Just happened upon this thread and have not read through all of it. However, I am going to recommend two Audible books that I found to be both entertaining and thought provoking.
The first being Sycamore Row, by John Grisham. Set in the 1970's south, it is a look at society after it was forced to face the consequences of the "Jim Crow laws". Written in the usual intriguing Grisham fashion, the reader does not realize that they are reading a commentary on race until the end of the novel. The main plot hits you in the face with such a vengeance that your life will never be the same when you click the close button for the last time.
The second Audible book that I recommend is a Best Seller that deserves the honor. "Where The Crawdads Sing", by Delia Owens tells a story of a beautiful girl child and her struggles to grow to a woman with little help from her family or her community. A true story of human resiliency, you will walk away from the novel with the feeling that you, as a human, can accomplish anything you desire. Faced with every possible roadblock, this young girl finds a work around, including a way to make a living, a way to educate herself and a way to keep dangerous people away from her. The author expertly leaves the reader hanging on several pivotal parts of the story until the end, where they will be wondering if they like how it ended or not.
My two cents on the subject......