A Spark of Light

Next, why not hop on over to A Spark of Light? Since Jodi Picoult's novels examine contemporary issues, it makes sense to listen to her most contemporary book as soon as possible. And this one is definitely relevant right now, as it covers an issue that divides our country: a woman’s right to choose. This novel is told in reverse order, looking at the events that lead to a gunman bursting into a women’s reproductive health services clinic and taking everyone hostage. Bahni Turpin narrates this novel, and as always, her performance is absolutely perfect for the story.

Nineteen Minutes

While we're on the subject of novels that feel incredibly relevant to contemporary issues, here's one in which Picoult tackles school shootings. Sterling is just another small town in New Hampshire until a school shooting rocks the small community. As the trial following this violent act commences, the novel explores the nuances of high school dynamics, bullying, trauma, and the divide between children and adults. This audiobook is narrated by Audie Award winner Carol Monda. 

The Pact

This next title is another one of Jodi Picoult's most popular books. And if you're a listener who generally enjoys mystery fiction, then this will probably be your favorite of Picoult's novels. In this audiobook, narrated by George Guidall, Picoult tells the story of two teenagers, Emily and Chris, who grew up next door to one another and became close friends—and then more than friends. When Emily is found dead from a gunshot in the head, Chris claims they had a suicide pact—and the remaining bullet in his father’s gun was meant for him. Soon, Chris is on trial, and the community is eager to find out what happened to Emily. The novel alternates between a present-day timeline and past events that give context to Emily and Chris's relationship. In the end, both timelines bring us to a stunning conclusion. 

Handle with Care

Here's another Jodi Picoult audiobook performed by multiple narrators, which, when done well, is something I always enjoy—it keeps the story interesting and fresh while helping to make the individual characters come alive. The narrators (Cassandra Morris, Charlotte Perry, Alma Cuervo, Celeste Ciulla, Jessica Almasy, and Jim Colby) do an excellent job of embodying the characters. When Willow is born with severe osteogenesis imperfecta, Charlotte and Sean know this will mean a lifetime of broken bones and pain, and they are devastated for their daughter. And the diagnosis forces Charlotte and Sean to ask themselves difficult questions: What if Charlotte had known earlier of Willow's illness? Would they have terminated the pregnancy? And what would their lives be like if Willow had never been born?

House Rules

In this novel, Jodi Picoult tells the story of Jacob, an 18-year-old living with autism who is accused of murder. Jacob is obsessed with forensic analysis and often shows up at crime scenes. So when Jacob's tutor is murdered, people suspect he is involved. After all, Jacob exhibits suspicious behaviors. But are these behaviors necessarily signs of guilt? This is another Picoult novel that's expertly narrated by a larger cast of narrators: Mark Turetsky, Rich Orlow, Nicole Poole, Christopher Evan Welch, and Andy Paris.

The Storyteller

The Storyteller is another of Jodi Picoult's most popular novels, in part because of the complicated moral dilemmas she covers in this story. Sage Singer forges a strong friendship with 90-year-old Josef Weber, a Little League coach and retired teacher. But then Josef comes to Sage with a bizarre request: he wants her to kill him. You see, Sage’s grandmother is a Holocaust survivor, and Josef Weber used to be a Nazi. Narrators Mozhan Marno, Jennifer Ikeda, Edoardo Ballerini, Suzanne Toren, and Fred Berman take turns performing this book, offering their own unique inflections and emotions to the story in a way that keeps the momentum going. 

The Tenth Circle

Carol Monda, the narrator of Nineteen Minutes, also narrates The Tenth Circle. If you like your novels with a nice helping of family drama, then this is the Jodi Picoult book for you. High school freshman Trixie Stone was once sure she was madly in love with Jason Underhill. Then an act of violence changes everything. But everyone in town is quick to take Jason's side when Trixie accuses him of raping her at a party. Trixie's father Daniel seems like a mild-mannered comic book artist who couldn't hurt a fly, but will all of that change when he has to protect his daughter? And what secrets is he himself hiding?

Salem Falls

If you're interested in Picoult stories that examine rape culture, Salem Falls is a more recent audiobook that also covers this topic from a very different perspective. In this listen, narrated by Julia Gibson, a prep school teacher is accused of rape by a group of young girls. Now, in an attempt to escape his past life and start over, Jack St. Bride works as a dishwasher for Addie Peabody at the Do-or-Diner in Salem Falls. Addie soon finds that she's growing a soft spot for the man, but four teenage girls have secrets and they've set their sights on Jack. 

Mercy

Last but certainly not least is Mercy, a novel that is currently free with Audible Escape. This book takes on another extremely difficult topic with no easy answers: assisted suicide. When he is forced to arrest his cousin, Jamie, police chief Cameron McDonald is faced with a moral dilemma. Jamie has admitted to Cameron that he killed his wife, who was in severe pain due to her terminal cancer. When the case goes to trial, Cameron and his wife, Allie, find themselves on different sides of the debate. Allie admires Jamie for loving his wife enough to kill her when she needed him to do so, while Cameron cannot understand that reasoning. Meanwhile, a strange woman arrives in town, further threatening Cameron's marriage.

Emily Martin earned her PhD at the University of Southern Mississippi. She works as a contributor for Book Riot and as a blogger/podcaster at Book Squad Goals.