Audiobooks narrated by Christina Cole

"The addictive and thought-provoking new novel from the author of the Richard & Judy book club pick, THE HERD. In the sleepy seaside sleepy town of Waverly, Rosie and Seb Kent are happily married. Now that Seb has achieved his dream of becoming Headmaster of the local school, their lives couldn't be any better. Then Abi arrives. Abi, a young, single mother, has come to Waverly for a fresh start. She plans to reinvent herself and give her children a new life. Then she sees Seb. As their complicated hidden past threatens to destroy them both, they try their hardest to keep it contained. But in a small town, secrets don’t stay hidden for long and soon, what should be their private business becomes a very public scandal. How far will everyone – them, their families and the whole community – go to protect everything they hold dearest? Praise for Emily Edwards: 'A knock-out twist' GILLIAN McALLISTER 'Will have book clubs across the country in hot debate! Brilliant' CLARE MACKINTOSH 'It is hard to imagine a more timely novel' JODI PICOULT © Emily Edwards 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Emily Edwards (Author), Christina Cole (Narrator)

Audiobook

Dogs and Monsters

"Brought to you by Penguin. 'There is nothing more terrifying than the monster that squats behind the door you dare not open...' From the bestselling author of The Porpoise come eight mesmerising stories exploring what, ultimately, makes us human. Mark Haddon weaves ancient fables into fresh and unexpected forms, and forges new legends to sit alongside them. The myth of the Minotaur in his labyrinth is turned into a wrenching parable of maternal love – and of the monstrosities of patriarchy. The lover of a goddess, Tithonus, is gifted eternal life but without eternal youth. Actaeon, changed into a stag after glimpsing the naked Diana and torn to pieces by his hunting dogs, becomes a visceral metaphor about how humans use and misuse animals. From genetic engineering to the eternal complications of family, Haddon showcases how we are subject to the same elemental forces that obsessed the Greeks. Whether describing Laika the Soviet space dog on her fateful orbit, or St Anthony wrestling with loneliness in the desert, his astonishing powers of observation are at their height when illuminating the thin line between human and animal. 'A marvel of a collection' Kaliane Bradley 'In sentences as precisely cut as paper sculptures, Mark Haddon fits ancient myth to the cruelties and wonders of the present' Francis Spufford ©2024 Mark Haddon (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

Mark Haddon (Author), Christina Cole, Rachel Bavidge, Robert Bathurst, Steve John Shepherd (Narrator)

Audiobook

Things Don’t Break On Their Own

"Brought to you by Penguin. She could be anyone. She could be you. Nobody ever found out what happened to Laika Martenwood, the girl who vanished without a trace on her way to school one morning. But for her sister Willa, life shattered into tiny pieces that day, and she has never been able to put them back together again. Willa sees Laika everywhere: on buses, at parties, in busy streets. It’s been twenty-five years, and the only thing that has kept her going is her belief that her sister is alive, somewhere. But when a dinner party conversation about childhood memories spirals out of control, a shattering revelation from one of the guests forces Willa to rethink everything she thought she knew about her past. And, out of the debris of that explosive evening, the truth of what really happened begins to emerge. Piece by piece. 'This is the one: the next must-read, must-discuss novel' A.J. FINN 'A terrific debut from a promising talent' KARIN SLAUGHTER 'I will be thinking about it for years ... I loved it' GILLIAN McALLISTER ©2024 Sarah Easter Collins (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

Sarah Easter Collins (Author), Christina Cole, Emily Lucienne, Nathalie Buscombe (Narrator)

Audiobook

In Search of Amrit Kaur: An Indian Princess in Wartime Paris

"Brought to you by Penguin. A lost princess and a vanished world: a remarkable true story that moves from the Punjab of the Raj to 1930s Paris and the Second World War In a Mumbai museum in 2007, Livia Manera Sambuy encounters a photograph that will change her life forever. The caption claims that the Punjabi princess Amrit Kaur sold her jewels in occupied Paris to save Jewish lives, only to be arrested by the Gestapo and sent to a concentration camp where she died within a year. For Livia, this marks the beginning of a compulsive search for the truth as she delves into the history of the British Raj, the diamonds and sapphires of the twentieth-century aristocracy, and the lives of extraordinary figures: bankers, jewellers, explorers and spies. ‘Remarkable and compelling’ Edmund de Waal ‘Thoroughly engaging’ Kamila Shamsie ‘An ambitious, absorbing work that peels back the layers of its enigmatic subject and digs deeply into the author's own emotional vicissitudes’ Jhumpa Lahiri ‘A tantalizing true story . . . In Search of Amrit Kaur plunges into the glittery world of Indian royalty’ New York Times Book Review © Livia Manera Sambuy 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023"

Livia Manera Sambuy (Author), Christina Cole (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Witch in the Well: A deliciously disturbing Gothic tale of a revenge reaching out across the yea

"Brought to you by Penguin. Over a hundred years ago, the citizens of F- did something rather bad. And local school teacher Catherine Evans has made writing the definitive account of what happened when Ilsbeth Clark drowned in the well her life's work. The town's people may not want their past raked up, but Catherine is determined to shine a light upon that shameful event. For Ilsbeth was an innocent, after all. She was shunned and ostracised by rumour-mongers and ill-wishers and someone has to speak up for her. And who better than Catherine, who has herself felt the sting and hurt of such whisperings? But then a childhood friend returns to F -. Elena is a successful author whose book, The Whispers Inside: A Reawakening of the Soul, has earned her a certain celebrity. In search of a new subject, she takes an interest in the story of Ilsbeth Clark and announces her intention to write a book about the long-dead woman, focusing on the natural magic she believes she possessed. And Elena has everything Catherine has not, like a platform and connections and no one seems to care that Elena's book will be pure speculation, tainting Ilsbeth's memory rather than preserving it. Catherine is determined that something must be done and plots to blunt her rival's pen. However she had not allowed for the fact that the past might not be so dead after all - that something is reaching out from the well, disturbing her reality. Before summer's over, one woman will be dead, the other accused of murder . . . but is she really guilty, or are there other forces at work? And who was Ilsbeth Clark, really? An innocent? A witch? Or something else entirely? © Camilla Bruce 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022"

Camilla Bruce (Author), Charlotte Davey, Christina Cole, Emily Barber (Narrator)

Audiobook

Whatever It Takes

"What if love's not enough? From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Just My Luck and Both Of You, Whatever It Takes is an emotionally powerful and unputdownable novel… For Londoner Eloise Hamilton, it is a momentous day when she reluctantly agrees to uproot to Dartmouth, leaving behind her perfect world so her husband can return to his. At least her mother-in-law Margaret will welcome her with open arms, and she can rely on best friend Sara to be her lifeline to London. But Eloise is thrust into unexpected turmoil when it's revealed that Margaret is showing signs of dementia and Sara's intense longing for a family threatens to overwhelm her. While she's dreaming up extreme ways to help those she loves, Eloise's world implodes with the strain of being responsible for all around her. When a life-changing secret is revealed, someone is bound to be overlooked. And the damage might be irreparable… What Readers are Saying about Whatever It Takes: 'One of the best books I've read in a long time. So many twists and turns, but filled with so much love' 'Fantastically written and incredibly entertaining to read. There were parts that touched me, and parts that absolutely riled me but this was such a treat' Praise for Adele Parks: ‘As always with Adele Parks this is an absolutely gripping read’ Richard Osman 'Gripping, moving and elegantly written' Marian Keyes ‘Brilliantly twisty… but is also so insightful about human nature. A triumph’ Lucy Foley ‘Chilling, gripping and entirely unputdownable’ Lisa Jewell ‘Kept me guessing and had me gasping at the twist’ Ian Rankin ‘Ambitious, nail-biting, darkly voyeuristic – I tore through it in two sittings' Louise Candlish ‘Addictive, provocative and thoroughly relatable’ T.M. Logan ‘An absolute joy: gripping, shocking and surprising’ Jane Fallon"

Adele Parks (Author), Christina Cole (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Boyfriend

"'A thriller that will have you gripped' - Closer He loves you. He loves you not. Amy is fiercely independent, with a high-powered career, a flat of her own and tight-knit friendships. But as she approaches her thirtieth birthday, she can’t help but rue the one thing she doesn’t have – a relationship. When Amy comes around following a serious fall, she doesn’t remember anything from the last six months. Not even the upcoming skiing holiday at her aunt’s luxurious chalet in Val d’Isère with her mum and best friends to celebrate her birthday. And she certainly doesn’t remember being swept off her feet by the handsome Dr Jack Stewart . . . Jack is the full package – charming, caring and devoted to Amy. Everyone is smitten with him, but as the week goes on, Amy begins to find Jack’s presence chilling. Is her broken mind playing tricks? Or is the perfect boyfriend really too good to be true? For fans of The Chalet and The Hunting Party, The Boyfriend is a twisting anti-love story that will keep you guessing with every page, by Michelle Frances, author of the number one bestselling sensation The Girlfriend. *** PRAISE FOR MICHELLE FRANCES ‘I tore through the pages . . . A high-speed chase of a novel’ – Louise Candlish ‘Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint’ – Daily Mail ‘Toxic family relationships, sultry European settings and an intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust’ – Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet"

Michelle Frances (Author), Christina Cole (Narrator)

Audiobook

Anna

"Brought to you by Penguin. Beaten. Branded. Defiant. Anna is a possession. She is owned by the man named Will, shielded from the world of struggles by his care. He loves her, protects her, and then breaks her. Anna is obedient, dutiful, and compliant. Anna does not know her place in the world. When she falls pregnant, Anna leaves her name behind, and finds the strength to run. But the past - and Will - catch up with her in an idyllic town with a dark secret, and this time, it's not just Anna who is at risk. © 2021 Sammy H.K. Smith (P) Penguin Audio and Rebellion Publishing 2021"

Sammy H.K. Smith (Author), Christina Cole (Narrator)

Audiobook

Cousin Kate

"Brought to you by Penguin. Kate Malvern never expected to see this kind of splendour again. After her father's death, Kate was left an orphan, striving to make ends meet as a governess until her aunt Minerva rescues her from poverty. Kate hardly knows what to expect at the grand house of Staplewood. Her uncle lives in one wing, while her handsome, moody cousin Torquil occupies another; guests are few and far between, but even family dinners are rigidly formal. And, over it all, Minerva's word is law. But the sudden arrival of cousin Philip throws Minerva's control over the household into doubt, and Kate begins to suspect the shocking reason for Minerva's generosity. She has no-one to confide in but cousin Philip - but for reasons unknown, he seems to have taken an instant dislike to her... Cousin Kate is a rich and classic Georgette Heyer novel, replete with the sparkling humour, memorable characters and intricate plots that have made her the queen of the Regency romance novel. 'Wonderful characters and rapturously romantic' - Katie Fforde © Georgette Heyer 1968 (P) Penguin Audio 2021"

Georgette Heyer (Author), Christina Cole (Narrator)

Audiobook

Keep Her Quiet

"Brought to you by Penguin. Jenny has just given birth to the baby she’s always wanted. She’s never been this happy. Her husband, Leo, knows this baby girl can’t be his. He’s never felt so betrayed. The same night, a vulnerable young woman, Hannah, wakes to find her newborn lifeless beside her. She’s crazed with grief. When chance throws Hannah into Leo’s path, they make a plan that will have shattering consequences for all of them. Years later, a sixteen-year-old girl reads an article in a newspaper, and embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about herself. But what she learns will put everything she has ever known – and her own life – in grave danger. Because some people will go to desperate lengths to protect the secrets their lives are built on . . . 'Absolutely outstanding' Lauren North 'As always, Emma Curtis's clever skilful writing keeps the reader racing through the pages' Jane Corry 'This is grip-lit at its best' Fanny Blake © Emma Curtis 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020"

Emma Curtis (Author), Christina Cole, Clare Corbett, Tamaryn Payne (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Innocent Wife: A Richard and Judy Book Club pick

"Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd, read by Christina Cole and Lorelei King. THE TOP TEN BESTSELLER You were obsessed with his case. You fought for his freedom. He was acquitted. You married him. But now you’re wondering if he’s so innocent after all. As recommended by MY FAVOURITE MURDER: 'It is so really ****ing good!' 'This book had me hooked from the first page to the last.’ LISA JEWELL Twenty years ago, Dennis Danson was sentenced to death for a brutal murder in Florida. But there were flaws in the case, questions hanging over the prosecution, suspicions of a miscarriage of justice. Sam, an English schoolteacher, finds herself drawn into an online community obsessed with the case, and with the eighteen-year-old who tearfully protested his innocence. Who was the ‘Short Man’ that police never found? Why did they fixate on Dennis so early? What happened to the missing evidence? Sam writes to Dennis, and Dennis writes back. They become friends. She visits him. They fall in love. They marry. And, at long last, a confession from the real killer seems to prove Dennis’s innocence. He’s acquitted; declared a free man. Sam is overjoyed, but part of her starts to doubt Dennis, and the ways he seems to change once released. She pushes it aside. After all, they’re husband and wife. Till death do them part. Amy's readers are raving about the book they 'just couldn't put down': “I picked up The Innocent Wife this morning on my subway commute to work and couldn't put it down! I read it during my lunch break, commute home, on the stair master… It was just that addicting!” “Absolutely fantastic book… couldn’t put it down” “a superb rendering of sustained storytelling that grips you from the off” “I read the book in two days, couldn't wait to find out what happened next” “Fantastic, gripping, page turning… Drew you in and kept you there until the very end” “A fantastic debut! … It gets you hooked from the very beginning, and yet it's never predictable, you're in for some surprises until the very last page” “The Innocent Wife was gripping. I read with heart racing” “I literally couldn't wait to steal five minutes with it during the day and loved my evenings completely immersed in the tension” “I couldn't put this down… thriller fans, you're in for a treat” “complex and fascinating… very clever and very well executed” “original and utterly compelling … I honestly feel bereft now that I've finished it and can't wait to spend 2018 talking about this fantastic novel”"

Amy Lloyd (Author), Christina Cole, Lorelei King (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Friend

"Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Friend by Dorothy Koomson, read by Jennifer Saayeng, Angela Griffin, Christina Cole, Shelley Conn, Susy Kane and Sam Dillon. What secrets would you kill to keep? After her husband’s big promotion, Cece Solarin arrives in Brighton with their three children, ready to start afresh. But their new neighbourhood has a deadly secret. Three weeks earlier, Yvonne, a very popular parent, was almost murdered in the grounds of the local school – the same school where Cece has unwittingly enrolled her children. Already anxious about making friends when the parents seem so cliquey, Cece is now also worried about her children’s safety. By chance she meets Maxie, Anaya and Hazel, three very different school mothers who make her feel welcome and reassure her about her new life. That is until Cece discovers the police believe one of her new friends tried to kill Yvonne. Reluctant to spy on her friends but determined to discover the truth, Cece must uncover the potential murderer before they strike again . . . From the bestselling author of That Girl from Nowhere and When I Was Invisible comes a thrilling new novel that will have you questioning the line between right and wrong."

Dorothy Koomson (Author), Angela Griffin, Christina Cole, Jennifer Saayeng, Sam Dillon, Shelley Conn, Susy Kane (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Christina Cole