Alison Larkin has narrated 67 audiobooks on Listento.it by 44 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.5★ across 197 ratings. The most-rated is The Complete Novels : Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.
The Complete Novels : Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion
Summary
“…narrating the novels of Jane Austen reminded me that no matter how much the world changes, human nature never does.” (Alison Larkin) Ever since Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy emerged from the lake in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, the novels of Jane Austen have become more popular than ever, delighting millions of fans all over the world. Now, Alison Larkin's critically acclaimed narrations of Austen's six completed novels are brought together in this very special 200th anniversary audio edition. "Alison Larkin's narration will captivate listeners from the first sentence", raves AudioFile magazine about the Earphones Award-winning recording of Sense and Sensibility, which starts the collection. Hailed by The Times as "marvelously light footed...hugely entertaining," Alison Larkin is the perfect vessel to bring the deft, satirical novels of Jane Austen to sparkling new life. Alison Larkin is the best-selling author of The English American, a comedienne and the award-winning narrator of over 150 audiobooks. In addition to Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice with Songs from Regency England, Mansfield Park, Persuasion & Poems, Emma and Northanger Abbey and the History of England by Jane Austen, other classic narrations include Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass; Fairytales of the Fiercer Sex by the Brothers Grimm, et al; Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest (with James Warwick); Peter Pan & the Inconsiderate Waiter; and Agatha Christie's The Secret Adversary. Title and end music: "The Lonely Ash Grove", sung by Alison Larkin.
Public Domain (P)2017 Alison Larkin Presents
The Witches' Tree
Summary
Molly hunched over the steering wheel. A breeze started to move the fog, which danced in swaying pillars in front of her headlights, somehow even more difficult to drive through than the previous thick fog. As she approached the village, through the shifting fog, she saw the lightning-blasted limbs of the witches' tree.... Driving home from a dinner party in the village of Sumpton Harcourt, Rory and Molly Harris, the new vicar and his wife, strain to see the road ahead - and then suddenly brake, screeching to a halt. Right in front of them, aglow in the headlights, a body hangs from a gnarled tree at the edge of town. An elderly spinster has been murdered - and the villagers are bewildered as to who would commit such a crime. Agatha Raisin rises to the occasion (a little glad for the excitement, to tell the truth, after a long run of lost cats and divorces on the books). But when two more murders follow the first, Agatha begins to fear for her reputation - and even her life. The village is a small and very private place, she finds. It even has its own coven of witches....
©2017 M. C. Beaton (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
The Dead Ringer
Summary
New York Times best-selling author M. C. Beaton's cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin - now the star of a hit TV show - is back on the case again. The idyllic Cotswolds village of Thirk Magna is best known for the medieval church of St. Ethelred and its bells, which are the pride and glory of the whole community. As the bell-ringers get ready for the visit of the dashing Bishop Peter Salver-Hinkley, the whole village is thrown into a frenzy. Meanwhile, Agatha convinces one of the bell-ringers, the charming lawyer Julian Brody, to hire her to investigate the mystery of the Bishop's ex-fiancee: a local heiress, Jennifer Toynby, who went missing years ago and whose body was never found.... Meanwhile, the bodies in the village just keep on piling up: The corpse of Larry Jensen, a local policeman, is discovered in the crypt. Millicent Dupin, one of a pair of bell-ringing identical twins, is murdered near the church. And Terry Fletcher, a journalist and (briefly) Agatha's lover, is found dead in her sitting room! Agatha widens her investigation, and very soon her main suspect is the handsome Bishop himself. But could he really be behind this series of violent killings, or is it someone who wants to bring him - and his reputation - down?
©2018 M. C. Beaton (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Consider the Fork
Summary
Since prehistory, humans have braved the business ends of knives, scrapers, and mashers, all in the name of creating something delicious - or at least edible. In Consider the Fork, award-winning food writer and historian Bee Wilson traces the ancient lineage of our modern culinary tools, revealing the startling history of objects we often take for granted. Charting the evolution of technologies from the knife and fork to the gas range and the sous-vide cooker, Wilson offers unprecedented insights into how we've prepared and consumed food over the centuries - and how those basic acts have changed our societies, our diets, and our very selves.
©2012 Bee Wilson (P)2012 Tantor
Agatha's First Case
Summary
At age 26 Agatha Raisin has already come a long way. She has clawed her way up since leaving the Birmingham slum where she was born. She's lost her Birmingham accent, run away from her drunken husband, and found a job at a public relations office as a secretary. Then her boss asks Agatha to go to the home of Sir Bryce Teller to tell him that he is soon to be arrested for the murder of his wife and that the agency no longer wants to represent him. Teller, impressed with the pugnacious Agatha, asks her to handle PR for him and even offers her an office and tells her she can hire a staff. Certainly the best thing Agatha can do for her first client is to find out who really murdered his wife and clear his name. And with her wits and gumption, Agatha sets out to do just that. New York Times best-selling author M. C. Beaton's character Agatha Raisin is beloved by millions, and this brand-new short story takes us back to where it all began with Agatha's first case.
©2015 M. C. Beaton (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
The Broken Ones
Summary
A shadow follows Sophie. Watching. Waiting. Her instinct tells her that it's someone she knows. But who? The man she met Internet dating? The nurse caring for her ill mother? Or is her mother faking her illness? The only thing she knows is that she can't trust anyone. Sophie must delve into a dark history to reveal her stalker. But there are some stories that should never be told.
©2016 Sarah A. Denzil (P)2016 Tantor
Dishing the Dirt
Summary
New York Times best-selling author M. C. Beaton's beloved Agatha Raisin is back and finds that she must prove her own innocence when a local therapist turns up dead. When therapist Jill Davent moved to the village of Carsely, Agatha Raisin was not a fan. Not only was this therapist romancing Agatha's ex-husband, she dug up details of Agatha's not-too-glamorous origins. Jill also counsels a woman, Gwen Simple, that Agatha firmly believes assisted her son in some grisly murders, although there is no proof. Not one to keep her feelings to herself, Agatha tells anyone who will listen that Jill is a charlatan and better off dead. Agatha can only sigh with relief when the therapist takes an office in Mircester. When Agatha learns that Jill had hired a private detective to investigate her background, she barges into Jill's office and gives her a piece of her mind, yelling, "I could kill you!" So when Jill is found strangled to death in her office two days later, Agatha becomes the prime suspect. But Agatha, along with her team of private detectives, is determined to prove her innocence and find the real culprit. This time Agatha must use her skills to save her own skin. With Dishing the Dirt, M. C. Beaton proves that "once you meet Agatha Raisin, you'll keep coming back" (New York Journal of Books).
©2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2015 Blackstone Audiobooks
Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery
Summary
A thriving bakery. A lighthouse to call home. A handsome beekeeper. A pet puffin. These are the things that Polly Waterford can call her own. This is the beautiful life she leads on a tiny island off the southern coast of England. But clouds are gathering on the horizon. A stranger threatens to ruin Polly's business. Her beloved boyfriend seems to be leading a secret life. And the arrival of a newcomer - a bereft widow desperately searching for a fresh start - forces Polly to reconsider the choices she's made, even as she tries to help her new friend through grief. Unpredictable and unforgettable, this delightful novel will make you laugh, cry, and long for a lighthouse of your own.
©2015 Jenny Colgan (P)2016 Tantor
The Blood of an Englishman
Summary
In this irresistible new mystery from New York Times best seller M. C. Beaton, the adorably cranky Agatha Raisin investigates when a local baker is murdered while performing in a seemingly harmless pantomime. "Fee, fie, fo, fum. I smell the blood of an Englishman…" Even though Agatha Raisin loathes amateur dramatics, her friend Mrs. Bloxby, the vicar's wife, has persuaded her to support the local pantomime. Stifling a yawn at the production of Babes in the Woods, Agatha watches as the baker, playing an ogre, struts and threatens on the stage. Then a trapdoor opens…followed by a scream and then silence. Surely, this isn't the way the scene was rehearsed? When it turns out the popular baker has been murdered, Agatha puts her team of private detectives on the case. They soon discover more feuds and temperamental behavior in amateur theatrics than in a professional stage show - and face more and more danger as the team gets too close to the killer. The Blood of an Englishman is Agatha's 25th adventure, and you'd think she would have learned by now not to keep making the same mistakes. Alas, no - yet Agatha's flaws only make her more endearing. In this sparkling new entry in Beaton's New York Times best-selling series of modern cozies, Agatha Raisin once again "manages to infuriate, amuse, and solicit our deepest sympathies as we watch her blunder her way boldly through another murder mystery". (Bookreporter.com)
©2014 M. C. Beaton (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
The Innkeeper's Daughter
Summary
A London officer goes undercover to expose a plot against the Crown. Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king - and he's a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue...until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm. All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn't come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse - where she'll be separated from her ailing mother and 10-year-old brother. Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission - finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the Crown - must come first, or they could all end up dead.
©2018 Michelle Griep (P)2018 Tantor
The Autumn Bride
Summary
Governess Abigail Chantry will do anything to save her sister and two dearest friends from destitution, even if it means breaking into an empty mansion in the hope of finding something to sell. Instead of treasures, though, she finds the owner, Lady Beatrice Davenham, bedridden and neglected. Appalled, Abby rousts Lady Beatrice's predatory servants and-with Lady Beatrice's eager cooperation-the four young ladies become her "nieces," neatly eliminating the threat of disaster for all concerned! It's the perfect situation, until Lady Beatrice's dashing and arrogant nephew, Max, Lord Davenham, returns from the Orient-and discovers an impostor running his household.... A romantic entanglement was never the plan for these stubborn, passionate opponents-but falling in love may be as inevitable as the falling of autumn leaves....
©2013 Anne Gracie (P)2013 Tantor
My Lady Notorious
Summary
Desperate to help her widowed sister and baby escape a deadly pursuer, Lady Chastity Ware dresses as a highwayman and captures the first coach to travel down the road. Coming face-to-face with its occupant, the arrogant aristocrat Cyn Malloren, she orders him to drive her to a remote cottage. Little does Chastity realize that after long months of recovering from his war wounds, the handsome Cyn is looking for adventure, and being abducted by a cocky highwayman - obviously a lovely woman in disguise - is even more than he had hoped for. Willingly he is drawn into her devilishly reckless plan...and helplessly he is seduced by her wonderfully wicked ways.
©1993 Jo Beverley (P)2014 Tantor
12 Major World Religions
Summary
For billions of people, having a religious belief system provides purpose in life. For some, religion serves as a guide for moral behavior. Today’s world is one in which our understanding of world religions is both understatedly important, as well as increasingly complex. After many years exploring the foundations of various world religions, Jason Boyett has written this comprehensive, easy-to-understand exploration of the 12 major world religions through a meticulous, yet unbiased lens. 12 Major World Religions offers an impartial look at where each of these belief systems intersects, how they differ, and why some have been - or are currently - misunderstood. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, a PDF of reference material not included in the narration will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2016 Zephyros Press, Berkeley, California (P)2018 Audible, Inc.
The Summer Bride
Summary
Fiercely independent Daisy Chance has a dream - and it doesn't involve marriage or babies (or being under any man's thumb). Raised in poverty, she has a passion - and a talent - for making beautiful clothes. Daisy aims to become the finest dressmaker in London. Dashing Irishman Patrick Flynn is wealthy and ambitious and has entered society to find an aristocratic bride. Instead he finds himself growing increasingly attracted to the headstrong, clever, and outspoken Daisy. She's wrong in every way - except the way she sets his heart racing. However, when Flynn proposes marriage, Daisy refuses. She won't give up her hard-won independence. Besides, she doesn't want to join the fine ladies of society - she wants to dress them. She might, however, consider becoming Flynn's secret mistress.... But Flynn wants a wife, not a mistress, and when Flynn sets his heart on something, nothing can stand in his way.
©2016 Anne Gracie (P)2016 Tantor
Pushing Up Daisies
Summary
New York Times best-selling author M. C. Beaton's beloved Agatha Raisin is back on a case and poking around where she doesn't belong. When Agatha Raisin left behind her public-relations business in London, she fulfilled her dream of settling in the cozy British Cotswolds, where she began a successful private detective agency. Unfortunately the village she lives in is about to get a little less cozy. Lord Bellington, a wealthy land developer, wants to turn the community garden into a housing estate. When Agatha and her friend, Sir Charles Fraith, attempt to convince Lord Bellington to abandon his plans, he scoffs, "Do you think I give a damn about those pesky villagers?" So when Agatha finds his obituary in the newspaper two weeks later, it's no surprise that some people in town are feeling celebratory. The villagers are relieved to learn that Bellington's son and heir, Damian, has no interest in continuing his father's development plans. But the police are definitely interested in him - as suspect number one. His father's death, it seems, was no accident. But when Damian hires Agatha to find the real killer, she finds no shortage of suspects. The good news is that a handsome retired detective named Gerald has recently moved to town. Too bad he was seen kissing another newcomer. But when that woman is also found murdered, Gerald is eager to help Agatha with the case. Agatha, Gerald, and her team of detectives must untangle a web of contempt in order to uncover a killer's identity. Pushing Up Daisies continues the tradition of this beloved mystery series.
©2016 M. C. Beaton (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Kiss of Steel
Summary
Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven. But at what price? Blade is known as the master of the rookeries - no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single-handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood craving he's been quicker, stronger, almost immortal. When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel - or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking.
©2012 Bec McMaster (P)2013 Tantor
The Spring Bride
Summary
On the eve of the London season, Jane Chance is about to make her entrance into high society. And after a childhood riddled with poverty and hardship, Jane intends to make a good, safe, and sensible marriage. All goes according to plan until a dark, dangerous vagabond helps her rescue a dog. Zachary Black is all kinds of unsuitable - a former spy, now in disguise, he's wanted for murder. His instructions: to lie low until his name is cleared. But Zach has never followed the rules, and he wants Jane Chance for his own. If that means blazing his way into London society in whatever guise suits him, that's what he'll do. Jane knows that she shouldn't fall in love with this unreliable if devastatingly attractive rogue. But Zach is determined - and he's a man accustomed to getting what he wants.
©2015 Anne Gracie (P)2015 Tantor
First Bite
Summary
We do not come into the world with an innate sense of taste and nutrition; as omnivores, we have to learn how and what to eat, how sweet is too sweet, and what food will give us the most energy for the coming day. But how does this education happen? What are the origins of taste? In First Bite, the beloved food writer Bee Wilson draws on the latest research from food psychologists, neuroscientists, and nutritionists to reveal that our food habits are shaped by a whole host of factors, including family, culture, memory, gender, hunger, and love. An exploration of the extraordinary and surprising origins of our tastes and eating habits - from people who can eat foods only of a certain color to an amnesiac who can eat meal after meal without getting full - First Bite also shows us how we can change our palates to lead healthier, happier lives.
©2015 Bee Wilson (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
An Act of Villainy
Summary
Walking through London's West End after a night at the theater, Amory Ames and her husband Milo run into some old friends: wealthy investor and former actor Gerard Holloway and his wife, Georgina. When Holloway invites them to the dress rehearsal of the new play he's directing, Amory readily accepts. However, Amory is shocked to learn that Holloway has cast his mistress, Flora Bell, in the lead role. Furthermore, the casual invitation is not what it seems - he admits to Amory and Milo that Flora has been receiving threatening letters, and he needs their help in finding the mysterious sender. Despite Amory's conflicting feelings, her curiosity gets the better of her, and she begins to make inquiries. It quickly becomes clear that each member of the cast has reason to resent Flora - and with a group so skilled in the art of deception, it isn't easy to separate truth from illusion. When the vague threats escalate, the scene is set for murder, and Amory and Milo must find the killer before the final curtain falls.
©2018 Ashley Weaver (P)2018 Dreamscape Media, LLC
Marry in Secret
Summary
A rugged and ruined naval officer comes to claim his bride in an unforgettable tale of love, revenge, and redemption from the nationally bestselling author of Marry in Scandal. Lady Rose Rutherford - rebel, heiress, and exasperated target of the town's hungry bachelors - has a plan to gain the freedom she so desperately desires: She will enter into a marriage of convenience with the biggest prize on the London marriage mart. There's just one problem: the fierce-looking man who crashes her wedding to the Duke of Everingham - Thomas Beresford, the young naval officer she fell in love with and secretly married when she was still a schoolgirl. Thought to have died four years ago he's returned, a cold, hard stranger with one driving purpose - revenge. Embittered by betrayal and hungry for vengeance, Thomas will stop at nothing to reclaim his rightful place, even if that means using Rose - and her fortune - to do it. But Rose never did follow the rules, and as she takes matters into her own unpredictable hands, Thomas finds himself in an unexpected and infuriating predicament: He's falling in love with his wife.... Contains mature themes.
©2019 Anne Gracie (P)2019 Tantor