The 20 Best Julia Whelan Audiobooks To Listen To

Julia Whelan is an American actress famous for her appearances in the drama series Once and Again and the film The Secret Life of Zoey. However, she is also a talented narrator, having narrated over 400 audiobooks, ranging in genre, style, and tone. The best Julia Whelan audiobooks are those that have achieved bestselling status, but there are just too many to choose from!

Julia Whelan has a long-standing interest in literature and theatre, having been interested in Shakespeare from a young age. She attended Middlebury College and Oxford University, pursuing a degree in English and Creative writing while simultaneously advancing her acting career.

Whelan now has one of the leading audiobook platforms and has hundreds of credits on Audible. She is one of the most popular audiobook narrators in America and is known for her talented storytelling abilities.

Whelan has the capacity to bring any book to life and help readers immerse themselves in the story. She has lent her voice to some of the most famous books on the market and continues to take on approximately 35 audiobooks per year. 

Although there is a wide selection of Whelan-narrated audiobooks to choose from, all of which are brilliant in their own right, here are 20 of our favorite Julia Whelan audiobooks.

The Best Julia Whelan Audiobooks

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

This #1 New York Times bestseller follows Nick after his mysterious wife vanishes on their wedding anniversary. Amy seemed like a normal, devoted wife, so her disappearance captivated the attention of local media immediately. 

However, as time goes on, Nick finds ‘clues’ dotted around their property, and snippets from Amy’s diary, which is found and released, indicate that Nick and Amy were not the happiest couple around. 

Gone Girl is one of the most famous, gripping psychological thrillers ever written. We follow both Nick and Amy throughout her disappearance and slowly get the impression that Amy isn’t all she’s cracked up to be. Her behavior is frankly psychotic and as the mystery intensifies, so do her extreme actions.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

This brilliant historical novel will immerse you in 18th-century France and take you on a whirlwind journey that follows Addie LaRue, a troubled woman trapped in poverty, who makes a dangerous trade to escape her reality.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue begins with Addie, desperate and alone, who would do anything for a different life. She makes a bargain for immortality, with one condition – everyone she meets will forget her. This story spans 300 years of Addie’s cursed life, which is turned upside down when for the first time, a man remembers her name.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is the perfect summer read – it’ll whisk you away to a beachside resort and surround you with drama and gossip. Malibu Rising follows the famous Riva family – Nina, her two brothers Jay and Hud, who are famous surfers and models, and of course, their little sister Kit. 

This story dives into the secret lives of each family member, all of which have their own troubles despite their picture-perfect public image.

The Witness by Nora Roberts

Elizabeth Finch’s life was controlled, studious, and restricted. One night, she let her hair down, only to be seduced and lured to a strange house by a mysterious Russian man. 

12 years later, she is known as Abigail Lowery and she lives an isolated life in the Ozarks. She is a security systems designer and has built her life around protection. However, this only attracts the attention of local police chief Brooks Gleason, who wonders what Abigail needs protection from. The Witness is a gripping tale of secrecy, mystery, and identity.

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Ernt Allbright was a prisoner of war in Vietnam and returned to America as a completely different man. He decided to move to Alaska in 1974, plunging his family into an off-the-grid lifestyle. 

Although this book centers around Ernt’s fragile mental state, it additionally goes into depth about Ernt’s children, who live in isolation during some of their most crucial developmental stages. The Great Alone turns into a survival story of living in the freezing wilderness completely unprepared.

Educated by Tara Westover

This is an empowering memoir that begins with Tara’s childhood in the remote mountains of Idaho, living a simple, survivalist life with her parents. Tara did not receive any formal education until she was 17 but decided to journey across the world in search of education and a new life. 

Educated is the enlightening story of how Tara earned a Ph.D. from Cambridge University after receiving little instruction throughout her childhood and adolescence. She is proof that with a little determination, anything is possible.

Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson

Natalie is 17 years old and is eager to trade her restrictive home environment for college. Her father is emotionally abusive and controlling, keeping a constant tight grip on the family. 

However, when she finally gets to college, it’s not what she expected and she is soon driven to dark places, rid of all hope and desire. Hangsaman is an excellently-written, chilling novel that explores the depth of the human mind and the mysterious disappearance that follows. 

The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames

The Other’s Gold is a story of friendship, sisterhood, and independence. It follows freshmen Lainey, Alice, Ji Sun, and Margaret, who become inseparable after only a few weeks at college. 

But as each character deals with different issues, secrets are revealed, and past truths are resurfaced, their unbreakable friendship is put to the test.

Far From the Tree by Robin Benway

Grace was adopted soon after she was born and is only now figuring out that she’s a middle child within a family she’s never known. As she adopts her own baby, Grace goes looking for her biological family.

Far From the Tree explores the many different avenues and angles that adopted kids, foster kids, and welfare kids have. Grace’s family is packed with different takes on family, childhood, and blood ties, and uncovering her biological family will not only allow her to integrate with her siblings but will also open up a wider discussion of treatment within the care system.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Thanks to several social media platforms, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo became hugely popular just after its release. Taylor Jenkins Reid is well-known for writing gripping, gossipy books and this one is no different.

It follows Monique, a journalist who has been given the job of a lifetime. Hollywood icon, Evelyn Hugo, is ready to open up about the scandal and dark secrets that hid underneath her glamorous career in the 1950s. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is unpredictable and dramatic – a guaranteed page-turner.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Book Lovers is another summer must-read from Emily Henry. It follows Nora Stephens whose life centers around books. She’s not the classic heroine she’s spent years reading about, but with the help of her little sister Libby, Nora may just develop into the main character of her own story.

On a sister’s trip to North Carolina, Nora continuously bumps into Charlie Lastra, a fellow bookworm who is also taking some time away from the city. Although the two aren’t your usual protagonists, their relationship may be worthy of its own story.

It’s One of Us by J.T. Ellison

It’s One of Us follows Olivia Bender, who is desperate to become a mother. She has undergone numerous fertility treatment and IVF programs, but nothing seems to work. 

One day, Olivia and her husband, Park, receive some disturbing news – a police officer claims that the suspect in a murder case is their son. Olivia knows this can’t be true, she’s never had a child. But Park admits to donating sperm years ago and doesn’t know how many children he may have. 

As the investigation intensifies, revelations continue to surface and Olivia must grapple with the fact that her husband is the father of a killer but she must also hide her own secrets.

Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan

This is a particularly good listen, as Whelan narrates her own story. Thank You For Listening follows a protagonist that mirrors the author and tells the emotive story of an audiobook narrator diving back into her acting career. 

Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig

This true story is a must-listen! Band of Sisters tells the fascinating story of a group of women from Smith College who, in 1917, volunteered to help French citizens as the Germans attempt to secure their nation.

This novel follows the treacherous journey made by 18 brave young women with limited supplies as they put their lives on the line to help save others.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

This is famous as one of the most gripping psychological thrillers of the last decade. The Wife Between Us follows a jealous ex-wife who gets herself wrapped up in her ex-husband’s current relationship. 

But this isn’t the story you’re expecting. Packed with twists and turns, this novel is riddled with lies and will have you second-guessing every character and event.

The Betrayal of Anne Frank by Rosemary Sullivan

This one is less well-known but it’s a brilliant new take on the famous Anne Frank case and a must-read for any history fan. Using advanced technology, an FBI team has finally uncovered the truth about how Anne Frank was turned in to the Nazis and sent to her death.

The Betrayal of Anne Frank sheds new light on Anne’s life and circumstances but incorporates the bigger picture – the neighbors, passers-by, and locals who were all under strict instruction to turn in any Jews to the occupying Nazis in Amsterdam. 

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Alice Wright recently married and moved to Kentucky with her new husband. To escape her new claustrophobic lifestyle, Alice joins the group of women who deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s attempts to educate on the move. 

The Giver of Stars is a true tale of female independence and hones in on a group of women who are eager to escape convention and repression. 

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

This classic story follows 11-year-old Anne, a loud, unfeminine girl who likes to stand out, despite the social expectation that dictates she stays quiet. 

Anne of Green Gables is a story of development, independence, and unexpected tragedy.

Playing With Fire by Tess Gerritsen

Playing With Fire follows Julia, a keen and aspiring violinist, who finds a certain composition in an antique shop in Rome but doesn’t realize that it has devastating qualities. 

Incorporating history and psychology, this intriguing story explores the power of music and the dedication of family.

Girl In Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

At 17, Charlotte’s life is a mess. She has lost so many people that she loved, made countless mistakes, and learned so much about herself.

Girl in Pieces is a devastating psychological portrayal of a young girl who has already endured too much. 

Final Thoughts

Julia Whelan is one of the best narrators on the scene right now and if you’ve been meaning to read or listen to any of the books on this list, we recommend you use her audio. Her narration brings characters to life and makes the plot lines terrifyingly realistic.

Frequently Asked Questions