Audiobooks narrated by Maggie Ollerenshaw

Getting Away: The ultimate summer read from the author of THIS FAMILY and THE STRANDING

"'Gripping - and profound... Kate Sawyer has a great gift for capturing the tiny details that tell us everything about a person or dynamic.' -- Marian Keyes 'From its brilliant, ambitious premise (a story told through family holidays) to its complex and wholly absorbing characters, Getting Away is a moving insight into the beautiful complexity of ordinary lives.' -- Jennie Godfrey Margaret Smith is at the beach. It is a summer day unlike any other Margaret has ever known. The Smith family have left the town where they live and work and go to school and come to a place where the sky is blue, the sand is white, and the sound of the sea surrounds them. An ordinary family discovering the joy of getting away for the first time. Over the course of the coming decades, they will be transformed through their holiday experiences, each new destination a backdrop as the family grows and changes, love stories begin and end -- and secrets are revealed. Coming this summer, Getting Away is a dazzlingly ambitious new novel from the author of Waterstones' Fiction Book of the Month, This Family, and the Costa shortlisted The Stranding."

Kate Sawyer (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hope and the Nearness of God: The 2022 Lent Book

"Bloomsbury presents Hope and the Nearness of God by Teresa White, read by Maggie Ollerenshaw. A reflection on the meaning and quality of Hope for the period of Lent and beyond. In these days of pandemic, war and political turbulence, hope can seem to be in short supply. But hope is one of the theological virtues and it is far more profound than mere optimism. Today, pessimism and despair seem all too prevalent. What can we do about the poor and starving, about those who seem to be locked in interminable conflict and families weighed down by the consequences of breakdown? Sister Teresa White’s book is an antidote to all this and it is written with beautiful simplicity and directness. There is no hiding behind complicated or technical language. In one of the most forceful chapters in the book, the author shows how hope breeds courage and courage breeds hope. But hope is not a matter of wishful thinking. Drawing on St Augustine, the author shows moreover that hope has two essential components. Not just courage but anger as well. The expression of our anger can lead to greater clarity with our discernment and spiritual perception. Hope too can lead us to understand God’s solidarity with us in times of sorrow and struggle. Teresa White in this Lent Book draws on inspiration from writers as diverse as Julian of Norwich and Karl Rahner, Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Henri Nouwen, but throughout the book there is strong scriptural underpinning which the author uses to great effect. C 2021 Teresa White FCJ P 2021 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC"

Teresa White (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Daughter’s Choice

"'An emotional rollercoaster. I loved it.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The exciting new novel from the bestselling author of My Sister’s Lies. Rose has always been close to her father. Her mother died soon after she was born, so it’s been just the two of them for as long as she can remember. But a chance encounter days before she's due to get married leaves Rose questioning everything she has ever known. The man she trusts most in the world has been keeping a secret from her. And the truth will leave her with an impossible choice… An emotional family drama about the secrets we keep from those closest to us, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult and Susan Lewis. Readers love The Daughter’s Choice: 'A page-turning, emotional rollercoaster I found difficult to put down' Samantha Tonge, bestselling author of The Summer Island Swap ‘My favourite book of the year so far' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'S.D Robertson writes with warmth and honestly… A heartfelt and engaging read' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An emotional page turner that keeps you interested on every page' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A heartbreaking and emotional read I couldn't put down' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

S.D. Robertson (Author), Kate Louise Okello, Laura Brydon, Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People

"Bloomsbury presents The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People by Deborah Stone, read by Maggie Ollerenshaw. No one wants to think about getting older. It’s true. At any age, when things are moving along normally day to day and everyone seems fit and well, there seems no reason to think about future problems that your friends and relatives might (and probably will) come across as they age. In fact, it might even seem a little morbid to think such thoughts, or possibly even tempting fate? Yet there will come a time when you must raise these issues and, ideally, this should be before any problems arise. The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People is the ultimate source of information and help for families with care responsibilities. Deborah Stone draws on her extensive experience working in elder care to offer practical advice on every aspect of the field in-depth. Topics range from how to get help immediately, legal information, care funding options, a guide to useful technology and advice on the main physical and mental health issues that affect older people. Plus guidance is given on dealing with social services and ensuring you choose the right care for your situations. Crucially, the book also offers help on how to cope as a carer with practical advice on juggling family, work and your caring responsibilities while looking after yourself. P 2019 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC C 2019 Deborah Stone"

Deborah Stone (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Bloodchild

"’If you’re a fan of the likes of Joe Abercrombie or George R.R. Martin, then you’ll be pleased to learn that Anna Stephens has joined this august pantheon of lovingly horrible and deliciously dark writers’ STARBURST Rilporin has fallen and Corvus, King of the Mireces, reigns over an occupied land. The raiders and their dark religion have conquered, but victory came at a terrible price – the death of a god – and sparks of resistance glimmer on all sides. In the south, Mace gathers the survivors of Rilpor’s armies. Among the fierce tribes of Krike, Crys and Dom search for allies and for the truth of what binds them to the Gods of Light. And in the royal palace itself, Tara – once a soldier, now a slave – hopes to ignite a rebellion. But time is against them. A child will soon be born with the power to return the Dark Lady from death, and the long-prophesied final battle for the future of Rilpor and Mireces, of humans and gods, is near."

Anna Stephens (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Darksoul

"The thrilling sequel to GODBLIND, the biggest fantasy debut of 2017. The Wolves lie dead beside Rilpor’s soldiers, slaughtered at the hands of the Mireces and their fanatical army. The veil that once kept the Red Gods at bay has been left in tatters as the Dark Lady’s plans for the world come to fruition. Where the gods walk, blood is spilled on the earth. All that stands between the Mireces army and complete control of the Kingdom of Rilpor are the walls of its capital, Rilporin, and those besieged inside. But hope might yet bloom in the unlikeliest of places: in the heart of a former slave, in the mind of a soldier with the eyes of a fox, and in the hands of a general destined to be king."

Anna Stephens (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

99 Red Balloons

"Two girls go missing, decades apart. What would you do if one was your daughter? When eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweetshop on the way home from school, her mother Emma is plunged into a nightmare. Her family rallies around, but as the police hunt begins, cracks begin to emerge. What are the secret emails sent between Emma’s husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is Emma really as innocent as she seems? Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees Grace’s picture in the newspaper. It’s a photograph that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl – the first girl who disappeared… This is a gripping psychological thriller with a killer twist that will take your breath away. ‘An intense domestic thriller, twists and turns galore, and a host of family secrets. An absorbing read.’ Paul Finch, bestselling author of Strangers ‘An intelligent, taut and compelling thriller’ Sam Carrington, bestselling author of Saving Sophie ‘Carpenter emerges as an addictive new talent’ Helen Fields, author of Perfect Remains ‘The plot is seamless’ Amanda Robson, author of Obsession"

Elisabeth Carpenter (Author), Dean Williamson, Maggie Ollerenshaw, Paul Tyreman, Sarah Ovens, Victoria Riley (Narrator)

Audiobook

Godblind

"Fantasy’s most anticipated debut of the year. There was a time when the Red Gods ruled the land. The Dark Lady and her horde dealt in death and blood and fire. That time has long since passed and the neighbouring kingdoms of Mireces and Rilpor hold an uneasy truce. The only blood spilled is confined to the border where vigilantes known as Wolves protect their kin and territory at any cost. But after the death of his wife, King Rastoth is plagued by grief, leaving the kingdom of Rilpor vulnerable. Vulnerable to the blood-thirsty greed of the Warrior-King Liris and the Mireces army waiting in the mountains… GODBLIND is an incredible debut from a dazzling new voice of the genre."

Anna Stephens (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mary Barton

"There are stark differences between rich and poor in the Manchester of Elizabeth Gaskell's novel, Mary Barton. Factory owners such as Mr Carson, do not understand the anger of their poverty stricken workers, and care little for their welfare. For the mill-workers, employment means food on the table and being one step away from starvation, but trying to gain any political power means risking a loss of livelihood. The author does not depict the owners as intrinsically wicked, but shows through her writing that it is characters like The Barton's who deserve the reader's sympathy. By the end of the novel, Mrs Gaskell proves that the rich need not be heartless."

Elizabeth Gaskell (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Peculiar Ground

"‘One of the best novels of the year so far’ The Times A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘Unlike anything I’ve read. Haunting and huge, and funny and sensuous. It’s wonderful’ Tessa Hadley ‘I just enjoyed it so very much’ Philip Pullman It is the 17th century and a wall is being built around a great house. Wychwood is an enclosed world, its ornamental lakes and majestic avenues planned by Mr Norris, landscape-maker. A world where everyone has something to hide after decades of civil war, where dissidents shelter in the forest, lovers linger in secret gardens, and migrants, fleeing the plague, are turned away from the gate. Three centuries later, another wall goes up overnight, dividing Berlin, while at Wychwood, over one hot, languorous weekend, erotic entanglements are shadowed by news of historic change. A little girl, Nell, observes all. Nell grows up and Wychwood is invaded. There is a pop festival by the lake, a TV crew in the dining room and a Great Storm brewing. As the Berlin wall comes down, a fatwa signals a different ideological faultline and a refugee seeks safety in Wychwood. From the multi-award-winning author of The Pike comes a breathtakingly ambitious, beautiful and timely novel about game keepers and witches, agitators and aristocrats, about young love and the pathos of aging, and about how those who wall others out risk finding themselves walled in."

Lucy Hughes-Hallett (Author), Adjoa Andoh, Anna Bentinck, Jake Curran, Juanita McMahon, Leighton Pugh, Maggie Ollerenshaw, Peter Noble, Rachel Atkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Sunshine Cruise Company

"Susan Frobisher and Julie Wickham are turning sixty. They live in a small Dorset town and have been friends since school. On the surface Susan has it all – a lovely house and a long marriage to accountant Barry. Life has not been so kind to Julie, but now, with several failed businesses and bad relationships behind her, she has found stability: living in a council flat and working in an old people’s home. Then Susan’s world is ripped apart when Barry is found dead in a secret flat – or rather, a sex dungeon. It turns out Barry has been leading a double life as a swinger. He’s run up a fortune in debts and now the bank is going to take Susan’s home. Until, under the influence of an octogenarian gangster named Nails, the women decide that, rather than let the bank take everything Susan has, they’re going to take the bank. With the help of Nails and the thrill-crazy, wheelchair-bound Ethel they pull off the daring robbery, but soon find that getting away with it is not so easy. The Sunshine Cruise Company is a sharp satire on friendship, ageing, the English middle classes and the housing bubble from one of Britain's sharpest and funniest writers."

John Niven (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

At the Coalface: The memoir of a pit nurse

"A heart-warming story of a woman who devoted her life to helping others. This is the memoir of Joan, who started nursing in the 1940s and whose experiences took her into the Yorkshire mining pits and through the tumult of the 1984-85 miners’ strike. Joan Hart always knew what she wanted to do with her life. Born in South Yorkshire in 1932, she started her nursing training when she was 16, the youngest age girls could do so at the time. She continued working after she married and her work took her to London and Doncaster, caring for children and miners. When she took a job as a pit nurse in Doncaster in 1974, she found that in order to be accepted by the men under her care, she would have to become one of them. Most of the time rejecting a traditional nurse’s uniform and donning a baggy miner’s suit, pit boots, a hardhat and a headlamp, Joan resolved always to go down to injured miners and bring them out of the pit herself. Over 15 years Joan grew to know the miners not only as a nurse, but as a confidante and friend. She tended to injured miners underground, rescued men trapped in the pits, and provided support for them and their families during the bitter miners’ strike which stretched from March 1984 to 1985. Moving and uplifting, this is a story of one woman’s life, marriage and work; it is guaranteed to make readers laugh, cry, and smile."

Joan Hart (Author), Maggie Ollerenshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Maggie Ollerenshaw

Join Our Community