The Tapestry Bag by Isabella Muir Audio Review

The Tapestry Bag: A gripping mystery, full of twists and turns: Volume 1 by Isabella Muir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A young woman, Zara, goes missing, one year to the day that her boyfriend, Joel, was killed in a hit and run. Is Zara in danger? Is she still alive? What really happened to Joel and who is to blame?

In the quiet seaside town of Tamarisk Bay, the police appear to be doing little to find Zara. Her friend Janie decides to make it her mission to track her down. It’s the ‘swinging sixties’ and Janie fears that Zara may be mixed up with drugs, alcohol, or worse. As Janie explores the strange circumstances of Zara’s disappearance, she starts to question the truth about Joel’s death.

Janie runs the mobile library and has a passion for crime fiction, especially Agatha Christie. Can Poirot help Janie solve the mystery of Zara’s disappearance?

As she looks for clues she comes across some unsavoury characters who each have a reason for wanting Joel dead. Can Janie untangle the web of lies and find out the truth?

When I listened to this on audible I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I don't particularly like books set in the past, however I was pleasantly surprised with this.

I thought the story progressed quickly and I really got into it. It was bought to life by the narrator, I was a little unsure about her at first but after listening for a while I thought she was the perfect choice.

This is a story about a mystery, Zara goes missing and her friend is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to her, even when it seems like everyone else has given up on her. This has a very Agatha Christie vibe to it, one that will keep you wanting to listen to the end.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries/thrillers. I listened to this really quickly and it helped housework and other boring things go by a lot quicker!

I would like to thank audible for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell comes this powerful novel with the most fearless heroine—self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson—from Julie Murphy, the acclaimed author of Side Effects May Vary.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom, Willowdean has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American-beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does.

Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

I loved this book, I have the hardback of it but I decided to listen to it and dip into the book as and when I wanted. To be honest, I am not sure why it took me so long to read/listen to it!

This story is about a beauty pageant, Dumplin' AKA Willowdean is slightly larger than her peers and her mother is a pageant winner and she has a passion for pageants. I wasn't really sure what was going to happen in this story, whether the plot would focus solely on beauty pageants or not. I really enjoyed that fact it was more about Willowdean and her journey. Willowdean is a really likable character and she has great confidence, this book is a lot about body confidence and how to accept yourself.

This was a really great YA, which has something for everyone. Listening to the audio book really bought the story to life, the narrator was perfect for it. She got the characters voices down to a tee, she also really made the characters feel real.

I would recommend listening to the audio book to help bring the story to life, it really did add to my enjoyment.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One single mum

With two jobs and two children, Jess Thomas does her best day after day. But it's hard on your own. And sometimes you take risks you shouldn't. Because you have to . . .

One chaotic family

Jess's gifted, quirky daughter Tanzie is brilliant with numbers, but without a helping hand she'll never get the chance to shine. And Nicky, Jess's teenage stepson, can't fight the bullies alone.

Sometimes Jess feels like they're sinking . . .

One handsome stranger

Into their lives comes Ed Nicholls, a man whose life is in chaos, and who is running from a deeply uncertain future. But he has time on his hands. He knows what it's like to be lonely. And he wants to help . . .

One unexpected love story

The One Plus One is a captivating and unconventional romance from Jojo Moyes about two lost souls meeting in the most unlikely circumstances.



What made the experience of listening to The One Plus One the most enjoyable?
I really enjoyed the different character voices throughout the performance, it was also really engaging from the beginning.

What other book might you compare The One Plus One to, and why?
I wouldn't compare it to any others that I have listened to before,

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances? How does this one compare?
This was the first from these narrators.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I did want to although being so long I was unable to, I saved this and listened to it on 2 separate plane journeys, this is something I would recommend.

Any additional comments?
I would recommend this to others, this was the first Jojo Moyes book I have read/listened to and really, really enjoyed it. My previous thoughts were that her books were sad and quite depressing. This book was neither of these and I would now not hesitate to pick up another one of her books.

A Christmas Feast and other stories by Katie Fforde

A Christmas Feast and other stories by Katie Fforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delicious Christmas feast of short stories from the Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author of A French Affair and The Perfect Match.

Add some extra sparkle to your Christmas by joining Katie Fforde for a perfect, romantic Christmas feast of short stories. Collected together for the first time and including one brand new story.

Make your Christmas wishes come true...

I listened to the audio version of this, this is what I thought.

Would you consider the audio edition of A Christmas Feast to be better than the print version?
I have never read the print version, however this is great in order to get your jobs done. By being a collection of short stories, I can listen to a story at a time and really get into it. The only thing I would say is that some of these stories have already been published as separate short stories, one of which I had read. I did enjoy listening to the one I had previously read.

What other book might you compare A Christmas Feast to, and why?
Any other festive selection of short stories.

Have you listened to any of Jilly Bond and Rita Sharma ’s other performances? How does this one compare?
This was the first, however I really enjoyed the narration and would look for others by them.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
short but sweet treats

Any additional comments?
It would have been nice to have been told that some of the short stories had already been previously released, especially for those who have the print versions.

Audible's Top Picks for Christmas!

With Christmas getaways, shoppers and commuter traffic, the festive period is one busiest times of the year. Last year alone over 14 million drove home for Christmas and with journeys on some roads taking almost three times longer than normal, festive entertainment is a travel essential. With this in mind, the editors at Audible have compiled a list of the ultimate Yuletide audiobooks to keep the festive spirit alive in a traffic jam, in flight, or after you’ve shopped till you’ve dropped.


Below are Audible's top picks

A Christmas Carol: An Audible Original Drama

Author: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Various cast

Available at Audible.co.uk

Jenna Coleman, Miriam Margolyes, Derek Jacobi, Brendan Coyle and Roger Allam are amongst the celebrity voices coming together this Christmas in a brand new multi-cast dramatization of Charles Dickens’ ghostly Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol.

The festive tale has been released as a free gift to members.




A Boy Called Christmas

Author: Matt Haig

Narrated by: Stephen Fry

£9.19 (free for Audible members)

Available at Audible.co.uk

You are about to listen to the true story of Father Christmas. It is a story that proves that nothing is impossible. If you are one of those people who believe that some things are impossible, you should put this book down right away. It is most certainly not for you. Because this audiobook is full of impossible things. Are you still reading? Good. Then let us begin....

The idea for the series came when Matt Haig’s son asked what Father Christmas was like as a boy. A Boy Called Christmas is a tale of adventure, snow, kidnapping, elves, more snow, and an 11-year-old boy called Nikolas, who isn't afraid to believe in magic

The Girl Who Saved Christmas

Author: Matt Haig

Narrated by: Carey Mulligan

£9.19 (free for Audible members)

Available at Audible.co.uk

If magic has a beginning, can it also have an end? When Amelia wants a wish to come true she knows just the man to ask - Father Christmas. But the magic she wants to believe in is starting to fade, and Father Christmas has more than impossible wishes to worry about. Upset elves, reindeers dropping out of the sky, angry trolls and the chance that Christmas might be cancelled.

Midnight Gang

Author: David Williams

Narrated by: David Walliams, Peter Serafinowicz, Morwenna Banks, Nitin Ganatra, Ellen Thomas

Available at Audible.co.uk

Midnight is the time when all children are fast asleep, except of course for...the Midnight Gang. That is when their adventures are just beginning....

The Midnight Gang tells an extraordinarily heart-warming and, of course, funny story of five children on a hospital ward and on a quest for adventure. It is a story of friendship and magic - and of making dreams come true.

Listeners are set to be utterly spellbound by this heartfelt story that will bring magic to everyone's Christmas.

Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days

Author: Jeanette Winterson

Narrated by: Jeanette Winterson, Imogen Church

£14.99 (free for Audible members)

Available at Audible.co.uk

New York Times best-selling author Jeanette Winterson brings together 12 brilliantly imaginative, funny and bold Christmas tales. For the 12 Days of Christmas - a time of celebration, sharing, and giving - she offers these 12 plus one: a personal story of her own Christmas memories.

From trees with mysterious powers to a tinsel baby that talks, philosophical fairies to flying dogs, a haunted house and a disappearing train, Winterson's innovative stories encompass the childlike and spooky wonder of Christmas. Perfect for listening to by the fire with loved ones or while traveling home for the holidays. Enjoy the season of peace and goodwill, mystery, and a little bit of magic courtesy of one of our most fearless and accomplished writers.

A Christmas Feast and other stories

Author: Katie Fforde

Narrated by: Jilly Bond, Rita Sharma

£19.99 (free for Audible members)

Available at Audible.co.uk

A delicious Christmas feast of short stories from the Sunday Times number one best-selling author of A French Affair and The Perfect Match.

Add some extra sparkle to your Christmas by joining Katie Fforde for a perfect romantic Christmas feast of short stories. Collected together for the first time and including one brand-new story. Make your Christmas wishes come true....

The Night Before Christmas

Author: Clement C. Moore

Narrated by: Jeff Bridges

£6.39 (free for Audible members)

Available at Audible.co.uk

Academy Award Winner Jeff Bridges' iconic voice brings the beloved holiday classic story "The Night Before Christmas" to life.

Celebrate the holiday season with the only audiobook of "The Night Before Christmas", read by Jeff Bridges. No other narrator brings Santa and these merry scenes to life quite like Mr. Bridges - it's an instant Christmas classic! Create a new family tradition as you add this audiobook to your holiday activities leading up to December 25th.

Letters from Father Christmas

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Narrated by: Derek Jacobi

£5.99 (free for Audible members)

Available at Audible.co.uk

Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply?

Every year, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien would write to Father Christmas, and the letters they received told wonderful stories of his adventures at the North Pole.

These humorous tales are brought to life by Derek Jacobi as Father Christmas, John Moffatt as Polar Bear, and Christian Rodska as Ilbereth the Elf, complete with specially composed music.

Monster 1983 Audio Book

Happy Halloween! 

I have bought you a very spooky audio book promo today! Make sure you check out the jumpy trailers below!

AUDIBLE DEBUTS CHILLING NEW SCI-FI FROM BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WINNER IVAR LEON MENGER

Callum Blue, Anastasia Griffith and Marc Warren star in new audio-drama from Germany’s master of thriller.

London, 11th October 2016 – Catalysing the surge of interest in classic 70s and 80s sci-fi thrillers, and just in time for Halloween, Audible tomorrow exclusively debuts Monster 1983, an original audio-drama from Berlinale-winning director Ivan Leon Menger. Directed by multiple-Audie and RPA winner Cherry Cookson, the chilling tale stars Callum Blue (Dead Like Me), Anastasia Griffith (Damages) and Marc Warren (Hustle) amongst others.

Drawing influences from Poltergeist, Stand By Me and E.T. and other Spielberg classics, the story unfolds in the small coastal town of Harmony Bay, Oregon. Still reeling from a sudden and profound family tragedy, Sheriff Cody uproots his elder son Micha

el, and younger daughter Amy, from the chaos of Orlando to begin a new, more relaxed life in the Beaver State. Soon after their arrival however, this new-found tranquillity is disturbed by a succession of brutal but mysterious deaths. As the plot twists and turns its way through small-town secrecy, psychiatry wards and the supernatural, Cody comes under increasing pressure to solve each new case whilst keeping his family safe from harm.

Ivar Leon Menger, author of Monster 1983, said: “Having been raised on Spielberg, King and Kubrick I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t watching some kind of horror, sci-fi or psychological thriller. I think the legacy of 70s and 80s horror cinema runs quite strongly through Monster 1983, and that’s part of the reason I decided to create an audio-only story, it emphasises both the nostalgia and suspense for listeners.”

Steve Carsey, Director of Original Programming at Audible, said: “After the enormous success of Alien, Out of the Shadows we knew there was a huge appetite for compelling sci-fi audio fiction. Ivar’s stories have been immensely successful in Germany so we’re really excited to introduce his work to UK listeners.”

Monster 1983 is a Wireless Theatre production for Audible Studios. Written by Ivar Leon Menger, translated by Guy Meredith and directed by Cherry Cookson with music scoring by Ynie Ray.

Monster 1983 Cast

Callum Blue (Sheriff Cody), Anastasia Griffith (Deputy Taylor Dunford), Marc Warren (Deputy Landers), Rachel Atkins, Barbara Barnes, Andrea Browne, Nicholas Boulton, Philip Bulcock, Sophie Cartman, Amy Cash, Lobo Chan, Charlotte Christie, Trevor Cuthbertson, Stephen Critchlow, Sean Delaney, Jessica Dennis,Tom Gregory, Adam Hall, Will Howard, Gerran Howell, Nicky Henson, Madeleine Kasson, Lorelei King, Stuart Milligan, Harry Myers, Nathan Osgood, Chris Rogers, Martin T Sherman, Thomas Stroppell and Trevor White.

About Audible

Audible, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible was created to unleash the emotive music in language and the habituating power and utility of verbal expression. Audible content includes more than 200,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Audible is also the preeminent provider of spoken-word audio products for Apple’s iTunes Store.

If you are brave enough check out the trailers for the audio below, beware they are jumpy. You have been warned!

Audible's essential picks for Roald Dahl's 100 year anniversary

AUDIBLE’s ESSENTIAL PICKS FOR:

ROALD DAHL’S 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Four More Stories
Author: Roald Dahl
Narrator: Roald Dahl
£17.99
Available at Audible.co.uk

Roald Dahl's wickedly funny novels have turned him into the world's number one storyteller. In this collection five splendiferous stories are brought to life by the author himself.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (abridged): Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!

James and the Giant Peach (abridged): A little magic can take you a long way.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (unabridged): Nobody outfoxes Fantastic Mr. Fox!

The Enormous Crocodile (unabridged): This greedy crocodile loves to guzzle up little boys and girls.

The Magic Finger (unabridged): Horrible neighbours learn their lesson from a little girl with powerful magic!

The BFG
Author: Roald Dahl
Narrator: David Walliams
£18.00
Available at Audible.co.uk

Read by actor, writer, and Britain's Got Talent judge David Walliams, this audiobook features original music and sound design by Pinewood film studios.

The BFG is a nice and jumbly giant. In fact, he is the only big friendly giant in Giant Country. All the other giants are big bonecrunching brutes, and now the BFG and his friend Sophie must stop them guzzling up little human beans, with some help from Her Majester, the Queen.

David Walliams is a multi-award winning British comedian, actor, and writer, best known for the comedy series Little Britain; but his acting work includes plays, dramas, and films. He is also the author of five hugely successful children's books, including two illustrated by Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl's favourite illustrator.

The Enormous Crocodile
Author: Roald Dahl
Narrator: Stephen Fry
£18.00
Available at Audible.co.uk

Read by actor, humourist and storyteller Stephen Fry, this audiobook features original music and 3D sound design by Pinewood film studios.

The Enormous Crocodile is a greedy grumptious brute who loves to guzzle up little girls and boys. But the other animals have a scheme to get the better of this foul fiend, once and for all!

Stephen Fry is an award-winning comedian, actor, presenter, director and writer. Television work includes A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster, Blackadder, and hosting QI. On film, he played Oscar Wilde, and appeared in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and The Hobbit. His voice work includes narrating the Harry Potter books.

Lust
Author: Roald Dahl
Narrators: Derek Jacobi, Gillian Anderson, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Mark Heap, Richard E Grant
£21.99
Available at Audible.co.uk

Two husbands secretly agree to a night of passion with each other's wives; a slighted old man takes an elaborate and chilling revenge on his tormentor; a sculpture comes between a scheming wife and her put-upon husband...

Lust highlights a domestic familiarity always on the edge of something much, much darker. Collected together for the first time, stories include 'Madame Rosette', 'Neck', 'Georgy Porgy', 'The Visitor', 'The Last Act', 'The Great Switcheroo', 'Bitch', 'Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life', 'The Ratcatcher' and 'Nunc Dimittis'.

Cruelty
Author: Roald Dahl
Narrators: Adrian Scarborough, Andrew Scott, Jessica Hynes, Juliet Stevenson, Mark Heap, Richard E Grant, Stephanie Beacham
£19.99
Available at Audible.co.uk



From Roald Dahl, the master of the sting in the tail, a newly collected audiobook of his darkest stories, read by Will Self, Adrian Scarborough, Stephanie Beacham, Andrew Scott, Richard E Grant, Tamsin Greig, Mark Heap, Juliet Stevenson and Jessica Hynes.

Even when we mean to be kind, we can sometimes be cruel. We all have streaks of nastiness inside us. In these ten tales of cruelty, master storyteller Roald Dahl explores how and why it is we make others suffer.

Collected together for the first time, stories include ‘The Great Automatic Grammatizator’, 'Royal Jelly', 'Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat', 'The Swan', 'Poison', 'Skin', 'The Princess and the Poacher', 'Genesis and Catastrophe' and 'Mr Feasey'.

Kiss Kiss
Author: Roald Dahl
Narrators: Tamsin Greig, Juliet Stevenson, Stephanie Beacham, Adrian Scarborough, Derek Jacobi, Stephen Mangan
£20.00
Available at Audible.co.uk



What could go wrong when a wife pawns the mink coat that her lover gave her as a parting gift? What happens when a priceless piece of furniture is the subject of a deceitful bargain? Can a wronged woman take revenge on her dead husband? In these dark, disturbing stories Roald Dahl explores the sinister side of human nature: the cunning, sly, selfish part of each of us that leads us into the territory of the unexpected and unsettling. Stylish, macabre and haunting, these tales will leave you with a delicious feeling of unease.

Collected together for the first time, stories include ‘The Landlady’, ‘William and Mary’, ‘The Way up to Heaven’, ‘Parson's Pleasure’, ‘Mrs Bixby and the Colonel's Coat’, ‘Royal Jelly’, ‘Grorgy Porgy’, ‘Genesis and Catastrophe’, ‘Edward the Conquerer’, ‘Pig’, ‘The Champion of the World’.

Why not celebrate and treat yourself to a Dahl audiobook? I will be!

The Muse Audiobook feature

The Muse

Audiobook

Written by Jessie Burton

Narrated by Cathy Tyson

Available now,

30 June 2016

The Muse is a gripping tale of a Caribbean immigrant in 1960s London and a bohemian woman in 1930s Spain from the bestselling author of The Miniaturist.

Having narrated The Miniaturist herself, Jessie Burton chose British actress Cathy Tyson (Mona Lisa, Bad Girls, ITV’s Band of Gold) to narrate The Muse. Jessie said ‘she is absolutely perfect…to have someone like Cathy, who is a fantastic actress for all the roles in the book, reading The Muse is an immense privilege.’  

Tyson, who has Trinidadian roots, has commented on her narration and the art of storytelling, saying: ‘I think we tell each other stories in an effort to understand life.’ 

About The Muse:

England, 1967. Struggling to find her place in London after arriving from Trinidad five years ago, Odelle Bastien is offered a job as a typist at the Skelton gallery under the tutelage of the enigmatic Marjorie Quick. Although Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, she remains a mystery - never more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery.

The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a house in rural Spain where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own. Into this fragile paradise come artist and revolutionary Isaac Robles and his half-sister, Teresa, who immediately insinuate themselves into the Schloss family, with devastating consequences....

Seductive, exhilarating and suspenseful, The Muse is an unforgettable novel about aspiration and identity, love and obsession, authenticity and deception and is set to be 2016’s must-listen audiobook. 

To watch a behind the scenes video of The Muse visit www.audible.co.uk/TheMuse

Also available in ebook and print from Picador

LILY COLLINS PERFORMS PETER PAN FOR AUDIBLE

LILY COLLINS PERFORMS PETER PAN FOR AUDIBLE

NEW RECORDING OF J.M. BARRIE’S MAGICAL MASTERPIECE ARRIVES JUST IN TIME FOR FAMILY ROAD TRIP SEASON

Audible Studios, a production arm of Audible.co.uk, today announced the release of acclaimed actress Lily Collins’s audio interpretation of J.M. Barrie’s beloved novelPeter Pan. This exuberant new recording is now available for download at audible.co.uk/PeterPan.

Watch Lily Collins behind the scenes in the video below. 

"What an absolute honor and privilege it is, as an actress, to have the opportunity to put my own spin on a character as well-known as Peter Pan,” said Collins, whose film credits include The Blind Side, Mirror Mirror, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. “Performing this magical story with my voice alone, without the assistance of props, costumes, or a supporting cast, made me appreciate J.M. Barrie’s genius anew. I hope listeners will experience Neverland in an entirely new and special way through this recording just as I did.”


“With summer approaching, and parents looking for meaningful activities that will entertain the entire family, this enchanting performance of Peter Pan is going to be a household and road trip staple,” said Audible EVP and Publisher Beth Anderson. “Children will be captivated, and parents will relish the opportunity to go back to Neverland once again.”



With a 30-day membership trial at Audible, new listeners can enjoy any one audiobook, including Newton’s performance of Peter Pan, free.



In addition to Collins, among the acclaimed performers who have narrated works of literature for Audible are Thandie Newton, Emma Thompson, Rosamund Pike, Dan Stevens, James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet and Tim Robbins. In 2013, Audible Studios won its first Grammy Award, for its production of Janis Ian’s memoir Society’s Child, and also won the Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year, for Colin Firth’s performance of Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair.


To listen to a sample from this audio book please follow this link - http://www.audible.co.uk/mt/peter_pan


Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content, invented and commercialized the first digital audio player in 1997, and has since been at the forefront of the explosively growing audiobook download segment. In 2015, listeners around the world downloaded 1.6 billion hours of audio from Audible.com outlets; Audible members downloaded an average of more than 17 books over the course of the year. Two thirds of new Audible members are first-time audiobook buyers.



ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible was created to unleash the emotive music in language and the habituating power and utility of verbal expression. Audible content includes more than 250,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Audible is also the preeminent provider of spoken-word audio products for Apple’s iTunes Store.

THANDIE NEWTON’S PERFORMANCE OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË’S JANE EYRENOW AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO DOWNLOAD AT AUDIBLE

THANDIE NEWTON’S PERFORMANCE OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË’S JANE EYRENOW AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO DOWNLOAD AT AUDIBLE

NEW RECORDING OF BRONTË’S MASTERPIECE CELEBRATES THE BICENTENARY OF HER BIRTH

21st April 2016 – Audible Studios, a production arm of Audible.com, today announced the release of acclaimed stage and screen actress Thandie Newton’s audio interpretation of Charlotte Brontë’s beloved novel Jane Eyre. Two centuries after Brontë was born, this intimate enactment of her most enduring work is now available for download at audible.co.uk/JaneEyre.

"Jane Eyre is in a class of its own. It’s romantic, dramatic, spiritual, and it remains extremely relevant today” said Newton, the star of The Pursuit of Happyness, Crash, Mission Impossible:II and the upcoming HBO series Westworld.“The book brilliantly mirrors the reality of being a human being. I loved using my voice to bring these characters to life. I gave myself over to the story completely, breathing the book in and then gently exhaling it for the listener in what became a very personal and intimate interpretation. There is a special magic in audiobook performance, being read to is one of the most comforting and nourishing bits of stimulus that exists. It’s a luxury and a pleasure. It feels like I’ll be sending the gift of the book out to a lot of people I don’t even know, and that is such a privilege.”



Newton recorded Jane Eyre in Audible’s London studios.

“Jane Eyre has been interpreted so many times over the years, but you haven’t quite experienced it until you’ve heard the extremely talented Thandie Newton read it to you,” said Audible EVP and Publisher Beth Anderson. “Her astonishing performance really calls attention to how ahead-of-her-time Brontë was, and how vibrant Jane’s character remains even centuries after the novel’s publication. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Charlotte Brontë’s bicentennial than by experiencing her greatest creation anew with this remarkable recording.”

With a 30-day membership trial at Audible, new listeners can enjoy any one audiobook, including Newton’s performance of Jane Eyre, for free.



In addition to Newton, among the acclaimed performers who have recently narrated works of literature for Audible are Emma Thompson, Rosamund Pike, Dan Stevens, James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet and Tim Robbins. In 2013, Audible Studios won its first Grammy Award, for its production of Janis Ian’s memoir Society’s Child, and also won the Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year, for Colin Firth’s performance of Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair.

Audible, the world’s largest seller and producer of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word content, invented and commercialized the first digital audio player in 1997, and has since been at the forefront of the explosively growing audiobook download segment. In 2015, listeners around the world downloaded 1.6 billion hours of audio from Audible.com outlets; Audible members downloaded an average of more than 17 books over the course of the year. Two thirds of new Audible members are first-time audiobook buyers.

ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading provider of premium digital spoken audio information and entertainment, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible was created to unleash the emotive music in language and the habituating power and utility of verbal expression. Audible content includes more than 250,000 audio programs from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Audible is also the preeminent provider of spoken-word audio products for Apple’s iTunes Store.

Alien: out of the shadow audio clip

Alien: Out of the Shadows

An Audible Original Drama

dramatised for audio by Dirk Maggs, from the novel by Tim Lebbon

AVAILABLE FROM 26^TH APRIL 2016

Pre-order now

A fast-paced thriller set between the first two Alien films, following a terrifying fight for survival and an intense struggle between human and artificial intelligence 

A brand new audio drama, Alien: Out of the Shadows – starring Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner and Batman Begins) in his first role for audio, Matthew Lewis (Harry Potter film series), Corey Johnson (The Bourne Ultimatum and Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Kathryn Drysdale (Two Pints of Lager and St Trinian’s) – is available to download from 26^th April atwww.audible.co.uk/scream.

A new chapter in the Alien franchise, the sci-fi audio drama is directed and produced by the renowned radio director Dirk Maggs (radio series of Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy), based on the original novel by award-winning author Tim Lebbon.

The story follows Chief Engineer Hooper (Corey Johnson), who finds himself in command of a stricken orbital mining vessel after its captain is killed.  Hooper finds himself not only responsible for the lives of his fellow crew, but also for the survivor of the only previous alien encounter, Ripley (Laurel Lefkow). 

Hooper’s ship, a large mining freighter, is in orbit over a planet whilst servicing a mine on its surface below.  Suddenly, two of its drop ships appear unexpectedly from the storm-lashed planet, with on-board cameras revealing alien creatures are loose on the vessels, attacking the mining crew on their return to the freighter.  The crew must struggle not only against the ferocious predatory aliens but also against Ash (Rutger Hauer), the Artificial Intelligence on board the freighter that will stop at nothing to secure an alien specimen alive. 

Rutger Hauer (voicing Ash) says, “Working on such a famous franchise was a challenge, but an amazing one to have. This was also my first introduction to audio work; it was fascinating to focus on just how powerful the voice can be for such a unique, non-human character like Ash. In the art form I work in, creating compelling audio drama is the ultimate illusion.”

Matthew Lewis (voicing Baxter) says of working on audio, “Audiobooks and dramas are a new medium for me, but luckily I was working with some true professionals who I could learn from; since its audio only, you have to squeeze as much emotion from every line as you can without overdoing it.  I'm a huge fan of the Alien universe and the opportunity to be a part of that was very exciting - I love playing all kinds of different characters from different walks of life, and a seasoned bridge officer such as Baxter in a science fiction scenario was a completely new one for me too.”

Tracey Markham, Country Manager at Audible UK, says, “We are thrilled to add a dramatized chapter of the Alien franchise to our collection of original audiobooks.  Starring one of sci-fi’s best loved actors, Rutger Hauer, in his first audio role, ‘Alien: Out of the Shadows’ not only allows fans to once again get lost in this fantastic world, but also adds to Audible’s popular sci-fi collection.”

Alien: Out of the Shadows was directed and produced by Dirk Maggs, who also adapted it for audio from the original novel by Tim Lebbon. It is available to download from 26^th April! (pre-order now) at www.audible.co.uk/scream.

Cast List

Ash – Rutger Hauer

Baxter – Matthew Lewis

Hooper – Corey Johnson

Ripley – Laurel Lefkow

Kasyanov – Andrea Deck

Lachance – Mac Macdonald

Jordan – Barbara Barnes

Powell – Abdul Salis

Welford – Nathan Osgood

Sneddon – Kathryn Drysdale

Garcia – Regina Brandolino

Vic Jones / Cornell – Tom Alexander

Download at www.audible.co.uk/scream

Below you will be able to hear a clip from the audio-book.