Great *plot-driven* comfort reads/ listens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don’t mind a wordy and charmingly nerdy protagonist Thus Was Adonis Murdered (and the other three books in the series) was so, so good and also hilarious.

I can re-read these books endlessly!

[Anonymous]

Any of Kevin Wilson’s books, but most especially Nothing to See Here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you like cozy mysteries, what about Louise Penny?

OMG yes! Love Louise Penny books, especially in audio. I learn so much history and culture with each book and am very comforted by Chief Inspector Gamache-- so strong and capable. A great escape from the weak and lame men that are overwhelming in the news these days.

[Anonymous]

What about the new Wally Lamb book? The River is Waiting. A man goes to prison for a tragic accident and finds redemption and grace.

[Anonymous]

I know it's crazy, but two middle grade audiobooks by the same author are my favorites. Both have extraordinarily good narrators, and both are by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley:

The War That Saved My Life
Fighting Words

[Anonymous]

Atmosphere as an audiobook was fantastic. It's not necessarily cozy, but the main character is delightful (and it's not un-cozy either).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are ok with sci fi then Becky Chambers— start with a long way to a strange angry planet

These are actually pretty darn comforting. I have all her books. My only gripe is that there aren't enough/ they are too short!

[Anonymous]

Thanks all for the great suggestions! OP here. I've cross-indexed them against audiobooks that are immediately available at Libby and looks like I'm starting on Thus was Adonis Murdered...

And to follow up on a different suggestion, I did listen to Anne of Green Gables (Rachel McAdams, free on Prime) a year or two ago and was surprised at how well it held up. I had been a huge fan of the whole Anne series as a kid, and ended up listening to the 2nd and 3rd books as well - which got progressively less good. But for anyone else looking for a comfort listen, Green Gables was great and really funny to boot (a fact I did not appreciate at all at e.g. 12 yo when I apparently took Anne's travails extremely seriously).

[Anonymous]

Not very plot driven, but I find PG Wodehouse, especially the Jeeves and Wooster series great comfort reads.

[Anonymous]

I got really into Yangsze Choo for about a month. Her books “The Ghost Bride,” “The Night Tiger,” and “The Fox Wife” are all fantastic and fun and have so much going on— with the bonus of being very whimsical and magical— total escapism. I stayed way too late several times reading them.

[Anonymous]

Connie Willis, eg to say nothing of the dog

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all for the great suggestions! OP here. I've cross-indexed them against audiobooks that are immediately available at Libby and looks like I'm starting on Thus was Adonis Murdered...

And to follow up on a different suggestion, I did listen to Anne of Green Gables (Rachel McAdams, free on Prime) a year or two ago and was surprised at how well it held up. I had been a huge fan of the whole Anne series as a kid, and ended up listening to the 2nd and 3rd books as well - which got progressively less good. But for anyone else looking for a comfort listen, Green Gables was great and really funny to boot (a fact I did not appreciate at all at e.g. 12 yo when I apparently took Anne's travails extremely seriously).

That is a great series.

[Anonymous]

Legends and Lattes

[Anonymous]

I love the Finlay Donovan series of books. They’re mysteries that are funny and easy to read. The first was my favorite but they’re all good for escaping reality. The author is actually local (perhaps she’s even on DCUM?).

[Anonymous]

Rules of Civility
Gone Girl
Indiscretion by Charles Dubow
Ready Player One
The Last Mrs. Parrish