Audiobooks narrated by Gail Shalan

Perfect for fans of Hatchet and the I Survived series, this harrowing middle grade debut novel-in-verse from a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet tells the story of a young girl who wakes up one day to find herself utterly alone in her small Colorado town. When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She's alone—left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned. With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten. As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie's most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie's stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?

Megan E. Freeman (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Creep

You meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in this twisted, tragic love story that follows Holy Family High School’s cutest couple—as told through the eyes of the classmate who’s stalking them. Laney Villanueva and Nico Fiore are the perfect couple: beautiful, popular, talented, and hopelessly in love. Everyone looks up to them at Holy Family High School. But Rafi doesn’t just admire them. She watches them. She’s drawn to them. Intent on becoming their closest friend, Rafi weaves her way into their lives. She starts small: taking photos of the senior class for the yearbook, joining Laney’s club, and babysitting Nico's little sister. And it works—soon they invite her to parties, take her on joyrides, and ask her for favors. Rafi’s actions quickly turn invasive, delving deeper and deeper until she’s consumed by their most intimate secrets. When tragedy strikes the young lovers, Rafi’s obsession spirals, and she will do anything to keep the perfect couple together. Anything . . .

Lygia Day Peñaflor (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Staying Home is a Killer

Air Force wife Ellie Avery is so good at organizing she's turned pro. But when a fellow military wife turns up dead, Ellie tackles a different type of case-murder . . . Ellie Avery balances motherhood, marriage, and her own business-Everything in Its Place-with cheerful efficiency. A maestro of organization, she sees her life as an easy checklist that does not include the untimely death of Penny Follette. Unlike the police, Ellie isn't convinced Penny's death was suicide. But it's an uphill battle getting the officials to take her seriously. Then another spouse is strangled, and someone tries to poison an outspoken female Air Force pilot. Poking about in closets and peeking through drawers, Ellie hopes to find the common thread tying the crimes together. With her husband Mitch about to be deployed in the 'sandbox' (that's the Mideast for us civvies), she wants some quality time with her significant other. As the schedule tightens and the mystery heightens, Ellie's out to prove that home is not for killers!

Sara Rosett (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Reboot

If you're starting a thousand mile journey with a single step, you better make sure you're wearing comfy shoes. Abby Archer's life has rarely been better. As a newlywed, she and Steve have things just as she wants them. But when a big surprise leaves Abby confused, can she trust Steve to do things the way she needs them handled? Amanda Brooks' business had a rocky start, but she and Mandy are more energized than ever. Eddy's back too, and they're trying to navigate a new way forward. Work and love are both shaping up nicely when disaster strikes. Can the new presence in town wreck all their plans, or will Amanda square her shoulders and persevere? Donna has finally accepted her feelings for Will, and she's enjoying her job too. But working far from home has its own share of difficulties, and eventually her current job will end. When the retreat is built, will Donna find that tiny Manila is big enough to fulfill all her dreams? Return to Birch Creek to see how your favorite friends are navigating career, family life, and love with a little bit of laughter.

B. E. Baker (Author), Gail Shalan, Jennifer Jill Araya, Marni Penning (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Lady and the Lionheart

Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it's away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet-freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. It is a trade so costly that it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice. As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. It is all under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella's own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl-boldly showing Ella that, while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.

Joanne Bischof (Author), Gail Shalan, Joel Clarkson (Narrator)

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Dead Man's Hand: Crime Fiction at the Poker Table

Hit the jackpot with stories from Michael Connelly, Laura Lippman, Walter Mosley, Alexander McCall Smith, and more superstars of mystery. In 'One Dollar Jackpot,' Michael Connelly's curmudgeonly Harry Bosch finds himself going toe-to-toe with a professional poker player. Jeffery Deaver offers up 'Bump,' a tale of a has-been actor trying to make it big by hustling cards. 'Hardly Knew Her' by Laura Lippmann showcases a young woman learning about bluffing the hard way, while 'In the Eyes of Children' by Alexander McCall Smith features a scam at a poker table on the high seas. With these, and more offerings from mystery greats such as Joyce Carol Oates, John Lescroart, Walter Mosley, Peter Robinson, and Eric Van Lustbader, Dead Man's Hand is a suspenseful anthology that's a big winner for any fan of crime fiction.

Alexander McCall Smith, Jeffrey Deaver, Laura Lippman, Michael Connelly, Walter Mosley (Author), Gail Shalan, Keith Sellon-Wright, Leon Nixon (Narrator)

Audiobook

Moving is Murder

Meet military spouse, soccer mom, professional organizer, and savvy sleuth, Ellie Avery! Moving four times in five years has honed Air Force wife Ellie Avery's packing and unpacking skills. But moving with a newborn daughter and husband Mitch in tow, during a heat wave, is enough to make her turn to chocolate for comfort. And when Ellie finds a local environmentalist dead on the side of the road, her instincts tell her this was no accident . . . Ellie snoops into the activist's suspicious demise, only to realize she's getting closer to the killer . . . maybe too close! This first Ellie Avery mystery launched a series that continues to win readers' hearts.

Sara Rosett (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hometown Burning: The Hometown Mysteries, Book 2

In the second of the Hometown trilogy, ex-Afghanistan vet paramedic Frankie McGill and resident deputy Gabe Zantos are caught up in a case of arson. A house at the end of a country road has stood vacant for years; it's occupants mice and the stray raccoon or two. When the derelict house catches fire, the only reason the Hawkesford Fire Department responds is because of the danger to the dry wheat fields surrounding it. But then not only a gunshot victim, but a charred body is found inside the house, along with evidence of a meth cooking operation. Accident, or murder? While Gabe is delving into this mystery, more trouble is piling up. An elderly man working in his shop is electrocuted in odd circumstances; another elderly man is shot and left to die on his remote farm. Only an unidentified call to the Hawkesford EMS saves him. A widow woman living alone on her family farm is nearly incinerated in a staged accident, which Frankie foils. Then a young girl where Frankie is the attending paramedic dies of a drug overdose and it appears there could be gang rivalry going on. What ties these things together? Is it the sudden rise in drug activity instigated by the Weddell family? Is it the uber-aggressive real estate agent going around trying to buy up old homestead properties? Could it be the obnoxious, land hungry Strohmeyers; a father and son farm duo with questionable morals? The thing is, Frankie inherited an original homestead from her grandparents, which makes her a target right alongside the old folks. It will take all her strength as she battles for her life when she is ambushed.

C.K. Crigger (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Finding Faeries: Discovering Sprites, Pixies, Redcaps, and Other Fantastical Creatures in an Urban E

Discover where faeries and other mythical creatures are hiding in our modern, urban environment with this beautifully illustrated guide to uncovering magical beings. From the musty corners of libraries to the darkest depths of urban sewers, faeries, boggarts, redcaps, and other fantastical species can be found all around us—but only if we know where to look. And like every other being in the modern world, these wonderous creatures have been forced to adapt to the climate, industrial, and cultural changes of the modern era. Many formerly common creatures from akeki to cave trolls have been driven out by the urban sprawl, technological advancements, and climate change while others, including ether sprites and brownies, have been able to thrive in abundance, creating homes within electrical hotbeds and massive landfills. Featuring descriptions of magical creatures from around the globe, this encyclopedic collection details the history and adaptability of more than fifty different species of fae. Describing little-known and fascinating creatures such as the Luck Pigeon of Baltimore, the akaname of Eastern Asia, and the konderong of South Africa, this book will expose readers to fantastical species from a variety of cultures and communities. Combining scholarship with modern lore and environmentalism, and featuring stunning hand-drawn illustrations, Finding Faeries is a captivating look at the fantastical beings that inhabit our world today.

Alexandra Rowland (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Privilege Lost: Who Leaves the Upper Middle Class and How They Fall

There are two narratives of the American class structure: one of a country with boundless opportunities for upward mobility and one of a rigid class system in which the rich stay rich while the poor stay poor. Each of these narratives holds some truth, but each overlooks another. In Privilege Lost, Jessi Streib traces the lives of over 100 youth born into the upper-middle-class. Following them for over ten years as they transition from teens to young adults, Streib examines who falls from the upper-middle-class, how, and why don't they see it coming. In doing so, she reveals the patterned ways that individuals' resources and identities push them onto mobility paths-and the complicated choices youth make between staying true to themselves and staying in their class position. Engaging and eye-opening, Privilege Lost brings to life the stories of the downwardly mobile and highlights what they reveal about class, privilege, and American family life.

Jessi Streib (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Thousand Questions

Set against the backdrop of Karachi, Pakistan, Saadia Faruqi’s tender and honest middle grade novel tells the story of two girls navigating a summer of change and family upheaval with kind hearts, big dreams, and all the right questions. Mimi is not thrilled to be spending her summer in Karachi, Pakistan, with grandparents she’s never met. Secretly, she wishes to find her long-absent father, and plans to write to him in her beautiful new journal. The cook’s daughter, Sakina, still hasn’t told her parents that she’ll be accepted to school only if she can improve her English test score—but then, how could her family possibly afford to lose the money she earns working with her Abba in a rich family’s kitchen? Although the girls seem totally incompatible at first, as the summer goes on, Sakina and Mimi realize that they have plenty in common—and that they each need the other to get what they want most. This relatable and empathetic story about two friends coming to understand each other will resonate with readers who loved Other Words for Home and Front Desk. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Saadia Faruqi (Author), Gail Shalan, Reena Dutt (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Little Book of Cottagecore: Traditional Skills for a Simpler Life

Emily Kent (Author), Gail Shalan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Gail Shalan