that led to these platforms that have taken over the internet and made it less-good than it used to be. Even that sentence is not a great way to talk about the book. The book wowed me. I wouldn’t say it radicalized me on some of this, but I sort of wish it did. The Ressa book below really struck me as a giant proof for Doctorow’s case (good idea to read the two of them around the same time). It’s a great–and terrifying–read.

Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection

by John Green

I never imagined I would appreciate a book about an infectious disease. And despite all the good things I heard about this book, I didn’t rush to pick it up. But I’m so glad I did.

First of all, you could probably pick any number of things to use in place of Tuberculosis to trace human history, seemingly at major turning points and shaping societal developments. Say…bread, or writing, or…I dunno this is a sentence I regret starting. But from a certain point of view–you can buy the theory posited at the beginning of this book, that Tuberculosis shaped human history.

Green talks about the treatments that have been tried (and failed), the way it impacted population sizes, the devastation it’s left in it’s wake, and how things are going in the battle against the disease now. Interwoven with these is the story of one particular patient in Sierra Leone that Green met years ago. We follow his personal struggle–ups, downs, way downs, and more.

Green can relate these facts–even the bleak ones–in an engaging way that will stick with the reader. But then he drives it home and makes it gets you emotionally involved through the patient’s story.

You just can’t help but being taken in by the book and it’ll leave a lasting impression.

Killer Conversations with Rex Stout and John McAleer

My original post
Granted, there is a very limited audience for this kind of thing. But for that audience (and I’m part of it), this is catnip.

These snippets of conversations between Rex Stout and his biographer and friend are just wonderful. Quick back and forths on any number of topics–life, death, love, reputation, writing, Stout’s characters, his career, and more–it’s fun to read. It’s fun to think about. You’ll wish you were half as clever as Stout.

Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words

by John McWhorter

So, sure–this looks like it’s nothing but a screed on one side or the other about the problem we’re having with third-person pronouns the a socio-political front in English. And, yes, it is about that, (but only from a linguistic point of view), but there’s more to it. There’s also that pesky second-person plural.

Like in his book, Nine Nasty Words, McWhorter gives a quick look at the history of English pronouns one at a time–looking at various forms, usages, spellings, and assorted trivia. When appropriate, the then talks about some of the contemporary challenges and controversies with them.

Completely entertaining–McWhorter’s a great narrator–and very educating. I heartily commend this to you (no matter what you think of using “they” for the third-person singular).

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

by Maria Ressa, read by Maria Ressa & Rebecca Mozo

Maria Ressa’s story is fascinating. It’s just that simple. I mean, you rarely find a Nobel Peace Prize recipient without an interesting backstory of some sort.

Like I said above, when you add this to Doctorow’s book and you see how everything he said is entirely possible and how it can work against someone.

There’s, of course, more than just Ressa’s story and struggles reflected here. There’s a call to action, a call to do the necessary work, and a call to hope, when it comes to oppressive governments or platforms.

Are Women Human?

by Dorothy L. Sayers

These are two essays by Sayers on the subject of women in society–with a particular look at academia. They are pointed, clear, and witty.

I’m not sure what else to say, really.

Robert E. Lee and Me:
A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause

by Ty Seidule

My original post

This is a powerful read. This very-Southern, Lost Cause adherent, West Point history professor starts looking at what he’d been raised believing, and the systemic racism of the culture he’d been raised in. The book then recounts example after example after example of the racism everywhere and the excuses made for covering up the treason of the Confederacy everywhere, including the U.S. Army–the army he left and fought against.

I thought Seifert made a compelling case in an engaging read that will stick with you for a long time.

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.

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?