APA president Sean McManus at the 31st Annual Audie Awards, held in New York City on March 2, 2026
(credit: Kristin Callahan/Shutterstock for 31st Annual Audie Awards).
By Andrew Richard Albanese, Editor-in-Chief
At a star-studded gala held at New York’s Pier 60 on March 2, the Audio Publishers Association (APA) unveiled the winners of the 31st Annual Audie Awards, with Suzanne Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping, narrated by Jefferson White, earning the top honor of the evening, Audiobook of the Year.In other categories, veteran actor Blair Underwood won for best nonfiction narrator for Lionel Richie’s Truly; Kristin Atherton won for best fiction narrator for Diana Galbaldon’s Outlander; John Green won best author narration for Everything Is Tuberculosis; former SNL star Kate MacKinnon won top honors for her book Secrets of the Purple Pearl, which she narrated with Emily Lynne; and Alton Brown, who also among the evening’s presenters, won for best collection for his book of essays Food for Thought.
In addition, the APA honored the inaugural Audio Publishers Association Hall of Fame inductees: veteran narrators George Guidall, Hillary Huber, January LaVoy, Robin Miles, and Simon Vance. The APA Hall of Fame honors the most accomplished narrators in audiobook history, pioneers whose work helped propel the industry to new heights.
APA officials said this year’s awards received a record-breaking number of submissions, with more than 2,300 entries—up 42% over the last five years.
“Tonight is a night we celebrate amazing things happening in audio as we grow, diversify, and evolve, ensuring more voices are heard, more stories are told, and more perspectives are shared than ever before,” said APA President Sean McManus, President and Publisher of Dreamscape Media, in his opening remarks noting that 2026 marks 40 years since the APA was established.
Robin Miles, Simon Vance, Hillary Huber, George Guidall and January LaVoy. (credit: Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock for 31st Annual Audie Awards).
“And what a 40 years it has been,” McManus added. “We have gone from vinyl to digital, from a few titles to millions, and from people asking, ‘what’s an audiobook’ to proclaiming ‘you have to listen to this.’ Now, so many people know what we always have—nothing is better than putting in your headphones and just letting go.”
The 31st Annual Audie Award Winners
Audiobook of the Year
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Audio). Narrated by Jefferson White
Adaptation/Original Work
The Big Fix: A Jack Bergin Mystery, by John Mankiewicz, Jamie Napoli, Daniel Pyne, Katie Pyne, and Aaron Lipstadt (Audible Originals). Narrated by Jon Hamm, Ana de la Reguera, Alia Shawkat, Omar Epps, Erin Moriarty, Sosie Bacon, John Slattery, and a full cast.
Corinne Bailey Rae (credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock for the 31st Annual Audie Awards).
Autobiography/Memoir
Matriarch by Tina Knowles (Penguin Random House Audio). Narrated by Tina Knowles, Beyoncé, Solange, Kelly Rowland, and Angie Beyincé.
Best Fiction Narrator
Kristin Atherton for Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Published by Recorded Books (a division of RBmedia).
Best Non-Fiction Narrator
Blair Underwood for Truly by Lionel Richie. Published by HarperAudio.
Business/Personal Development
The Next Conversation, written and narrated by Jefferson Fisher. Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Ensemble Performance
The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans (Penguin Random House Audio). Narrated by Maggi-Meg Reed, Jane Oppenheimer, Carly Robins, Jeff Ebner, David Pittu, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Mark Bramhall, Petrea Burchard, Robert Petkoff, Kimberly Farr, Jim Seybert, Cerris Morgan-Moyer, Jade Wheeler, Peter Ganim, and Steve West.
Erotica
American Queen by Sierra Simone (Audiobrary). Narrated by Sophie Eastlake, Teddy Hamilton, Rex Rhys, Shane East, and Valerie Azlynn.
Español, Spanish Language
Morgan Radford (credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock for 31st Annual Audie Awards).
Apocalipsis Z – El principio del fin by Manel Loureiro (Audible Originals). Narrated by Javier Rey, Maggie Civantos, José María de Tavira, Manuel Chacón, Oleg Kricunova, Marta Barriuso, Peter Nikolas, Rosalía Castro, Mercedes Castro, Manuel de Andrés, David García Palencia, Oscar Goikoetxea, Sabela Mascuñana, Daniel Méndez.
Faith-Based Fiction or Nonfiction
Silent Horizons by Chad Robichaux and Jack Stewart (Tyndale Fiction). Narrated by Ray Porter.
Fantasy
Anima Rising by Christopher Moore (HarperAudio). Narrated by Mary Jane Wells.
Fiction
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Penguin Random House Audio). Narrated by Kristen DiMercurio, Julia Whelan, and Taylor Jenkins Reid.
History/Biography
Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs (Macmillan Audio). Narrated by Ron Butler.
Horror
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones (Simon & Schuster Audio). Narrated by Shane Ghostkeeper, Marin Ireland, and Owen Teale.
Jason Reynolds (credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock for 31st Annual Audie Awards).
Literary Fiction & Classics
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann (Simon & Schuster Audio). Narrated by Nicholas Boulton.
Middle Grade
All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson (Bloomsbury). Narrated by Bahni Turpin.
Mystery
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben (Hachette Audio). Narrated by Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Suehyla El-Attar Young, Peter Ganim, Saskia Maarleveld, and James Fouhey.
Narration by the Author
Everything Is Tuberculosis, written and narrated by John Green. Published by Penguin Random House Audio.
Harlan Coben (credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Shutterstock for 31st Annual Audie).
New Voice Award: Judges Category
Gem Carmella for The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar. Published by Macmillan Audio.
Nonfiction
Separation of Church and Hate, written and narrated by John Fugelsang. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio.
Production & Sound Design
Dragon Day by Bob Proehl (Audible Originals). Narrated by Hayley Atwell, Michael Chiklis, Aldis Hodge, Greta Lee, Jimmi Simpson, and a full cast.
Romance
King of Envy by Ana Huang (One Night Stand Studios x Ana Huang). Narrated by Jason Clark and Nia Serge.
Science Fiction
Simultaneous by Eric Heisserer (Macmillan Audio). Narrated by Ray Porter, Marin Ireland, and Stephanie Sheh.
Alton Brown (credit: Gregory Pace, Shutterstock for 31st Annual Audie Awards).
Short Stories/Collections
Food for Thought, written and narrated by Alton Brown. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio.
Thriller/Suspense
Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell (Simon & Schuster Audio). Narrated by Richard Armitage, Joanne Froggatt, Tamaryn Payne, Gemma Whelan, Louise Brealey, and Patience Tomlinson.
Young Adult
Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray (Macmillan Audio). Narrated by Jeremy Carlisle Parker, January LaVoy, and Major Curda.
Young Listeners
Secrets of the Purple Pearl by Kate McKinnon (Hachette Audio). Narrated by Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne.