Audiobooks narrated by Justin Avoth

Those Who Are About To Die: Gladiators and the Roman Mind

"Brought to you by Penguin. Dressed in armour and clutching a bloody sword, the Roman gladiator is the most iconic figure of the ancient world. Both fascinating and repulsive to us now, he was in his own time a deeply controversial character, by turns hated and idealized – and always at the heart of Roman culture. But what did he really mean to the Romans? What did they see in the gladiator and the spectacle of the games? And what does he reveal to us today about the Roman way of life? Brilliantly written and meticulously researched, this book tells the stories of the gladiators and those who observed them – from grand emperors to lowly slaves – illuminating and analysing the all-consuming passion of the Roman Empire for the spectacle of mortal combat. In doing so, it reveals Roman ideas about everything from freedom and servitude to sex and desire, from courage and cowardice to death and the afterlife. Taking readers on an unforgettable twenty-four-hour adventure – beginning the night before the games and ending the evening after – Those Who Are About To Die gives a blow-by-blow account of what life was really like in the brutally unforgiving arena of the ancient world. © Harry Sidebottom 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Harry Sidebottom (Author), Justin Avoth (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Art of a Lie: A Gripping Historical Thriller of Murder and Deceit in 18th-Century London

"This audiobook is read by Justin Avoth and Sophie Roberts, and includes an Historical Note read by the author, Laura Shepherd-Robinson. This edition also features an audio-exclusive Q&A between Laura and Justin. 'An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection' - Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal The Art of a Lie is a beguiling cat-and-mouse thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Square of Sevens, Laura Shepherd-Robinson. That's the trouble with stories, especially the ones you write for yourself. Sometimes you think they've ended, when they've barely begun . . . London, 1749. Following the murder of her husband in a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to keep her head above water. The Punchbowl and Pineapple, her confectionary shop on Piccadilly, is barely turning a profit, and her suppliers are conspiring to put her out of business. So when she learns that her husband had a large sum of money in his bank account that she knew nothing about, the surprise is extremely welcome. And when William Devereux, a friend of her late husband, tells her about a new Italian delicacy called "iced cream", Hannah believes it might transform the fortunes of her shop. But her husband's unexpected windfall attracts the attention of author-turned-magistrate Henry Fielding, who suspects the money was illicitly acquired. Unless Hannah can prove otherwise, her inheritance will be confiscated. As she and Devereux work to uncover the secrets of her husband's double life, their friendship opens Hannah to speculation and gossip, locking her into a battle of wits more devastating than anything, even her husband's murder. 'Fiendishly clever and completely gripping . . . I loved it' - Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things 'This book has it all. Masterful' - Abir Mukherjee, bestselling author of Hunted '[Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don't say that lightly' - Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange 'Historical crime fiction doesn't get any better than this' - Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Shadows of London 'Captivating, compelling, and so, so clever' - Jo Callaghan, bestselling author of In The Blink of An Eye"

Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Author), Justin Avoth, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Sophie Roberts (Narrator)

Audiobook

Portrait of Clare

"Naxos AudioBooks is proud to be bringing Francis Brett Young (1884–1964) back into the literary limelight. A justly celebrated writer in his time, he drew on his military and medical experience as well as his acute environmental observations to create authentically detailed and poetically rich novels of profound emotional depth. The coal-mining and heavy industry of the Black Country in the West Midlands, observed by the author as a boy, imbue his ‘Mercian’ novels. He creates a sense of place as evocative as Thomas Hardy’s Wessex and his characters are deeply human – flawed, passionate, and unforgettable. After her mother’s death and her father’s remarriage, Claerwen Lydiatt finds herself in the austere surroundings of Pen House with her grandfather and Aunt Cathie. Drawn to her glamorous neighbours, the Hingstons, and with solicitor Dudley Wilburn in the wings, Clare will not be contained; she wants to feel the wind in her hair and find out who she is. Portrait of Clare features, according to the author, ‘a normal and (possibly) a rather silly woman moving quite unimportantly across the West Midland landscape’ – but, like a simple Beethovenian theme, this powers an extraordinary, sophisticated and very moving work. Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1927."

Francis Brett Young (Author), Justin Avoth (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hayek's Bastards: The Neoliberal Roots of the Populist Right

"Brought to you by Penguin. A revelatory exploration of how today’s right-wing authoritarianism emerged not in opposition to neoliberalism, but from within it After the end of the Cold War, neoliberalism, with its belief in the virtues of markets and competition, seemed to have triumphed. Communism had been defeated – and Friedrich Hayek, the spiritual father of neoliberal economics, had just about lived to see it. But in the decades that followed, Hayek’s disciples knew that they had a problem. The rise of social movements, from civil rights and feminism to environmentalism, were now proving roadblocks in the road to freedom, nurturing a culture of government dependency, public spending, political correctness and special pleading. Neoliberals needed an antidote. In this illuminating new book, historian Quinn Slobodian reveals how, from the 1990s onwards, neoliberal thinkers turned to nature, in an attempt to roll back social changes and to return to a hierarchy of gender, race and cultural difference. He explores how these thinkers drew on the language of science, from cognitive psychology to genetics, in order to embed the idea of ‘competition’ ever deeper into social life, and to advocate cultural homogeneity as essential for markets to truly work. Reading and misreading the writings of their sages, Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises, they forged the alliances with racial psychologists, neo-confederates, ethnonationalists that would become known as the alt-right. Hayek’s Bastards shows that many contemporary iterations of the Far Right, from Javier Milei to Donald Trump, emerged not in opposition to neoliberalism, but within it. As repellent as their politics may be, these supposed disruptors are not defectors from the neoliberal order, but its latest cheerleaders. ‘An essential read to understand the times in which we live' - Lea Ypi © Quinn Slobodian 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Quinn Slobodian (Author), Justin Avoth (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Last Man

"In our own time, when the dark threat of a dystopian world is not an alien or avoidable concept, The Last Man (1826) is revealed as a trailblazing novel. With a truly global view, Mary Shelley’s futuristic romain à clef – containing portraits of her husband Percy (Adrian), Lord Byron (Raymond) and several others – spearheaded the apocalyptic genre for an intimidated 19th-century readership that rejected her ‘diseased imagination’ and ‘polluted taste’. In the wake of COVID-19, the ravaging of a plague pandemic and its connection with politics has fascinating resonance. Told by Lionel, a wild child from Cumberland, the story begins in 2073 and sets out a horrifying future while creating an idealised past. From the political machinations of Westminster in London to the secluded Apennines in Rome, it covers an ongoing war between Greece and Turkey, the futility of the imagination, the dashing of hopes and expectations, and ultimately the survival of the human race. This superb recording by Justin Avoth ensures The Last Man’s place as Shelley’s most important work after Frankenstein."

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Author), Justin Avoth, Lucy Scott (Narrator)

Audiobook

Voices of Victory: Powerful eye-witness accounts of the battle to take Germany, Feb 1945 to VE Day

"This audiobook includes archived recordings from interviews taken with Second World War soldiers, as well as an Introduction and Epilogue read by the author. 'Enthralling and enlightening . . . A wonderful look into the personal experiences, that heart and soul, of the fighting soldier towards the end of the Second World War' John Nichol, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Unknown Warrior From the bestselling author of D-Day: The Unheard Tapes comes a revealing new history of the final bloody battles against Nazi Germany. Published for the 80th anniversary of VE Day and based on audio interviews with those who fought their way to victory, this is a compelling and immersive account of a crucial period in the Second World War. February, 1945. Eight months have passed since the D-Day landings, when the Allies gained their foothold in North-West Europe. Since then the British Army has fought near continuously against the German military. Now, they stand ready for their final test: the battle for the German homeland. Drawing on the sound archive of the Imperial War Museums and other personal acounts, military historian Geraint Jones brings this this often-overlooked period of the war vividly to life in the words of British soldiers who were there, from war-weary men who have survived many months of combat to new recruits facing Hitler's fanatics for the first time. In Voices of Victory we join the soldiers battling to break through the Siegfried Line and clear the Reichswald forest, where fighting was from one tree to the next. At the crossing of the Rhine we go into action with the commandos, and jump behind enemy lines with the Paras. We are taken into the horror of Belsen when the concentration camp is liberated, hear from the witnesses of the forgotten battles of April, and end the war deep in Germany, with victory in Europe."

Geraint Jones (Author), Geraint Jones, Justin Avoth (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Paris Express: the impossible-to-put-down historical thriller from the author of Room

"From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Room and The Pull of The Stars, Emma Donoghue takes readers on a thrilling ride through a simmering turn-of-the-century Paris on the edge of a dazzling future. 'Ratchets up the pace until it's hurtling along as fast as the train itself' - Alice Winn, author of In Memoriam 'Riveting' - The Washington Post 'All about speed . . . this novel is a masterclass' - The Independent A woman determined to make her mark. A journey that will change everything. Paris, 1895. Glamour hides a city on the brink. One morning, a young woman boards the Granville express with a deadly plan. On the journey lives intertwine in explosive ways. There are the railway crew who have everything to lose, a little boy travelling alone for the first time, an elderly statesman with his fragile wife and a lonely artist far from home. The train speeds towards the City of Light and into a future that will change everything . . . 'An edge-of-your-seat historical thriller that I couldn't put down' - Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures"

Emma Donoghue (Author), Justin Avoth (Narrator)

Audiobook

The New Neighbours

"Brought to you by Penguin. You know your neighbours are plotting a crime but no one believes you . . . Do you trust the couple next door? When Lena overhears a conversation between her next-door-neighbours she thinks she must have misheard. After all, the Morgans are a kind, retired couple who have moved to a suburban street in Bristol where nothing ever happens. But it sounded like they were planning a crime. Her family and friends tell her that she’s made a mistake. Yet Lena can’t stop thinking about it. Because what if they are about to do something terrible? What if she can prevent it? And what if, in doing so, it might help ease her conscience about her own dark past . . . 'Claire Douglas is a class act - she never, ever disappoints' LISA JEWELL 'Douglas is the queen of the unexpected twist' GILLIAN MCALLISTER 'Perfect for fans of The Girl on the Train' Marie Claire ©2025 Claire Douglas (P)2025 Penguin Audio"

Claire Douglas (Author), Justin Avoth, Kristin Atherton, Sebastian Humphreys, Sophie Rundle (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Lives of the Caesars

"Brought to you by Penguin. A masterful new translation of Suetonius' renowned biography of the twelve Caesars, bringing to life a portrait of the first Roman emperors in stunning detail The ancient Roman empire was the supreme arena, where emperors had no choice but to fight, to thrill, to dazzle. To rule as a Caesar was to stand as an actor upon the great stage of the world. No biography invites us into the lives of the Caesars more vividly or intimately than that by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, written from the centre of Rome and power, in AD 121. Placing each Caesar in the context of the generations that had gone before, and connecting personality with policy, Suetonius injected flesh and blood into their stories, which continue to inform how we understand the drama of power today. Their shortfalls, foreign policy crises and sex scandals are laid bare; we are shown their tastes, their foibles, their eccentricities; and we sit at their tables and enter their bedrooms, resulting in a series of biographies mediated through the lives of the Caesars themselves. That Rome lives more vividly in people's imagination than any other ancient empire owes an inordinate amount to Suetonius, and now award-winning author and translator Tom Holland brings us even closer in a new, spellbinding translation. Giving a deeper understanding of the personal lives of the Caesars and of how they inevitably informed what happened across the vast expanse of empire, The Lives of the Caesars is an astonishing, immersive experience of a time and culture at once familiar and utterly alien to our own. ©2024 Suetonius (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

Suetonius (Author), Justin Avoth, Tom Holland (Narrator)

Audiobook

Perspectives

"Brought to you by Penguin. Florence, New Year’s Day 1557. As dawn breaks, a painter is discovered lying on the floor of a church, stabbed through the heart. Above him, the paintings he laboured over for more than a decade. At his home, a hidden painting scandalously depicting Maria de Medici, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Florence, as a naked Venus. Who is the murderer? Who is behind the painting? As the city erupts in chaos, Giorgio Vasari, the great art historian, is picked to lead the investigation. Letters fly back and forth carrying news of political plots and speculation about the killer’s identity – between Maria and her aunt Catherine de’ Medici, the queen of France; between Catherine and her scheming agents in Florence; and between Vasari and his friend Michelangelo. Meanwhile, the Pope is banning books and branding works of art immoral. And the truth, when it comes to light, is as shocking as the bold new artworks that have made Florence the red-hot centre of Europe. Bursting with characters and colour, Perspectives is a mystery like no other that shows us Renaissance Florence as we’ve never seen it before – a dazzling, hugely entertaining novel of court machinations, murder and art. © Laurent Binet 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Laurent Binet (Author), John Sackville, Justin Avoth, Rachel Bavidge (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Great Siege of Malta

"Brought to you by Penguin. Even as the great siege began it was understood by both sides to be an epic – a potentially decisive encounter between an uneasy assortment of soldiers, native Maltese, adventurers and Knights Hospitaller on a strategically crucial but near waterless island and a vast, seemingly all-powerful Ottoman armada. With three quarters of the Mediterranean’s coasts already in the hands of the Sultan and his allies, all eyes were now on Malta. This superb new account of the siege emphasises the crucial importance of the siege while at the same time putting it in a far wider context. While seen as a climactic battle between the West and the East, it was also much more nuanced than that – both sides had many other interests and priorities beyond Malta. Suleiman the Magnificent had conquered and subsumed regions from Hungary to the Persian Gulf; Philip II was building an empire in America and Asia. Drawing on a wide range of eyewitness stories, Marcus Bull gives a vivid sense of the period’s technologies, values and assumptions. It was a grim world built on the labour of many thousands of disposable galley-slaves, shockingly brutal forms of warfare and religious absolutism. But it was also a world filled with the most extraordinary new discoveries and ideas. Both these worlds come together in the siege and in this book. © Marcus Bull 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Marcus Bull (Author), Justin Avoth (Narrator)

Audiobook

Little Boy Lost

"Marghanita Laski's novel Little Boy Lost is as enthralling as it is heart-wrenching. A man grapples with questions of emotional responsibility, fatherhood, and memory. Laski describes a much-changed France, struggling to rebuild its morale after the ruin caused by wartime bombing and occupation. English writer Hilary Wainwright lost all trace of his young son when Lisa, his wife, was killed by the Gestapo in Paris. Several years later, an acquaintance travels to England with news that Hilary's son may be alive in France. Doubting whether five-year-old Jean is indeed his, and determined not to feel vulnerable to love and tenderness again, Hilary travels to France to find the boy. Amidst a war-torn Northern French town, he gets to know young Jean, as well as the town's inhabitants. In a matter of days Hilary must decide if this charming and intelligent child could be his own . . . and if he is prepared to take Jean home. Little Boy Lost is part of the Persephone Audiobook Collection, a series of forgotten classics including neglected fiction and non-fiction by women writers. First published in 1949, this edition includes a new afterword by Anne Sebba."

Marghanita Laski (Author), Justin Avoth (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Justin Avoth

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