This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.
I love audiobooks. I am a busy working mom of four, and audiobooks make it possible for me to read a lot more books than I would be able to get through if I just waited for time to sit down and read.
That being said, not all audiobooks are created equal. I’ve listened to plenty of audiobooks that are mostly meh and some that are just awful. (If you know, you know.)
But I’ve also listened to several audiobooks that are so good, I wish I could go back and have that experience again for the first time.
I know it can sometimes be frustrating trying to find books that are great on audio, which is why I put together this list of the best audiobooks.
A good narrator can’t make a bad story good, but they can make a good story come alive. That’s the case with all of the books on this list.
I wanted to provide a good, long list that covers lots of different genres, so you would be sure to find something that would interest you. I’ve broken up the list by genre to make it easier to find the books that will likely appeal to you the most. That being said, you really can’t go wrong with any of the books on this list.
Every book on this list is an audiobook that I have personally listened to and loved.
If you’ve ever wondered if listening to audiobooks is the same as reading, check out this in-depth blog post I wrote on the subject.
(I will keep this list updated as new audiobooks make the cut, so bookmark this page so you know where to go next time you’re looking for a great book on audio.)
Happy listening!
Classic Literature Audiobooks
If you are intimidated by classic literature, listening to these books on audio can be a great way to make them easier to digest.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Whenever someone asks me for a book that is great on audio, this is the first book I always recommend. Not only is it one of my all-time favorite books, but Rosamund Pike’s reading of this book is so good that you will have a newfound respect for Pike’s acting abilities. If I didn’t know better, I would think that it was done with a full cast. Her ability to make her voice sound like Elizabeth Bennet one minute and then an old man the next minute is truly remarkable. She makes this book come alive. However, you can only get her rendition of Pride and Prejudice through the Audible app because it is one of their exclusive recordings. But I promise it is worth it. (I’ve included links to other versions on Libro.fm and Chirp if you don’t have an Audible account.)
Note: If you don’t already have an Audible account, they often have really good deals for new members. At the time of this writing, they have a deal where you can get the first 3 months for $0.99.
- Publication Year: 1813
- Length: 11 hours 35 minutes
- Narrator: Rosamund Pike
Where to Buy:
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables is obviously one of the best books ever written, and I really love this rendition by actress Rachel McAdams. I think she does a great job of capturing all of Anne’s wild emotions and the other characters as well. Anne of Green Gables tells the story of a 12-year-old girl who comes to live with a brother and sister on Prince Edward Island. While they were expecting a boy, they decided to embrace Anne and adopt her. In many ways, they needed her as much as she needed them. This one is only available from Audible. (I’ve included links to other versions on Libro.fm and Chirp if you don’t have an Audible account.)
- Publication Year:
- Length: 9 hours 22 minutes
- Narrator: Rachel McAdams
Where to Buy:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
There’s a reason why so many consider To Kill a Mockingbird the Great American Novel. If you haven’t read it, definitely put it on your TBR. I finally re-read it as an adult just last year, after only ever reading it in the 10th grade. (I don’t know about you, but I hardly remember the books I read in high school.) I now get why people literally name their children after Atticus Finch. He is definitely one of the best literary characters ever written. I listened to the version read by actress Sissy Spacek, and I thought it was excellent.
- Publication Year:
- Length: 12 hours 17 minutes
- Narrator: Sissy Spacek
Where to Buy:
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
If you are ever looking for a quick and fun listen, listen to Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. I really enjoyed the version read by Stephen Fry, who is both a popular author and audiobook narrator. Pygmalion is actually a play, which is why it works so well in this format. You may know this story from the movie My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn. Language expert Professor Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can transform a poor girl, Eliza Doolittle, by teaching her to speak and act like a duchess. After he succeeds, Eliza feels lost about her future because she no longer fits in with her old life but isn’t truly accepted by the upper class. In Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a sculptor who decided to create the perfect woman. Aphrodite made her come to life, and Pygmalion married her.
- Publication Year:
- Length: 2 hours 38 minutes
- Narrator: Stephen Fry
Where to Buy:
Contemporary Fiction Audiobooks
We All Live Here by JoJo Moyes
I’m a sucker for a good British narrator, and I thought this story was great on audio. Lila’s life is a disaster. Her husband just traded her in for the local bombshell, her mother has passed away, she’s juggling parenting her two daughters, and her well-meaning but unwelcome stepfather has officially moved in. Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse, her long-absent biological father, who is also a famous American actor, shows up on her doorstep. Now, this writer has to somehow channel all the angst, humor, and found-family chaos into a manuscript for a book she hasn’t even started yet. Oh, and did I mention that she’s slowly starting to entertain the idea of dating? Great if you’re in the mood for a lighter read with a decent amount of depth.
- Publication Year: 2025
- Length: 12 hours 38 minutes
- Narrator: Jenna Coleman
Where to Buy:
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
If you are in the mood for something with a bit of humor, check out The Husbands. Lauren is a single woman living in London who gets a huge surprise when she comes home one night to find a man named Michael claiming to be her husband, even though she’s never met him. When Michael goes into the attic, he vanishes, and a different husband comes down, along with a slightly altered version of her life. Lauren soon learns her attic is a magical machine that offers her an endless supply of husbands and parallel lives. Is there a “perfect” husband out there? If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, when do you stop looking for something better and just start living the life you have? It’s a funny, strange story that makes you think about relationships and all the possibilities in life. This one also has a great British narrator who brings the book to life.
- Publication Year: 2024
- Length: 10 hours 30 minutes
- Narrator: Miranda Raison
Where to Buy:
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Elizabeth Acevedo writes YA novels in free verse. She is also a free verse performer. Because of this, she actually reads her own books, and they are so good in this format. Her books are engaging stories that are beautifully written. The Poet X tells the story of Xiomara, who lives in Harlem with her strict Catholic parents. She starts writing poetry as a way to express her feelings about her crush, her family drama, and figuring out who she is. When she joins a poetry club at school, she finally finds her voice and the courage to stand up for herself. While I don’t always enjoy YA novels, I really enjoy Acevedo’s.
- Publication Year: 2018
- Length: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Narrator: Elizabeth Acevedo
Where to Buy:
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
I think this is the first novel of Acevedo’s that I read. Just like The Poet X, this one is also excellent. With the Fire on High follows Emoni, a teen mom in Philadelphia who has a gift for cooking and dreams of becoming a chef, but she’s struggling to balance raising her daughter, school, and helping her abuela with money. When she gets a chance to join her culinary class on a trip to Spain, she has to figure out how to chase her dreams while still taking care of her family and dealing with a new romance. You will be rooting for Emoni.
- Publication Year: 2019
- Length: 7 hours 27 minutes
- Narrator: Elizabeth Acevedo
Where to Buy:
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Yes. All of Acevedo’s novels deserve to be on this list. Clap When You Land tells the story of two girls in the Dominican Republic and in New York who discover they’re sisters after their dad dies in a plane crash, even though neither knew the other existed. The book follows them as they deal with their grief, anger about their father’s secret double life, and slowly build a relationship with each other across the distance between their two very different worlds. This story is inspired by American Airlines Flight 587, which crashed in Queens, New York, in November 2001, just two months after 9/11. The plane was heading to the Dominican Republic when it went down, killing many Dominican Americans who were traveling between New York and the island, which really shook both communities. In this fictional story, the two girls’ father is killed in that plane crash.
- Publication Year: 2020
- Length: 5 hours 32 minutes
- Narrator: Elizabeth Acevedo
Where to Buy:
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
Julia Whelan is a very popular audiobook narrator who has read books by authors such as Emily Henry and Taylor Jenkins Reid. She’s also an author of two books, and this one is my favorite. My Oxford Year is about Ella, an American woman who goes to Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar for a year to study. She ends up falling hard for Jamie, who is one of her instructors. Their romance gets complicated when a heartbreaking secret comes out that changes everything, and they have to figure out if love is enough to get them through the tough stuff life throws at them. Netflix did a movie based on this book that’s worth watching, but it’s not as good as the book.
- Publication Year: 2018
- Length: 9 hours 58 minutes
- Narrator: Julia Whelan
Where to Buy:
Historical Fiction Audiobooks
James by Percival Everett
This is a super interesting book, and the audio version is excellent. James is a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain from the perspective of Jim, a runaway slave who becomes Finn’s companion when they both escape down the Mississippi River. James offers an interesting take on slave culture, along with some surprising twists and turns. If you haven’t read Huckleberry Finn yet, I would definitely read that book first, or a lot of this book won’t make sense. Huck Finn is one of my all-time favorite books, so I was super excited to read James. (If you are intimidated by Huck Finn, it happens to be one of the books on my list of easy-to-read classics.)
- Publication Year: 2024
- Length: 7 hours 49 minutes
- Narrator: Dominic Hoffman
Where to Buy:
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
This was one of my favorite books of 2024, and I thought it was great on audio. When the book opens, it’s 1972, and construction workers find a skeleton at the bottom of a well, revealing a deep, long-hidden secret about a community that protected a deaf, orphaned boy in the 1930s. The story weaves together the lives of the people who ran the little grocery store, the struggles they faced, and how they banded together to keep a terrible injustice hidden and look out for one another. It’s a tale of secrets, community, and the surprising ways people find kindness in difficult times. I loved all of the characters in this book and how real they come across.
- Publication Year: 2023
- Length: 12 hours 21 minutes
- Narrator: Dominic Hoffman
Where to Buy:
If I Were You by Lynn Austin
I think this is an underrated historical fiction book that more people should read. If you enjoy authors such as Kristin Hannah, I think Lynn Austin might be better. (Listen to this one and let me know what you think.) This was another fave from 2024, and probably one of my all-time favorite historical fiction novels. If I Were You is an epic novel set against the backdrop of World War II England, following the intense and complicated friendship between two polar opposites: Audrey Clarkson, a shy aristocrat, and Eve Dawson, the bold daughter of a maid. The story, framed by a mysterious encounter in 1950s America where Eve is impersonating Audrey, traces their lives from childhood through the war. It’s a tale of survival, envy, forgiveness, and faith that plunges the reader into the challenges of wartime London. The pre-war part of this novel totally gave me Downton Abbey vibes.
- Publication Year: 2020
- Length: 13 hours 35 minutes
- Narrator: Sarah Zimmerman
Where to Buy:
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
Do you ever make an assumption about what you think a book is about based on its title and cover, and turn out to be totally wrong? That was the case for me with this book. I totally thought this book was a summer read that mostly takes place at the beach, but I was totally wrong. Yes, part of it does take place on the coast in Spain and the coast in England, but that’s like a tenth of the story, if even that. In fact, about a quarter of the way through the book, the story takes us back to the beginning of World War 2 and reads like a historical fiction novel. (Which is why I put it in this category.) The Shell Seekers tells the story of Penelope Keeling, now an older woman, who is in possession of several highly valuable paintings by her artist father, one of which is titled “The Shell Seekers.” Two of her three children only see dollar signs, but as the story unfolds, we start to learn that the value these paintings have for Penelope is something money can’t buy. I loved this story and loved Penelope! This is my second Pilcher book, and I loved both.
- Publication Year: 1987
- Length: 19 hours 26 minutes
- Narrator: Hayley Atwell
Where to Buy:
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I’m convinced this book was written to be an audiobook. Whenever I see someone buying the physical book, I want to tell them to listen to the audiobook. This book reads like a fake documentary about a fictional ’70s rock band inspired by Fleetwood Mac. (Imagine reading the transcript from a documentary. It just wouldn’t be as good.) What really helps this audiobook come alive is that it is performed by a full cast. I know full casts have become more common, but when this book was released in 2019, it wasn’t. (After you listen to the audiobook, go watch the series on Prime Video. I thought it was well-done.)
- Publication Year: 2019
- Length: 9 hours 3 minutes
- Narrator: Jennifer Beals, Benjamin Bratt, Judy Greer, Pablo Schreiber
Where to Buy:
Literary Fiction Audiobooks
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This is a very popular book, but the best way to read it is to listen to it. Remarkably Bright Creatures tells the story of an unlikely friendship between Tova, a lonely widow who cleans an aquarium, and Marcellus, a super-smart giant Pacific octopus who lives there. In the audio version, Marcellus gets his own voice actor, who does a great job of capturing this character’s humor. Initially, Marcellus almost seems like the comic relief of the story, but as the story unfolds, we learn there is a lot more going on with him. This turns out to be a sweet story of friendship and healing. If you are looking for a heartwarming read with an older protagonist, definitely pick this one up. So good!
- Publication Year: 2022
- Length: 11 hours 16 minutes
- Narrator: Marin Ireland
Where to Buy:
The People We Keep by Allison Larkin
This is another book read by Julia Whelan that I really enjoyed. April isn’t exactly an orphan because her dad is still alive, but she is so neglected that she knows she won’t be missed when she decides to skip town. April can play the guitar and she can sing. She travels from town to town, performing at open mic nights, and slowly builds a new life for herself by finding kindness and forming unexpected connections with the people she meets along the way. April is one of the characters you really root for. I love a found family story, and this one has all the FF vibes.
- Publication Year: 2021
- Length: 11 hours 8 minutes
- Narrator: Julia Whelan
Where to Buy:
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Beartown centers on the junior ice hockey team in a small, isolated town in Sweden where hockey is their whole world. When star player Kevin commits a sexual assault against Maya, the daughter of the team’s general manager, the town is ripped apart. The book explores themes of loyalty, justice, and the moral failure that arises when youth sports are elevated above everything else, forcing the community to confront its own values. The audiobook is read by Marin Ireland, who might be one of my favorite narrators. (She’s also one of the narrators for Remarkably Bright Creatures above.)
- Publication Year: 2017
- Length: 13 hours 11 minutes
- Narrator: Marin Ireland
Where to Buy:
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
This is one of my favorite novels I read in 2025. I had a serious book hangover after finishing this book. The Goldfinch is a survival story about 13-year-old Theo Decker, whose life is forever changed after his mother is killed in a terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. His father left the family months earlier and is nowhere to be found. He gets taken in by his friend’s family, and he starts to form other friendships, some positive and some negative, that come to play a major role in his life. I found myself caring so much about what was going to happen to Theo, and I loved the interesting characters that came into his life. The Goldfinch is more than 700 pages in print and 32 hours on audio. I think this is a case in which the excellent narration made getting through this beefy book much more manageable.
- Publication Year: 2013
- Length: 32 hours 24 minutes
- Narrator: David Pittu
Where to Buy:
Mystery and Thriller Audiobooks
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
This book and the sequel (below) are also books that I believe are designed to be listened to, not read. If you are a fan of true crime podcasts, these books are for you. The Night Swim follows Rachel Krall, a true crime podcaster who goes to a small coastal town to cover a rape trial between a champion swimmer and a teenage girl. While there, she starts getting mysterious letters asking her to investigate a 25-year-old drowning case of a girl named Jenny. As Rachel digs into both cases, she discovers the two stories are connected in disturbing ways. The story jumps between Rachel’s investigation, the current trial, and Jenny’s story. What makes this book so good on audio is that whenever Krall records a podcast episode, it sounds like a real podcast with a different actor, bumper music, and everything. I don’t read a lot of thrillers, but this is a series I have really enjoyed.
- Publication Year: 2020
- Length: 10 hours 25 minutes
- Narrator: Bailey Car, January LaVoy
Where to Buy:
Note: There’s one weird thing about this book: it is really hard to find on audio. I’m pretty sure when I first listened to it that it was on Audible, but you can’t get it on Audible or any other major audiobook app. However, I was able to find it through my library. My library uses Cloudlibrary for its ebooks and audiobooks. If you can’t find it, it’s totally fine to skip this book and move on to the next one.
Dark Corners by Megan Goldin
This is the sequel to The Night Swim and is done in the same format on audio. The only real connection between the two books is Rachel Krall. The stories are otherwise unconnected, which means you don’t need to read them in order. If you can’t find The Night Swim (see my note above), you can totally start with this one. This book is my favorite of the two (and I’m really hoping she writes more). In Dark Corners, Rachel Krall is invited by the FBI to help with a case involving a missing social media influencer, and they believe that a man in prison is somehow connected. This book has lots of layers and twists and turns you don’t see coming.
- Publication Year: 2022
- Length: 10 hours 45 minutes
- Narrator: André Santana, January LaVoy, Samantha Desz
Where to Buy:
Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
When Malcolm Kershaw had his first job at a bookstore, he was helping the owner get the store’s blog up and running, and he wrote a blog post titled “Eight Perfect Murders.” It was a list of blog posts in which he lists mystery novels in which the murders are the most difficult to solve because they could easily be mistaken for an accident or suicide. When Eight Perfect Murders opens, Mal is now the owner of his own mystery bookstore in Boston. He receives a visit from an FBI agent who thinks his old blog post may be the inspiration for a series of recent killings. Since Mal has knowledge of all of the books in the post, he starts helping the FBI agent with her investigation. This one is so good, and it has a lot of twists and turns I did not see coming. There’s more I wish I could say, but I don’t want to give away too much. You have to read it!
- Publication Year: 2020
- Length: 8 hours 3 minutes
- Narrator: Graham Halstead
Where to Buy:
In the Woods by Tana French
This was my first Tana French novel, and I will definitely be reading more. One of the things that impressed me about this book is just how well written it is, and it was also excellent on audio. There are two mysteries in this novel. One is present-day, and one is in 1984. The novel opens in 1984, when two children go missing in the woods near Dublin, Ireland, and one of the children who was with them is found alive. The one found alive is Rob Ryan, who is now a detective who gets called to investigate the murder of a teenage girl who is found dead, not far from where he lived as a boy. The book is as much about Rob as it is about the murder that he and his partner, Cassie, are called to investigate. This is book one in the Dublin Murder Squad series.
- Publication Year: 2007
- Length: 20 hours 24 minutes
- Narrator: Steven Crossley
Where to Buy:
Science Fiction Audiobooks
The Martian by Andy Weir
Mark Watney is an astronaut who gets left behind on Mars when his crew thinks he’s dead after a bad storm and has to leave in an emergency. Using his skills as a botanist and engineer, he figures out how to grow potatoes in Martian soil, make water, and survive alone on Mars while NASA scrambles to figure out how to rescue him. The whole book is full of his funny journal entries where he solves one deadly problem after another using science, duct tape, and a lot of dark humor to keep himself sane. Audiobook narrator Wil Wheaton has the perfect voice for Watney. Only available from Audible. (Many have said that Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is also excellent on audio. I have this one on my TBR, and I will update here once I listen to it.)
- Publication Year: 2014
- Length: 10 hours 59 minutes
- Narrator: Wil Wheaton
Where to Buy:
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
In anticipation of the movie, I decided to listen to this one before it hit theaters. Soooo many people have said this is the best book on audio. My conclusion is that it is excellent in this format and the preferred way to read this book. Here’s why: There’s a character in this book who really needs his own voice, and that is reflected in this audiobook. In fact, I have heard people say they started reading the physical book first, but they couldn’t imagine what this particular character would sound like, and the audiobook really made him come alive. I will also say that if you’ve seen the movie, loved it, and found yourself wanting more, you will get it by listening to this audiobook. The other thing to know about this book is that it is very sciency. It really gets into the weeds (more than the movie), but this is also necessary to solve the problems they are facing. I loved it all!
Note: Just like The Martian, this one is only available from Audible.
- Publication Year: 2021
- Length: 16 hours 10 minutes
- Narrator: Ray Porter
Where to Buy:
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Never Let Me Go tells the story of Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, who grow up at a special boarding school in England. As the story unfolds, the students there start to learn the truth about their existence. While it doesn’t seem like it at first glance, this is actually a dystopian novel. There is a struggle with identity, friendship, love, and what it means to be human. It’s a story about acceptance while still finding meaning in life.
- Publication Year: 2005
- Length: 9 hours 40 minutes
- Narrator: Rosalyn Landor
Where to Buy:
Non-Fiction Audiobooks
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell has a way of picking up on the nuances that most people miss, which is one of the reasons I find him super interesting. Talking to Strangers is especially good on audio because you feel like you are listening to a podcast. Talking to Strangers explores why people often misunderstand or misjudge others, and how these misunderstandings can lead to serious consequences. He uses real stories like spy cases, the Sandra Bland traffic stop, and Bernie Madoff’s fraud to show how our natural tendency to believe people and misread their emotions gets us into serious trouble.
- Publication Year: 2019
- Length: 8 hours 42 minutes
- Narrator: Malcolm Gladwell
Where to Buy:
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
This is one of my favorite books I read in 2019. This is a memoir by Lori Gottlieb, a therapist who goes to therapy after a tough breakup. She tells that story along with the story of four of her patients and what they are struggling with. Read with the tissue box close by. While there is a lot of humor throughout this book, this one also had me in tears. Even though this is a long one, I felt like it flew by on audio.
- Publication Year: 2019
- Length: 14 hours 21 minutes
- Narrator: Brittany Pressley
Where to Buy:
If you’ve listened to any books on audio that you think are especially good, please share below!
How to Choose the Right Audiobook Platform for You
If you are overwhelmed by the number of audiobook platforms out there, and you don’t know which one is right for you, here’s a quick rundown of some of the options:
I can’t wait to dive into some of these. I have listened to 7 of them, so I know we are on the same page. I also have listened to 3 of the authors other books, so I am excited to listen to the ones you suggest. Here are my top favorites that you haven’t listed: A Gentleman in Moscow, Ready Player One, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Born a Crime, Educated, Next Year in Havana, World War Z, Dragonfly, I Can’t Make this Up by Kevin Hart.
Thank you so much for the recommendations! I’m always looking for more, and I haven’t listened to any of the ones you mentioned. I will definitely check them out.
I’ve read some of these works in Spanish; I tried starting to read in English, but there are certain expressions I just don’t quite get. I figured if watching a movie in English is more or less easy for me, maybe listening to an audiobook would be too… especially if I already know the story. I don’t know, I think I’ll give it a try.
That’s a good idea! Other things that might help with that is reading with a Kindle, which allows you to look up words in real-time, or find a book of idioms. I think it takes a while to get used to them.
Thank you for this list. You have knocked it out of the park so far. Finished Eight Perfect Murders. Night Swim. And Dark Corners and loved all of them. I’m on Remarkably Bright Creatures now. Just wanted to say great work and I appreciate you.
I am so glad you have enjoyed those books! I’m confident you will love Remarkably Bright Creatures, too.