Best New Audiobooks for Your Morning Commute (Fiction, Fantasy, History, True Crime, Romance and More!)

Jan 30, 2025

Podcasts and playlists are great and all, but have you ever felt the incredible power of a great audiobook? Today on the blog, we’re sharing our picks for some of the top recent releases you simply must listen to on your next commute or road trip. From magical realism to fantasy, to true crime mysteries and biographical fiction, we’ve got a little something to suit everyone’s tastes. While away the hours on the highway in the company of good friends and even greater storytelling!

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store

By James McBride

Hailed as one of the best new books of 2024, this historical fiction novel highlights the story of Black and Jewish residents of the Chicken Hill area of Pottstown PA in the 20s and 30s. The perfect blend of historical fiction and literary fiction with a dash of mystery, you’ll be transported back in time with the turn of each page.

The Salt Path

By Raynor Winn

With nearly a half million copies sold worldwide, this poignant piece of travel writing will draw you in and take you along for the journey. After Raynor Winn’s husband falls terminally ill, the couple decides to make a life-changing decision of unforgettable proportions: walking 630 miles together along the South wEst Coast Path from Somerset to Dorset, through Devon and Cornwall. The couple embarks on this journey of self discovery, love and loss, and the remarkable resilience of people and what it means to be “home”.

Good Dirt

By Charmaine Wilkerson

This novel is an emotional, multi-generational historical fiction novel about the bonds of family and how our past shapes our present, through this tale of love and loss. Follow Ebby Freeman as she tries to make sense of a childhood tragedy and unfolds pieces of her family’s history and her own future. You’re in for a real treat with this captivating novel from the NYT Bestselling author of Black Cake!

The House in the Cerulean Sea

By TJ Klune

Be transported away from reality and into a quirky fantasy world with this magical tale of Linus Baker, an employee of the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, and Arthur Parnassus, master of the orphanage for magical children. We bet you’ll fall in love just like we did as the characters unfold a mystery and take you on a wonderful journey of friendship, love, humor, and wit. The perfect blend of science fiction meets paranormal fantasy!

Before I Let Go

By Kennedy Ryan

A contemporary romance centered around hope, healing, and personal discovery. When Yasmen and Josiah’s marriage falls to pieces, Yasmen is left reeling but focuses on healing through joy. Little by little as she and Josiah work together to navigate coparenting, a spark ignites. Will they find a new beginning or are some things better left as they were?

The Art Thief

By Michael Finkel

True Crime and Art history merge together in this fascinating narrative chronicling the world’s most prolific art thief, Stephane Breitweiser. After successfully completing more than 200 heists all across Europe in less than a decade, Breitweiser and his paramour amassed a collection of more than 300 commandeered works. Follow along through the mayhem and mishaps that culminated in their undoing and apprehension in this scintillating tale of true crime, love, and passion.

Jackal

By Erin E. Adams

Fans of supernatural horror and the paranormal will lose themselves in the mysteries of this emotional and dark suspense novel. When Liz returns home to her former town of Johnstown, PA for her best friend Caroline’s wedding, things take a turn for the worst. Caroline has disappeared and the only clue left behind is a blood stained piece of white fabric. As terrifying memories of the past are stirred, Liz sets out to uncover the town’s darkest secrets and hopefully find the truth about what may really have happened to her friend and the other missing girls before her.

The Personal Librarian

By Mariie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

This thought-provoking and fascinating biographical novel highlights the secrets and legacy of J.P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene. Hired to help curate an immense collection of rare manuscripts, books, and fine art for the Pierpont Morgan Library, Belle makes her way into the ranks of New York Cities high society by way of the art and literary world. The true history of this incredibly strong, dedicated woman and her extraordinary legacy will leave a lasting impression on you from the first til the very last word.