10 audiobooks for fans of The Name of the Rose
- 1
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)More about this pick
Two French sisters choose vastly different paths of resistance during Nazi occupation, with Polly Stone capturing both their desperation and courage.
- 2
The Shadow of the Wind
Cemetery of Forgotten Books • Book 1
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Narrated by Daniel Weyman
Why this book?
Both novels weave intricate mysteries through richly atmospheric settings—a medieval monastery and a post-Civil War Barcelona—where the search for truth unfolds through layered narratives and literary puzzles. Daniel Weyman's narration captures the same contemplative, immersive quality that makes these audiobooks ideal for deep listening, as the mysteries reward patient attention to detail and historical texture.
★ 4.30 ABR Score (727.9K ratings)★ 4.31 Goodreads (727.6K) ★ 4.51 Audible (304)More about this pick
Young Daniel discovers a mysterious book in Barcelona's Cemetery of Forgotten Books, launching him into a quest involving murder, love, and literary obsession in post-war Spain.
- 3
The Help
by Kathryn Stockett
Narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Jenna Lamia, Octavia Spencer, Bahni Turpin
Why this book?
Both novels weave together multiple compelling narratives to expose hidden truths within rigid social systems, and their ensemble casts of narrators create an immersive listening experience that brings distinct perspectives to life. The Help shares The Name of the Rose's deliberate pacing and layered storytelling, rewarding patient listeners with gradually deepening mysteries rooted in institutional power and moral complexity.
★ 4.95 ABR Score (3.1M ratings)★ 4.47 Goodreads (3.0M) ★ 4.81 Audible (46.3K)More about this pick
1960s Mississippi comes alive through the voices of black maids and the white woman who wants to tell their stories. Four narrators create authentic, distinct perspectives on this dangerous collaboration.
- 4
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.
- 5
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)More about this pick
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
The Evening and the Morning
Kingsbridge
by Ken Follett
Narrated by John Lee
★ 4.67 ABR Score (149.2K ratings)★ 4.39 Goodreads (136.4K) ★ 4.71 Audible (12.8K)More about this pick
Set in 997 CE England, three lives intersect during Viking raids and political chaos as a new town rises. Lee's commanding voice spans decades of medieval intrigue in this Kingsbridge prequel about power, faith, and survival.
- 8
The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller
Narrated by Frazer Douglas
★ 4.66 ABR Score (2.1M ratings)★ 4.3 Goodreads (2.0M) ★ 4.61 Audible (40.8K)More about this pick
Miller reimagines the Trojan War through Patroclus's eyes, transforming mythology into an achingly intimate love story.
- 9
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)More about this pick
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.
- 10
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.
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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.
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Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.