Please can I have your audiobook recommendations?

[EmailsaysOOO]

Please can you suggest an audiobook? I'm after fiction, something with a good plot and interesting characters and not written too long ago. None of the classics. Otherwise, open to all ideas.

As some background, my employer last month sent me a 6 month audible subscription. I've found my way round the website but not sure what to choose. Not sure if I'm going to come across as grumpy, hope not.
The first book I downloaded- Theo Of Golden - I'm going to give up. So boring. I'm having chemo treatment for cancer so maybe that's affecting my patience. If it's not gripped me by the end of chapter two then it won't be worth it. I'm meeting up with the lady from HR who arranged it next week so hoping to get something really enjpyable. No pressure !

The Bee Sting. Narrator is great. Not a happy story, mind you

I prefer St Mary’s. And you forgot Smallhope & Pennyroyal!

OP, The Chronicles of St Mary’s by Jodi Taylor are fabulous - start with those, then the Time Police books, then The Ballad of Smallhope & Pennyroyal.

The Wolf Hall trilogy narrated by Ben Miles. I don't normally do historical fiction but this was utterly compelling.

The Adventure of English, The Biography of a Language by Melvyn Bragg narrated by Robert Powell. Fascinating if you're interested in language.

This is Not a Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan narrated by Fiona Button

I've listened to lots of novels but none of them (apart from Wolf Hall) have stayed with me the way these have.

Came on to say The Women by Kristin Hannah was fabulous

Yes I third The Women. Also another one where I loved the story and the narrator was ‘The Giver of Stars’ by Jojo Moyes

Totally agree, I love the Slow Horses books, hate the narrator. Not overly fond of the Nigel Planer Discworld ones(cmot Dibbler does not need a Yiddish accent and the witches are all wrong)
If you like crime, don't mind gore and like a bit of black humour-Stuart MacBride is your man.

The Correspondent is good, lovely narrator x

Oh and sadly, Bob Mortimer, whilst being generally hysterical, adds nothing to his own books. Sorry Bob.

It's weird I find Bob very funny but I found the books so dull. It was all about being quirky for the sake of being quirky.

I agree! For Rivers of London and particularly for Koban Holbrook-Smith. He narrates The Romantic by William Boyd which is another favourite for me. Anything by William Boyd translates well to audio book.

I also love The 'Tilly and Poe' crime series by MW Craven - brilliant on Audible.

For easy listens, Graham Norton'e books are read by him and you get swept into the story.

Agree.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
Strange Sally Diamond
The Detective Dan Riley series

Eleanor Oliphant is one of my favourite books too and I’ve enjoyed all the free Detective Dan audiobooks. Liz Nugent’s Skin Deep is my favourite audiobook of hers.

OP, Sally Hepworth and Alice Feeny books are all pretty good to listen to.

My favourite narrators are Richard Armitage and Jonathan Keeble. I’d happily listen to them narrating from now until forever if I could!

the DCI Ryan mysteries by LJ Ross- read by Jonathan Keeble
Jackman & Evans series by Joy Ellis- read by Richard Armitage
Full cast versions of all the Harry Potter books

ive just started The echoes of the past series by Irina Shapiro- currently free, and I’m really enjoying them. Not my usual cup of tea but these have grabbed my imagination.

The DCI Logan books by JD Kirk, narrated by Angus King. Tartan crime, tense, extremely funny in parts, very Scottish and Olympic levels of creative swearing. Highly recommended.

Oh! I've just finished Theo of Golden and LOVED it!
Just goes to show it takes all sorts!

How about Just One damned thing after another by Jodi Taylor, narrated by Zara Ramm.
First book in the St Mary's chronicles.

Oh and also agree with the St Mary's/Time Police books of Jodi Taylor.

Hamnet was really good on audiobook - beautifully narrated by the actress from the film.

I listened to “Again, Rachel” by Marianne Keyes. I really enjoyed that. She narrates it herself.

So many, but remember, if a book isn't for you then you can return it and get your credit back!

I did the free ones too. Think I’ve listened to 5,6,7,8,9. Now have gone back and am using credits. No. 1 was strange cause he didn’t really sound like “him” yet. Like he hadn’t fully become the character that we knew from later books.

I usually listen to books by JoJo Moyes, Lisa Jewell, Louise Candlish & Claire Douglas. I second Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, so well read.

Another recommendation for the Rivers of London series. I never read sci fi / fantasy / whatever genre it is but I really loved them. Narrator is so good!

I also recently really enjoyed Craftland by James Fox which is non fiction about our vanishing rural crafts. It was so good that I listened to it then immediately bought the book and re read it. I have never done that before.

Agree with Project Hail Mary.

Also enjoyed Bob Mortimer's books, he narrates them himself, Stuart Macbride's The Dead of Winter, Matt Haig's The Midnight Library.

I also loved these. The narration was great.

Recently I have enjoyed:

The Names
Nesting
Broken Country
The Correspondent

right now I am onto the Calamity Club and enjoying it so far.