Audiobooks Like The Ink Black Heart

Robert Glenister narrates The Ink Black Heart across an extraordinary 33-hour runtime — his vocal range and stamina are what make the full-cast-equivalent challenge of this novel's many online pseudonyms distinguishable, and his natural authority as Strike grounds the listener through the book's most labyrinthine stretches. Eight of the picks here are highly rated titles and the two Strike series books in the top recommendations confirm the list's commitment to mystery and detective fiction at long, novelistic lengths.

10 audiobooks for fans of The Ink Black Heart

  1. 1
    Hercule Poirot cover

    Hercule Poirot

    Hercule Poirot #0.1-0.51

    by Agatha Christie

    Narrated by David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Nigel Hawthorne, Isla Blair, Simon Vance

    4.62 ABR Score (12.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.36 Goodreads (10.9K) ★ 4.81 Audible (1.7K)
    35h 5m listening time • Released 2021

    David Suchet's definitive performance as Poirot anchors this collection of 51 short stories, each a perfectly compact puzzle that rewards listening in one sitting.

  2. 2
    BLACK (4 Novel Bundle) cover

    BLACK (4 Novel Bundle)

    by Russell Blake

    Narrated by R.C. Bray

    4.18 ABR Score (2.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.4 Goodreads (86) ★ 4.66 Audible (2.1K)
    29h 19m listening time • Released 2018

    R.C. Bray's deadpan delivery makes Artemus Black's noir wisecracks land perfectly—four novels of cynical Hollywood PI mysteries that feel like late-night conversations with a friend who's seen too much and drinks too much.

  3. 3
    Hallowe'en Party (The Agatha Christie collection: Poirot) cover

    Hallowe'en Party (The Agatha Christie collection: Poirot)

    Hercule Poirot • Book 36

    by Agatha Christie

    Narrated by Stephen Scalon

    3.93 ABR Score (106.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.56 Goodreads (106.4K) ★ 4.53 Audible (363)
    35h 57m listening time • Released 2023
  4. 4
    A Traitor to Memory cover

    A Traitor to Memory

    Inspector Lynley • Book 11

    by Elizabeth George

    Narrated by Donada Peters

    3.83 ABR Score (13.0K ratings)
    ★ 3.92 Goodreads (12.8K) ★ 4.19 Audible (242)
    28h 54m listening time • Released 2018
  5. 5
    The Matter of Black Lives: Writing from The New Yorker cover

    The Matter of Black Lives: Writing from The New Yorker

    by Jelani Cobb, David Remnick

    Narrated by JD Jackson, Adjoa Andoh, January LaVoy, Maggi-Meg Reed, Jane Copland, Kaleo Griffith

    3.82 ABR Score (271 ratings)
    ★ 4.45 Goodreads (244) ★ 4.63 Audible (27)
    30h 1m listening time • Released 2021

    A century of The New Yorker's essential essays on race in America, from Baldwin to Coates, elevated by six narrators who bring distinct voices to each piece. The audio format transforms these arguments into intimate conversations.

  6. 6
    Just One Evil Act cover

    Just One Evil Act

    Inspector Lynley • Book 18

    by Elizabeth George

    Narrated by Davina Porter

    3.71 ABR Score (14.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.8 Goodreads (13.8K) ★ 4.11 Audible (870)
    28h 24m listening time • Released 2013

    Davina Porter's narration transforms George's sprawling kidnapping mystery into something emotionally devastating—she captures Barbara's desperation and moral fury so completely you'll forget you're listening to a 28-hour book.

  7. 7
    Kilhaven Police cover

    Kilhaven Police

    Kilhaven Police #1-4 • Book 1

    by Brock Bloodworth, H. Claire Taylor

    Narrated by Adam Verner

    3.67 ABR Score (48 ratings)
    ★ 4.69 Goodreads (29) ★ 4.79 Audible (19)
    27h 19m listening time • Released 2021
  8. 8
    The Gold Killing & more: Four Full-Cast BBC Radio Thrillers cover

    The Gold Killing & more: Four Full-Cast BBC Radio Thrillers

    by Paul Sellar, Robert Glenister, Lee Ross, Allan Corduner, Adam Levy, Sean Murray, Ken Bones, Full Cast

    Narrated by Robert Glenister, Lee Ross, Allan Corduner, Adam Levy, Sean Murray, Ken Bones, full cast

    3.49 ABR Score (2 ratings)
    ★ 4 Audible (2)
    6h 4m listening time • Released 2024
  9. 9
    Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Audio Collection cover

    Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Audio Collection

    Sherlock Holmes #1-9 • Book 1

    by Arthur Conan Doyle, Stephen Fry

    Narrated by Stephen Fry

    4.97 ABR Score (239.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.51 Goodreads (217.9K) ★ 4.84 Audible (21.6K)
    71h 57m listening time • Released 2017
  10. 10
    Resurrection Walk cover

    Resurrection Walk

    The Lincoln Lawyer • Book 7

    by Michael Connelly

    Narrated by Peter Giles, Titus Welliver, Christine Lakin

    4.86 ABR Score (84.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.53 Goodreads (77.5K) ★ 4.81 Audible (6.9K)
    10h 30m listening time • Released 2023

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →