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Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Audiobook Reviews

Kirkus Audiobook Reviews Find your next great audiobook on Behind the Mic with Kirkus Reviews. Every Thursday, host Jo Reed and her guests discuss what they’ve been listening to and recommend the very best audiobooks. It’s the perfect way to keep up with new releases and hear about the ones you may have missed. Launched by AudioFile magazine in 2018, Behind the Mic now has its home at Kirkus Reviews, the most trusted voice in book discovery for more than 90 years. Visit us at

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All Episodes

24:45

Mothers, Memory, and the Search for Self

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/04/23

Host Jo Reed talks with contributor Leslie Fine about three audiobooks that circle around questions of identity, family, and belonging. In Kin by Tayari Jones, dual narrators Angel Pean and Ashley J. Hobbs give distinctvoices to two lifelong friends shaped by maternal absence as well as the racial and class realities of the 1950s South. Boy From the North Country, written and read by Sam Sussman, blends autofiction and grief as a son returns home to his dying mother, while My Other Heart by Emma

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24:17

Three Stories, Many Points of View

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/04/16

Host Jo Reed is joined by Michele Cobb to look at three audiobooks that use multiple narrators to tell stories from distinct perspectives. In Joan Silber’s Mercy, a cast of voices traces how an experience reverberates across lives and decades, with narration providing the emotional throughline. Rachel Hawkins’s The Storm leans into suspense and atmosphere, with strong performances sharpening a layered, true-crime-tinged mystery. And in Craig Thomas’s That’s Not How It Happened, four narrators bring

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23:30

Hockey, Heat, and Two Very Different Voices

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/04/09

Host Jo Reed is joined by Kirkus fiction editor Laurie Muchnick for a deep dive into Rachel Reid’s six-book Game Changers series. The basis for the HBO sensation Heated Rivalry, the books are a blend of pro hockey, queer romance, and unapologetic “spice.” The conversation zeroes in on two key audiobooks—Game Changer, read by Tor Thom, and The Long Game, read by Cooper North—highlighting how each narrator shapes character, tone, and emotional depth in very different ways. Along the way, Jo and Laurie

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34:18

Lauren Groff: In Her Own Voice

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/04/02

Lauren Groff’s narration of Brawler brings listeners directly into the cadence and emotional undercurrent of her prose. In this episode of Behind the Mic, she talks with host Jo Reed about building a collection as a series of evolving questions, from the opening story “The Wind” to the final piece “Annunciation,” which, as she puts it, is “shining a light outward” while gesturing back toward what comes before. The conversation alsoexplores how reading her work aloud—both while writing and in the

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27:18

Middle-Grade Books in Three Voices

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/03/26

Kirkus young readers’ editor Laura Simeon suggests threemiddle-grade audiobooks that invite listening across generations, beginning with Anna James’s Alice With a Why, where Kristin Atherton’s graceful, finely tuned narration captures both the whimsy and emotional intelligence of this return to Wonderland. Jodi Meadows’ Confessions From the Group Chat offers a sharply observed look at middle-school dynamics, with Eevin Hartsough delivering a natural, conversational performance that makes Virginia’s

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21:54

Writers at the Top of Their Game

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/03/19

Contributor Alan Minskoff joins host Jo Reed to talk about three notable books—from George Saunders, Xochitl Gonzalez, and Lauren Groff—that offer rich and rewarding listening. They begin with George Saunders’s Vigil, an inventive, full-cast production featuring Judy Greer, Stephen Root, and McLeod Andrews, where a youthful ghost serves as a death doula to an unrepentant oil tycoon. The conversation then turns to Xochitl Gonzalez’s Last Night in Brooklyn, narrated compellingly by Elizabeth

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26:17

Three Narratives, No Easy Answers

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/03/12

Host Jo Reed and contributor Stephen Cummings begin with Escape by Stephen Fischbach, an Earphones Award winner narrated by Julia Whelan, Imani Jade Powers, and Sean Patrick Hopkins; it’s a debut novel that digs into the machinations of reality TV and the costs of reinvention. Next they turn to Paper Cut by Rachel Taff, narrated by Helen Laser, a sharp exploration of true crime culture that follows a former cult member facing renewed scrutiny when a documentarian wants to revisit her past. Finally,

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20:14

Narration in Three Keys

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/03/03

Host Jo Reed and contributor Alex Ritchie dive into three striking audiobooks, beginning with Half His Age, Jennette McCurdy’sunsettling and sharply observed debut novel, narrated by the author in a style that mirrors its protagonist’s fragile bravado. Jo and Alex then travel to 15th-century Italy with Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez, where Beatrice Grannò’s lyrical narration illuminates both the sensuality of the setting and the pulse of magic running through the novel’s political intrigue

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23:37

Thrillers With Teeth

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/02/26

Host Jo Reed and contributor Leslie Fine kick off their discussion of rule-breaking new thrillers with Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino, performed by Cia Court, in which a competitive housing market becomes the breeding ground for obsession. They turn to The Sunshine Man by Emma Stonex, narrated by Edward Rowe and Meg Salter, a tense story of revenge that widens into an exploration of class, trauma, and the moments that define a life. Finally, they consider Girl Dinner by Olivie E. Blake, a

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21:08

Native Voices

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/02/19

Host Jo Reed and contributor Kendra Winchester open this episode with Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley, narrated by Isabella Star LaBlanc, a YA mystery that explores community and belonging through a performance rich in emotional nuance. The conversation turns to We Survive the Night, written and read by Julian Brave NoiseCat, a memoir that moves fluidly between family history, Indigenous storytelling, and themes of cultural survival. They close with The Devil Is a Southpaw by Brandon Hobson,

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20:31

Earphones Award Spotlight

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/02/12

Host Jo Reed and Laura Rossi dive into three Earphones Award–winning audiobooks: James Patterson’s Return of the Spider, Margaret Atwood’s Book of Lives, and Ryan Goldberg’s Bird City. They talk about Dion Graham and Fred Berman’s gripping dual performance in Patterson’s 34th Alex Cross thriller; Atwood’s reflective memoir in her own gravelly, unmistakable voice; and the charm of an unexpected New York City birding adventure to which Evan Sibley brings a naturalist’s clarityto the narration

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20:27

Three Literary Heavyweights: Smith, Banville, and...

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/02/05

Host Jo Reed and contributor Alan Minskoff dive into three remarkable audiobooks: Zadie Smith’s Dead and Alive, John Banville’s Venetian Vespers, and Thomas Pynchon’s long-awaited Shadow Ticket. They explore Smith’s incisive essays, read by the author with clarity and authority; Venetian Vespers, with Luke Thompson navigating Banville’s long, sinuous sentences; and Pynchon’s noir caper, handled with virtuosic range by Edoardo Ballerini. It’s a conversation filled with sharp insights into writing,

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22:58

Backstories That Matter

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/01/29

This week, Michele Cobb joins host Jo Reed to dig intoaudiobooks built on backstory, beginning with Expert Witness, where Gabra Zackman delivers Anne Wolbert Burgess’ account of trauma, justice, and the evolution of expert testimony with clarity and restraint. Next, they turn to A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever, a joyful, detail-packed oral history of the 1984 film Spinal Tap—an ensemble cast production led by Rob Reiner, where seemingly spontaneous commentary makes the audiobook the

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22:48

Biography, Fiction, and Memoir

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/01/22

Stephen Cummings joins host Jo Reed to talk about LaurieGwen Shapiro’s immersive dual biography of Amelia Earhart and George Putnam, The Aviator and the Showman; Elliot Ackerman’s unlikely and darkly comic caper, Sheepdogs; and Mike Albo’s candid, audio-exclusive memoir, Hologram Boyfriends. Cummings reflects on what surprised him about each audiobook and why these very different works held his attention to the end. Altogether, the conversation highlights how form, tone, and performance shape the

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24:15

From Short Stories to Family Sagas

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/01/15

Contributor Alex Richey joins Behind the Mic host Jo Reed to talk about three fantastical audiobooks and how their different forms shape the listening experience. The conversation moves from Brandon Sanderson’sstory collection Tailored Realities to two intergenerational stories centered on daughters—Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite and As Many Souls as Stars by Natasha Siegel—where voice and perspective carry particular emotional weight. As Alex observes, these audiobooks demonstrate how

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23:12

Robin Whitten: Transitions and Continuity

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2026/01/08

AudioFile Magazine is now part of Kirkus Reviews,and Behind the Mic marks the moment with a conversation with the magazine’s founder and longtime editor Robin Whitten. Robin reflects on a life spent listening, how audiobooks and audiobook reviewing has evolved, and her excitement that the work begun by AudioFile will continue and flourish at KirkusReviews. It’s a thoughtful, forward-looking conversation about continuity, change, and the enduring joy of listening. Learn more about your ad

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10:02

Interview with Karen Murray: Best Children & Family...

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2025/12/30

Host Jo Reed is joined by narrator Karen Murray to talk about HOW SWEET THE SOUND by Kwame Alexander, one of our picks for the Best Children and Family Audiobooks of 2025. Karen shares how she dove into this musical exploration of Black music in America, which “felt like home to her.” The experience begins with a poem as the listener is guided through the talking drums of Africa, to the blues, jazz, funk, and soul, and eventually hip-hop. Jo and Karen share why this listen is perfect for families,

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12:54

Interview with Greta Jung: Best Young Adult...

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2025/12/26

Narrator Greta Jung joins host Jo Reed to discuss narrating ALL THE TOMORROWS AFTER by Joanne Yi, one of AudioFile’s picks for Best Young Adult Audiobooks of 2025. Greta discusses her connection to the Korean language and her own childhood, both of which helped her deliver an impactful, emotional performance. Jo and Greta also talk about the importance of stories that are especially resonant for children and teen listeners. Read AudioFile’s review of the audiobook Published by Simon & Schuster

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13:07

Interview with Christine Lakin: Best Romance...

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2025/12/23

Narrator and actor Christine Lakin joins AudioFile’s Michele Cobb to discuss one of this year’s Best Romance Audiobooks, SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME by Abby Jimenez, read by Christine Lakin and Matt Lanter. Christine goes behind the scenes with Michele to reveal how she established the tone of certain characters and the unique challenges of being a romance narrator when they’re often recording alone in a booth. Together they dive into new trends in current romance audiobooks and discuss how natural it

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16:19

Interview with Maggi Meg-Reed: Best Multi-Voice...

Behind the Mic With Kirkus Reviews ·

2025/12/19

Host Jo Reed is joined by narrator Maggi-Meg Reed to chat about her performance in one of AudioFile’s selections for Best Multi-Voice audiobooks of 2025: THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans, read by Maggi-Meg Reed with an ensemble. Maggi-Meg talks about how she narrated this nuanced story about a 73-year old woman who is slowly going blind, while also dealing with a surprising DNA test. Together they discuss how a performer rides the line between a written conversation and a spoken one and the

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