Blood Feud





A gripping blockbuster account of an American icon, the most lucrative biotech drug ever, $11 billion in global sales, and hundreds of thousands of trusting victims.

Blood Feud is award-winning journalist Kathleen Sharp's nail-biting exposé of the Procrit case. Packed with corporate espionage, plot twists, and larger-than-life characters, it's as gripping as it is terrifyingly true.

Coleen Marlo clearly gets across Duxbury’s utter exasperation, an emotion that is needed continually throughout this story...
It’s an amazing story to follow. Narrative writing requires painstaking reporting, which is found here. Both writer and narrator do a good job of making the topic clear and compelling AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]

Wicked Plants,The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities



Winner of the 2010 American Horticultural Society Book Award, and a New York Times Bestseller!

Marlo has a wonderful rich voice, plenty of energy, and an occasional appropriate “gee, golly” note for the amazing historical stories relating to deadly plants.... If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking about a wonderful narrator, “I could listen to her read the dictionary,” here’s your chance. A.B. © AudioFile 2011

A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature's most appalling creations in an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend.

Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.

Wicked Bugs, The Louse That Conquered Napoleon's Army & Other Diabolical Insects



Coleen Marlo has a grip on the creepiness factor, taking on passages that make you cringe with a gleeful intensity in her voice that brings out the dark humor. Her deadpan delivery draws you in and lulls you into letting your guard down, only to sneak up and clobber you with details that will have you shivering with dreadful delight. D.G. © AudioFile 2011

Coleen Marlo handles the text with an encyclopedic accuracy, narrating swiftly through all manner of latin phylum, order, class, and species with the greatest of ease.... Audible Editor Reviews

In this darkly comical look at the sinister side of our relationship with the natural world, Stewart has tracked down over one hundred of our worst entomological foes---creatures that infest, infect, and generally wreak havoc on human affairs. From the world's most painful hornet, to the flies that transmit deadly diseases, to millipedes that stop traffic, to the Japanese beetles munching on your roses, Wicked Bugs delves into the extraordinary powers of many-legged creatures.

With wit, style, and exacting research, Stewart has uncovered the most terrifying and titillating stories of bugs gone wild. It's an A to Z of insect enemies, interspersed with sections that explore bugs with kinky sex lives, creatures lurking in the cupboard, militant ants, and phobias that feed our (sometimes) irrational responses to bugs.



Rock Bottom

AUDIO SAMPLE LINK

From New York Times bestselling author and internationally renowned environmental and consumer advocate Erin Brockovich comes Rock Bottom, a debut thriller and the first in a series of novels that introduces one of the most fascinating and memorable characters in suspense fiction.
 In Rock Bottom, Erin Brockovich combines passionate intensity, first-rate storytelling, and her real-life experiences in a novel that will leave you breathless.

"With strong character development and a fast-paced plot, this excellent first novel leaves readers anticipating further exciting adventures with A.J. Palladino." ---Library Journal

Third World America

Audio Sample Link

Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award Winner

Named to the 2011 Time 100

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Arianna Huffington, who, with the must-read Huffington Post, has her finger on the pulse of America, unflinchingly tracks the gradual demise of America as an industrial, political, and economic leader.

"Coleen Marlo's narration is evenhanded, except when she reads first-person accounts from frontline victims of unemployment. In these intermittent stories, she lends an empathetic tone. They give brief emotional breaks from the exposition on the grave crisis gripping a massive group of Americans. In the end, some grassroots recommendations are offered as both writer and narrator deliver the main point: We are a society that needs to make caring a priority over greed." M.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2010]

Snake Woman of Little Egypt

Audio Sample Link

Audie WINNER
Kirkus Top 25 Book
Booklist Editors' Choice

A winning new novel from the bestselling author of The Sixteen Pleasures---whose engaging, emotionally true characters could be right at home in the stories of Alice Munro or Bobbie Ann Mason.


Narrator Coleen Marlo has ample opportunities to shine with an unlikely combination of characters: recent parolee Snakewoman (aka Sunny); her snake-handling preacher husband, Earl; anthropologist Jackson; and a professor, Claire, who can’t stick to her marriage vows. Although the narration opens in a straightforward fashion, Sunny’s Kentucky roots begin to come through as she describes shooting Earl and serving time. Marlo also nails Claire’s upper-class origins and cavalier attitude. Although descriptions of Jackson’s African fieldwork are intriguing, his explorations amid a religious cult make for better audio storytelling. While the author seems to have hammered too heavily on parts of the tale and too lightly on others, Marlo’s reading is engaging, lively, and true to character. J.J.B. © AudioFile 2010








No Biking in the House without a Helmet


Audio Sample Link

AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

Publishers Weekly Starred Review


People magazine gives it four stars and O, The Oprah Magazine calls it "Moving, enlightening, and surprisingly funny."

It’s hard to decide what’s more infectious about this production—Melissa Fay Greene’s writing or narrator Coleen Marlo’s enthusiasm. Greene demonstrates her prowess at transforming nonfiction into a gripping story. In this book she writes about her family of four biological and five adopted children, and the joy and baggage that accompany them all. Whether discussing “boingy hair,” her Ethiopian adoptees’ athletic skills, her puzzlement about the value of Super Bowl tickets, or her children’s travails with cable pornography, Greene excels. So does Marlo, who reads with a fervor that makes the listener feel like a guest in Greene’s home. Marlo perfectly mixes the family’s happiness and inevitable rocky moments in an endearing way, making a wonderful book even better. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011

Winter Rose



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Winter Rose by Nora Roberts
Read By Coleen Marlo

On a remote island cursed with eternal winter, a young queen heals a wounded soldier – and warms her heart with the joys of true love…

The Poisoner's Handbook



Audio Sample Link

Audie Finalist

Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award Winner

Amazon Editors' Pick


 Publisher"s weekly starred audio:
"Blum’s spine-tingling thriller about early 20th-century poisoners, their innovations in undetectable killing methods, and New York City’s first medical examiner and toxicologist who documented the telltale signs of poisoning is given a theatrical twist in Coleen Marlo’s reading. Her voice is smoky and tinged with humor, irony, and light mocking as she revisits the rudimentary methods of the murder and equally rudimentary science of the Jazz Age. She’s an able guide to the science and her voices are pitch-perfect--especially her humorously masculine characterizations of Blum’s male subjects." A Penguin Press hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 14). (Mar.)


Pulitzer Prize winner Deborah Blum’s fascinating study of the birth of forensic medicine is a finalist for the Audie Award in nonfiction, and narrator Coleen Marlo is one excellent reason. Marlo’s voice is pleasant; her delivery, cool and compelling.....Blum’s spirited prose and well-researched science and Marlo’s intelligent performance make this nonfiction production seem like a series of powerful short stories. AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2011]


"With the pacing and rich characterization of a first-rate suspense novelist, Blum makes science accessible and fascinating." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review

"Not only is The Poisoner's Handbook as thrilling as any CSI episode, but it also offers something even better: an education in how forensics really works." ---The Washington Post

"[A]n inventive history that, like arsenic mixed into blackberry pie, goes down with ease." ---The New York Times

Knowing Your Value: Women, Money and Getting What You're Worth

AUDIO SAMPLE LINK


The co-host of MSNBC's “Morning Joe” uses her efforts to overcome wage disparity as an illustration of the ways women undercut themselves in the business world by not believing in their value to an enterprise. Consulting with a range of people with experience in business—from Jack Welch to Suze Orman and Nora Ephron, among others—she dissects the reasons she failed and then ultimately succeeded in improving her salary. Although this is not a practical guide for women who can’t afford to give ultimatums when seeking a raise, the book provides insights worth noting. Coleen Marlo is a steady narrator who reflects the strength and confidence of the author. Her conversational style is easy to listen to. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2011]

Just Kate






Kate Blake has lived her life in the shadow of her powerful father. Now, after a wrenching betrayal, Kate is determined to reclaim her own future. It is the future that begins with rugged Sean Harris – the man that married her sister, a man who unleashed in Kate her primal desires she yearned to set free. In the ancient land of Australia, Kate discovers herself, the family secrets that have shadowed her and the love she’s been waiting for all her life…

Groundswell



Audio Sample Coming Soon

"...a well-crafted, sentimental tale..."
- Publishers Weekly


Sometimes the biggest ripples come from the smallest events. Like the day that Emma Guthrie, drop-out college student walks into world-famous movie star Garrett Walker's trailer, and walks out on her way to becoming Mrs. Emma Walker, wife of an A-list actor. With her husband's encouragement, Emma pens a screenplay based on her life, which becomes a blockbuster sensation. Through it all, Garrett is her ally and her mentor...until Emma discovers an incriminating text message on Garrett's cell phone. Devastated, Emma flees New York City for a sleepy coastal town in Mexico where no one recognizes her. Here, she meets Ben, who teaches her about the healing powers of surfing and ultimately opens her up to the possibility of love.

Katie Lee's debut novel is an irresistible insider's glimpse into a glittering world.



Black Night





Madeline Black is an Agent of Death, meaning she escorts the souls of people who have died to the afterlife. But obstinate dead people are the least of

her problems, as her bodyguard and her gargoyle go missing and she is entrusted with a delicate diplomatic mission.

Black Wings



Escorting souls to the afterlife leaves Madeline Black little time for socializing---until devilishly handsome Gabriel Angeloscure agrees to rent the empty apartment in her building. But when demons start appearing on Maddy's front lawn, she realizes there's more to her new tenant than meets the eye.


All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire


Audio Sample Link

Kerrelyn Sparks is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Love at Stake series.

This Christmas isn't so merry for Toni. Her best friend's been locked up in a mental hospital ever since she told the police she was attacked by vampires, and the only way for Toni to get her out is to prove that bloodsuckers really do exist. So she's taken a job as a bodyguard for the Undead, but she gets more than she bargained for, especially when she meets Ian MacPhie, a Scottish rascal looking for Ms. Right. Could Mr. Wrong be Mr. Right? One forbidden kiss could lead to an eternity of passion.


Promise Me



Audio Sample Link

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"Coleen Marlo puts the enthusiasm and sincerity of the author front and center in the narration. She holds strong emotions in check and reflects the determination that is the major factor in the success of the Komen foundation." AudioFile

"[A] deeply thoughtful, assertive, sensitive memoir of the sisters' growing up and devotion to each other in life and death." ---Publishers Weekly

"A touching, inspiring look behind the scenes at the founding of one of the most famous nonprofit organizations in the world." ---Kirkus

"A tribute to a beloved sibling and recognition of an international organization whose goal is to eradicate the disease that killed her." ---Library Journal Starred Review

The Next Big Story



From top CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O'Brien comes a highly personal look at her biggest reporting moments, from Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Southeast Asia, and the devastating Haiti earthquake to the historic elections and high-profile interviews with everyday Americans. Drawing on her own unique background and consciousness as well as her experiences as a journalist at the front lines of the most provocative issues in today's society---and particularly from her work as host of the acclaimed series Black in Americaand Latino in America---O'Brien offers her candid, clear-eyed take on where we are as a country and where we're going.

"Impassioned yet intimate, O'Brien's electrifying memoir demonstrates her instinctive responsibility to present each crisis as a sacred opportunity to illuminate and educate her viewers." ---Booklist

Pilgrims





Elizabeth Gilbert, acclaimed author of "Eat, Pray, Love", personally chose actor Coleen Marlo for the difficult and delightful task of giving voice to the many "pilgrims" in this award-winning collection of short stories. Here an audio sample of Coleen's narration on Elizabeth Gilbert's website: http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/pilgrims.htm From Texan Cowboys and their Philly girls, to Hungarian musicians in Pittsburgh, Marlo rises to the task with humor and compassion.

Audible Editor Reviews

"Coleen Marlo, narrator of Pilgrims, has a silk slip of a voice that ably roams from the coarse drawl of a rodeo cowboy to the hollow whine of Babette, a bawdy Manhattan nightclub singer. Marlo passes up the easy fixes of pinning characters with cartoonish regional accents or undermining their essential dignity by assuming an absence of formal education translates into broken English. Pilgrims is both buoyant and prickly. Under Marlo’s finespun, intelligent narration, listeners will find an intuitive collaborator to Gilbert’s good flow." —Nita Rao

"Marlo bags the usual stereotypical vernacular and gives the characters carefully inflected personalities that up the zing on the dialogue. Though it is easy to assume that Gilbert heard very specific voices as she wrote-- or even lived through these tales it's certain that Marlo herself has infused the stories with some American adventures and sensibilities of her own--a direction that had the author applauding I'm sure once she heard the outcome of their collaboration. " Amazon.com "

Sourland




Sourland

Stories

By Joyce Carol Oates

Named by Publishers Weekly as one of the Best Books of 2010

The 16 short stories in SOURLAND manage to fascinate and repel at the same time. Coleen Marlo masterfully tackles the works' challenges, painting vivid portraits of loss, gothic extremes, and violence with the range these diverse tales require. She employs subtle shifts of emphasis while maintaining clear storytelling personas. Individual characters come to life as Oates weaves magical situations with clever analogies, sensual observations, sexual tumult, and her signature depictions of perversions and gory details. Marlo imbues even the many secondary characters with strong variations. We hear in her voice awed and baffled children, sad adults, frightened and resigned victims, harsh criminals, and all of their innocence, despair, tension, and anger. Her vocal urgency, tempered often by tragic whimsy, scales the heights of mounting violence, then descends into the depths of sorrow. A.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2011]


Audible Reviews

"In these 16 stories, Coleen Marlo gives voice to Joyce Carol Oates’ gothic cast of abandoned women caught in limbo and fighting to break through. The tone is set from the first few sentences of the very first tale, “Pumpkin-Head”, where a recently widowed woman muses, “There is not one person to whom you matter now. This is the crossing over.” Marlo delivers these words in a voice dripping with self-accusation — a sense of guilt and personal responsibility at being left behind pervades Sourland, and sexual violence and degradation at the hands of others is welcomed by the victims as a deserved punishment.

There is also an arbitrary cut-off point for several of the stories, as if Oates loses interest in developing a story as soon as we become interested in her slowly unfolding characters. But this is remedied by the depth and shade given to each characterisation by Marlo’s performance, and her wistful voice can be as comforting as a hushed lullaby or as cutting as a thorn bush. The peripheral characters are also made into vivid cameos, and she is adept at the male rage that buffers the women. In “Honor Code”, listen as she spits out “Don’t you turn your back on me!” and feel the tension intensify by several degrees. She also clearly differentiates between narrative voice and character dialog — the tension between the two aspects of her performance tell their own story and add another level of drama to these urgent gothic parables that leaves the listener reeling." —Dafydd Phillips

The Great Penguin Rescue

Audio Sample Link


Library Journal selected The Great Penguin Rescue as one of the Best Sci-Tech books of 2010!

Selected as a Silver Award Winner - 2011 Nautilus Book Awards
Selected as a "Must-Read" book - 2011 Massachusetts Book Awards!

When a Greek oil tanker sank off the coast of South Africa in June 2000, a massive effort was put into place to save the population of African penguins. There's urgency in Coleen Marlo's voice as she reads Boston penguin expert Dyan DeNapoli's account of the rescue effort. Marlo brings alive the frustration of cleaning thousands of oil-soaked birds. At the same time, Marlo describes the penguin personalities with delight in her voice as the author discusses the similarities between penguins and cats and the penguins’ reactions to human care. Listeners will admire the efforts of volunteers, as well as wildlife experts, and appreciate the penguins as unique, idiosyncratic animals. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2011]

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