Audiobooks narrated by Olivia Vinall

The Society of Unknowable Objects Audiobook

"Brought to you by Penguin. The world of unknowable objects - magical items that most people have no idea possess powers - has been quiet for decades . . . But three current members of a secret society have remained watchful, meeting every six months in the basement of a bookshop in London. They are pledged to protect their archive of magical items hidden away, safe from the outside world - and keep the world safe from them. But when Frank Simpson, the longest-standing member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, hears of a new artefact coming to light in Hong Kong, he sends the Society's newest member, author Magda Sparks, to investigate. Within hours of arriving in Hong Kong, Magda is facing death and danger, confronted by a professional killer who seems to know all about unknowable objects, specifically one that was stolen from him a decade before. Magda is forced to flee, using an artefact that not even the rest of the Society knows about. Returning to London, Magda learns hers is not the only secret being kept from the other two members. And that the most pernicious secret is about the nature of the Society’s mission. Her discoveries will lead her on a perilous journey, across the Atlantic to the deep south of the United States - not in pursuit of an unknowable object, but an unknowable person: the killer she first faced in Hong Kong. In doing so, Magda begins to understand that there are even more in the world who are chasing these magical items, and that her own family’s legacy is tied up in keeping all these secrets under wraps. Magic has always been too powerful to reveal to the world. But Magda will learn there might be something even more powerful: the truth. Praise for Gareth Brown's The Book of Doors: 'Joyful, exuberant, and crackling with adventure. This book is as magical as those it celebrates.' STUART TURTON, author of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle 'A stunning fever dream of a story that feels completely real – don't miss this fantastic thriller debut.' LEE CHILD 'A real page-turner - incredibly ambitious and inventive, The Book of Doors is a great read.' ROSIE ANDREWS, author of The Leviathan © Gareth Brown 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Gareth Brown (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Hounding

"Brought to you by Penguin. The season of strangeness has begun . . . Many stories are told about the five Mansfield sisters. They are haughty, thinking themselves better than their neighbours in the picturesque village of Little Nettlebed. They have taken the death of their grandmother hard. They are liars, troublemakers, untamed and dangerous... Accounts of their behaviour differ, but the villagers all agree that the girls are odd. One long summer, a heatwave descends. Bloated sea creatures wash up along the parched riverbed, animals grow frenzied, ravens gather on the roofs of those about to die. As the stifling heat grips the village, so does a strange rumour: the Mansfield sisters have been seen transforming into a pack of dogs. With the witch trials only a recent memory, hysteria sets in. Slowly but surely, the villagers become convinced that something strange is taking root in Little Nettlebed. And when a bark finally leads to a bite, the sisters will be the ones to pay for it. Visceral and richly atmospheric, The Hounding plunges its reader into 18th century Oxfordshire, where the power of a man’s word is absolute, and it is safer to be a wild animal than an unconventional young woman © Xenobe Purvis 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Xenobe Purvis (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

Josephine Baker's Secret War: The African American Star Who Fought for France and Freedom

"The full story of Josephine Baker’s wartime and intelligence work in France and North Africa Before the Second World War, Josephine Baker (1906–1975) was one of the most famous performers in the world. She made her name dancing on the Parisian stage, but when war broke out she decided not to return to America. Instead, Baker turned spy for the French Secret Services. In this engaging, deeply researched study, Hanna Diamond tells the full story of Baker’s actions for the French and Allied powers in World War Two. Drawing on previously unseen material, Diamond reveals the vital role Baker played throughout the war, from counterintelligence work for the Allied landings in North Africa to serving in the French Air Force in 1944–45. A woman of colour operating in a white male environment, Baker exploited her celebrity to enable her war work across France, Spain, Portugal, North Africa, and the Middle East. This groundbreaking account is the first to reveal the full significance of Baker’s wartime contribution. Hanna Diamond is professor of French history at Cardiff University. An expert on the social and cultural history of France during the Second World War, she is the author of Fleeing Hitler: France 1940 and Women and the Second World War in France, 1939–48."

Hanna Diamond (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Third Reich of Dreams: The Nightmares of a Nation

"This audiobook narrated by Olivia Vinall exposes the hidden history of a nation sleepwalking its way into evil Charlotte Beradt began having unsettling dreams after Adolf Hitler took power in 1933. She envisioned herself being shot at, tortured and scalped, surrounded by Nazis in disguise, and breathlessly fleeing across fields with storm troopers at her heels. Shaken by these nightmares and banned as a Jew from working, she began secretly collecting dreams from her friends and neighbors, both Jewish and non-Jewish. Disguising these 'diaries of the night' in code and concealing them in the spines of books from her extensive library, she smuggled them out of the country one by one. Available again for the first time since its publication in the 1960s, this sensational book brings together this uniquely powerful dream record, offering a visceral understanding of how terror is internalized and how propaganda colonizes the imagination. After Beradt herself fled Germany for New York, she collected these dream accounts and began to trace the common symbols and themes that appeared in the collective unconscious of a traumatized nation. The fear of dictatorship was ever-present. Dreams of thought control, even the prohibition of dreaming itself, bore witness to the collapse of outer and inner worlds. Now in a haunting new translation by Damion Searls, The Third Reich of Dreams provides a raw, unfiltered, and prophetic look inside the experience of living through Hitler's terror."

Charlotte Beradt (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

Old Soul

"Brought to you by Penguin. The woman never goes by the same name. She never stays in the same place too long. She never ages. She never dies. But those around her do. When two grieving strangers meet by chance in Osaka airport they uncover a disturbing connection. Jake's best friend and Mariko's twin brother each died, 6,000 miles apart, in brutal and unfathomable circumstances. Each encountered a mesmerising, dark-haired woman in the days before their deaths. A woman who came looking for Mariko - and then disappeared. Jake, who has carried his loss and guilt for a decade, finds himself compelled to follow the trail set by Mariko's revelations. It's a trail that weaves across continents and centuries, leading back to the many who have died - in strange and terrifying and eerily similar ways - and those they left behind: bewildered, disbelieved, yet resolutely sure of what they saw. And, at the centre of it all, there is the same beguiling woman. Her name may have changed, but her purpose has never wavered, and as Jake races to discover who, or what she is, she has already made her next choice. But will knowing her secret be enough to stop her? 'A mesmerising story, brilliantly told' IAN McGUIRE 'Utterly addictive and completely immersive ...The most propulsive thing I have read all year' LARA WILLIAMS, author of Supper Club 'I was completely swept up ... It continues to haunt and unsettle me, in the very best of ways' EMILY MIDORIKAWA, author of Out of the Shadows 'Like nothing else I've ever read ... The kind of story you tell around a campfire as the lights of civilization begin to flicker out around you; a global, intelligent and ambitious archetypal nightmare' KRISTEN ROUPENIAN, author of Cat Person © Susan Barker 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Susan Barker (Author), George Blagden, Jill Winternitz, Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

Carrion Crow

"Brought to you by Penguin. A powerful and spine-tingling gothic tale exploring mother-daughter relationships, sexuality, and class. There are some facts about the world that only your mother can teach you. Marguerite had been confined for the sake of her wellbeing. That’s what her mother had said. Marguerite Périgord is locked in the attic of her family home, a towering Chelsea house overlooking the stinking Thames. For company she has a sewing machine, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management and a carrion crow who has come to nest in the rafters. Restless, she spends her waning energies on the fascinations of her own body, memorising Mrs Beeton’s advice and longing for her life outside. Cécile Périgord has confined her daughter Marguerite for her own good. Cécile is concerned that Marguerite’s engagement to a much older, near-penniless solicitor, will drag the family name – her husband’s name, that is – into disrepute. And for Cécile, who has worked hard at her own betterment, this simply won’t do. Cécile’s life has taught her that no matter how high a woman climbs she can just as readily fall. Of course, both have their secrets, intentions and histories to hide. As Marguerite’s patience turns into rage, the boundaries of her mind and body start to fray. And neither woman can recognise what the other is becoming. ‘Bold, blazing, absolutely unforgettable’ Elizabeth Macneal, bestselling author of The Doll Factory ‘Probably one of the best books I've read this year! It felt like an unholy mix of Ottessa Moshfegh and Leonora Carrington, whilst still being very much its own thing … I loved it’ Julia Armfield, author of Private Rites and Our Wives Under The Sea ‘A gruesome, provocative, stylish fairytale.... A true Gothic gem’ Kaliane Bradley, bestselling author of The Ministry of Time © Heather Parry 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025"

Heather Parry (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

Lonely No More: The apocalypse isn’t coming—it’s already here.

"The incredible eight-part full-cast audio drama written and created by Sebastian Baczkiewicz and directed by Jessica Dromgoole. It’s just a message, right? Daubed on walls, trending on socials, appearing in every language in every country all over the world and always reading the same. Nobody knows where it originated only that it can’t be ignored. And then – in the blink of an eye - everything changes. Activated alien DNA, long buried within each and every one of us, transforms the majority of the human race. Cities are abandoned. Civilisation discarded. Suddenly, we’re not humans anymore, we’re…. Lonely No More. Or most of us are.. For those still unactivated and “lonely', it’s now about learning to survive in the ruins of an unwanted and terrifyingworld. See, the apocalypse isn’t coming, it’s already here. LONELY NO MORE is an Audiama production recorded at BBC Cymru Wales Executive Producer: Francis Hellyer Producers: Ed Perkins and Mali Harries Sound design and original music: Jon Nicholls Studio engineer: Cathy Robinson Production co-ordinator: Mair Roberts"

Sebastian Baczkiewicz (Author), Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Bhasker Patel, Claire Cage, Edita Sllamniku, Eiry Thomas, Gareth Pierce, Gavi Singh Chera, Gwyneth Keyworth, Iestyn Jones, James Wilson, Joe Sims, Joe Thomas, Jonathan McGuinness, Kimberley Nixon, Leo Wan, Luke Newberry, Matthew Gravelle, Matthew Tennyson, Michael Bertenshaw, Nay Murphy, Olivia Vinall, Patrick Kennedy, Saskia West, Sid Sagar (Narrator)

Audiobook

There are Rivers in the Sky

"Brought to you by Penguin. This audiobook is read by Olivia Vinall, and Elif Shafak reads the Note to Reader at the end of the story. This is the story of one lost poem, two great rivers, and three remarkable lives – all connected by a single drop of water. In the ruins of Nineveh, that ancient city of Mesopotamia, there lies hidden in the sand fragments of a long-forgotten poem, the Epic of Gilgamesh. In Victorian London, an extraordinary child is born at the edge of the dirt-black Thames. Arthur’s only chance of escaping poverty is his brilliant memory. When his gift earns him a spot as an apprentice at a printing press, Arthur’s world opens up far beyond the slums, with one book soon sending him across the seas: Nineveh and Its Remains. In 2014 Turkey, Narin, a Yazidi girl living by the River Tigris, waits to be baptised with water brought from the holy sit of Lalish in Iraq. The ceremony is cruelly interrupted, and soon Narin and her grandmother must journey across war-torn lands in the hope of reaching the sacred valley of their people. In 2018 London, broken-hearted Zaleekhah, a hydrologist, moves to a houseboat on the Thames to escape the wreckage of her marriage. Zaleekhah foresees a life drained of all love and meaning – until an unexpected connection to her homeland changes everything. A dazzling feat of storytelling from one of the greatest writers of our time, Elif Shafak’s There are Rivers in the Sky is a rich, sweeping novel that spans centuries, continents and cultures, entwined by rivers, rains, and waterdrops: ‘Water remembers. It is humans who forget.’ ***** ‘Elif Shafak is a unique and powerful voice in world literature’ Ian McEwan 'An extraordinary novel, fresh and cleansing, like the rain bouncing off the metal roof of our lives.' Colum McCann 'Make place for Elif Shafak on your bookshelf. Make place for her in your heart too. You won't regret it' Arundhati Roy 'One of the best writers in the world today' Hanif Kureishi 'A brilliant, unforgettable novel' Mary Beard © Elif Shafak 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024"

Elif Shafak (Author), Elif Shafak, Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Trouble With Mrs Montgomery Hurst

"Brought to you by Penguin. A love letter to Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is a witty novel of manners and gossip, class and family, scandal and romance. 1841 The trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst is not Mrs Montgomery Hurst – as young Miss Amelia Ashpoint well knows. The real trouble is the polite society of Wickenshire, with its inescapable gossip about the arrival of the new Mrs Hurst and – whisper it – her three children from a previous marriage. In Wickenshire, nobody’s business is their own. And in this strange match, the local families sense scandal – and they will do anything to expose it. Meanwhile, Amelia Ashpoint, though handsome, clever and rich, is avoiding talk of marriage at all costs. For while society expects Amelia to marry well, her heart is drawing her in a very different direction . . . 'Romance and scandal abound in this compelling period drama . . . Recommended for all lovers of Regency historical fiction' LAURA SHEPPERSON, author of The Heroines 'Warm and witty, with a wonderful cast of quirky characters whose company I found irresistible' JESSICA BULL, author of Miss Austen Investigates ©2024 Katie Lumsden (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

Katie Lumsden (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

A Woman of Opinion

"Brought to you by Penguin. 'I shall be a thousand different Marys and, in such manner, shall find the one I wish to be...' Lady Mary Wortley Montagu longs for adventure, freedom and love, believing that only by truly living can she ever escape the stalking crow of Death... An aristocratic woman in 18th century England is expected to act in certain ways. But Mary has never let society's expectations stifle her: she writes celebrated poetry and articles advocating for equality, as well as endless, often scandalous, letters to her many powerful friends. However, Mary wants more from the world. Using her charm and connections, she engineers a job offer for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Travelling to Constantinople, Mary finally discovers the autonomous life she dreams of. And when she observes Turkish women 'engrafting' children against smallpox, she resolves to bring the miracle cure back to England. Despite this, Mary's reputation becomes increasingly tainted. Her inability to abide by the rules, her outspoken opinions on women's rights, and her search for love and desire at all costs gains her powerful enemies. While Mary tries to ensure her name will live on by arranging the publication of her diaries after her death, her own daughter works against her, afraid of what they might contain... An illuminating and beautiful novel which gives a voice to the tragically unremembered yet extraordinary life of pioneering poet and feminist, Mary Wortley Montagu. ©2024 Sean Lusk (P)2024 Penguin Audio"

Sean Lusk (Author), Anna Burnett, Olivia Vinall, Rachel Bavidge, Roy Mcmillan (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Exile

"Brought to you by Penguin. It's 1951 and the servants of Stalin are closing in on the occupied nations of eastern Europe. As the Red Army tightens the net, Greta - best and bravest of freedom fighters - is told to escape to the West and undertake a dangerous mission. Greta's task is to find a missing girl: the precious daughter of a partisan general who was sent into exile in the final days of the war. But the so-called Free World is no place for vulnerable young refugees. Europe is in ruins, the old Empires are dying, and a spectacular cast of spivs, gangsters and rival intelligence agencies are fighting over the scraps. Crossing the Iron Curtain will require nerves of steel as Greta faces down the French mob, ex-Nazis, Soviet spies, all the glamour and temptation of Paris and ultimately, her own demons. The Exile is the stunning prequel to The Partisan, Patrick Worrall's critically-acclaimed debut, which introduced the world to the force of nature that is Greta. This is her white-knuckle ride into the black heart of postwar Europe - a terrifying world in which allies and enemies are impossible to tell apart. Praise for The Partisan 'Fast-paced, intriguing and deeply atmospheric' Tom Bradby 'Remarkedly assured debut ... the advent of a real talent...One to watch' Sunday Times 'Impressive ... The scene-setting is finely detailed and evocative, the characters skilfully drawn' Financial Times 'Immersive, intriguing, and intelligent - incredibly impressive, up there with the best in the genre' Lee Child © Patrick Worrall 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024"

Patrick Worrall (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Burial Plot

"'I genuinely could not put this down' - Stacey Halls, author of Mrs England 'A tour de force of a gothic thriller. I devoured it' - Gillian McAllister, author of Wrong Place, Wrong Time 'Taut, propulsive, beautifully done' - Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora From Elizabeth Macneal, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory, The Burial Plot is a spellbinding Gothic thriller about murder and manipulation. London, 1839. With the cemeteries full and money to be made in death, tricksters Crawford and Bonnie survive on wicked schemes and ill-gotten coin. But one blistering evening, their fortunes flip. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie's feet and now she needs to disappear. Crawford secures her a position as lady's maid in a grand house on the Thames. As Bonnie comes to understand the family - the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself - she begins to question what secrets are lying behind the house's paper-thin walls and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning. Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . . The audiobook includes an exclusive interview between the author, Elizabeth Macneal, and the narrator, Olivia Vinall."

Elizabeth Macneal (Author), Olivia Vinall (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Olivia Vinall

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