There are stories you hear, listen, or read that are classics. Whether you experience them in a classroom, from your parents, or find them on your own, these tales of adventure, romance, deception, and intrigue can stay with you forever. Naturally, it’s a whole lot of fun to see that story in a new light by diving into a retelling. Read more
by Juliette Koronkiewicz
When living on Long Island, there isn’t much more you want to do than sit on the beach all weekend. The smell of the Atlantic, the heat from the sun on your skin, and my favorite beach chair are all I need. Correction: I also need something playing through my airpods. It’s my mini weekend getaway filled with history, teenage angst, and crime.
True crime + history = audiobook heaven! If you’re a fan of the Jazz Age, then The Ghosts of Eden Park is the Bee’s Knees! It takes place during the early Prohibition Era, when a man named George Remus sets out to become an entrepreneur and leaves behind a career in law. He later gets named the “King of the Bootleggers,” due to his Gatsby-esque events—and owning 35 percent of the liquor in the United States. But when the prosecutor is determined to take him down, there’s only one way this is going to end—murder. Not only is this nonfiction audiobook filled with history, but you’ll get engrossed in the betrayals and madness that surrounds Remus.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
My taste in music is all over the place. One minute I’m listening to hits from the 50s & 60s, then it’s Broadway tunes, and then I’m sliding Biggie Smalls into the mix. But my recent go-to has been the soundtrack to William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet. I mean who doesn’t love a young Leo? This is the ultimate film soundtrack and the 90s mixed tape that everyone wishes they received from their high school crush. Mixed with alternative rock and beautiful love ballads, this is as 90s as choker necklaces and butterfly clips.
The Man In The Window: The Golden State Killer Podcast
If you’re a true crime junkie and looking for a good scare, Man in the Window: The Golden State Killer will have you thinking twice before looking out the window at night! He’s “accused of 13 murders and suspected of some 225 other home invasions… from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s.” The Los Angeles Times interviewed family, friends, victims, and detectives to piece together and attempt to understand what drove The Golden State Killer. I can guarantee it will be almost impossible to get the killer’s voice out of your head.
For more Penguin Random House Audio staff picks, check out our archive!
Do you feel like your summer has disappeared with the hustle and bustle of your busy life? Read more
The deep relationship between sisters makes incredibly moving, thoughtful, and exciting stories in the hands of talented writers and narrators. From uncovering long-buried secrets and confronting childhood slights to reveling in the support and love sisters share, you’ll want to press play on each of these audiobooks. Read more
What is it about the second half of summer that makes us feel nostalgic? Perhaps it’s the barrage of back-to-school reminders, or the sounds of ice cream trucks and children at the playground…but all we want to do is savor the sunshine and listen to audiobooks that make us feel happy. Sophie Kinsella’s books are the perfect treat. Or as narrator Fiona Hardingham shares, “it’s like being with an old friend.” Hear more from Fiona about Kinsella’s latest audio adventure Read more
Erin A. Craig’s House of Salt and Sorrows is a fairytale-inspired young adult novel that is read brilliantly by narrator Emily Lawrence. Read more
From stage to screen, actor Fred Sanders has brought countless characters to life. His work, however, isn’t just on a stage or in front of a camera; his voice has also brought a multitude of nuanced characters and stories to life via audiobook narration. And, that’s just what he does with his latest project. Read more
Do you have a short commute? Only take a 15 minute lunch break? Have 5 minutes to kill and don’t want to look awkward while you wait to meet up with a friend? There’s an audiobook for that.
Combing through history you’ll find events, people, and moments that are so compelling and important that they inspire great stories to be told. And we love listening to them! Read more
In her fourth novel, Very Nice, Marcy Dermansky deftly traverses our cultural landscape of identity, art, and politics. Read more