Summer getaways, by ear
Traveler
By Ron McLarty
Penguin Audio , unabridged fiction, seven CDs, eight hours, $39.95 , read by the author; also available as a download from www.audible.com for $27.97.
The Double Bind
By Chris Bohjalian
Random House Audio, abridged fiction, five CDs, six hours and 30 minutes, $29.98, read by Susan Denaker; also available as a download from www.audible.com for $20.97 abridged and $28 unabridged.
Heart-Shaped BoxBy Joe Hill
HarperAudio, unabridged fiction, nine CDs, 11 hours, $39.95, read by Stephen Lang; also available as a download from www.audible.com for $27.97.
Boomsday
By Christopher Buckley
Hachette Audio, unabridged fiction, nine CDs, 10 hours, $39.98, read by Janeane Garofalo; also available as a download from www.audible.com for $27.99 and abridged for $17.49.
The Good Guy
By Dean Koontz
Random House Audio, unabridged fiction, eight CDs, nine hours, $44.95, read by Richard Ferrone; also available as a download from www.audible.com for $31.47.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
By Marisha Pessl
Penguin Audio, unabridged fiction, 17 CDs, 22 hours, $39.95, read by Emily Janice Card; also available as a download from www.audible.com for $27.97.
The Ministry of Special Cases
By Nathan Englander
Random House Audio, unabridged fiction, 10 CDs, 12 hours and 30 minutes, $34.95, read by Arthur Morey; also available as a download from www.audible.com for $24.47.
There is nothing better than pure escapism when it's too hot to think. Not that it should be dumb escapism , but it should pull you out of the sticky heat and boredom of a traffic jam. With that thought in mind, it's time to have some fun. We'll get around to improving our minds with nonfiction audiobooks next month. Promise.
No one is more entertaining than Ron McLarty. You may recall that his first book, "The Memory of Running," was praised by Stephen King, who called it "the best book you can't read," since it was first available only as an audiobook. King's advocacy helped McLarty land a nice publishing deal, and his current book, "Traveler," is available to both readers and listeners .
As wonderful as McLarty's first audiobook was, this is even better. His protagonist, Jono Riley, is a struggling actor who returns home to East Providence for the funeral of a dear childhood friend, and helps to solve an old and troubling murder. The mystery, however, is not what drives this story. It is the self-deprecating, humorous discoveries Jono makes about himself and others. McLarty, who has a deep, resonant voice, reads with the same self-effacing attitude with which he writes. The sly humor and the poignant revelations sound completely heartfelt.
It's a little bloated, but Chris Bohjalian's "The Double Bind" has an ending so surprising that this listener never saw it coming . A pastiche of sorts involving "The Great Gatsby," it is the story of a social worker who survived a devastating attack that damaged her in ways that took years to surface. Though the unabridged version needed some trimming, it is well worth hearing, even if narrator Susan Denaker is a little too starchy. She's better than mediocre but not well suited for the material.
It's over the top and really only for horror fans, but Joe Hill's "Heart-Shaped Box'' is a fast, fun ride . When an aging rock star buys a "haunted box" on the Internet, all hell soon breaks loose as a wrathful spirit seeks vengeance that may, or may not, be deserved. Hill, the son of Stephen King, has crafted a stylish, scary summer listen that you won't want to experience alone in the dark. Stephen Lang does a commendable job of not overdoing it, giving us just enough emotion to enhance this creepy tale.
In "Boomsday" Christopher Buckley has solved the overpopulation problem, as well as the headaches that go with it, such as our finite supply of fossil fuels : His protagonist simply encourages baby boomers to commit government-sanctioned suicide. It's a little heavy-handed, but Buckley is, as always, very funny.
Prolific writer Dean Koontz has given us "The Good Guy," read by veteran narrator Richard Ferrone . This is a fast-paced and suspenseful audio noir in which an average guy, a nice guy, is caught up in a murder plot that he tries to stop.
Marisha Pessl's debut novel, "Special Topics in Calamity Physics," is about a lonely, brilliant teenager who finally makes some friends, and then stumbles into a murder mystery . It is a little too long -- bloated (audio)books seem to be the trend this summer -- but Pessl has a wonderful ear for language and a vibrant writing style.
Nathan Englander won the 2000 Pen/Malamud Award for his collection of short stories, "For the Relief of Unbearable Urges." After a long wait, he has finally released his debut novel, "The Ministry of Special Cases." Audiophiles with a taste for the literary should try this tale about Jews threatened by Argentina's "dirty war" of the 1970s and '80s. In a world filled with absurdity, fear, humor, and despair, the main character has a clandestine cemetery job erasing tombstone surnames, at the behest of Buenos Aires Jews hoping to conceal their heritage and thus protect themselves. Paranoia has never been so justified as in this political novel.
And, of course, the final Harry Potter title will be released by the Listening Library on July 21. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" promises to enthrall you while lightening your wallet at the same time, as both the 12-cassette and 17-CD versions cost $79.95. Read by the inimitable Jim Dale, this looks to be every bit as entertaining and clever as the previous six titles in the series, so take a deep breath and get out your credit card.
Rochelle O'Gorman is publisher and editor in chief of the online magazine audiobookcafe.com . 
