Mandy Williams has narrated 15 audiobooks on Listento.it by 13 authors, with an average listener rating of 4.3★ across 165 ratings. The most-rated is The Child.
The Child
Summary
The author of the stunning New York Times best-seller The Widow returns with a brand-new novel of twisting psychological suspense. As an old house is demolished in a gentrifying section of London, a workman discovers a tiny skeleton, buried for years. For journalist Kate Waters, it’s a story that deserves attention. She cobbles together a piece for her newspaper, but at a loss for answers, she can only pose a question: Who is the Building Site Baby? As Kate investigates, she unearths connections to a crime that rocked the city decades earlier: A newborn baby was stolen from the maternity ward in a local hospital and was never found. Her heartbroken parents were left devastated by the loss. But there is more to the story, and Kate is drawn - house by house - into the pasts of the people who once lived in this neighborhood that has given up its greatest mystery. She soon finds herself the keeper of unexpected secrets that erupt in the lives of three women - and torn between what she can and cannot tell....
©2017 Fiona Barton (P)2019 Penguin Random House Canada
The Widow
Summary
A loving husband or a heartless killer...she'd know, wouldn't she? There's a lot Jean hasn't said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with accusing glares and anonymous harassment. Now her husband is dead, and there's no reason to stay quiet. People want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them there were secrets. There always are in a marriage. The truth - that's all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything. For the reporter who has secured the exclusive interview, this is the scoop of a lifetime. For the detective who has lived a half-life since he failed to get justice for the victim, it is a chance to get at the truth that has eluded him for so long. For Jean, it's a chance to defend herself, what she knew - and when. This is the tale of a missing child, narrated by the wife of the main suspect, the detective leading the hunt, and the journalist covering the case. It's a brilliantly ominous, psychologically acute portrait of a marriage in crisis - perfect for fans of The Silent Wife and The Girl on the Train.
©2016 Fiona Barton (P)2019 Penguin Random House Canada
Seraphina
Summary
Lyrical, imaginative, and wholly original, this New York Times best seller with eight starred reviews is not to be missed. Rachel Hartman’s award-winning debut will have you looking at dragons as you’ve never imagined them before.... In the kingdom of Goredd, dragons and humans live and work side by side - while below the surface, tensions and hostility simmer. The newest member of the royal court, a uniquely gifted musician named Seraphina, holds a deep secret of her own. One that she guards with all of her being. When a member of the royal family is brutally murdered, Seraphina is drawn into the investigation alongside the dangerously perceptive - and dashing - Prince Lucien. But as the two uncover a sinister plot to destroy the wavering peace of the kingdom, Seraphina’s struggle to protect her secret becomes increasingly difficult...while its discovery could mean her very life. "Will appeal to both fans of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series and Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown." (Entertainment Weekly) “[A] lush, intricately plotted fantasy.” (The Washington Post) "Beautifully written. Some of the most interesting dragons I've read." (Christopher Paolini, New York Times best-selling author of Eragon)
©2012 Rachel Hartman (P)2012 Listening Library
Shadow Scale
Summary
Seraphina took the literary world by storm with eight starred reviews and numerous "Best of" lists. At last, her eagerly awaited sequel has arrived - and with it comes an epic battle between humans and dragons. The kingdom of Goredd: a world where humans and dragons share life with an uneasy balance, and those few who are both human and dragon must hide the truth. Seraphina is one of these, part girl, part dragon, who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world. When war breaks out between the dragons and humans, she must travel the lands to find those like herself - for she has an inexplicable connection to all of them, and together they will be able to fight the dragons in powerful, magical ways. As Seraphina gathers this motley crew, she is pursued by humans who want to stop her. But the most terrifying is another half dragon, who can creep into people’s minds and take them over. Until now, Seraphina has kept her mind safe from intruders, but that also means she's held back her own gift. It is time to make a choice: Cling to the safety of her old life, or embrace a powerful new destiny? Praise for Seraphina: A New York Times best seller An indie best seller Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award Winner of the Cybil Award for Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction An Amazon Top 20 Teen Book of the Year A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Library Journal Best Young Adult Literature for Adults Selection A Booklist Editors’ Choice An ABA New Voices Pick A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author An ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Book Recipient of eight starred reviews “Beautifully written, well-rounded characters, and some of the most interesting dragons I’ve read in fantasy for a long while. An impressive debut novel; I can’t wait to see what Rachel Hartman writes next.” (Christopher Paolini, New York Times best selling author of Eragon) “A novel that will appeal to both fans of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series and Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown.” (Entertainment Weekly)
©2015 Rachel Hartman (P)2015 Listening Library
How the Penguins Saved Veronica
Summary
A curmudgeonly but charming old woman, her estranged grandson, and a colony of penguins proves it's never too late to be the person you want to be in this rich, heartwarming story from the acclaimed author of Ellie and the Harpmaker.
Eighty-five-year-old Veronica McCreedy is estranged from her family and wants to find a worthwhile cause to which to leave her fortune. When she sees a documentary about penguins being studied in Antarctica, she tells the scientists she's coming to visit - and won't take no for an answer. Shortly after arriving, she convinces the reluctant team to rescue an orphaned baby penguin. He becomes part of life at the base, and Veronica's closed heart starts to open.
Her grandson, Patrick, comes to Antarctica to make one last attempt to get to know his grandmother. Together, Veronica, Patrick, and even the scientists learn what family, love, and connection are all about.
©2020 Hazel Prior (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Beneath the Keep
Summary
"A suspenseful, multi-layered tale of how the sparks of revolution are kindled, and of those who strive to ignite them." (Cassandra Clare, number-one New York Times best-selling author) As a kingdom descends into darkness and new alliances are forged under fire, a battle begins over a prophecy that will change the course of history in this much-anticipated stand-alone prequel to the best-selling Queen of the Tearling trilogy. The Tearling, founded as a utopia, has collapsed and reverted to feudalism. As the gap between rich and poor widens and famine threatens the land, rumors of a prophecy begin to spread: a great hope, a True Queen who will ascend and save the kingdom. But rumors will not help Lazarus, a boy on the verge of manhood, trapped in the clandestine underworld known as the Creche. Enlisted from his earliest days to kill without mercy, he has never seen sun or sky, not until a quest for vengeance propels him aboveground. There he finds a calling amid a royal court rife with intrigue and danger, where he meets Niya, Princess Elyssa’s handmaid, who is not what she appears to be and whose true identity will spell death if revealed. With a righteous rebellion gathering inside her kingdom, Princess Elyssa finds herself torn between duty to the throne and her growing loyalty to the Blue Horizon, a group of fierce idealists who promise radical change. Elyssa must choose quickly, for threats beset her on all sides, and the powers wielded by an uncanny seer and her shadowy master are preparing to decide the Princess’s fate for her. It is only a matter of time before Lazarus, Niya, and Elyssa will be called into the service of something greater than they have ever imagined: the fight for a better world.
©2021 Erika Johansen (P)2021 Penguin Audio
Rain Reign
Summary
Rose Howard has OCD, Asperger's syndrome, and an obsession with homonyms (even her name is a homonym). She gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's rules of homonyms, is very special. Rain was a lost dog Rose's father brought home. Rose and Rain are practically inseparable. And they are often home alone, as Rose's father spends most evenings at a bar, and doesn't have much patience for his special-needs daughter. Just as a storm hits town, Rain goes missing. Rose's father shouldn't have let Rain out. Now Rose has to find her dog, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places to search. Rose will find Rain, but so will Rain's original owners. Hearts will break and spirits will soar for this powerful story, brilliantly told from Rose's point of view.
©2014 Ann M. Martin (P)2014 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.
Entwined
Summary
Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her... beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing... it's taken away. All of it. The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation. Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest. But there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.
©2011 Heather Dixon (P)2011 Listening Library
How to Catch a Bogle
Summary
As a bogler's apprentice, 10-year-old Birdie has faced down plenty of monsters lurking in the chimneys, wells, and other dark places of Victorian London. She serves as bait, singing sweetly to lure the bogles out so her master, the well-seasoned Go-Devil Man Alfred Bunce, can kill them with his trusty spear. Enter the wealthy folklorist Miss Eames, who is determined to find more scientific ways of drawing out the monsters, and Birdie fears that her livelihood may be threatened by the well-meaning lady. Meanwhile, orphans are disappearing and a bogle is suspected, but Alfred and Birdie discover something even more sinister at work. The first in a projected trilogy, this book treats readers to a lively, engaging story with an endearing protagonist at its center. Capable, forthright, and street-wise, Birdie fairly leaps off the page with pluck, intelligence, and courage. Historical details are woven in to ensure that readers are firmly ensconced in Victorian London, where bogles may be waiting to snatch unsuspecting children, but they are certainly not the only danger to be had. The well-paced story builds to an exciting climax as each bogle encounter raises the stakes and Birdie and Alfred face a decision that will change their lives. While this particular adventure is wrapped up nicely, readers will be delighted that the stage is set for future bogling exploits.
©2013 Catherine Jinks (P)2014 Listening Library
Scandal Takes the Stage
Summary
Eva Leigh's smart and sexy Wicked Quills of London series continues, as a fiery playwright meets her match in a rake whose talents are far from hidden.... Playwright Maggie Delamere shuts down aristocratic males with a mere flick of her razor-sharp quill. If only they were so easy to dispatch offstage - especially Cameron, Viscount Marwood. The impossibly charismatic man seems made to test her resistance. But when writer's block and an enemy from Maggie's past simultaneously strike, Cam makes an all-too-tempting proposal.... Cam has never offered a lady his bed without being in it...but Maggie needs a writer's retreat, and his manor is just the place. It's the least Cam can do for the brilliant woman who pens his favorite plays. Still, there's something more than social justice behind the relish with which she skewers her "gentleman" characters. And as Maggie's pen and inhibitions loosen, Cam intends to unlock her secrets - one delicious revelation at a time.
©2015 Ami Silber (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers
A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings
Summary
An inspiring, up-close portrait of tending to a honeybee hive - a year of living dangerously - watching and capturing the wondrous, complex universe of honeybees and learning an altogether different way of being in the world.
"As strange, beautiful, and unexpected, as precise and exquisite in its movings as bees in a hive. I loved it." (Helen Macdonald, author of H Is for Hawk)
A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings begins as the author is entering her 30s and feeling disconnected in her life. Uneasy about her future and struggling to settle into her new house in Oxford with its own small garden, she is brought back to a time of accompanying a friend in London - a beekeeper - on his hive visits. And as a gesture of good fortune for her new life, she is given a colony of honeybees. According to folklore, a colony, freely given, brings good luck, and Helen Jules embarks on a rewarding, perilous journey of becoming a beekeeper.
Jukes writes about what it means to “keep” wild creatures; on how to live alongside beings whose laws and logic are so different from our own.... She delves into the history of beekeeping and writes about discovering the ancient, haunting, sometimes disturbing relationship between keeper and bee, human and wild thing.
A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings is an audiobook of observation, of the irrepressible wildness of these fascinating creatures, of the ways they seem to evade our categories each time we attempt to define them. Are they wild or domestic? Individual or collective? Is honey an animal product, or is it plant-based? As the author’s colony grows, the questions that have at first compelled her interest begin to fade away, and the inbetweenness, the unsettledness of honeybees call for a different kind of questioning, of consideration.
A subtle yet urgent mediation on uncertainty and hope, on solitude and friendship, on feelings of restlessness and on home; on how we might better know ourselves. An audiobook that shows us how to be alert to the large and small creatures that flit between and among us and that urge us to learn from this vital force so necessary to be continuation of life on planet Earth.
©2020 Helen Jukes (P)2020 Random House Audio
A Hundred Horses
Summary
Nell is not happy about spending her school vacation with relatives she doesn't know. Expecting nothing more than silly little cousins and boring farm life, she sneaks along a special suitcase that once belonged to her father. In it, she knows, are the parts of a music box and 16 miniature painted horses, and she thinks maybe she can fit them all back together. But the countryside has unexpected surprises. When a half-wild and mysterious girl named Angel steals Nell's suitcase, the two girls are united in an adventure of Angel's devising. Nighttime meetings and a horse that might just be magical pique Nell's curiosity, and soon she may find a way to put together the mystery of who Angel truly is, understand the legends about the herd of 100 horses, and also discover something special about herself. Sarah Lean, acclaimed author of A Dog Called Homeless, explores the power of friendship, family, and the truth of belonging in this tale with a touch of magic about two girls, an old farm, and the most special of 100 horses.
©2013 Sarah Lean (P)2014 HarperCollinsPublishers
O Canada, Here I Come!
Summary
Eight-year-old Zayd is migrating from Pakistan to Canada. Though he's sad leaving his grandparents behind, he's excited at the thought of reaching Canada. From the moment he boards the airplane, he experiences all things Canadian: From the famous Canadian poutine to the Canadian provinces. But the most fascinating of all: Zayd enters a magical world of the Canadian Arctic, where he's surrounded by grizzly bears, Canadian geese, dog sleds, and a very special polar bear, named Jackson. For Zayd, the adventure has only just begun!
©2020 Aine Moorad (P)2020 Aine Moorad
Don't Close Your Eyes
Summary
A juicy, powerful book featuring twin sisters who have drifted apart and the shocking family secrets that bind them - for fans of The Woman in Cabin 10 and I Let You Go. When the past knocks, someone must answer. In a bustling suburban neighborhood in Kent, England, sits an unassuming house. There is no sign of life behind the unwashed windows, but Robin Marshall is inside. Driven by fears and obsessions, racked by anxiety, Robin is frantically pushing her body through punishing workouts, eating little, haunted by what happened to her family when she was a girl. Robin's only connection to the outside world is through her rear windows and the lives she spies upon in the apartment house across the way. Then a stranger starts pounding on her door. Sarah Marshall is Robin's twin, estranged from her sister after their parents' betrayal and a violation at the hands of a man she should have been able to trust. Sarah has recently lost custody of the child she loves more than anything and has set off on her own, hoping that somewhere in England she can find Robin, the braver twin, the rock star, the survivor, the savior. These two young women, polar opposites, cannot go on unless they reckon with the past. While Sarah, slowly unraveling, searches for her sister's hiding place, Robin sees another life hanging in the balance in the lighted windows across the way. It is a life only Robin can save - as long as she never looks away. In a novel that is stunning in its twists, shocks, and gripping psychological suspense, two sisters find themselves on the razor's edge of sanity. Untold secrets, a ghastly lie, and suffocating guilt hold them back. Only one astounding act can set them free. And one last revelation will leave listeners gasping in surprise.
©2017 Holly Seddon (P)2017 Random House Audio
Small Acts of Amazing Courage
Summary
It is 1918, six months after the end of World War I, and Rosalind awaits the return of her father from the war. While it is common practice for British children in India to be packed off to boarding school at the age of 6, Rosalind is unusual because she lives and is schooled in India because her mother insists. The heart of this penetrating story is Rosalind's coming of age set against the hardship of life for the Indian people, Rosalind's daily life in India, the rise of Ghandi and Rosalind's coming to make her own decisions and become her own person.
©2011 Gloria Whelan (P)2011 Listening Library