Heads Will Roll: Heir Apparent

Heads Will Roll #2

by Kate McKinnon, Emily Lynne, Megan Mullally (Narrator)

Welcome back to the Night Realm, where Queen Mortuana, Evil Mistress of the Night, rules with an iron fist and questionable judgment. When we last left our gloriously unhinged queen and her raven sidekick JoJo, the unlikely besties had fled to the woods for a simpler life. ( it didn't last.) Now Mo's back on the throne, confronting her reign's greatest threat turning 40 without an heir. No matriarch escapes the patriarchy.

Comedy royalty Kate McKinnon returns as Queen Mortuana in Heads Will Heir Apparent, the highly anticipated sequel to the Audible Originals’ fan-favorite, Heads Will Roll. She's flanked by costar Emily Lynne and a new star-studded ensemble including Richard Kind, Laurie Metcalf, Jimmy Fallon, Megan Mullally and Carrie Coon, plus an extensive cast of comedy greats.

With her throne on the line, Queen Mo and JoJo (Lynne) embark on increasingly unhinged schemes to secure magical mishaps ensue. Meanwhile, JoJo's botched wing enhancement surgery turns her into a toad, leading to unexpected romance with Dan, a kindhearted mole, and forcing her to choose between royal duty and normal life. It’s hard out there for a toad.

Part medieval mayhem, part skewering take on modern anxieties, Heads Will Roll serves razor-sharp social commentary as fantasy comedy for the ages. Feast your ears, the Queen is speaking. Produced by Broadway Video and created by Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne.

Please This content is not for kids. It is for mature audiences only. This audio comedy features sexual content, adult language and themes, and violence against peasants and hobgoblins alike. Discretion is advised.

Genres: Audiobook, Fantasy, Humor, Fiction, Cozy Fantasy

Audible Audio

Published June 25, 2026

About the author

Kate McKinnon Berthold is an American actress and comedian. She was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2012 to 2022, where she became known for her character work and celebrity impressions.

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need 5 more seasons of this goofiness please

[Niki 🍁 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was utter perfection.

[Cursed Capy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful surprise!
I had no idea there was going to be a continuation of Heads Will Roll, and love that I can never predict Mo and Jojo's hilarious next steps.
I wish there were more absurd comedies like this out there.
And even if you don't have any sense of humor, the performance is undeniably briliant!

[Kaya Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird and goofy. Had a good time listening

[Julia Tew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection as always!

[✿ Raloudi | A Biblio-Traveller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, not a book, but these audio series created by Kate McKinnon & Emily Rynne deserve all the hype and your credits (if you have Audible Premium, they are already included in the membership).

Once again, a hilarious work of art. Queen Mo & her sidekick bird-turned-toad Jojo are giving their all. Navigating crazy situations, trying to find the true meaning in their lives, what they really want, and what truly means when we say "a true love's kiss". The dialogues are simply insane, and all the sound effects and the spectacular narrators that are portraying all the characters have become my favorites. I will definitely come back to these audios! They have become kind of pick-me-ups and comfort listening.

[Sassy Mystic Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea

[Emily Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this !!

It was defo dirty at parts but so funny !! 😆

[Lady Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird and funny.

[Dana Edwards · Rating 1 out of 5]

Time I’ll never get back spent reading this trash……

[Laura Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate McKinnon. Need I say more?

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate and Emily hit out of the park again! Still immaturely raunchy, hysterically sexual, and way over-the-top. I was smiling and cackling (just like the Shad the Shadow Woman) throughout the entire listen. Another impressive list of voice actors. Another great escape, with intrigue, gross murder, adventure, and weird sex. The narration and production were perfect. Hilarious original music, awkward sound effects. The jokes and humor are SO immature, which is so fun. So entertaining and I loved it! I want more!
ps: there are many content warning - definitely mature audience only


Content Warnings:
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic

[Yavor Vlaskov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very pleasant breaking of the mold for a sequel, as it followed the route of a very similar plot, ultimately (big bad ruler about to be deposed) but made it distinctly weird and different enough to be tons of fun. I'll be honest, if they just plan for every next plot to be with that main point, but just developing differently, I am all on board.

I also found it like they were trying less to shoehorn a bunch of impressive actors in the narrating roster and it was entirely to the book's betterment, as it ended up with jarring jumps between plot points as each big name tried to have a significant story attached. Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne have more screen time, basically, and it's to all our benefit.

Looking forward to the third!

[Toni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Queen Mortuana is back, this time facing an unexpected crisis: turning forty without an heir. As succession plans spiral into magical chaos, JoJo finds herself transformed into a toad, forcing both of them to confront questions of duty, identity, and friendship with plenty of absurdity along the way.

I think the humor ran its course for me. 😅

I didn’t find this one as funny as the first, and I caught myself wanting to rush through just to see what would happen next (especially to the toad).

The production was still excellent, and the cast was clearly having fun, but this sequel didn’t have the same charm the first one had.

Still, if you enjoyed the first one and want to spend more time with these delightfully ridiculous characters, it’s worth checking out.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really identify with Queen Mortuana. I sometimes feel like "I'm doing everything right!" And then it all goes to sh**. The social satirical aspect of this story was appreciated: If Queen Mortuana, aged 39, does not have a child, the demon Ovaria will dethrone her and condemn her to life as Keeper of the Menstruary, a dungeon where women go when they have their periods. The full-cast production with sound effects was immersive. I rarely laugh out loud when reading, but I did with this as with the first story in the series of two. The characters were hysterical. Very creative, Kate McKinnon!

[LG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually want to rate it 4.5 stars but since it’s not an option, 5 it is. I enjoyed this as a follow up to the first book but I wish it were a little longer. Again if you don’t like SNL or raunchy humor, steer clear of this and the first Heads Will Roll. I liked the first book more as I laughed more. Don’t get me wrong, I laughed a lot with this but there were a couple times the raunchy humor was over the top. Overall, it’s a great sequel and if you really enjoyed the first one (5 star level) then give this a read. I did listen to the audiobook and of course the acting of this story was great.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate McKinnon and her sister, Emily Lynne, have too much comedic timing in one family. This was so creative.
I thought I was funnier after listening to this bawdy drama...so very Monty Python-ish

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heads Will Roll keeps the laughs going with Mortuana's quest to make a heir before her 40th -while JoJo gets caught between fame and true loves kiss to become a raven evermore. Delightfully reminding me of The Heart of Hark’un: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Fantasy Adventure.

[Gemington · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW: death and mayhem

This was not as fun as the original but very enjoyable nonetheless. The last one was playful political satire and this one was more about the existential angst of being a woman at 40. The questions about maternity and parenthood were important, as was the idea of embracing change in relationships as paths change. Felt like a very personal story this time.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first one and the second one is just a s fun. Completely different adventures, some character growth, new characters and twists. I love the way that modern themed are casually sprinkled into the story in an entertaining way. What an awesome fun adventure. 10/10 story and acting. Loved it!

[Angela Verry · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Book Review: Heads Will Roll: Heir Apparent (Book 2) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

OH. MY. GOSH. 🤯👑

This book had me yelling "WTF?!" more than once! 😱 Every time I thought I had it figured out... BAM! Another twist! 🤯

There were so many laugh-out-loud moments 😂 mixed with all the chaos, mystery, and royal drama. I absolutely flew through this one because I had to know what happened next.
Amazing. Wonderful. Addictive. 👑✨

Now the important question...

WHEN DO WE GET MORE?! 😭📚 I am officially invested and need the next book ASAP! 💜

[Hunter Ross · Rating 1 out of 5]

Love Kate McKinnon, but you have a world of magic with no boundaries and it is all about weirdly sexual and odd dialogue. Lots of murder including a little girl. This is the literary equivalent of Beavis and Butt-Head. It is not funny it is loathsome. What a waste of an opportunity.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad they made another, this made me laugh as much as the first one. It was a little slow to start but as the story progresses there are some really A+ jokes. Kate McKinnon can do anything she wants and I’ll sign up

[Prettytaz83 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful audio treat. I wish there was a physical book that I could read as there were some very funny quotes. I accidentally read this one before the first one, and still enjoyed it immensely

[AttackGirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

This would go under did not finish if I had any sense of contamination. Though I once friended a very aggressive tall red headed woman that was a hater who wanted me to go join this thing they all like to do out in California. Stupid behaviour is NOT for me.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accidentally listened to this one before the first one but it’s so good, loved

[Dannielle Hardenstine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun listen!!! I hope it’s not the end, but it definitely could be.

[Jacob Kinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of this please.

[Celia Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My least favorite of the three but still funny for the most part.

[Emily Thome · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved the first one, you’ll definitely love the second one. I love how they play multiple characters. It’s almost like a massage for ADDADHD brain lol