Two years ago, I shared a list of 12 Audiobooks So Good You’ll Forget You’re Working. And thankfully since then, I’ve listened to 11 more books that I’ll happily recommend to anyone—several of which are included for free with an Audible subscription…
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I work on DIY renovation projects year-round, and one of the things you’re almost guaranteed to see in every video I share is me wearing headphones. Not only do they protect my ears from loud renovation sounds, but they also let me escape into the world of whatever audiobook I’m listening to… and I listen to a LOT.
If you want something to pass the time on a long road trip or just want to get sucked into a story without keeping your eyes on a screen or physical book, audiobooks are the answer, and the production quality is only getting better with every passing year. So without further ado, here is a list of 11 audiobooks WITH NO SPOILERS in a variety of genres that are sure to reel you in…
1. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Project Hail Mary is an immersive sci-fi space adventure that will suck you in right from the jump. Ray Porter’s narrative performance is excellent, and it’s no wonder that this audiobook has been recommended to me more than ANY other. It’s known for being one of those rare “the book is great, but the audiobook is even better” listens. Even if you don’t like sci-fi, this audiobook is full of interesting science, humor, and heart. I can’t recommend it enough.
2. Mistletoe Murders by Ken Cuperus
If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, especially set around Christmas, look no further than Mistletoe Murders! This is an Audible Originals series, meaning that there is no physical book version… this has been completely scripted for audio and given a full production treatment, like a radio play. Expect a full cast of characters with the leads voiced by Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) and Raymond Ablack (Ginny & Georgia).
The murder mysteries are well-written and difficult to solve, it’s full of humor and romance, and it’s such a good premise that it’s even been adapted into a Hallmark+ series of the same name starring Sarah Drew (Grey’s Anatomy). And the series is also worth watching! Ken Cuperus made a point to put a twist on each mystery so even if you listened to the audiobook, you’ll still be surprised by the show. There are now four seasons of Mistletoe Murders out, included for free with an Audible subscription.
3. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
If you’re a rom-com lover, Just for the Summer is perfect for you. I’ve loved every single Emily Henry book that’s been released, but Abby Jimenez books can be a little hit or miss for me. This book, however, is a great time. Funny, sweet, escapist, but also still grounded in reality, with each of the romantic leads working through family complications. This is the third book in Jimenez’s Part of Your World series, but you don’t need to read the others before this one. Jimenez likes to hire male and female co-narrators to voice her romantic leads, which can also help the audiobook feel more immersive.
4. Oracle 2: The Dreamland Murders by Andrew Pyper
For my psychological thriller fans, I’ve got you covered. Oracle is another Audible Original written just for audio and narrated by Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek). The first audiobook is very good but relies solely on Jackson’s narration. For the second book Oracle 2: The Dreamland Murders, Audible gave it the full production treatment: ensemble cast, original music, and sound effects.
I listened to this in my noise-cancelling headphones while painting a room at night in an otherwise dark empty house, and for the first time ever, I started feeling paranoid. That’s the sign of a good thriller. It’s spooky, creepy, witchy, and doesn’t pull punches with the murders. This is definitely not a cozy mystery, but it is a perfect Halloween listen.
5. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
If you read The Hunger Games books when they first came out or watched the movies, I highly encourage you to seek out Suzanne Collins’ new prequels to the trilogy, especially Sunrise on the Reaping. This book is the second in the prequel series, following The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (which I also recommend) and describes Haymitch Abernathy’s Games, fleshing out the backstory of one of the most interesting and complicated characters in the Hunger Games series.
While technically this book falls in YA because of the age of the protagonist, its subject matter and the quality of writing easily make it feel like adult fiction. Collins’ writing is beautiful, poignant, and even though you may know how his story ends, the journey is worth taking.
6. The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery by John Mankiewicz
Film noir fans… this one is for you. The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery is another Audible Original written just for audio and feels just like an old-school radio play. It has very little narration and relies heavily on dialogue and sound effects, which I found fitting for the genre. And Jack Bergin, the debonair investigator? Voiced by Jon Hamm, of course. And honestly, it’s just a delight to listen to Hamm’s voice in your ear for hours.
7. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
I already recommended Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series in my last roundup, and now he has a new series with a new set of leading characters, with the first book being We Solve Murders. It’s a cozy mystery with thriller elements, and like all of Osman’s books, still humorous and heartfelt. The mystery is twisty-turny and difficult to solve, which I feel is necessary. When I can solve a mystery before the protagonist does, I tend to get impatient and bored. Osman never lets me down.
8. The Witches of New York by Ami McKay
Historical fiction and witchy book lovers, this one is for you. The Witches of New York is a historical fantasy novel set in New York in the 1880s. I loved the story, and it just so happens to be narrated by my favorite audiobook narrator ever, Julia Whelan. She can do no wrong in my opinion, and I actively seek out audiobooks that she narrates. If you like the idea of a witchy suspenseful mystery, look no further. This is also a standalone book, so if you don’t like committing to a full series, this might be a great fit.
9. James by Percival Everett
I was a little hesitant to listen to James, despite all of its critical acclaim and praise, because I wasn’t a huge fan of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn when I had to read it in school. Yes, it was a groundbreaking piece of literature and I can appreciate that, but it still had enough inherent racism in it to make me mad. But James is a balm to that narrative.
Percival Everett rewrites the story of Huck Finn from Jim’s (aka James’) perspective, revealing his inner life and agency. I also have a personal English-major theory that the story structure is influenced by Dante’s The Inferno, but I haven’t seen anyone else make that argument. If you listen and agree… let me know! Oh, and yeah, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2024. So it’s pretty dang good.
10. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Like I mentioned before, I’m a big fan of everything Emily Henry writes. Not only because I think she’s the most talented romance author writing right now, but also because she consistently hires my queen Julia Whelan to narrate her audiobooks. Great Big Beautiful Life almost feels like Henry’s answer to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which I included in my first audiobooks roundup, because it follows two journalists competing to write a famous reclusive heiress’s memoir. So along with romance, you also get to uncover the mysteries of her past.
11. Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions
Okay, I’m going to lump these under one recommendation, which doesn’t seem quite fair because each audiobook is a work of art in itself. If you’re a fan of the books or movies, listening to one of the Harry Potter: Full-Cast Audio Editions is like listening to an unabridged movie. Think dozens of hours of being immersed in the Wizarding World. Millennials, rejoice!
If you stick around through the credits at the end of each book, they go on for ages. Audible spent money making these, and it shows. The casting is spot on, there’s original music and sound effects, and it’s just SO immersive and magical. It’s kind of weird to hear Mr. Darcy voice Voldemort, but you know what… it works.
I hope you find some audiobooks you love in here! Please let me know in the comments if you have more recommendations for me. I’m always on the hunt for my next favorite listen!
