Audiobooks narrated by Nic English

"A heart-warming journey with parents of a certain age and a son who thinks he knows best. Of course, we love our parents. Even if they do so many things that drive us bonkers. Like how a mother - for argument's sake, let's say mine - taps her fingernails on the car window whenever she sees a place of interest (seven taps for a regular haunt, up to twenty for somewhere fascinating). Or the way a father - let's call him Dad - practises deafness but can miraculously hear a suggestion of no ham at Christmas over the roar of cricket commentary. It might be the way your mum works herself into a tizz over a call from Azerbaijan one week and Nigeria the next. Or how your dad has an answer to everything (despite his information being forty years out of date) and 'a guy' for all fixes (if only he could find his Rolodex). When do we stop being our parents' child and become their parent? After all, they did pretty well on their own for decades - why do they need our intervention now? And that tendency for them to drive us up the wall ... could it be because we are entering middle age and starting to recognise some of those traits in ourselves? Over the Hill and Up the Wall is an affectionate, funny look at the frictions of taking a more active role in our elders' lives. It's a nod to every child who has waited three hours for a parent to fasten their seatbelt, and every parent whose child assumes they can't count to twenty. And, if your parents are just hitting middle age, it may well be a warning of things to come! 'Warm, witty, honest. With a healthy serving of humour, Todd Alexander has written a marvellous, touching and insightful book. You'll laugh, cry and hope your own kids love you this much. I'll be more patient with my parents after reading this' Better Reading"

Todd Alexander (Author), Nic English (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Carnival is Over

"1971—Hal is seventeen, with dreams of escaping from Moorabool to a life in the city. But right now he’s on a good behaviour bond and stuck in a job he hates, paying off the car he ‘borrowed’ and crashed. Hal’s packing-room job makes him a target for workplace bullies and the friendship of the older, more worldly Christine is all that makes each day bearable. So when she doesn’t turn up for work, he’s on the alert. So is Sergeant Mick Goodenough. But he already knows what’s happened to Christine: the same thing that happened to the newly elected deputy mayor. When another gruesome ‘accident’ occurs in Moorabool, Goodenough suspects there’s something sinister going on behind the scenes at the abattoir. Mick and Hal are both determined to dig up the truth. Before long each of them is going to find himself in mortal danger and running for his life. Greg Woodland, author of the acclaimed The Night Whistler, returns with another nail-biting rural thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. ‘Troubling undercurrents swirl in a seductively involving story of small-town secrets and obsessions.’ GARRY DISHER"

Greg Woodland (Author), Nic English (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Night Whistler

"The summer of 1966–7. Hal and his little brother have just come to live in Moorabool. They’re exploring the creek near their new home when they find the body of a dog. Not just dead, but killed. Not just killed, but horribly maimed. Constable Mick Goodenough, recently demoted from his big-city job as a detective, is also new in town—and one of his dogs has gone missing. Like other pets around the town. He knows what it means when someone tortures animals to death. They’re practising. So when Hal’s mother starts getting late-night phone calls—a man whistling, then hanging up—Goodenough, alone among the Moorabool cops, takes her seriously. But will that be enough to keep her and her young sons safe? Nostalgic yet clear-eyed, simmering with small-town menace, Greg Woodland’s wildly impressive debut populates the rural Australia of the 1960s with memorable characters and almost unbearable tension. ‘Troubling undercurrents swirl in a seductively involving story of small-town secrets and obsessions.’ GARRY DISHER ‘A haunting, tense and unforgettable debut.’ CHRISTIAN WHITE"

Greg Woodland (Author), Nic English (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Brink

"Whoever survives the week will never be the same again. A group of school-leavers: free at last, ready to party, expectations high. A remote island on the Western Australian coast wasn’t exactly the plan, but they’re not going to let that hold them back. Leonardo, geeky, asthmatic, shy and prone to anxiety, has landed with them. He’s terrified—he’s definitely not part of this cool gang. Super high-achiever Kaiya is trying to forget her frustration with her drug-addicted sister as well as dealing with pressure from the popular girls to lose her virginity. Mason, footy jock with the physique to match, is coming to terms with his secret desire for his best mate, Jared. And Jared wants a week off from his relationship with Val so he can have sex with as many girls as possible. But the party takes a dangerous turn when Val is drugged and a man is later found dead on the beach. Blame, fear, mistrust, coverups, power plays and dark secrets tear the group apart and expose the deadly tensions beneath the surface. The Brink is a raw, powerful novel that pulls no punches in its authentic exploration of masculinity, sexuality, mental health, drug and alcohol use, relationships and sex. Holden Sheppard takes the teenage experience to the next level. ‘Sheppard writes with unflinching honesty and an eye for authentic detail.’ WEEKEND WEST"

Holden Sheppard (Author), Josh Anderson, Maddy Withington, Nic English (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Near Daphne Experience

"Meet Daphne Buckley, a psychiatrist in search of a great love. He hasn't turned up yet. But surely he will. He could be any one of the respondents to her old-fashioned ‘looking for love’ classifieds. He could be one of the men her overbearing mother tries to set her up with, or even someone she already knows. It doesn’t matter. Daphne is determined and brainy and prepared to bend all the rules. With old schoolfriend Celeste by her side and her mother’s grooming tips for unkempt leg hair, love is likely just around the corner. Whether Daphne deserves it is another question. And with a psychopathic killer lurking, how far she’ll go to get it is the biggest question of all. The Near Daphne Experience is a riotous romp about the unedifying search for love, and the most original book you'll read this year."

Alison Reynolds (Author), Cam Ralph, Julian Pulvermacher, Nic English, Raechyl French, Taylor Owynns, Zoe Trilsbach (Narrator)

Audiobook

Invisible Boys

"A Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book Winner - Western Australian Premier’s Book Award Winner - Kathleen Mitchell Award Winner - City of Fremantle T.A.G. Hungerford Award Winner - Ray Koppe Residency Award Shortlisted - Victorian Premier’s Literary Award Shortlisted - Readings Young Adult Book Prize Longlisted - Indie Book of the Year Award In a small town, everyone thinks they know you: Charlie is a hardcore rocker, who’s not as tough as he looks. Hammer is a footy jock with big AFL dreams, and an even bigger ego. Zeke is a shy over-achiever, never macho enough for his family. But all three boys hide who they really are. When the truth is revealed, will it set them free or blow them apart? ‘This manuscript has tremendous energy and authenticity, as it explores what it is like to grow up gay in an insular regional community. Invisible Boys is a valuable contribution to the growing voices of younger LGBTIQA+ people.’ City of Fremantle T.A.G. Hungerford Award judges’ report ‘This is a confronting and challenging story which describes the pain of growing up gay in a small, conservative small-town community … Sheppard has given us a brave book which deserves attention.’ Good Reading magazine ‘The characters leap off the page, warts and all, and Sheppard writes with complexity and realism about sexual discovery, family and social rejection, coming of age (and coming out).’ The Saturday Age ‘Sheppard pulls no punches in this story, challenging expectations and taking the reader on a dark journey through each boy’s life, with only a sliver of light at the end providing hope for a brighter future. This book feels somewhat unmoored from time, with a raw edginess … which brings to mind books like Puberty Blues and the work of Tim Winton.’ Junior Books + Publishing ‘Invisible Boys is full of genuine, authentic voices … This is an important book for all young people, as it shows one size does not fit all. There is no right way to be gay, or to be anything else, for that matter.’ Magpies ‘The book is immediately engaging and engrossing, exploring the lives of three diverse male teenagers dealing with their homosexuality … [Invisible Boys] is distinctively Western Australian with a well-constructed and truly surprising climax. Sheppard will win himself a vast number of fans with this impressive debut.’ DNA magazine ‘… this debut novel is one of those books that only comes around once in a generation … to think that a whole new generation of young queer readers will have the opportunity to see themselves in this book: that’s a powerful thought.’ Out in Perth ‘Invisible Boys is a highly character-driven story, so it’s only natural that the characters in the novel are well crafted … As the synopsis likely suggests, the novel has a direct, central theme about the struggles of homosexuality in intolerant circumstances. It’s not pleasant to read about, but it’s an important perspective on privilege.’ ReadPlus ‘… throughout, Sheppard writes with unflinching honesty and an eye for authentic detail. It all makes for an impressive debut that’s thoroughly deserving of the accolades it has received.’ The Weekend West ‘… written with authenticity and sincerity, unflinching and unabashed Australian young adult literature at its finest. Simply brilliant.’ Diva Booknerd ‘This is a tight and well-written novel full of emotion and energy … this book should be stocked in multiples in both adult and YA sections.’ Reading Time ‘Invisible Boys is a fresh perspective on Australian teen life that still has an age-less quality about the story.’ Underground Writers ‘Arriving two years after the referendum for marriage equality, Invisible Boys is a timely novel. Sheppard expands our understanding of homosexuality from the point of view of adults to consider what it means to be a young guy who realises he is gay.’ Westerly ‘Nobody is perfect, nobody is off the hook and nobody will ever be the same again after the explosive events that take place in this book. This is a raw, sometimes confronting story that is best suited to readers aged 15+.’ Angela Crocombe, Chair of the Readings Young Adult Book Prize judging panel"

Holden Sheppard (Author), Nic English (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Nic English