10 audiobooks for fans of The Distant Hours
- 1
The Secret Keeper
by Kate Morton
Narrated by Caroline Lee
★ 4.38 ABR Score (191.5K ratings)★ 4.16 Goodreads (175.4K) ★ 4.5 Audible (16.1K)More about this pick
Wartime secrets spanning fifty years unravel through Caroline Lee's narration as a daughter investigates her mother's hidden past during the London Blitz.
- 2
Bring Up The Bodies
Thomas Cromwell • Book 2
by Hilary Mantel, Unknown Author
Narrated by Simon Vance
★ 4.40 ABR Score (109.1K ratings)★ 4.3 Goodreads (105.7K) ★ 4.54 Audible (3.3K)More about this pick
Simon Vance's narration transforms Mantel's intricate political prose into pure suspense—you'll hear the machinery of power and betrayal click into place across 14 hours you won't want to pause.
- 3
Dawnlands
The Fairmile • Book 3
Narrated by Louise Brealey
Why this book?
Louise Brealey's captivating narration brings the same atmospheric, intricate storytelling to *Dawnlands*, weaving together multiple timelines and mysteries with the same meticulous character work that made *The Distant Hours* so immersive. Both audiobooks reward patient, engaged listeners with richly layered narratives where the past gradually illuminates the present.
★ 4.11 ABR Score (9.4K ratings)★ 4.06 Goodreads (9.0K) ★ 4.55 Audible (393)More about this pick
As England edges toward civil war in 1685, the Ferryman family splits between rebellion and royalty, with sister Alinor caught between competing loyalties. Brealey navigates the complex family dynamics beautifully.
- 4
Dark Tides
The Fairmile Series • Book 2
Narrated by Louise Brealey
Why this book?
Louise Brealey's masterful narration brings the same atmospheric, layered storytelling to *Dark Tides*, weaving together multiple timelines and family secrets with the Gothic intrigue that made *The Distant Hours* so captivating. Both mysteries unfold through richly detailed historical settings where the past continuously reshapes the present, creating that immersive, page-turning experience that rewards careful listening.
★ 4.08 ABR Score (18.4K ratings)★ 3.85 Goodreads (17.3K) ★ 4.53 Audible (1.2K)More about this pick
Louise Brealey's sharp, layered performance transforms Gregory's tangled mystery of secrets and inheritance into something genuinely unputdownable—she makes you distrust every character's motives at once.
- 5
The Miniaturist
The Miniaturist • Book 1
by Jessie Burton, Unknown Author
Narrated by Davina Porter
★ 3.63 ABR Score (155.3K ratings)★ 3.62 Goodreads (153.6K) ★ 4.07 Audible (1.7K)More about this pick
An eighteen-year-old bride receives a mysterious dollhouse replica of her new Amsterdam home, with miniatures that seem to predict the future. Atmospheric 17th-century mystery steeped in religious oppression and family secrets.
- 6
Cilka's Journey
The Tattooist of Auschwitz • Book 2
by Heather Morris
Narrated by Louise Brealey
Why this book?
Louise Brealey's commanding narration brings the same atmospheric depth to Cilka's Journey, a haunting historical mystery that, like The Distant Hours, weaves past and present through a compelling female protagonist uncovering hidden truths. Both audiobooks leverage their narrator's skill to create immersive, emotionally resonant stories where mystery emerges from intimate character revelation rather than plot mechanics alone.
★ 4.72 ABR Score (223.4K ratings)★ 4.4 Goodreads (219.0K) ★ 4.8 Audible (4.4K)More about this pick
Louise Brealey's measured, unflinching narration transforms this haunting true story into something unbearable and necessary—she lets the quiet devastation of survival speak louder than any dramatic flourish ever could.
- 7
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
by Mark T. Sullivan
Narrated by Will Damron
★ 4.81 ABR Score (445.7K ratings)★ 4.43 Goodreads (396.0K) ★ 4.73 Audible (49.7K)More about this pick
Teenager Pino Lella guides Jews over the Alps then becomes a Nazi general's driver, spying for the Italian resistance. Will Damron captures both Pino's youthful innocence and his growing courage throughout the war.
- 8
Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942
The Pacific War Trilogy • Book 1
by Ian W. Toll
Narrated by Grover Gardner
★ 4.75 ABR Score (14.5K ratings)★ 4.61 Goodreads (10.4K) ★ 4.82 Audible (4.2K)More about this pick
Grover Gardner's measured, authoritative narration transforms Toll's meticulous battle accounts into a gripping you-are-there experience—22 hours that feel essential, not exhausting.
- 9
Code Name Hélène
by Ariel Lawhon
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, Peter Ganim
★ 4.70 ABR Score (90.4K ratings)★ 4.41 Goodreads (82.5K) ★ 4.77 Audible (7.9K) - 10
The Reformatory
by Tananarive Due
Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
★ 4.68 ABR Score (81.3K ratings)★ 4.43 Goodreads (78.1K) ★ 4.79 Audible (3.2K)More about this pick
Twelve-year-old Robbie faces the living and dead horrors of a Jim Crow reform school in this haunting blend of historical injustice and supernatural terror.
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How We Rank Audiobooks
Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.
Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.
We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.
Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.