From major publishing houses to independent authors, each project brings its own challenges and rewards. Here are some of the audiobooks recently recorded, directed and produced at Offbeat.
The Lonely City by Olivia Laing
Narrated by Tilda Swinton
For Canongate Books
One of the standout audiobook productions of the year at Offbeat has been The Lonely City by Olivia Laing, narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Tilda Swinton.
Widely regarded as one of Olivia Laing’s most important works, The Lonely City explores loneliness, creativity and human connection through the lives of some of New York’s most influential artists. Blending memoir, biography and cultural history, the book has become a modern classic since its original publication.
Recording Tilda’s narration was a remarkable experience. Her thoughtful and deeply engaging performance brings a new dimension to Laing’s writing, creating an audiobook that is both intimate and compelling.
The production received special praise from Jamie Byng, founder and publisher of Canongate Books who commented:
“Watching Iain and Tilda working on The Lonely City was a masterclass in audiobook production and the resulting recording is a masterpiece.”
The audiobook was subsequently selected as Audiobook of the Week in the Guardian in June 2026, adding further recognition to an already exceptional production.
Produced and Directed by Iain McKinna.
For Canongate Books
Ripening: Why Women Need Fairy Tales Now by Sharon Blackie
For September Publishing / Duckworth Books
One of the most acclaimed recent productions at Offbeat has been Ripening: Why Women Need Fairy Tales Now by bestselling author, psychologist and mythologist Sharon Blackie.
Selected by Audible as one of its Best Audiobooks of 2026, the audiobook explores the enduring power of fairy tales and their relevance to modern life. Drawing on decades of research into mythology, folklore and psychology, Sharon argues that traditional fairy tales offer powerful lessons about resilience, transformation and navigating life’s challenges.
Known internationally for books including Hagitude and If Women Rose Rooted, Sharon has built a devoted readership through her work exploring myth, landscape, folklore and women’s stories. In Ripening, she re-examines the original heroines of European fairy tales, revealing them not as passive princesses but as resourceful, courageous women who find creative ways through uncertainty and adversity.
Narrated by Sharon Blackie herself, the audiobook brings an additional layer of intimacy and authenticity to a work that combines storytelling, cultural history and personal insight.
Directed by Olivia Caw
Produced by Iain McKinna
For September Publishing / Duckworth Books
Good Girl Rebellion by Anna Campbell
One of the recent audiobook productions completed at Offbeat is Good Girl Rebellion by entrepreneur, coach and speaker Anna Campbell, which became an Audible bestseller in the Women & Business category shortly after release.
Written and narrated by Anna herself, the book is aimed at women who have spent years supporting others while putting their own ambitions, goals and financial success on hold. Through her practical REBEL framework, Anna explores the mindset shifts and business strategies needed to build confidence, increase visibility, charge appropriately for your work and create a business that feels both successful and sustainable.
Anna brings a wealth of experience to the subject. With a background in psychology, teaching and coaching, she was also the first employee in a start-up that grew from zero to a seven-figure business. Drawing on both her professional experience and her work with female entrepreneurs, she addresses some of the most common challenges faced by women in business, including self-doubt, people-pleasing, fear of visibility and undercharging.
The audiobook is structured around five key principles: Resilient Mindset, Everyday Action, Bold Marketing, Empowered Pricing and Liberating Results. Combining practical advice with personal experience, Good Girl Rebellion provides a clear roadmap for women looking to build confidence, grow their businesses and create greater freedom on their own terms.
Narrated by Anna Campbell
Directed by Olivia Caw
Produced by Iain McKinna
Independently Published
What’s the Story? by Brian Jameson
One of the most enjoyable recent productions at Offbeat has been the recording of What’s the Story?, the autobiography of writer, producer, actor and broadcaster Brian Jameson.
Many people will know Brian as the creator of the hugely successful BBC children’s series Balamory, filmed in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. The programme became one of the BBC’s most successful preschool shows and remains fondly remembered by a generation of children and parents. Brian also created the popular children’s programmes Me Too! and Woolly and Tig and has written more than a thousand television scripts during a career spanning several decades.
Before moving behind the camera, Brian enjoyed a successful acting career, appearing in numerous television productions and working alongside some of Britain’s best-loved performers. His memoir is packed with stories from a lifetime spent in television, theatre and broadcasting, including encounters with actors such as Rik Mayall, Paul Scofield, David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst. He also portrayed Brian Epstein in the film Birth of the Beatles.
Brian’s warm and engaging narration makes this a particularly entertaining audiobook, and we found ourselves completely absorbed by the stories throughout the recording sessions, with plenty of laughs and drama along the way.
Narrated by Brian Jameson.
Directed by Zara Louise Kennedy.
Produced by Iain McKinna.
Release date to be Announced
The Big Secret Of How by David Green
The Big Secret Of How was a particularly memorable production at Offbeat, marking our 100th audiobook recording project in September 2025.
Written and narrated by entrepreneur and speaker David Green, the audiobook combines personal experience, business insight and practical guidance for listeners seeking greater happiness, purpose and success. A former bond trader who went on to build and sell his own business, David’s journey took an unexpected turn when stress and burnout led him to discover meditation and mindfulness practices through Kriya Yoga that would ultimately transform his life.
A disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, whose influential book Autobiography of a Yogi introduced many Western readers to meditation and yoga, David draws on both ancient wisdom and modern experience throughout the book.
One of the most remarkable chapters in David’s story came when he undertook a 300-day period of silence. During this time he lived without television, social media, internet access, news or contact with family and friends, keeping a detailed journal of the insights, challenges and discoveries that emerged from the experience.Following the retreat, he went on to deliver what is believed to be the world’s first TEDx talk in silence.
Structured around fifty practical insights, The Big Secret Of How explores topics including mindset, meditation, wellbeing, relationships, purpose, career development and personal growth. Designed as a practical guide rather than a theoretical one, the audiobook encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives and develop tools to navigate the pressures and distractions of the modern world.
David travelled from Guernsey to record the audiobook at Offbeat and became the first narrator to stay in our Royal Mile accommodation for visiting authors and performers.
Narrated by David Green
Produced and directed by Iain McKinna
For Masters and Son Ltd
Call of the Black Wing by Tristan Gray
We were delighted to produce the audiobook edition of Call of the Black Wing, an epic dark fantasy adventure by Edinburgh-based author Tristan Gray.
Set in the richly imagined world of Seann Àite, the novel follows Fiadh the Crow, a young woman whose life is transformed when she discovers she possesses a rare and dangerous gift. As ancient forces begin to stir and the balance of power shifts across the land, Fiadh is drawn into a struggle involving spirits, monsters, forgotten magic and long-buried secrets.
Combining elements of Celtic mythology, folklore and classic fantasy storytelling, Call of the Black Wing creates an immersive world filled with memorable characters, complex alliances and high-stakes adventure. At its heart is a story about identity, destiny and the difficult choices that shape who we become.
The audiobook also marked an important milestone for narrator Mhairi Bryce, who delivered her first audiobook performance on the project. Bringing a fantasy world to life requires a narrator capable of handling a wide cast of characters while maintaining clarity, pace and emotional connection throughout the story, and Mhairi rose to the challenge brilliantly. It was a pleasure helping guide her through her first audiobook production, and the finished performance captures both the scale and intimacy of Tristan’s storytelling.
As independent authors continue to produce ambitious, professionally crafted fantasy novels, it is always exciting to help bring those stories to listeners around the world through audio.
Narrated by Mhairi Bryce
Directed by Olivia Caw
Produced by Iain McKinna
Independently Published
Aphrodisia by Jean Menzies
Aphrodisia by historian, author and broadcaster Jean Menzies explores the realities of women’s desire, sexuality and pleasure in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, challenging many of the assumptions that have shaped modern attitudes towards women for centuries.
Written with intelligence, humour and accessibility, the book draws on mythology, literature, art and historical records to uncover how women experienced love, desire, relationships and sexuality in the ancient world. In doing so, Jean reveals a far more complex and nuanced picture than many of us have inherited from traditional accounts of classical history.
The book has been widely praised by historians and bestselling authors for bringing an often overlooked subject to life. Through careful research and engaging storytelling, Jean examines how women’s sexuality was understood, celebrated, controlled and recorded in antiquity, while also exploring the lasting influence these ancient ideas continue to have on society today.
Narrating her own work, Jean brings warmth, wit and personality to the audiobook, making what could be a dense historical subject both engaging and highly accessible. The result is an audiobook that combines serious scholarship with an entertaining and thought-provoking listening experience.
Narrated by Jean Menzies
Directed by Olivia Caw
Produced by Iain McKinna
For Monoray
A Snowstorm in June by RMG Parker
We were delighted to produce the audiobook edition of A Snow Storm in June, a gripping Scottish crime thriller by Robert Parker.
Robert may already be familiar to some of our listeners as the brother of Graham Parker, whose bestselling memoir audiobook we had the pleasure of producing a few years ago. It was therefore particularly rewarding to welcome another member of the Parker family into the studio.
Set between Edinburgh and rural Galloway, A Snow Storm in June opens with a shocking discovery: a severed head left outside a police station. As a series of brutal killings rocks the city, Detective Inspector Maxwell Burns finds himself leading an increasingly complex investigation involving organised crime, drug trafficking, smuggling and corruption. When a threatening message arrives through the post, it becomes clear that someone is using Burns’ past against him.
Meanwhile, in a remote corner of Galloway, a mysterious corporation arrives with ambitious plans for a disused airbase. As local curiosity turns to suspicion, a group of thrill-seeking teenagers uncover far more than they bargained for, with deadly consequences.
Combining sharp humour with dark and atmospheric storytelling, Robert Parker creates a fast-paced crime novel that moves effortlessly between urban Edinburgh and the dramatic landscapes of south-west Scotland. As the two storylines gradually converge, long-buried secrets begin to emerge and Burns is forced to confront the very past he thought he had escaped.
With its memorable characters, Scottish setting and twisting plot, A Snow Storm in June is an entertaining addition to the growing tradition of contemporary Scottish crime fiction and will appeal to fans of writers such as J. D. Kirk and Christopher Brookmyre.
Narrated by Steve Worsley
Recorded by Zara Louise Kennedy
Directed by Iain McKinna
The Hoof GP
The Subtle Pleasures of Indiscretion by Alexander McCall Smith
One of the latest audiobook productions completed at Offbeat is The Subtle Pleasures of Indiscretion by internationally bestselling Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith.
Best known as the creator of the hugely successful The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, which has sold millions of copies worldwide and been translated into dozens of languages, Alexander McCall Smith is one of Scotland’s most celebrated contemporary authors. Alongside his Botswana-set detective novels, he has created a number of much-loved literary series, including the long-running Isabel Dalhousie books.
The Subtle Pleasures of Indiscretion is the fifteenth novel in the Isabel Dalhousie series, which began with The Sunday Philosophy Club in 2004. Set in Edinburgh, the books follow philosopher, editor and amateur sleuth Isabel Dalhousie as she navigates the moral dilemmas, unexpected complications and ethical questions that arise in everyday life.
In this latest instalment, Isabel becomes involved in a family mystery triggered by the results of a DNA test, while also dealing with intrigue among members of her editorial board and concerns over her husband Jamie’s growing friendship with a particularly persistent admirer. As with all of the Isabel Dalhousie novels, the mystery serves as a backdrop for Alexander McCall Smith’s thoughtful observations on relationships, loyalty, morality and human nature.
The series has developed a devoted international following over more than two decades, with readers drawn to Isabel’s intelligence, compassion and curiosity, as well as the author’s warm humour and affection for Edinburgh. The city itself is woven throughout the novels, providing a rich and familiar backdrop to Isabel’s investigations and reflections.
Narrated by Sally Masterson
Recorded by Zara Louise Kennedy
Directed by Iain McKinna
For Bolinda Audio
Working With Publishers and Independent Authors
Offbeat Audio has been producing audiobooks for publishers, authors and rights holders for over three decades. Our clients include major publishers, independent presses and self-published authors looking for a professional recording, editing and production service.
Based in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile, we provide audiobook recording, direction, editing, mastering and remote recording services for projects of all sizes.
If you’re planning an audiobook and would like to discuss narration, production or recording options, we’d be delighted to hear from you.