Audio Pride!

As Pride Month continues, I realized I’ve been chatting about books I’ve read and loved and often in passing note I listened to them as audiobooks, and given I freaking love audiobooks—walking the dog is a time I mostly devote to listening to audiobooks, but also when doing household chores—I thought I’d make sure to specifically stop and talk audio.

I’ve been lucky enough to scrape together the coins to make three of my stories available in audio: In Memoriam, Handmade Holidays, and Faux Ho Ho, and I absolutely plan for more (though with trad published works, that’s up to the publisher, not me, alas).

Audiobooks are such a wonderful experience (aside from also being an accessibility win) and narrowing it down to two favourites to chat about today was pretty much impossible, so I kinda/sorta cheated.

As you’ll see…

Audiobook Pride!

I’m not sure I can properly express how freaking magical the combination of Cari Hunter and Nicola Victoria Vincent is. First off, Cari Hunter’s northern-British set thrillers are phenomenal, including a solid romantic subplot throughout but definitely coming down hard on the side of thriller. Then—I need a moment—then you add in the performance skills of Nicola Victoria Vincent and… Listen.

No, I mean it. Go listen. It’s like teleportation into northern Britain, it’s so immersive. Hunter’s prose with Vincent’s voice is like the world’s greatest Yorkshire pudding. And I know; I’ve had exactly that most perfect of Yorkshire puddings, in a pub, up North, with Cari Hunter. SHE KNOWS.

My most recent phenomenal experience was A Calculated Risk, but if you jump into Cari Hunter audiobooks anywhere Nicola Victoria Vincent is performing, you’re going to have a brilliant time, so just dive in. Trust me. (See? That’s my cheat. I’m suggesting, like, a dozen audiobooks as one suggestion.)

Detective Jo Shaw has it all worked out. She’s good at her job, she has loads of mates, and she likes being single. She doesn’t need complications, but an emergency call to the stabbing of a young woman brings plenty of those. Jo has to risk her career to save the woman’s life, and a bad night gets worse when the trauma surgeon turns out to be Isla Munro, Jo’s only real love, who walked out on her 15 years ago and never came back.

With the victim’s children missing and the husband the prime suspect, Jo’s investigation is stonewalled by a community living in fear. As one dead end leads to another, she and Isla are forced to put their differences aside and work together. But the case is far more dangerous than Jo realizes, and her determination to sort the truth from the lies may put her own life on the line.

Edit to add: Turns out I’m not the only one who thinks this book was awesome. Cari Hunter just won the Lammy for A Calculated Risk! Congratulations!

Okay, next up is a shorter, sharper little novella-length audiobook that is freaking adorable (also adorkable, in places), and has two fantastic performers doing the two POV characters in a phenomenal little duet of frustration and rivals-to-lovers that’s just long enough for a few days worth of walking the doggo, chores, or other listening time.

Jack Harbon’s Crimes of Passion puts two True Crime podcasters with very different approaches (and very different personalities) who end up realizing they’ve got an opportunity to hit the next level—or at least gain some solid crossover reach—by working together. Only problem is? They can’t stand each other.

Except, of course, the longer they work together, the more they maybe, y’know, can.

Again, this is another audiobook where the performers nail it. A queer Black audiobook love story that hits all the right notes.

Press play on this funny, sexy short story about rival true-crime podcast hosts forced to play nice and work together when, in reality, all they want to do is kill each other.

Emery Thompson hates Calvin Chamberlain. From the way he acts like he’s better than everyone to the way he moves through the world thinking his podcast is the cream of the crop, every little thing about the man gets to him. Even that dashing, oh-so-confident smile. He’d rather be caught dead than be around the man any longer than necessary—or admit that last part out loud.

Calvin Chamberlain hates admitting defeat. It’s hard enough losing sponsors for his historical crime podcast while obnoxious pop culture ones like Emery’s only gain more, so it’s a particularly cruel twist of fate when a late fan’s request for a collaboration with Emery lands in his lap. He’s in no position to turn down the plea, and with no way out, Calvin reluctantly agrees.

But keeping things purely professional turns out to be a challenge when these two make it to the studio. Their chemistry crackles through their microphones, and soon, their numbers begin to skyrocket. Can these two make a killing off what they once thought was a death sentence—and more importantly, will Calvin and Emery give into the heat of passion?

Listened to any awesome queer audiobooks lately? Hit me with your favourites—or your favourite performers!