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Down the River Unto the Sea
by Walter Mosley; narrated by Dion Graham
What it's about: Framed by corrupt enemies within the NYPD and forced to serve a decade in prison, PI Joe King Oliver receives a confession from a woman who helped set him up, which compels him to investigate his own case at the same time he assists a black radical journalist who has been wrongly accused of murdering two corrupt cops.
Narration: Dion Graham's rich, smooth voice is a perfect match for Mosely's timely tale of corruption and redemption.
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| The Floating World by C. Morgan Babst; narrated by Christa LewisWhat it's about: As Hurricane Katrina approaches, Creole artisan Joe Boisdoré and his high-society wife flee, while their eldest daughter, Cora, refuses to leave. Six weeks later, Joe and Tess have separated, and Cora is nearly catatonic. When a body is found in the house Cora had sheltered in during the storm, the question morphs from "What happened to Cora?" to "What did Cora do?"
Narration: Narrator Christa Lewis skillfully evokes a devastated and racially divided New Orleans in this complex tale. |
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| The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine; narrated by Suzanne Elise Freeman and Meghan WolfWhat it's about: Amber Patterson wants one thing: to leave behind her poor background and land a wealthy husband -- in this case, Jackson Parrish. The fact that there's already a Mrs. Parrish doesn't bother her too much; she hopes to use Daphne Parrish to get to Jackson.
Is it for you? Fans of the amoral characters in Gone Girl will want to give this debut a try.
Narration: Suzanne Elise Freeman and Meghan Wolf give voice to the dual narratives in this psychological thriller. |
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| Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig; narrated by Kevin R. FreeWhat it is: a sweeping biography of boxer Muhammad Ali, relating his family background, boxing career, the complexities of his celebrity status, and his later life. Author Jonathan Eig also examines political and personal controversies in the context of the 1960s, and draws on previously unavailable sources.
Book buzz: Eig is now working with filmmaker Ken Burns to make a documentary about Ali.
Narration: Read with enthusiasm by Kevin Free. |
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| Righteous: An IQ Novel by Joe Ide; narrated by Sullivan JonesWhat it's about: In this sequel to IQ, Isaiah “IQ” Quintabe continues to examine the circumstances surrounding his beloved brother Marcus' hit-and-run death eight years earlier. And when he and his volatile sidekick, Dodson, head to Sin City to help his ex-girlfriend’s sister, they end up dealing with Chinese gangsters and a formidable loan shark.
Narration: Sullivan Jones' reading will hook anyone looking for a modern, gritty take on Sherlock Holmes. |
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| Hanna Who Fell from the Sky by Christopher Meades; narrated by Caitlin KellyWhat it's about: In her isolated town of Clearhaven, polygamy is the norm, so 17-year-old Hanna has never questioned that on her 18th birthday she'll become the fifth wife to a man three times her age. But a chance meeting with a stranger -- and a revelation from her mother -- has her thinking about other options.
Narration: The melodious, fluid voice of narrator Caitlin Kelly is a good match for this unusual coming-of-age novel, which weaves in elements of magical realism. |
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Pachinko: A Novel
by Min Jin Lee
What it's about: In early 1900s Korea, prized daughter Sunja finds herself pregnant and alone, bringing shame on her family until a young tubercular minister offers to marry her and move with her to Japan, in the saga of one family bound together as their faith and identity are a constant threat to their unwelcoming host nation.
Narration: Allison Hiroto's delivery of this immense saga is gentle, yet confident. She is able to deftly switch from young to old and male to female characters. A tour de force!
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| An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon; narrated by Cherise BootheWhat it's about: Born into slavery aboard the starship Matilda, Aster Grey struggles to survive in a rigidly stratified society ruled by the elite of the upper decks. But Aster's discovery that something is wrong with the ship sets the stage for dramatic transformation -- both personal and political.
Narration: Cherise Boothe is an accomplished stage and television actress who has also twice been a finalist for an Audie Award, making her well-suited for this ambitious debut that tackles weighty topics like race, class, and gender. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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