Audiobooks narrated by Debra Michaels

In Their Defence: Fighting for Youth Justice One Child at a Time

"No new parent expects their offspring’s childhood to be tainted by arrest or conviction. That only happens to other people’s kids, right? Wrong. In this compelling book, written by one of Britain’s top experts in youth justice, Aika Stephenson reveals the extraordinary cases she deals with daily. From the obviously vulnerable to the A-grade student from a stable upbringing, Just for Kids Law, the campaigning charity co-founded by Stephenson in 2007, has helped thousands of children and young people overcome the difficulties they face. Aika says: ‘Every day in my job is an adventure, a battle for justice, heart-breaking, and a joy. But very few people truly understand the law that dictates the lives of our young people, and I want to share that with the public – both the heart-warming successes and the shocking failures of the system.’ From playground mischief to issues with immigration status, from housing to those facing years behind bars for a crime their friend committed, this book lays bare what really goes on behind the scenes, from the police station through to the young offenders’ institution and everything in between. It is an important and revelatory book that confronts the issues that face all young people today."

Aika Stephenson (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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The Lagos Wife

"Brought to you by Penguin. Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life: a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of Lagos and a glamorous group of friends. She left London and a troubled family past behind to become part of a community of expat wives. But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her aunt Claudine flies to Nigeria to take matters into her own hands. As she digs into her niece's life, she uncovers a hidden truth. But the more she finds out about Nicole, the more Claudine's own buried history threatens to come to light. 'A thrillingly suspenseful novel that reveals its riches, layers and secrets through effortlessly elegant prose . . . I was hooked right through to the shocking end' BERNARDINE EVARISTO 'Obsessed' KERRY WASHINGTON 'A shimmering success' DIANA EVANS ©2024 Vanessa Walters (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

Vanessa Walters (Author), Dami Olukoya, Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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Windrush: 75 Years of Modern Britain

"The oral history of Britain’s first West Indian immigrants and their descendants In 1948 the former troop ship Windrush made the 30-day journey across the Atlantic from Jamaica. The arrival of its 500 passengers, the first generation of Caribbean migrants in the UK, was the initial step in the formation of a new identity: the black Briton. Fifty years later, Mike and Trevor Phillips spoke to those on the Windrush itself, as well as those who followed, to tell the story of Britain in the second half of the twentieth century through the eyes of the outsiders who became insiders. Now updated to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the ship’s voyage and including reflections on its political and cultural legacy in 2023, Windrush is an essential record of this transformative era in British social history."

Mike Phillips, Trevor Phillips (Author), Ben Onwukwe, Cathy Tyson, Debra Michaels, Howard Saddler, Joel Trill (Narrator)

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Virtually Christmas

"The HILARIOUS new novel and the year’s most perfect festive gift – from million-copy bestselling author David Baddiel It used to be the most WONDERFUL time of the year, but for years Christmas has been taken over by Winterzone. All the things that made Christmas special are gone: the human connection, the baubles passed down through generations, even the rubbish cracker jokes. Instead, Christmas is run by robots, while 3D holograms of Santa Claus called Santavatars check if you’ve been naughty or nice – and on Christmas Eve, all of the presents are delivered by ZoneDrones instead of Santa’s reindeer! But when they stumble on a curious clue, eleven-year-old Etta and her friend Monty find themselves thrown into a fight to bring back Christmas. Racing against time and against the might of Winterzone, they must find the real Santa – before the true meaning of the festive season is lost forever . . ."

David Baddiel (Author), Debra Michaels, Harriet Carmichael, Karise Yansen, Lizzie Waterworth, Mike Grady, Paul Panting, Toby Stephens, Wayne Forester (Narrator)

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Black Voices on Britain

"A compelling anthology of Black voices from England, America, Africa and the Caribbean, from people who lived, worked, campaigned and travelled in Britain from the eighteenth to the early twentieth century. Part of the Macmillan Collector's Library. Professor Hakim Adi, shortlisted for the Wolfson history prize, draws on a variety of published works in Black Voices on Britain, all of which describe powerful experiences: James Gronniosaw and his family endure poverty, illness and unemployment; Mary Prince is driven out by her cruel owners and turns to London charities for help; Frederick Douglass, on a lecture tour around Britain, reveals how the Christian clergy built churches with slave-owners' money; and William Wells Brown gives his impressions of England as he travels around a country which welcomes him more readily than America. These and other voices offer a fascinating and thought-provoking portrayal of Black experiences in Britain."

Various (Author), Damian Lynch, Debra Michaels, Hakim Adi (Narrator)

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An Ocean Apart: Historical Fiction Inspired by Real Life Stories of the Windrush Generation

"Inspired by real life stories of the Windrush Generation and her mother's own experiences as a nurse coming to Britain from the Caribbean, Sarah Lee's debut novel An Ocean Apart is a must for fans of Call the Midwife. It's 1954 and, in Barbados, Ruby Haynes spots an advertisement for young women to train as nurses for the new National Health Service in Great Britain. Her sister, Connie, takes some persuading, but soon the sisters are on their way to a new country - and a whole new world of experiences. As they start their training in Hertfordshire, they discover England isn't quite the promised land; for every door that's opened to them, the sisters find many slammed in their faces. And though the girls find friendships with their fellow nurses, Connie struggles with being so far from home, and keeping secret the daughter she has left behind in search of a better life for the both of them . . ."

Sarah Lee (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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The Marvellous Granny Jinks and Me: Animal Magic!

"Join Jada and Granny Jinks in this charming new series for readers aged 6+! Gorgeously illustrated throughout by Selom Sunu, and brimming with warmth, tricks and magic, this is the perfect read for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn and Wigglesbottom Primary! Granny Jinks and Jada have officially joined the Dalton Green Magic Society, but the fun has only just started! For their next trick, Granny Jinks and Jada will have to perform magic with the cheekiest assistant of them all - an animal! Will naughty Luna the cat learn her magic trick in time, and will Jada's best friend, Matilda, ever find the perfect pet for hers? Inspired by the true story of Jenny Mayers - the first Black woman to be accepted into the Magic Circle. *Includes how-to magic tricks for you to try at home!* With themes of finding courage, making friends, managing relationships at home, school and in the community, this is a wonderful new series for readers aged 6 and up!"

Serena Holly (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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The Marvellous Granny Jinks and Me

"Join Jada and Granny Jinks in this charming new series for readers aged 6+! Brimming with warmth, tricks and magic, perfect for fans of The Naughtiest Unicorn, Bad Nana and Wigglesbottom Primary! When Jada Jinks finds a box of magic tricks in her granny's flat, she uncovers her granny's SECRET dream of becoming a magician. Jada soon decides that she's going to help Granny Jinks fulfil her dreams, but one thing stands in her way - her dad, Jonny Jinks, who hates magic! Will Jada be able to help Granny Jinks pass the auditions for Dalton Green Magic Society, and will she learn some tricks of her own along the way? Inspired by the true story of Jenny Mayers - the first Black woman to be accepted into the Magic Circle. *Includes how-to magic tricks for you to try at home!* With themes of finding courage, making friends, managing relationships at home, school and in the community, this is a wonderful new series for readers aged 6 and up! "

Serena Holly (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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Annie Beaton's Year of Positive Thinking

"A laugh-out-loud, feelgood read for fans of Gill Sims, Sophie Ranald and Tracy Bloom by the author of The Pissed-off Parents Club and Just Another Manic Mum Day. It’s Annie Beaton’s 50th birthday! But instead of getting roses and perfume, she gets sacked; her son, Ben, tells her that she’s growing a beard and her husband Joe tells her he wants a divorce. Moving to the countryside to stay in her eccentric aunt’s house, Annie must find her mojo again – and fast. So when she discovers a stack of self-help books – from Chicken Soup for the Soul to The Secret – Annie vows to use their advice to get her life back on track. Armed with a bookshelf of positive vibes, Annie’s determined to kick her Crappy Old Year to the kerb and have a brilliantly Happy New Year. Just as soon as she’s had her chin waxed... - -"

Mink Elliott (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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Soul Sisters

"Soul Sisters by Lesley Lokko is a rich, intergenerational tale of love, race, power and secrets which centres on the lifelong friendship between two women: Scottish Jen McFadden and South African-born Kemisa Mashabane, known to her friends as Kemi. Since childhood, Jen and Kemi have lived like sisters in the McFadden family home in Edinburgh, brought together by a shared family history which stretches back generations. Kemi was educated in Britain alongside Jen and the girls could not be closer; nor could they be more different in the paths they take in life. But the ties that bind them are strong and complicated, and a dark family secret exists in their joint history. Solam Rhoyi is from South Africa’s black political elite. Handsome, charismatic, charming, and a successful young banker, he meets both Kemi and Jen on a trip to London and sweeps them off their feet. Partly influenced by her interest in Solam, and partly on a journey of self-discovery, Kemi, now 31, decides to return to the country of her birth for the first time. Jen, seeking an escape from her father’s overbearing presence, decides to go with her. In Johannesburg, it becomes clear that Solam is looking for the perfect wife to facilitate his soaring political ambitions. But who will he choose? All the while, the real story behind the two families’ connection threatens to reveal itself – with devastating consequences . . ."

Lesley Lokko (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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The End of Men

"‘A FIERCELY INTELLIGENT PAGE-TURNER’ PAULA HAWKINS ‘WRITTEN PRE-COVID – GRIPPING, SCARY AND PERSUASIVE’ IAN RANKIN ‘THE STUFF THAT CLASSICS ARE MADE OF’ A.J. FINN ‘GRIPPING AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN. WHAT A DEBUT!’ SARAH PEARSE, author of The Sanatorium ‘BRILLIANT, PRESCIENT, UNPUTDOWNABLE’ JENNY COLGAN ‘AN ENGROSSING DEBUT’ STYLIST ‘HUGE IN SCOPE…AS TENSE AS THE TAUTEST THRILLER’ RED ‘THE MOST BUZZED-ABOUT FICTION FOR 2021’ SUNDAY TIMES STYLE ‘AN UNFLINCHINGLY PACY MUST-READ’ GRAZIA ‘AN UNFORGETTABLE DEBUT’PRIMA GLASGOW, 2025. Dr Amanda Maclean is called to treat a young man with a mild fever. Within three hours he dies. The mysterious illness sweeps through the hospital with deadly speed. This is how it begins. The victims are all men. Dr Maclean raises the alarm, but the sickness spreads to every corner of the globe. Threatening families. Governments. Countries. Can they find a cure before it’s too late? Will this be the story of the end of the world – or its salvation? Compelling, confronting and devastating, The End of Men is the novel that everyone is talking about. ‘A POWERFUL, GRIPPING BOOK THAT HAS MADE ME FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT THE WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW’ BRYONY GORDON ‘FRIGHTENINGLY PRESCIENT… A COMPELLING, MOVING AND INTELLIGENT PAGE-TURNER’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ‘A TOUR DE FORCE – A FEMINIST REIMAGINING OF SOCIETY’ GILLIAN MCALLISTER ‘COMPELLING AND HEART-BREAKING. A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT’ ABI DARÉ ‘PACY, EMOTIVE, THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND ULTIMATELY A REMINDER OF THE STRENGTH OF LOVE AND HUMAN CONNECTION’ C.D. MAJOR 'A REMARKABLY PRESCIENT, WHIP-SMART, AND STRANGELY HOPEFUL NOVEL' CHARLOTTE PHILBY ‘DEVASTATING, PRESCIENT, COMPELLING AND CONFRONTING’ LAURA JANE WILLIAMS ‘GRIPPING, MOVING AND SCARILY PRESCIENT. COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN’ CHARLOTTE NORTHEDGE, AUTHOR OF THE HOUSE GUEST ‘MOVING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND TERRIFYINGLY PRESCIENT’ TAMMY COHEN ‘TOPICAL, TIMELY, IMAGINATIVE AND ULTIMATELY HOPEFUL’ KATIE KHAN, AUTHOR OF HOLD BACK THE STARS 'AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT – BOTH A BREATH-TAKING FEAT OF IMAGINATION AND A WISE, STEADY EYE ON THE WORLD AS IT IS' JESSICA MOOR, AUTHOR OF THE KEEPER"

Christina Sweeney-Baird, Denica Fairman (Author), Aysha Kala, Cathleen Mccarron, Debra Michaels, Julia Locascio, Penelope Rawlins, Rebecca Perfect, Robert Bradley, Sara Lynam, Sasha Alexis, William Hope (Narrator)

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Segu: Penguin Modern Classics

"Brought to you by Penguin. Winner of the Alternative Nobel Prize for Literature 2018 The bestselling epic novel of family, treachery, rivalry, religious fervour and the turbulent fate of a royal African dynasty It is 1797 and the African kingdom of Segu, born of blood and violence, is at the height of its power. Yet Dousika Traore, the king's most trusted advisor, feels nothing but dread. Change is coming. From the East, a new religion, Islam. From the West, the slave trade. These forces will tear his country, his village and the lives of his beloved sons apart, in Maryse Condé's glittering epic. 'Maryse Condé is an extraordinary storyteller who brings the history of an African kingdom alive as vividly as if it existed today. . . This is a great novel: unputdownable and unforgettable' Bernardine Evaristo 'Rich and colorful and glorious. It sprawls over continents and centuries to find its way into the reader's heart' - Maya Angelou 'A stunning reaffirmation of Africa and its peoples... It's a starburst' - John A. Williams © Maryse Condé 1984 (P) Penguin Audio 2021"

Maryse Condé (Author), Debra Michaels (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Debra Michaels

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