Best Leigh Bardugo Audiobooks
Leigh Bardugo built her reputation on morally complicated heist crews and the kind of dark, glittering prose that makes grimdark feel glamorous. Six of Crows and its sequel Crooked Kingdom are her masterwork — a tightly plotted caper set in a Venice-meets-Amsterdam underworld, populated by thieves and con artists you'll root for despite yourself. Her Grishaverse, introduced in Shadow and Bone, established a Russia-inspired fantasy world rich enough to sustain years of expansion. With Ninth House she pivoted to Yale's secret societies and adult horror-adjacent territory, proving her range extends well beyond YA. Bardugo writes with sharp wit, precise pacing, and an instinct for ensemble dynamics — her casts bounce off each other with the crackle of a great heist film. Readers who love character-driven fantasy with bite and atmosphere will find her essential.
Where to Start with Leigh Bardugo
- Best entry point → Six of Crows
- Start the Alex Stern series → Ninth House
- What fans keep coming back to → Shadow and Bone
- Highest rated by listeners → Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2)
Best Leigh Bardugo Audiobooks
- 1
Crooked Kingdom
Six of Crows • Book 2
Narrated by Roger Clark, Jay Snyder, Elizabeth Evans, Fred Berman, Brandon Rubin, Kevin T. Collins, Lauren Fortgang, Peter Ganim
★ 4.68 ABR Score (797.9K ratings)★ 4.57 Goodreads (779.9K) ★ 4.73 Audible (18.0K)More about this pick
Kaz and his Dregs crew fight for survival in Ketterdam after their Ice Court heist goes sideways. The full ensemble cast returns to handle this action-packed conclusion to the Six of Crows duology.
- 2
Six of Crows
Six of Crows • Book 1
Narrated by Jay Snyder, Brandon Rubin, Fred Berman, Lauren Fortgang, Roger Clark, Elizabeth Evans, Tristan Morris
★ 4.50 ABR Score (1.2M ratings)★ 4.46 Goodreads (1.2M) ★ 4.55 Audible (22.8K)More about this pick
Criminal mastermind Kaz Brekker assembles a crew for an impossible heist in this fantasy Ocean's Eleven, brought to life by a full cast capturing each character's distinct voice.
- 3
Hell Bent
Alex Stern • Book 2
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang, Michael David Axtell
★ 4.30 ABR Score (187.5K ratings)★ 4.1 Goodreads (183.8K) ★ 4.64 Audible (3.6K)More about this pick
Galaxy Stern attempts to break her mentor out of hell using Yale's occult societies and forbidden magic. Lauren Fortgang returns to capture Alex's gritty determination in this darker sequel to Ninth House.
- 4
Ruin and Rising
Shadow and Bone • Book 3
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
★ 4.28 ABR Score (607.8K ratings)★ 3.97 Goodreads (595.9K) ★ 4.58 Audible (11.9K)More about this pick
Alina's powers are broken, the Darkling rules from his shadow throne, and Ravka's hope rests with religious zealots in underground tunnels. This trilogy conclusion burns through every fantasy trope with earned emotion.
- 5
Ninth House
Alex Stern • Book 1
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang, Michael David Axtell
★ 4.15 ABR Score (413.3K ratings)★ 4 Goodreads (407.3K) ★ 4.45 Audible (6.0K)More about this pick
Yale's secret societies practice actual occult rituals, and Alex Stern monitors them after surviving a multiple homicide. Lauren Fortgang captures Alex's gritty voice perfectly while Michael David Axtell handles the male perspectives with menacing precision.
- 6
Shadow and Bone
Shadow and Bone • Book 1
Narrated by Lauren Fortgang
★ 4.12 ABR Score (1.1M ratings)★ 3.91 Goodreads (1.1M) ★ 4.39 Audible (15.2K)More about this pick
Orphan mapmaker Alina discovers she can summon light itself when her regiment crosses a monster-filled shadow wasteland dividing her war-torn country.
- 7
Demon in the Wood
Grishaverse
by Leigh Bardugo, Dani Pendergast
Narrated by Ben Barnes, Benjamin Valic, Cassandra Morris, Eason Rytter, James Fouhey, Mary McCartney, Matt Leisy, Salli Saffioti, Sean Gormley, Tom Bromhead
★ 4.12 ABR Score (52.0K ratings)★ 4.09 Goodreads (51.7K) ★ 4.57 Audible (362)More about this pick
Young Eryk's dangerous life on the run comes alive through an exceptional ensemble cast led by Ben Barnes, bringing depth to this brief but crucial Grishaverse prequel.