Most of the time when I post a review of a book, it’s to tell readers about a new book that I recently listened to for the first time. The rare other times when I talk about a book I’ve already read are when I make lists of books, such as suggestions of books to give for Christmas. But when I am feeling rotten, as I have been feeling lately, I don’t want to listen to something new. Just as a sick person craves comfort food, when I am in genuine pain, I crave comfort listening. It’s time for cozy audiobooks. So what have I been listening to during the last couple weeks, as I have been lying in bed in agony from my recently worsened migraine?
First, let me explain what I am looking for in my comfort listening. Since, at its extreme, my migraine can cloud my thinking processes, I need something that won’t tax those abilities too much. However, I still want an audiobook that I find interesting, so the best choice is an audiobook that I’ve listened to at least several times before. Then, if my mind wanders, I can easily know what is going on when I rejoin the book. I also prefer fun, lighthearted mysteries for cozy listening that make me smile and give me a way to withdraw from the pain as I enter the story.
So, here are just a few series I’ve been binging on in the last couple weeks.
Meg Langslow series by Donna Andrews, audiobook narrated by Bernadette Dunne
The first series I always turn to when I need a smile is the ultimate in comfort listening: Donna Andrews’s Meg Langslow series. Do you want proof of my devotion to this, my favorite series? Here you will find a review I’ve written of each of Andrews’s Meg Langslow books: 28 books and counting! So why is this series particularly ideal for miserable days? Each of these books contains more genuine laughs than any other book I’ve read, especially given that it’s not classified as a humor, but as a mystery. The characters are delightful, and the books quickly immerse me in the world of Meg and Michael in the small town of Caerphilly, VA. The town felt so real to me that I actually tried to locate it on Google Maps! Sadly, the only Caerphilly I found was in Wales. This series is true comfort listening!
This is a particularly outstanding series of audiobooks, with one of my very favorite narrators, Bernadette Dunne, performing all the books. Dunne does such an effective job at turning each character into a real person that she highly deserves the many awards she has earned.
The Miss Fortune series by Jana Deleon, audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell
The Miss Fortune series
makes a point of creating as much humor as possible in this story of Fortune Redding, the CIA’s top assassin who has been forced to move to Sinful, Louisiana when an apparent mole in the CIA blows her cover.
With a million dollar price on her head, Fortune must try to keep a low profile and blend into Sinful, a pretty helpless task for her but for the connivance of her two best friends, senior citizen Vietnam War veterans, Gertie and Ida Bell. Together, the three get up to loads of mischief, usually at Deputy Carter Leblanc’s expense. Since Carter also just happens to be in a relationship with Fortune, this leads to some interesting situations. These books are very light hearted and provide a lot of laughs for their audience, making it the perfect comfort listening series. I learned early into this series not to listen to the books in bed because I have been known to laugh so hard that it shakes the bed and wakes up my husband!
The audio editions of this series is so excellent that I have friends who listen to them despite already having purchased either the Kindle or paper version of the book.
Cassandra Campbell, widely acclaimed as one of the best narrators in the field, brings the books to life in such a unique way that they add significantly to the experience of reading the book.
These are the ultimate in comfort listening!
The Fuchsia, Minnesota series by Julie Seedorf, starring GRANNY! Narrated by Priscilla Finch and Beth Kesler
Granny refuses to let anyone define her roles by her age. The woman who sleeps in “Sexy Granny and I Know It” pajamas pretends to be a doddering old lady in order to catch shoplifters in her town of Fuchsia, Minnesota. In addition, she has numerous animals, which she calls The Shysters, with each book’s adding at least one. She has cats (including one named Fish because it was found stuck in a fish bowl at the pet store), dogs, and a goat named Mrs. Bleaty. In addition, Granny’s neighbor has a parrot named Radish, adding to the diversity of the pack.
This series is incredibly silly and a whole lot of fun to read. Listeners have to suspend disbelief in order to accept details such as the forest that gets stolen and planted in Granny’s backyard. But once listeners do suspend their disbelief, they will get a real kick out of this delightful cozy audiobook series, making it ideal comfort listening. You can read my reviews of the books in this series at Fangirl Nation Magazine and my interview with Julie Seedorf here.
The Corgi Case Files by Jeffrey Poole, narrated by Bob Johnson
In the Corgi Case File series, Zachary Anderson has just moved to Pomme Valley, Oregon to recover from a broken heart after the death of his longtime wife. He has inherited a winery and a home from his late wife’s great- aunt. On his first day in town, he gets suckered by his high school best friend, now the local veterinarian, into adopting a corgi named Sherlock. When Zac gets arrested for murder in a frame-up, it is Sherlock who saves him by pointing Zac to the important clues.
By the end of the first book, Zac is cleared of suspicion and has gained some new close friends and yet another corgi, whom he names Watson, despite her being a girl dog. In subsequent books, Zac becomes a police consultant with his two dogs and goes through many adventures with them and his friends. You can read my reviews of each of these books here.
I always highly enjoy the audiobook performances of Bob Johnson, who takes on the character of Zac effectively and adapts well to the natures of the other characters. I can’t imagine these books without Johnson to give them the spark of life.
Conclusion
I have lots more comfort listening, but these are the series I have re-listened to lately, from book one to the latest, while I have been in too much pain to focus much on a new book. They are fun, delightful, and exciting as well. These characteristics all help to take me out of my pain, at least to some degree, to help me survive these long days that have turned into weeks of time spent almost entirely in bed with my audiobooks. No wonder I call them my best medicine!
