What books on tape or CD's would you recommend?
 

I like to listen to books on CD's while I sew - mysteries, detective stories, lawyer series etc. but feel like I've gotten into a rut and need some new ideas on authors and books to try that will keep my interest and keep me sewing at the same time. What have you read or listened to recently that had a strong plot?

finding audio books
 

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/ If you go to this site and type in an author you have enjoyed previously you can find links to similar types of books toward the bottom of the page. It also lists the author's books chronologically, so if you are like me and have to read a series of books in order, it makes it easy to find the titles you want. Then it's a matter of finding out if the books you like are available in audio format. I put books/CDs on hold through my library via the internet, and it shows if they have the audio format available.

I love the Jennifer Chiaverini books. They have a quilting theme and I feel like I know the members of the family in the books. James Patterson is a good author and I have liked most of Patricia Cornwell books. Nora Roberts is also a favorite of mine.

I agree totally with Quiltngolfer. I was going to recommend both these authors to you and laughed when I saw she had already done so. Jennifer's books are awesome books on quilting buddies and their lives. I didn't think I would even like a book about a quilter, but she is so wonderful at plot lines that you must read her books. Start with her first one and go from there.

James Patterson's 'Alex Cross' detective novels are so great. You can listen to them and not want to stop no matter if it's time to cook dinner. He is another wonderful author. I've only read his 'Alex Cross' novels. He now has other authors co-write books for him (I believe they write them and he just adds his name to get the royalties IMHO).

Have you read the terri thayer quilt murder mystery books, I just can't put them down, its like a james patterson novel with quilting involved, and she really keeps you guessing

I'm in the middle of a James Lee Burke marathon. His audiobooks are great - the readers are excellent!

I love listening to a good book while I'm sewing or cleaning.

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. My absolute favorite of all time. It kinda defies genre.... It is a science fiction, time travel, historical, medical, romance set in Scotland around 1743 through the American Revolution. There are 7 in the series to-date. I don't read romance novels. This was recommended to me 10 years or more ago and I resisted because it just did not sound like my kind of book. Boy, was I wrong! Diana is an incredible writer and the reader, Davina Porter, is perfect!

I love to listen to books on cd when I quilt or sew. So many good ones!! I've been known to cry over my quilt frame listening to some of them! Just last week I started listening to Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - I was instantly hooked and I'm not usually a historical fiction type of girl. This is so much more. I love these characters!!! And there are eight books in the series. Woohoo!

http://www.dianagabaldon.com/books/o...ies/outlander/

Hahaha I didn't see your post DeneK until I posted mine! Lol SO COOL!!

I haven't been listening to books but I have been listening to podcasts. There is one by Pat Sloan (American Patchwork and Quilting) on quilting that's good. I'll listen to Dave Ramsey, a Spanish lesson, among other stuff. I enjoy these.

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch is a very good mystery. There are four books in the series.

I love the Game of Thrones books by George RR Martin. Mystery, drama, fantasy, it's all in there.

My favorite books I re read every so often are of course I think great:

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
The Egg and I by Betty McDonald
The Good Earth by Pearl S Buck
The Camerons by Robert Crichton
The Ladies of Missalonghi by Colleen Mccullough

I loved Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Strong plot and memorable characters make this a wonderful book to listen to. The story stays with you. I love opera even more because of this book.

http://www.annpatchett.com/belcanto.html

How to make an American quilt -- by Whitney Otto is awesome.

i could keep going :)

i belong to a book club. We call ourselves The Sunday Night Book Club because we meet on a Sunday night lol

I love listening to any Robert Crais books. His detectives Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are interesting and funny. I get most of my book on tapes as play-a-longs from my local library :)

Author Lee Child and his Jack Reacher series are great! He needs to write and publish faster!! I am always waiting for the next one. Michael Connelly's series with Harry Bosch are also great. The Janet Evanowich series with Stephanie Plum are hilarious! You will love Lulu! David Baldacci also has good ones. I really like CJ Box--Joe Picket series. I've listened to all of his on CD, but now his new ones are all audible which I don't do---yet.

Try the knitting/mystery books by Maggie Sefton or the "herb" series by Susan Albert. They both have endearing characters that are fun to revisit. Both of them have new books coming out in the spring and I'm anxious to spend time again with old friends and they include recipes which so far are always yummy.

I second the Lee Child "Reacher" books.

I just recently started listening to books on CD in my sewing room. It makes me feel like I am doing 2 of my favorite things at the same time. I do love a good mystery.

The Elizabeth Peters books are my favorites. Her series with Amelia Peabody is about archeaology and murder. Language tapes sound like a good idea too.

Totally enjoyed the Jan Karon series from the local library because they were so expertly read. I could just see the characters and action. I absolutely love Sandra Dallas books. . . have listened to them over and over. Another recent favorite is the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear, which is pre-WW1 in England and forward with a fabulous private investigator. Very, very clever and fascinating. I always check out my audio books at the library and am so bummed when I finish a really good one.

I also download books from the library to my MP3 player (a Creative Zen). I like to listen to books by Debbie
Macomber, JD Robb, Nora Roberts, Susan Whitting Albert, James Patterson, Agatha Christie, to name a few. Many you can also download to a cd.

Lee Child/Douglas Preston are great books. They have written many good books together. Authors I have enjoyed among others are Harlan Coben, and Robert Kellerman. I am going to try some of the suggestions listed above. Thanks everyone.

I love Jennifer Chiaverini books, however I didn't think that they came in CD format, I have always thought that the very people who want to "read" these books would want to be quilting during the story. I think the publishers really missed the boat on that one.

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Kim Harrison The Hollows books the combination of a witch, pixie, vampire elves and demons is hilarious. Especially Jenks the pixie.



I second the Elizabeth Peters --Amelia Peabody Egyptian archeology books.

Dana Stabenow—Kate Shugak Alaskan mysteries





I find frequently find new audio books by looking up the narrator of a book in which I have enjoyed their presentation , and find other books they have read. I have found several new authors this way. Check out narrators:

Johanna Parker

Susan Ericksen

Marguerite Gavin

C.J. Critt

George Guidall

Dick Hill

Why not try Agatha Christie ? or even PG Woodhouse for a laugh whilst quilting

1000 White Women, People of the Book (Geraldine Brookes), actually anything by Geraldine Brooks, The Book Thief (Zusack?), Having Our Say, and as many others recommended, The Outlander Series.

i love janet evanovich! she cracks me up, and there's always a good story. i've been watching a lot of police procedural type of series from england. very fun and i can hit pause if i need to concentrate on the sewing. right now it's the last detective. prior to that was midsomer murders, and agatha christie's marple, vera and a canadian series in victorian toronto. murdoch's (something). all really good! if you don't mind gutsy try luther. for something lighter, watch rosemary and thyme.

Earlene Fowler, Marie Bostwick, Eudora Welty, Lee Smith, James Lee Burke, Jessamyn West, Jennifer Chiaverini, Heidi Thomas, Alex Berenson, I get them through my library. I very seldom watch TV except for PBS. I can sew and listen to books and love it.

I only sew when I listen the books and I really love it. I love to listen to the Rizzoli & Isles books by Tess Gerritsen. I also liked two Simon Beckett hearing books ( chemistry of death and written in bone ) but I didn´t like fine lines by him. Also like the thrillers by Cody McFadyen and the novels by Nicholas Sparks are nice to listen to...not to forget Ken Follet.

and thanks very much for your suggestions, I´m about to run out of hearing books :)