19 Highly Recommended Audiobooks I’m Hoping to Finish Before 2026 Ends

I don’t think I’ve ever run out of audiobooks to listen to. But I’m always excited to find new ones.So, for this post, I’ve put together 19 audiobooks I’m hoping to listen to before the end of 2026.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. What happens to these books in 2027? Do they just disappear into thin air?
I actually get quite a few comments teasing me about this whenever I share a reading list with a deadline. And they always make me laugh!

The thing is, I love giving myself reading deadlines. I keep hoping that one day I’ll finally stick to my TBR. Will 2026 be that year? Who knows! But I can at least try.

I’ve listened to the Audible sample of every book on this list. And so far, I really like the narrators. Of course, I still need to listen to the full books, but I’m excited to give them a try. So, if you’re like me and always looking for great audiobooks with amazing narrators, this list is for you.

1. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Narrators : Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Peter Grant is a young police officer in London who dreams of becoming a detective. But his career isn’t going anywhere until he meets a murder witness who happens to be a ghost. Suddenly, Peter finds himself working with a detective who investigates crimes involving magic. And London turns out to be a much stranger place than he ever imagined. In Rivers of London, Peter must solve a series of unusual murders while learning about a world he never knew existed.

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2. Dracula by Bram Stoker

Narrators : Jonathan Bailey, Ella Purnell, Aimee Lou Wood, Louis Partridge, David Jonsson, Johnny Flynn, Lesley Manville, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to help Count Dracula buy a house in London. It seems like a normal business trip until he realizes there’s something terribly wrong with his host. Soon, strange things start happening in England. A ship arrives without its crew, a young woman develops mysterious marks on her neck, and people begin to fear something they cannot explain. Also read 9 Historical Fiction Audiobooks That Are 10/10 From Start to Finish

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3. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

Narrators : Genevieve Gaunt

Emma M. Lion returns to London in 1883, hoping to enjoy a peaceful life filled with books and learning. Unfortunately, her family and neighbors have other plans. Her cousin Archibald is constantly causing trouble, her aunt Eugenia has plenty of opinions, and the people living around her are anything but ordinary. In The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Emma writes about her daily life, including all the awkward situations and amusing people she encounters.

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4. Weyward by Emilia Hart

Narrators : Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, Nell Barlow

Weyward follows three women living in different centuries. In 1619, Altha is accused of witchcraft after a farmer dies under strange circumstances. In 1942, Violet feels trapped in her family’s grand estate and longs for a different life. And in 2019, Kate escapes an abusive relationship and moves into a cottage left to her by a relative. As their stories unfold, we begin to understand how these women are connected and why their family history has remained hidden for so long. Also read 6 Scariest Audiobooks You Will Ever Listen To

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5. This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

Narrators : Zadeiah Campbell-Davies

Imagine receiving a birthday gift from your husband five months after he has passed away. That’s exactly what happens to Tilly Nightingale. Her husband, Joe, has left her twelve books at their local bookshop, one for each month of the year. Each book comes with an opportunity to try something new. As Tilly works her way through the books, she begins meeting people, traveling, and slowly finding her way forward. Also read 10 Most Memorable Audiobooks Books I’ve Listened to In 2025

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6. Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson

Narrators : Viola Davis

Judge Mary Stone has spent her career serving the small town of Union Springs, Alabama. But nothing prepares her for the controversial case that lands in her courtroom. The facts seem clear, yet the decision she must make is anything but easy. Whatever she decides, someone’s life will change forever. Also read 23 Incredible Audiobooks From Past Year You’ll Want on Repeat

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7. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Narrators : Jessica Almasy, Suzanne Toren

Orphan Train follows Molly, a troubled teenager in foster care, and Vivian, a 91-year-old woman with a painful past.Molly is assigned to help Vivian clean out her attic as part of her community service. While going through old belongings, Molly learns that Vivian was once an orphan sent from New York to the Midwest on an orphan train. Despite their age difference, the two women discover they have much in common.

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8. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Narrators : Yangsze Choo

In 1908, a young woman is found dead in Manchuria, and rumors begin spreading about mysterious fox spirits. Detective Bao is hired to investigate, but the case becomes stranger the more he learns. Meanwhile, a woman named Snow arrives at a family’s medicine shop. She seems ordinary enough, but she’s hiding a secret and searching for someone who has wronged her. Also read If You Listen to Only 10 Audiobooks This Year, Make It These

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9. Partita by Barbara Kingsolver

Narrators : Megan Tusing

Livia Cable has settled into a quiet life in the countryside. She’s married, has a familiar routine, and rarely thinks about the young woman she once was. But then she receives a phone call from a man she loved many years ago. Back then, Livia was a talented pianist with big dreams for her future. Now, his sudden return brings back memories she has spent decades avoiding. Also read 19 New Books Coming in September That Look So Good

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10. The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon

Narrators : Tara Flynn

Grace O’Malley has always loved the sea and wants nothing more than to captain her own ship. Unfortunately, she’s born into a powerful Irish family where women are expected to marry and raise children. Grace follows the path chosen for her, but she never gives up her dream. After a difficult marriage and a betrayal, she finally gets the chance to lead her family’s fleet. In The Pirate Queen, Grace must protect her people as England’s growing power threatens her homeland.

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11. The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Narrators : Julia Whelan

Alice Wright moves from England to Kentucky after marrying an American man. She hopes for an exciting new life, but instead finds herself living with a controlling father-in-law and an unhappy husband. Then she hears about a group of women delivering books on horseback to families in the mountains. Alice signs up, and everything begins to change. The Giver of Stars is about these women as they travel through remote parts of Kentucky, form close friendships, and face people who don’t approve of what they’re doing.

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12. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Narrators : Jennifer Ikeda

Diana Bishop is a historian at Oxford who happens to come from a family of witches. She wants nothing to do with magic and prefers spending her time researching old books. But one day, she discovers a mysterious manuscript in the library. Suddenly, witches, vampires, and other creatures start taking an interest in her. Among them is Matthew Clairmont, a vampire who offers to help her. Also Read 25 Historical Fiction Books Every Woman Should Read Once

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13. Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo

Narrators : Christina Moore, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Will Damron

Gabriel Fisher has been different from the moment he was born. He’s unusually large, grows faster than other children, and seems to have abilities nobody can explain. After losing his older brother, Gabriel goes to live with his Amish grandparents, who prefer to keep him away from attention. But hiding someone who grows to nearly eight feet tall isn’t easy. When a football coach notices him working in a field, Gabriel’s quiet life begins to change. Life, and Death, and Giants follows his journey and the people whose lives become connected to his.

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14. Shōgun by James Clavell

Narrators : Ralph Lister

John Blackthorne is an English sailor who ends up stranded in Japan during the 1600s. He knows almost nothing about the country, doesn’t speak the language, and quickly realizes that making the wrong move could cost him his life. As he learns about Japanese customs, he becomes involved in a struggle between powerful leaders. In Shōgun, Blackthorne must figure out whom he can trust while trying to survive in a country where everything is unfamiliar.

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15. Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult

Narrators : Rebecca Soler, MacLeod Andrews, Julia Whelan, Jodi Picoult

Molly Fitzgerald was only two months old when her mother died in the September 11 attacks. Growing up with that loss has made her especially aware of how quickly life can change. As an adult, she works in emergency preparedness, helping people plan for disasters. She’s also happily married to Jesse, a police officer with his own difficult past. But when something unexpected happens, their marriage and everything they believe about their lives are put to the test. Hollow Bones follows Molly as she faces the one thing she has always feared: a crisis she couldn’t prepare for.

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16. The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters

Narrators : Julia Ulayok Davis

Aliet Paul grows up in Nova Scotia with her grandmother, who teaches her about traditional healing and the customs of their Mi’kmaw community. Her mother died giving birth to her, and nobody will tell her who her father is. As Aliet grows older, she leaves home and trains to become a nurse. Years later, her grandmother’s death brings her back to the place where she grew up. In The Birthing Tree, Aliet begins looking into her family’s past and discovers that the people closest to her have been keeping secrets for years.

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17. American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee

Narrators : Yerin Ha

John and Helen Koh have built a comfortable life in South Korea with their three children. But after a betrayal and the financial crisis of 1997, everything falls apart. The family moves to Australia before eventually settling in California, hoping to start again. Life in a new country isn’t easy, especially for parents whose education and experience no longer carry the same value. In American Hagwon, we follow the Koh family over the years as they work, raise their children, and make sacrifices to give them a better future.

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18. The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

Narrators : Marin Ireland, Dan Bittner, Stacey Glemboski, Graham Halstead, Mia Barron, Callie Dalton, Janina Edwards, Shawn K. Jain, Christian Barillas, Jason Culp

Four strangers and a little dog set off on a journey to a mysterious treatment center in the California desert. The center offers an unusual way to deal with grief. Patients can sleep through their pain and wake up feeling healed. But the treatment comes with possible side effects. Each traveler has their own reasons for going. Also read 20 Most Popular Books Published in 2026

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19. Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein

Narrators : Emily Rankin

Mia and Cricket are two sisters growing up in a small town in Maine with their single mother. Mia is the responsible one who takes care of everyone. Cricket is a talented soccer player with dreams of becoming a star. As they grow older, Cricket’s ambitions begin to put pressure on their close relationship. Also read : 35 Audiobooks So Well Narrated, Readers Say Listening Is Better Than Reading

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