David Sedaris and Tracey Ullman voice one of this month’s best audiobooks

Kirstin Valdez Quade’s exceptionally good first novel, released over the course of a year, takes the perspective of three main players: Amadeo Padilla, 33; his mother, Yolanda; and Amadeo’s 16-year-old daughter, Angel. Amadeo is unemployed and living with Yolanda, drifting from beer to beer in his small-town New Mexico life. Chosen to play the role of Jesus in Holy Week reenactment of the crucifixion, Amadeo believes the ordeal of being crucified – along with his newly purchased auto glass repair kit – will mark a new start. But, alas, he was still himself: a good man whose heart depended on Yolanda (who had her own secret problems) and was not enough when Angel appeared pregnant. Narrator Gary Tiedemann, a gifted bilingual voice actor, conveys Spanish phrases with melodious grace and approaches the psychologically astute whole story with empathy. His voice is cautious and compassionate as it depicts Angel’s determination to be a good mother, Yolanda about to face her fate, and Amadeo stumbling upon a form of resurrection and salvation. ransom. This is a lighthearted, influential novel that is beautifully told. (Highbridge, Unconnected, 15 hours)