Showing results by narrator "Elliot Fitzpatrick" in All Categories

William Mudford was born in 1782. He was a writer, essayist, translator and journalist. This short story was first published in 1830 and, it is claimed, influenced Edgar Allan Poe. Such was its impact that it was reprinted many times over the succeeding decades.

James Edward Preston Muddock was born in 1843. He was a prolific journalist and of mystery and horror short stories. He used two pseudonyms ‘Joyce Emmerson Preston Muddock’ and ‘Dick Donovan’. Between 1889 and 1922 he published nearly 300 detective and mystery stories.

Major Hesketh Vernon Prichard, DSO MC FRGS FZS was born on the 17th November 1876 in Jhansi, North-Western Provinces, India, then part of the British Empire. His achievements in life, beyond his literary career, are both voluminous and startling. He was an explorer, adventurer, marksman, game hunter and first-class cricketer. In his literary career he wrote short stories, novels, travel pieces and was also a newspaper correspondent.

Violet Mary Firth wrote under her pen name Dion Fortune. Born in 1890 her talents included being a occultist, ceremonial magician, novelist and author. She wrote prolifically, much of it on occult themes.

Jessie Douglas Kerruish was born in Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, County Durham in 1884. Her literary career got off to a very bright start in 1917 when she won the Hodder & Stoughton First Novel Prize for ‘Miss Haroun Al-Raschid’. Five years later came her seminal work ‘The Undying Monster’, which today is still regarded as a macabre werewolf classic. Throughout her career she contributed short stories to such popular periodicals as Novel, Lady's and Weekly Tale-Teller. One of the best was ‘The Wonderful Tune’ and whilst the title sounds light and airy her dark imagination riddles the narrative.

José Maria de Eça de Queiroz or Queirós was born in 1845 and has gained his literary reputation as the greatest Portuguese writer in the realist style. He died in 1900.

There is something about the number 3. The Ancient Greeks believed 3 was the perfect number, and in China 3 has always been a lucky number, and they know a thing or two. Whatever history and culture says WE think 3, a hat-trick of stories, is a great number to explore themes and literary avenues that classic authors were so adept at creating.

Twelve months ago, maverick Government Officer Sam Taylor was shot and left for dead while investigating a black-market organization. Now, the shooter—a mysterious and beautiful agent—has been found dead in Amsterdam. Sent to identify the body, Sam is reunited with old acquaintances and introduced to the lead investigator, Interpol agent Karl Vogt, a man with his own agenda. But when the group arrives at the mortuary, they discover the body has vanished…

In a luxury villa set high in the hills above the glamorous town of Sorrento, southern Italy, three couples gather for the perfect 40th birthday celebration. Before the week is out, one of them is dead. Their perfect reunion quickly becomes the holiday from hell when one of the group starts receiving anonymous messages, threatening to expose a dark secret from their university days. As old friendships are tested to the limit, it's clear that what happens in the dark past won't stay buried.

Sadness can be about so many things from places to people, from thoughts to actions. Our classic authors including Arnold Bennett, James Joyce, Willa Cather, Joseph Conrad, Ivan Turgenev and many others use their pens and stories to demonstrate the many ways this feeling can take a hold of lives and its consequences.

Victor Marie Hugo was born on 26th February 1802, in Besançon, France. There can be no doubt that Hugo is ranked as the greatest of French authors and poets. In ‘Claude Gueux’ one prisoner dares to challenge a system and its cruel Governor who takes away his only friend purely out of spite. The consequences are appalling.

On the day that Betty meets Guy, her life is changed forever. She never thought she'd see him again but a few months later realises she has something of his that needs returning. So, she writes him a letter. It's the perfect solution for Betty—it means she doesn't need to tell Guy about what really happened that day and the secret she's been hiding. For Guy, Betty's letter arrives at his repair shop at the perfect time. His whole world has come crashing down around him, and for the first time in a long time, he starts to feel hopeful.

During the spring and summer of 2021, global news reports were filled with the impending US/NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan. At best, it would be viewed as a stalemate, with an orderly transition to a stable, US-backed Afghan government. At worse, it would be looked upon as two decades of futile war, ending with a shameful retreat that left the county at the mercy of a ruthless Taliban regime. What went wrong?

On the final day of the 2019/20 season, only four clubs in the Championship, England’s second tier of soccer, had nothing to play for, everyone else was fighting for promotion or survival. It’s stats like this that give the league its well-deserved reputation as the most exciting league in football. Anything can happen, and often does. In The Hard Yards, Nige Tassell tells the Championship’s stories, uncovers its hidden gems and takes the listener on an entertaining and eye-opening tour of the 2020/21 season.

You could say it started with vanity. We believed we were special. But the truth is we were simply vulnerable. One of them is lying. One of them is guilty. No one is safe. Months after landing their dream job, five brilliant young minds are sent on a remote retreat. But when one of them disappears, they're forced to question why they were brought here in the first place - and how far they'd go to get what they want. And for the first time in their lives, they realise too much knowledge can be deadly.

Introducing Interviewing by William Seymour - the winning short story of the Bookseller Futurebook audio original competition 2019. When a young job applicant is overwhelmed with anxiety attacks about an impending interview, his world seems about to implode. Worse still, the calm voice of reason in his head is no help at all...Chosen for its unique writing approach and fascinating prose, Interviewing is a piece of writing that is enhanced by a fresh, forward approach to the audio format.

Jeremy Horton is a man denying his past, haunted by a dysfunctional childhood full of dark secrets—including the suspicious death of his younger sister. Married to lawyer Sarah and with children of his own, Jeremy keeps his eyes firmly focused on the present, never daring to glance in the rear-view mirror for fear of what he might see there. But when a chance encounter awakens the memories he’s fought so hard to suppress and the death of his estranged mother takes Jeremy back to his sleepy hometown, he decides to finally uncover the truth behind his sister’s death.

There's only one thing harder than sharing office space with Finn Anderson: keeping my mind off him. Weeks ago, he kissed me senseless and walked away. But my best friend's cousin is back—and worse? He's one of the only people I know in Edinburgh. With his seductive Scottish accent and alluring blue eyes, one look from Finn sets my heart racing. Exchanging playful quips at office happy hours and smoldering glances through conference room doors proves that our chemistry is undeniable. Our connection, irrefutable.

Wilkie Collins was born on 8th January 1824 in Marylebone, London. He pursued his education at Mr Cole’s private boarding school in Highbury, Islington. Here, he began his literary career under unusual circumstances: the school bully would give him no peace until he had been told a bedtime story. This ‘little brute’ helped create one of England’s greatest writers.

Abraham Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland on the 8th of November 1847, the third of seven children. Strikingly at Trinity College, Dublin his health had returned with such vigour that he was named their University Athlete whilst also achieving a BA in Mathematics with honours. At this time his interest in theatre became a job offer to be the Dublin Evening Mail’s theatre critic, co-owned by Sheridan Le Fanu. He now began to also write short stories and in 1872 ‘The Crystal Cup’ was published. An interest in art developed and he co-founded the Dublin Sketching Club.