Audiobooks Like The Help

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The Help uses four narrators — Cassandra Campbell, Jenna Lamia, Octavia Spencer, and Bahni Turpin — to give each woman her own register, and the contrast between those voices is how the social world of 1960s Mississippi gets built in sound. Eighteen hours that pass in the rhythm of voices talking to each other. Five recommendations share a narrator, and the list pulls toward historical fiction with the same attention to whose voice gets heard and whose doesn't.

10 audiobooks for fans of The Help

  1. 1
    Sister of Mine cover

    Sister of Mine

    Georgia • Book 1

    by Sabra Waldfogel

    Narrated by Bahni Turpin

    Why this book?

    Bahni Turpin's compelling narration brings the same emotional depth and intimate character work to *Sister of Mine*, a mystery that similarly explores complex relationships between women against a rich historical backdrop. Both audiobooks offer immersive storytelling that lingers in memory, with Turpin's distinctive voice creating unforgettable connections to each character's inner life.

    ★ 4.36 ABR Score (9.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (6.3K) ★ 4.6 Audible (3.2K)
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    1864 Georgia plantation flies the Union flag as freed slaves and their Jewish mistress navigate Civil War complexities. Bahni Turpin's performance honors the layered relationships between Adelaide, Rachel, and their shared history of bondage and freedom.

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  2. 2
    Back Channel cover

    Back Channel

    by Stephen L. Carter

    Narrated by Bahni Turpin

    Why this book?

    Bahni Turpin's commanding narration brings the same immersive depth to this Cold War thriller that made *The Help* so gripping, drawing listeners into a high-stakes mystery where personal stakes collide with historical consequence. Both audiobooks showcase Turpin's ability to build tension through intimate character work, making complex narratives feel immediate and deeply human.

    ★ 3.84 ABR Score (1.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.88 Goodreads (1.0K) ★ 4.55 Audible (65)
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    October 1962's missile crisis requires Kennedy and Khrushchev to negotiate through secret diplomatic channels while warships mobilize. Bahni Turpin captures the nuclear tension threatening global annihilation.

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  3. 3
    Citizens Creek cover

    Citizens Creek

    by Lalita Tademy

    Narrated by Bahni Turpin, J. D. Jackson

    Why this book?

    Citizens Creek delivers the same rich, immersive narrative voice that made The Help so compelling, with Bahni Turpin anchoring another sweeping story of resilience and hidden histories across American generations. Both audiobooks use multiple perspectives to uncover untold truths about race, family, and survival in a way that rewards deep listening.

    ★ 3.83 ABR Score (1.6K ratings)
    ★ 3.9 Goodreads (1.4K) ★ 4.36 Audible (196)
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    Born into Alabama slavery, Cow Tom becomes a Creek translator and eventually buys his freedom during the Indian Wars. Bahni Turpin and J.D. Jackson's dual narration spans generations of courage and survival.

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  4. 4
    The Nightingale cover

    The Nightingale

    by Kristin Hannah

    Narrated by Polly Stone

    ★ 5.00 ABR Score (2.3M ratings)
    ★ 4.65 Goodreads (2.2M) ★ 4.84 Audible (116.4K)
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    Two French sisters choose vastly different paths of resistance during Nazi occupation, with Polly Stone capturing both their desperation and courage.

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  5. 5
    The Women cover

    The Women

    by Kristin Hannah

    Narrated by Julia Whelan, Kristin Hannah

    Why this book?

    Both novels explore women's resilience and agency through interconnected narratives spanning decades, with richly layered storytelling that benefits from stellar multi-narrator performances. The Women shares The Help's intimate character focus and historical depth, examining how women navigate systemic constraints with quiet strength and moral complexity.

    ★ 5.00 ABR Score (1.7M ratings)
    ★ 4.59 Goodreads (1.6M) ★ 4.84 Audible (56.8K)
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    Following nurse Frankie McGrath from suburban comfort to Vietnam's chaos, Julia Whelan captures the protagonist's evolution with raw emotional authenticity.

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  6. 6
    Beneath a Scarlet Sky cover

    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)
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    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.

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  7. 7
    The Frozen River cover

    The Frozen River

    by Ariel Lawhon

    Narrated by Jane Oppenheimer, Ariel Lawhon

    ★ 4.71 ABR Score (610.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.38 Goodreads (594.0K) ★ 4.7 Audible (16.2K)
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    Maine, 1789: midwife Martha Ballard investigates a body frozen in the Kennebec River, using her detailed diary of births, deaths, and town secrets. Jane Oppenheimer's narration captures the cold grip of frontier justice.

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  8. 8
    The Alice Network cover

    The Alice Network

    by Kate Quinn

    Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

    ★ 4.67 ABR Score (694.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (642.8K) ★ 4.63 Audible (51.3K)
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    Two timelines connect female spies: Eve infiltrating German-occupied France in WWI, and Charlie searching for her missing cousin in 1947's aftermath.

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  9. 9
    The Kitchen House cover

    The Kitchen House

    by Kathleen Grissom

    Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy, Bahni Turpin

    Why this book?

    Both novels explore the complex inner lives and resilience of women navigating oppressive social hierarchies through intimate, character-driven storytelling, and Bahni Turpin's narration anchors each audiobook with emotional authenticity that deepens the human connections at their core.

    ★ 4.61 ABR Score (309.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.24 Goodreads (304.9K) ★ 4.75 Audible (4.4K)
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    Irish orphan Lavinia grows up among plantation slaves, creating a powder keg of forbidden bonds that explodes into tragedy. Dual narrators Orlagh Cassidy and Bahni Turpin switch perspectives seamlessly, highlighting the racial divide at the story's heart.

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  10. 10
    Pachinko (National Book Award Finalist) cover

    Pachinko (National Book Award Finalist)

    by Min Jin Lee

    Narrated by Sandra Oh, Min Jin Lee

    ★ 4.51 ABR Score (642.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.34 Goodreads (641.5K) ★ 4.64 Audible (1.4K)
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    Four generations of a Korean family navigate exile and discrimination in Japan, beginning with Sunja's unplanned pregnancy in early 1900s Korea. Sandra Oh's narration adds emotional depth.

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Browse Related Lists

The Help Best Historical Fiction Audiobooks Most Popular Historical Fiction

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.

Read our full ranking methodology →