2012 Favorite Audiobooks

Since the number of audiobooks I listened to this year was about half of what I listened to last year, I thought it appropriate that I choose my top five, otherwise my top 10 would be almost 50 percent of what I listened to. That's kind of silly. Staying to five is a challenge because I listened to some great audiobooks this year, but I'm up for it.

Here are the five audiobooks that I felt overall were the best listening experiences of my 2012 year (note that they were not necessarily produced this year; I listened to them this year):

5. Mr Timothy. Written by Louis Bayard and narrated by Mark Honan for AudioGo. This audio kept me company on my drive back from Washington D.C. the week before Christmas (how appropriate). The time period and atmosphere were communicated beautifully through Honan's narration. He brought out the age and maturity levels of the characters and nailed the spunk of the young Collin. Louis Bayard is a brilliant writer and none of his eloquence or art was lost in Honan's translation. Wonderfully done.

4. The Wind Through the Keyhole. Written and narrated by Stephen King for Simon and Schuster Audio. Believe it or not, this was my first foray into King's written work. I've seen several of the movie adaptations of his work, but this was the first time hearing his actual words. And while I'm not typically a fantasy reader, I loved the layers of meaning in this story. The biggest shocker, however, is that King is a fantastic narrator. I typically shy away from audios narrated by their authors because writing a book does not make a person a good narrator. As a matter of fact, very few authors have the performance talent necessary to narrate their own work. But this was stellar, so it was a treat to hear King's own interpretation of his work.

3. Invisible Murder. Written by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis, narrated by Katherine Kellgren for AudioGo. Kellgren did such a spectacular job with the various dialects in this suspense thriller. The ease with which she handled all ages and genders made the audio flow so smoothly that the fact it WAS an audio simply faded into the background as the story took center stage.

2. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. Written by Matthew Dicks, narrated by Matthew Brown for Macmillan Audio. It's not technically a crime fiction audiobook, but there is a crime element. And regardless of genre, it's an amazing audiobook. The story is heartwarming but also extremely challenging. Brown had to bring out the additional dimension of imaginary friends, the dimension in which they reside and people are only tangentially connected. Brown nailed it; the recording is brilliant and unforgettable.

1. Gutshot Straight. Written by Lou Berney, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini for Audible, Inc. There are probably a lot of people tired of hearing me recommend Lou Berney this year. I had a copy of Gutshot Straight in print for quite awhile, but hadn't gotten around to reading it. So, I picked up the audio and kicked myself for not reading it sooner. However, had I read it sooner, I would not likely have picked up the audio and enjoyed the best listening experience of 2012. Ballerini did such a magnificent job narrating this all-around fun crime caper. He seemed to be on the same wave length with both Berney and Shake. I was entranced; I laughed; I exercised extra just so I could listen longer. Superb! My favorite audiobook of 2012.

There you have it! My favorite audios. Now let me know what you listened to this year that you really liked. Did anyone try audios for the first time? Anyone putting them on their list to try for 2013? The hardest list is next. Narrowing down my favorite reads of 2012. Check back on Monday. In the mean time, have a wonderful weekend and HAPPY READING!

Invisible Murder - Lene Kaaberbøl & Agnete Friis

First line: "'Maybe we'll find a gun,' Pitkin said, aiming his finger at the guardhouse next to the gate."

Nina Borg went to the garage in Copenhagen with the best of intentions. Her work often brought her into contact with people who were illegally in Denmark, but as a nurse, Nina felt everyone should be able to receive care when they need it. So she went to the garage, despite promising her husband she wouldn't go off on such missions when he was away. It would only be a quick trip to take medicines and supplies and the children wouldn't even know she was gone.

Well, "the best laid plans..." Nina's innocent trip to help those in need turns out to be the first domino to fall in the course of events that may well destroy everything Nina loves.

Returning to narrate the second Nina Borg novel, Katherine Kellgren falls right back into the natural groove of Kaaberbøl and Friis' style. Nina's perspective dominates the story and Kellgren seems a natural for her character, but Kellgren just as deftly depicts the self-centered teenage daughter - you can just see her eyes rolling; the battered and broken Hungarian law school student - your heart will break from the prejudice he endures; the perverted and repulsive human trafficker - you'll taste bile as he simply drips with contemptible sleaze.

In addition to stepping into each uniquely crafted character, Kellgren has a keen perception for Kaaberbøl and Friis' pacing. As any well-written thriller should do, the anticipation is drawn out to allow the action sequences to fly with more gusto. Kellgren is well-tuned to the dynamics of the plot and her reading emphasizes the intensity as well as the characters' responses to the course of events.

Kaaberbøl and Friis have written a novel that is a taut thriller, but it's simultaneously a universal social commentary on the treatment of human beings. One doesn't have to live in Denmark to make correlations with Invisible Murder. I can't imagine walking away from this story without at least a small pang of regret for the wrongs we commit against others every single day.

Invisible Murder is not an audiobook you want to listen to for relaxation purposes. Kellgren's narration and Kaaberbøl and Friis' story will get your heart pumping and your brain whirling. Take this one on your next run or walk and it'll keep your momentum going strong.

You can listen to a clip of the Invisible Murder audio below. Since this is a part of a blog tour, you can hear a section of the audio at each blog stop. My clip is the second, to start at part one, visit The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia first.



Tomorrow another blogging Jennifer will host part three. You can stop by the Literate Housewife blog to continue on the tour and finally Friday you can wrap up with Theresa's Reading Corner. If you listen to all the excerpts, you'll get about 15 minutes of the beginning of the audiobook.

Invisible Murder is available on unabridged audio from AudioGo (ISBN: 9781620640494) and in hardcover print from Soho Crime (ISBN: 9781616951702).

As part of the blog tour, I also have the great opportunity to give away copies of the audio to two lucky winners. So to have your names considered in the drawing, just fill out this quick form below by Monday, October 29th. I'll draw two names on the 30th and give away some Halloween treats! Entrants must be residents of the US or Canada, please.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email. Good luck!

THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE - Lene Kaaberbøl & Agnete Friis

First line: "Holding the glass door open with her hip, she dragged the suitcase into the stairwell leading down to the underground parking lot."

When it comes to doing right, Nina Borg seems to be able to do so by everyone except her own family. So when her old friend Karin contacts the Red Cross nurse asking for a favor, Nina can't turn her down. Karin leaves Nina with a train station locker key and a lot of questions! Those questions increase exponentially when Nina finds a suitcase filled with a three-year-old boy in the locker. Who is this boy? Where did he come from? Are his parents missing him or did they sell him? And why is he packed in a suitcase at the train station? Nina doesn't know whether it's safe to go to the police or not. At the risk of damaging an already fragile relationship with her family, Nina sets off to find answers to her questions because above all she doesn't want to hand the boy over to anyone who will do him more harm.

Kaaberbøl is a renowned fantasy writer; Friis a children's writer. How the two of them teamed up to write such a spectacular crime novel is a mystery to me, but they have managed to do it and make it look easy. The audiobook of THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE is beautifully narrated by Katherine Kellgren. Nina's conflicting feelings, her frustration and fear and determination all emanate from Kellgren's interpretation. Those feelings also mirror those of Sigita, the boy's mother, as she searches desperately for her missing child.

Likewise the pure evil of Andrius Jucas drips from every word as he leaves a trail of devastation in his campaign to recover the child and fulfill his contract.

The plot oscillates between the present day and years earlier when Sigita first met her estranged husband. The flashbacks lead up to the present, slowing awakening an understanding in the reader. It isn't until the climax, however, that all the players in this game are able to piece together the parts and fully understand the enormity of this crime that spans years and countries. The changes in time are easy to follow and work to expertly build the suspense.

While the events of the plot circle around the kidnapping, Kaaberbøl and Friis illustrate family bonds and commonalities that transcend language, borders, time and age. Kaaberbøl translated the original Danish to English. The excellent translation teamed with Kellgren's narration leaves the listener with no choice but to empathize with these women who experience extraordinary regret and who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep their families safe.

The cover of THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE labels this book as the "#1 Danish Bestselling Crime Series..." I hope that "series" means we will be seeing more from these two talented writers. THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE is a must read for crime fans, and the audiobook from AudioGo is a must listen for audio fans.

The print version of THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE is available from Soho Press (ISBN: 978-1-56947-981-0) and the audio is available from AudioGo on CD (ISNB: 978-1-60998-658-2) or as an mp3 download (ISBN: 978-1-60998-559-2).

I was very excited to be given the opportunity to participate in AudioGo's blog tour for THE BOY IN THE SUITCASE. It has afforded me the opportunity to share a segment of the audiobook with you and to hold a drawing to give away two copies of the audiobook. I'm the tail end of the blog tour - I prefer to think of myself as the anchor! Anyway, that means that there have already been some segments shared, so if you haven't had a chance to listen to the ones before, you may want to back up and listen to mine last:

Reflections of a Book Addict

The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

Teresa's Reading Corner

The Literate Housewife

So now that you want to listen to this audiobook ;-) I can tempt you further by offering a chance to win a copy. Simply fill out the form below by Thursday, December 22nd and I'll draw two winners on Friday...just before Christmas! The contest is open to U.S. residents only, please. Drop me an email if you have any questions. Good luck!