All the new audiobooks out this March from Scribd’s very own imprint. Listen to a beautiful celebration of Black voices narrated by Daveed Diggs and Lena Waithe; a moving exploration of origins and homecoming in Haiti; a thrilling historical mystery; and more.
Black Imagination by Natasha Marin
Performed By Daveed Diggs And Lena Waithe
A stirring celebration of Black voices in the form of short stories and poetry. Dedicated to “the beauty, strength, and enduring resilience of Black People everywhere,” this collection brings together individual creators who reflect on, and revel in, Black joy, healing, and the imagining of a world where all Black folks are loved, safe, and valued. Moving narration from Daveed Diggs and Lena Waithe brings these diverse experiences to life — listen to them sparkle and shine.
Mouths Don’t Speak by Katia D. Ulysse
Twenty-five years after she left her homeland of Haiti, Jacqueline Florestant finds herself in turmoil, mourning the deaths of her parents while managing her life with her three-year-old daughter and ex-marine husband with PTSD. Her return to Haiti in search of closure is met with chaos and deception — it’s not the place she left over two decades ago. Ulysse thoughtfully tells the story of origins, homecoming, and the spaces in between.
The Bastards of Pizzofalcone by Maurizio de Giovanni
Maurizio de Giovanni’s sequel to The Crocodile is the first in his Italian crime fiction series: The Bastards of Pizzofalcone. Set in the Pizzofalcone precinct of Naples, the book follows a new set of law enforcement officials — detectives, commissario, and superintendent — who have been hired to replace a team rife with corruption. Now they’re knee-deep in a murder case that will make or break them. It’s an exciting look at the criminal underworld of Naples, from an author who knows the ins and outs of a legendary European city.
In Plain View by Julie Shigekuni
The latest book from author Julie Shigekuni is full of twists and turns in what appears to be the perfect Los Angeles life of her characters, Daidai and Hiroshi. As they navigate their marriage and desire to have a child, Daidai’s burgeoning friendship with her husband Hiroshi’s graduate student turns into a complex, and even dangerous, situation. Shigekuni artfully portrays the intricacies of Japanese American identity and authenticity throughout this psychological thriller.
A Million Drops by Víctor del Árbol
Spanish author Víctor del Árbol weaves an intricate crime drama that spans the Spanish Civil War, the Soviet Union, murders and suicide, and the dark annals of one family’s history. It starts when Gonzalo Gil learns of his estranged sister’s suicide under mysterious circumstances, following her investigation into a sex trafficking ring run by Russian mobsters. Gil embarks on a circuitous journey that includes the story of his father, a Spanish folk-hero during the civil war, unjustly imprisoned by Russians on the notorious Nazino island. Del Árbol introduces Americans to a deftly told European crime novel about revenge, fascism, and family ties.
The Parting Gift by Evan Fallenberg
This taut, fast-moving fiction has drawn comparisons to the intense love story of Call Me By Your Name. An unknown narrator moves from the United States to Israel, and quickly finds himself obsessed with Uzi, an older spice merchant. The epistolary story, set in Tel Aviv, is brimming with jealousy, revenge, and sinister motivations as the narrator becomes deeply entangled in Uzi’s personal and professional life. It’s an erotic page-turner that will leave you guessing at every turn.
Leona: The Die Is Cast by Jenny Rogneby
Swedish author Jenny Rogneby’s debut is a hard-boiled crime novel, the first in a three-part series. It stars Leona Lindberg, a detective in Stockholm’s Violent Crime Division, who is tasked with solving a shocking crime: a naked, bloody seven-year-old girl somehow walks out of a Stockholm bank with millions, in broad daylight. Leona’s own volatile personal life threatens to upend the investigation as things spiral out of control. It’s a fresh look at the crime genre with a complex female character in the lead.
Blood of the Oak by Eliot Pattison
The fourth book in the Bone Rattler series is another thrilling historical mystery, this time set in the American Colonies in 1765. Members of the Iroquois Nation are being kidnapped and killed and Scottish exile Duncan McCallum is on the case. However, after he’s captured and enslaved, the tables are turned as McCallum uncovers a loyalist conspiracy and gathers a crew of fellow outcasts to bring them to justice.
Dead Girl Walking by Linda Joy Singleton
After an unpleasant encounter with a mail truck, 17-year-old Amber Borden is having a lousy day, one that sends her into the afterlife. It’s not her time, however, so the directionally-challenged teen is sent back to the land of the living — only she takes a wrong turn into the body of one of the most popular girls in school who has just attempted suicide. Can she find her way back? A darkly humorous coming-of-age YA novel that demonstrates how little we know about those around us.
The Goodbye Kiss by Massimo Carlotto
Be prepared for a dark, blunt force swirl of a novel. Giorgio Pellegrini is an amoral sociopath with a hefty dose of misogyny. Written by an ex-con hailed as the “Mediterranean Master of Noir,” The Goodbye Kiss gives a stark look at a wanted criminal whose unredeemable traits are next level. In this first book of a three-part collection, Pellegrini returns to Italy and falls in with a rough crowd of fellow cons, leading him on a heist that kicks off this series with a bang.
Another Life by Theodor Kallifatides
During his career, Greek-born Theodor Kallifatides emerged as one of Sweden’s most respected authors, writing poetry, novels, plays, and film scripts. In his thoughtful, philosophical memoir, Kallifatides shares the complicated act of aging, experiencing crippling writer’s block in his late 70s, and his return to his beloved homeland of Greece. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of the passage of time, with commentary on cultural trends in modern Europe.
San Diego Noir edited by Maryelizabeth Hart
This collection of juicy, thrilling noir stories is set exclusively in San Diego, a follow-up to the award-winning Brooklyn Noir. New stories from acclaimed writers uncover some of the city’s less savory attractions, including corrupt politicians, terrorists, and more. Experience the dark underbelly underneath San Diego’s sunny facade.
