Praise

WHEN WOMEN RAN FIFTH AVENUE: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion, by Julie Satow

Narrator Karen Murray invites listeners into the personal and professional lives of three women who influenced the rise of the American fashion industry between the 1930s and the 1960s: Hortense Odlum, Dorothy Shaver, and Geraldine Stutz. Murray’s strong pacing and intelligent phrasing reveal the passion and drive of these women who encouraged young American designers, created posh store interiors to attract clientele, and even created new mannequins to showcase their stores’ extravagant merchandise displays. Listeners who love shopping will enjoy learning what the shopping experience was like before malls, help-yourself big box stores, and the Internet ever existed. E.E.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2024]

American Wings: Chicago’s Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky, by Sherri L. Smith, Elizabeth Wein

Karen Murray’s smooth narration soars as she tells the stories of the pivotal men and women whose actions broke the race barrier for Black pilots during the first half of the twentieth century. While the work is extensively researched, both the authors and Murray emphasize individual stories that make the historical figures relatable. Murray recounts, for example, how Cornelius Coffey and John Robinson began as mechanics and fought racism to achieve their dream of becoming pilots before aiding other Black men and women with similar passions to achieve success. These individual efforts opened other piloting pathways for African Americans, as well. Murray captures the moment-to-moment action when describing the thrills of civilian daredevils and flying ace Robinson’s battles against Fascist Italian pilots in 1930s wartime Ethiopia. S.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2024]

Even if the Sky is Falling, by Taj McCoy [Ed.]

Who is the person you most want to be with when the end of the world is near? In this full-cast performance, six couples try to answer that question before a meteor shower ends everything. There are different relationships represented: a pair of exes, competitive business owners, and former rivals, to name a few. Despite the premise, these stories offer hope for reconciliation and understanding between many groups of people, all portrayed with care by the cast. Each character has a unique perspective, and the narrations shift from humorous to thoughtful to romantic in tone. But all the narrators deliver equally warm performances across the board. Stuffed with the quirky, fun moments that characterize every relationship–this audiobook delivers. Read by Adenrele Ojo, Soneela Nankani, Karen Murray, Marissa Hampton, Donnabella Mortel, Joy Beharie, Teddy Hamilton. G.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2023]

The Order Of Things, by Kaija Langley

Karen Murray embodies this free-verse story’s characters, emotive qualities, and rhythm. With authenticity, she portrays 11-year-old April, who is uncertain about going to a different school from her best friend, Zee, a musical prodigy. Murray builds April’s discomfort with nosy classmate Asa and her mother’s new girlfriend. She misses Zee and lets him persuade her not to worry his father about his racing heart. Murray’s depiction of April’s shock and horror at Zee’s sudden death is stunning as is her depiction of April’s grief, which she says “feels like a hole inside me.” Listeners will feel the pain of April’s guilt-driven compensating behavior when she learns about Asa’s hidden life and the fact Zee’s father is no longer doing his job as a mail carrier. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]

The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold To Build the American Catholic Church, by Rachel Swarns

NYU journalism professor Swarns (American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama) presents a sobering examination of the causes and ramifications of the 1838 U.S. sale of 272 people enslaved by Jesuit priests. The proceeds of the sale were used to support Georgetown College, now known as Georgetown University. Expanding upon a 2016 story she wrote for the New York Times, Swarns reveals that for more than a century, the Jesuit order used the proceeds from buying and selling enslaved people to fund its buildings, sustain its clergy, and drive expansion. Swarns’s work centers on Jeremy Alexander and Melissa Kemp, who learned about their common ancestors, Anna and Louisa Mahoney, sisters who were separated by the 1838 sale. Their inquiries initiated heated discussions regarding reparations for descendants of people enslaved to keep the institution afloat. Narrator Karen Murray’s somber, solid reading impressively conveys the significance of this vital work. Reviewed in: The Library Journal by Dale Farris, Aug 2023 [Published: June 2023]

Rikers, by Graham Rayman, Reuven Blau

Using multiple narrators to perform this disturbing audiobook was a masterful decision. The voices carry several different accents, tempos, tones, and even attitudes that reflect the diversity of those incarcerated or working on Rikers Island, a hellhole that is New York’s largest and best-known jail. The narrators are all first-rate as they recount stories of arrest, casual cruelty, simple kindness, extraordinary brutality, exploitation, and fear. The accounts are told in short pieces, some of them only a paragraph long. The multiple narrators allow the stories to move along, flowing into each other while still separating both the characters and their experiences. This is an engrossing look at the carceral state and the people within it.

Read by Nathan Agin, Jonathan Beville,Nancy Bober, Gisela Chípe, Nicky Endres, James Fouhey, Philip Hernandez, Cary Hite, Eric Jason Martin, Kamali Minter, Karen Murray, et al. G.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]

Constructing a Nervous System, by Margo Jefferson

“This audiobook is a challenge. A companion piece to writer and critic Jefferson’s previous memoir, NEGROLAND, its poetic style and fragmented structure may put off listeners expecting a more linear narrative. Karen Murray’s skillful delivery, though, reminds us that challenge is a good thing. With patience and an open mind, one is exposed to both Jefferson’s life experience and an interesting way of processing what creates identity. Murray is a confident performer, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in this unfamiliar style; her ability to jump boldly into meditations on topics ranging from ballet to Bing Crosby makes the audiobook effective. The style may be a leap for casual listeners, but Jefferson and Murray welcome all to embrace the challenge and provide the necessary tools for success.” L.B.F. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2022]

To Walk About in Freedom, by Carole Emberton

“Narrator Karen Murray does a great job with the characters in this speculative look at the post-Civil-War experiences of Black people. She uses accents that suggest class for direct quotations, and her performance of the narrative is steady and well paced. The author employs the story of Priscilla Joyner, a Black girl born into a slave-holding household, to explore the trials and fates of those whose lives were changed so dramatically by emancipation. Because so much about her subjects is unknown, Emberton relies on phrases such as “perhaps” or “may have” to fill in some of the blanks. While this educated guesswork may bother some listeners, it should not detract from the overall quality of Emberton’s research and Murray’s performance.” G.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2022]

Memphis, by Tara M. Stringfellow

“Narrators Karen Murray and Adenrele Ojo perform this celebrated debut novel by former attorney Stringfellow with a deliberate rhythm and poignant empathy. Murray and Ojo shine as 10-year-old Joan moves with her mother and sister to live with their aunt to escape an abusive relationship. The narrative moves backward and forward in time, revealing deep wounds inflicted by racism and horrific violence. Murray’s and Ojo’s narrations give life to three generations of African-American women. They also use their voices to show how faith and love can create hope. Stringfellow’s personal and plaintive introduction and postscript are filled with passion and earnestness. Her solid, vivid characters and her love for her hometown of Memphis make this a must-listen.” R.O. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2022]

Rhode Island Red, by Charlotte Carter

“How does a gorgeous, superintelligent Black street saxophonist get mixed up with a murder, a police investigation, the Mafia, and the search for a priceless saxophone? Narrator Karen Murray’s voice is as warm and sexy as a Charlie Parker classic. She pulls no punches as she portrays musician Nanette Hayes, who is being “played” by an ex-boyfriend and the new lover she thought was Mr. Right. Murray’s narration combines warm tones and an inviting purr with a gutsy spitfire edge as Nanette sets out to solve a mystery that begins with finding an undercover cop dead in her apartment and a lot of dough stuffed in her sax. This is the first in a new series.” B.J.P. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2022]

The Portable Anna Julia Cooper, Shirley Moody-Turner, Henry Louis Gates, editors

“Anna Julia Cooper was, in her day (1858-1964), an educator and a civil rights advocate of some fame. This rather academic audiobook collection of her writing is aimed at restoring some recognition for her, at least among scholars. Although some of Cooper’s essays originated as speeches, Karen Murray keeps their tone cool and reasonable, downplaying their occasional rhetorical flourishes in favor of clarity. Since Cooper’s lifetime was not an era of rapid progress in Black and women’s rights, many of the ideas and arguments are repeated. Dominic Hoffman presents the series introduction nicely; Shirley Moody-Turner’s introduction to Cooper’s life and work is slightly less polished. As academic as it is, this is a worthy introduction to an important Black public intellectual.” D.M.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2023]

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky, by Heidi W. Durrow

“Narrator Karen Murray shines as Laronne and Jamie. She also embodies enough of the characters to let the depth and pain of the story come through, but doesn’t overwhelm the piece with her acting.”

—Colleen Oakley, editor, audible.com

Good Kings Bad Kings, by Susan Nussbaum

“A wonderful vehicle for audio, with engaging, heartrending performances by a talented cast of actors. . . . Enlightening listening.” —AudioFile

“Good King, Bad Kings has seven narrators who bring their situations to life. Each narrator was carefully selected for his/her skillful, emotional portrayal of the individual’s personality.”—Sound Commentary

“The full-cast production features the vocal talents of seven exceptional readers. . . . Expect both the book and audio to make year-end best lists.” —Booklist [starred review]

“Vividly brought to life by a cast of seven talented performers.” —Wisconsin Bookwatch