The Best Mystery & Suspense Audiobooks of 2024

From 1930s Shanghai to the literary scene in contemporary New York, the best mystery audiobooks of the past year, as chosen by editors at AudioFile magazine:

Shanghai by  by Joseph Kanon, narrated by Jonathan Davis

Jonathan Davis digs deep into his narration toolbox in this atmospheric audiobook set in 1939. As the world prepares for war, displaced European Jews attempt a departure to parts unknown. When the disparate citizens gather on a last-chance trip to Shanghai, Davis modulates the tempo and emotion throughout the remainder of the audiobook, ratcheting up the excitement for the final confrontation.

(10.5 hours)

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld enlivens the characters in this masterfully crafted window onto the 1950s. While there are murders and other crimes, the focus is the individual stories of the women boarders of Briarwood House in Washington, DC. Maarleveld’s talent for accents coupled with Quinn’s vivid writing makes this audiobook a compelling and informative listening experience.

(15 hours)

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz, narrated by Julia Whelan [Macmillan Audio | 10 hrs.]

Fans of The Plot, and they were legion, will rejoice at this sequel, performed with mesmerizing skill by the wonderful Julia Whelan. It’s no small feat to make a lethally dislikable character irresistible on the page, let alone in the ear, but Korelitz and Whelan have done it. Anna is a monster of ego, incapable of sympathy for anyone but herself. Whelan’s achievement here seems like a little miracle, relentlessly compelling and wonderfully satisfying.

(10 hours)

You’ll Never Find Me by Allison Brennan, narrated by Hillary Huber

Hillary Huber has found the perfect voice for PI Margo Angelhart, portraying her as confident, righteous, and brave. Margo’s chapters, told in the first person, let listeners experience her thoughts and emotions as she protects an abused woman and uncovers her own client’s deceptions. Listeners hear the points of view of several other characters who have their own chapters, all masterfully differentiated by Huber.

(10.5 hours)

The Grey Wolf  (Chief Inspector Gamache series, Book 19) by Louise Penny, narrated by Jean Brassard

Jean Brassard, Louise Penny’s choice to narrate her 19th Armand Gamache/Three Pines novel, proves an inspired selection. From his portrayals of familiar Three Pines residents to his introduction of new characters, Brassard, a native Quebecois and award-winning actor, gets it right. Brassard’s accents—whether French Canadian, Italian, or continental French—create indelible characters.

(12.75 hours)

A Nest of Vipers (Bangalore Detectives Club, Book 3) by Harini Nagendra, narrated by Soneela Nankani

AudioFile Golden Voice Soneela Nankani immerses listeners in 1920s India on the eve of a visit from Edward, Prince of Wales. This third installment in the Bangalore Detectives Club series is rife with intrigue, politics, and the fight for autonomy—for women, for the lower classes, and for India itself. Nankani’s brisk, distinctly voiced performance is riveting as she expertly distinguishes among the large cast of characters.

(11 hours)