Here we are in 2024, a few months in, and it feels like the right time to pause and appreciate the simple joys that make life richer—like getting lost in a good story. This year has already given us some fantastic listens, and it’s exciting to share our picks for the best audiobooks 2024 so far.
With a little help from our friends at Libro.fm and the network of independent bookstores they partner with, we’ve pulled together a list that’s as diverse as it is captivating. If you haven’t checked out Libro.fm yet, it’s a great time to do so. They’re unique in how they support local bookshops, sharing profits to help keep our beloved reading havens alive and well (read our Libro.fm review).
From edge-of-your-seat thrillers to soul-stirring narratives, our selections offer something for every kind of listener. So, find your coziest chair, pop in your earbuds, and let’s dive into the stories that have made the early part of 2024 unforgettable.
Listen for the Lie
By Amy Tintera. Narrated by January LaVoy & Will Damron.
Bookseller recommendation:
“A twisty thriller with an unreliable narrator who conveniently can’t remember whether she’s the one who murdered her best friend five years ago. You might think you’ve read this before – but not like this. The characters really make this story, with Lucy’s snark and dry wit making me laugh out loud multiple times (and her grandma is the best). Come for the mystery and stay for the small-town drama; you won’t be disappointed.” – Melissa, Fiction Addiction
Anita de Monte Laughs Last
By Xochitl Gonzalez. Narrated by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg & Stacy Gonzalez.
Bookseller recommendation:
“Xochitl Gonzalez does it again! I was completely blown away by Anita de Monte Laughs Last – I learned that this incredible book is based on a real-life Cuban American artist who everyone should know about! I loved the dual timelines telling Anita’s story alternating with Raquel’s. An art history student in the 1990s, Raquel is a Latinx woman trying to make her way through a white man’s world. When she finds her voice, she is formidable! The audiobook narration is perfection and I appreciated the extra emotion and heart the narrators brought to the story. I cannot get over how brilliant this book is, and I can’t wait for everyone to read it!” – Kate, Bookmarks
Come and Get It
By Kiley Reid. Narrated by Nicole Lewis.
Bookseller recommendation:
“Kiley Reid again delivers an expert study of race, class, and money- this time set against the backdrop of residential life at the University of Arkansas. She examines where adulthood begins, and the very grey area between right and wrong. The audiobook is superbly narrated.” – Kelli, The Novel Neighbor
The Women
By Kristin Hannah. Narrated by Julia Whelan & Kristin Hannah.
Bookseller recommendation:
“This book wrecked me. Julia Whelan’s narration is compassionate, loving, and dramatic – as always. Kristin Hannah is an author who has a true gift for telling women’s stories and The Women is, arguably, her best work. I grew up in an era of children whose parents served in Vietnam (my parents didn’t, but my uncle did) and I will never know what those men and women endured, but thanks to Kristin’s gorgeous story I was transported back into the years of the war and the years after the war and it helped me understand. Bravo to Kristin for telling this story to make sure that their stories aren’t lost to history. This is a book that is REAL and raw and important – and beautiful.” – Jennifer, The Bookstore at Fitger’s
James
By Percival Everett. Narrated by Dominic Hoffman.
Bookseller recommendation:
“It is rare to find a book that is a retelling of a known story and wholly original, but Percival Everett is able to do that with James. By shifting the narrator from Huckleberry Finn to James (known previously only as “Jim”), Everett doesn’t only refocus the point of view of the events, but he is able to refocus the reader’s attention away from the childhood adventure games to a story that is about the dire straights of a runaway enslaved individual…At the core of James is an exploration of how code switching takes its tolls even while allowing for independence in certain situations. Beyond the ‘slave talk’ that is continually upended throughout the book, every character has some example of how they must code switch (internally or externally) in order to survive – be it deceiving oneself of their own participation with slavery or how fighting a war for a side that is ostensibly against slavery is, at its core, not about freeing enslaved people. Ultimately the question that Everett leaves his readers with is: is universal freedom possible? – Jesse, Odyssey Bookshop
The Great Divide
By Cristina Henriquez. Narrated by Robin Miles.
Bookseller recommendation:
“One of the most beautifully narrated books I have ever listened to! The Great Divide takes place in Panama, around the building of the canal. Featuring several characters with different story lines, this is a fascinating look at the building of the canal from the points of view of the Panamanian people, and the people that traveled there to find work on the canal.” – Mary, Skylark Bookshop
The Fury
By Alex Michaelides. Narrated by Alex Jennings.
Bookseller recommendation:
“The Fury is a perfectly paced, charming, devious mystery novel to fall in love with. On a small, private, Greek island, mythology, history, and personal baggage put our small cast to the test. Intense, captivating, and satisfying.” – Becky Doherty, Northshire Bookstore
It’s clear the best audiobooks of 2024 have already given us a lot to think about, feel, and discuss. They’ve brought stories to life in a way that’s both personal and universal, thanks to some truly talented authors and narrators. So, whether you’re in it for the thrill, the laughs, the tears, or the insight, this year’s top picks are sure to have something that will catch your ear and maybe even change your heart.
What are your best listens of 2024 so far? Please let me know in the comments section below.
