New Fiction Audiobooks Perfect for Summer Listening

Move aside Revenge! Sabotage has some work to do. Debbie and Phil Tran have everything to lose when their nail salon is threatened by the ultra-glam competition and rising rent prices. But the rest of the family won’t give up that easily. Narrated by a full cast, author Mai Nguyen has proven she can maneuver complicated family dynamics while being lighthearted enough to enjoy by the pool in the sun. 

This combination of Ann Patchett, one of the queens of fiction, and Meryl Streep, the indisputable queen of stage and film, is enough to make us swoon even without the summer heat. Patchett’s poignant story of family dynamics and the different manifestations and motivations of love at different phases of life seems tailor-made for Streep, who adapts her delivery to whatever the emotion or character demands at any given moment: wistful, surprised, strident, amused, poignant and so much more. We’re speculating here, but given the summer theater backdrop of this tale, we think Streep might recognize some of her own past in these characters. This is a contemplative work, which will make you reflect on your own losses and triumphs in love across all seasons of your life. 

Emily Henry + Summer Fiction = Summer Love. We fell in love with Henry’s Book Lovers last summer, and we’ve fallen in love again this summer with Happy Place. The melding of fake dating and the one bed trope, all narrated by the singular voice synonymous with Henry’s books, Julia Whelan. These pieces are perfectly aligned to create our happy place. (Wink. See what we did there—wink!)

Alice Hoffman is at her best when sprinkling our realities with a little magic. Books are a reflection of shared experiences when we feel alone, and Mia Jacob has always felt lonely growing up in an oppressive cult called the Community. Finding The Scarlet Letter becomes her saving grace, as does Nathaniel Hawthorne himself. Don’t forget to read this living legend of an author’s guest blog post in August for an extra dash of magic about this addictive new tale. 

Yes, we admit that we selected this title partly for its summery cover. (After all, the cover stays visible when you listen on the NOOK app, so why not make sure it’s a good one?) But we also recommend it because it’s a quintessential summer indulgence by the prolific Elin Hilderbrand, known as the “queen of beach reads”. The Five-Star Weekend is a story of female friendship, grief, secrets, self-revelation and healing, all played out against the inviting backdrop of Nantucket — but gorgeous sunsets over the ocean don’t preclude conflict and confrontation. Erin Bennett, who earned an Earphones Award for another Hilderbrand favorite, The Hotel Nantucket, expertly voices all six primary characters with the right nuance and emotion needed for each storyline. 

Be sure to read this Gone Girl–type thriller when the sun is shining! Kiersten Modglin is one of our favorite authors to listen to in audio because her abundant twists and turns are even more surprising and scary when read aloud. The Ashleys think they have a happy marriage until they meet someone who seems to know all their secrets. We won’t say more except to warn you to start this page-turner when you have a few hours to spare because, if you’re like us, you’ll absorb it all in one fell swoop. The narrators swap chapters to share Willa and Hudson’s different POVs convincingly, and you quickly realize that you know them better than they know each other. 

We couldn’t be more excited for Elizabeth Acevedo’s adult debut. Acevedo has always tackled the complexity of families with humility and grace, which makes her foray into adult fiction all the more exhilarating. In keeping with the tradition of narrating her own audiobooks, Acevedo is joined by fellow bilingual and slam poets Sixta More and Danyeli Rodriguez del Orbe to give listeners a bustling family saga filled with history and secrets. 

Magical libraries are just… magical. Sure, some of their books might have the ability to kill, but that won’t stop us from settling into an armchair with volume after volume. This story of family secrets and secret organizations vying for power completely captivated us for hours at a time. Narrator Saskia Maarleveld once again delivers a stellar audio performance, navigating various ages and accents for this eclectic group of characters. 

Summer is the perfect time to try new things, so there’s no better time to dip into a debut, and we’ve got a tantalizing one for you. In his guest post, author Alex Hay says, “think Ocean’s Eleven meets Downton Abbey,” and we agree. The Housekeepers is a heist novel with suspense, humor, memorable characters and a setting of Edwardian England, where a group of surprising thieves are motivated by a quest for justice more than anything else. Hay’s story entertains while also delivering pointed messages about the inequities of wealth and power. If any network executives are reading this, please know we’d watch this! Jasmine Blackborow is a British TV and stage actress becoming well-known for her voicework on stories with many characters, and this is a stellar example. We hope our list of recommendations next summer includes a second collaboration from this new dynamic duo. 

Queen of the culinary mystery, Joanne Fluke delivers a mouthwatering summer whodunit, which is 28th in the Hannah Swenson baker-sleuth series. A summer solstice festival, a baseball player victim, over a dozen cookie and dessert recipes perfect for dog day afternoons, and a hot pink book cover place this squarely in the running for most summery book on our list. Golden Voice Narrator Suzanne Toren is back — she captures the idiosyncrasies of Hannah’s midwestern family, friends and neighbors effortlessly — and keeps both the mystery and baking elements of this summer treat moving at a good clip.