Showing results by narrator "Heather Long" in All Categories

In November 2020, Caroline Darian received a call from the police in Carpentras. Her father was in police custody. The seizure of his computer equipment revealed the unthinkable: since 2013, he had drugged his wife before handing her over, in a state of unconsciousness, to men, from all ages and stages of life. With exceptional courage, Darian recounts the earth-shattering discovery that a loved one, her own father, is capable of the worst.

On the night when Caitlin and Olivia's parents leave them to go to a dinner party both girls are full of excitement about being old enough to stay home alone. What they don't see is the figure watching them through the open window. Who, after the girls have fallen asleep, will turn the handle of the unlocked back door. When their parents return, they will find Olivia's bed empty. Their eldest daughter gone. Never to return. Until now. But is the woman who claims to be Olivia really all she seems? And is everything Caitlin said she saw that night really the whole truth?

Curl up with this sparkling collection of Christmas stories from the world's best-loved storyteller. Perfect for children aged five and up! Embrace the spirit of Christmas with tales of magic and wishes galore in this heart-warming collection. From a dog who discovers the joy of Christmas to Santa Claus who gets himself out of a muddle with a little help from his friends, these stories celebrate shared times, festivities and wonder.

Every December Holly writes to a stranger who is spending Christmas alone, and every year she receives a letter from another lonely person. Being a part of the Dear Stranger club is a tradition she has come to treasure. Because ever since the accident three years ago, Holly has spent Christmas alone. Usually, the letters go unanswered. That's the point of the club - no one knows who you are so you can write what's in your heart. But this year, when Holly gets a letter from an older woman, Emma, that changes.

Greetings card copywriter Phoebe Chapman knows a good romantic line or two – and it makes her a fantastic Cupid. So when she lands in the Hollywood Hills – a place that proves film stars, golden beaches and secret waterfalls don’t just exist in the movies – she can’t resist playing matchmaker for her handsome neighbour, carpenter Ren. But you can’t hide from love in La La Land. And isn’t there something a little bit hot about Ren, her own leading man next door?

Meet fairies, witches and giants in this selection of 30 magical short stories by the world's best loved storyteller. Perfect for children aged 5 and up! From to goblin games to never-ending wishes, there's mischief afoot in these fun-filled short stories by Enid Blyton! Who will be on the receiving end of a trick, and who will win out with a treat? Enid Blyton remains one of Britain's favourite children's authors, and her short story collections are the perfect way of introducing her work to a new generation of listeners.

Three women. Three dates. One missing man. The No-Show is the brilliantly funny, heartbreaking and joyful new novel from Beth O'Leary about dating, and waiting, and the ways love can find us.

April hates men. Her dating life is a disaster and she carries the damage of her last relationship with her every day. She's trying so hard to put herself out there, but every time it seems like she's found something real it falls apart. If only April could be more like Gretel. Gretel knows how to behave perfectly in relationships - she's a 'Regular Everyday Manic Pixie Dream Girl Next Door With No Problems'. Gretel is exactly what all men want. The problem is, Gretel isn't real.

At 15, George is the foster brother Leah never asked for. As the angry, troubled boy struggles to come to terms with his circumstances, Leah finds herself getting drawn closer to him. Theo’s wealthy family have mysteriously pulled him out of boarding school, and he’s now enrolled at the local state school with Leah and George. When their worlds collide that summer, the three teenagers form a bond they believe will be unbreakable. But life doesn’t always go to plan.

Lily will do anything to protect her family. She has made ruthless choices to preserve their picture-perfect life—and she has been equally ruthless in keeping those choices secret. Rachel is struggling with the weight of what she knows. Desperate to help her daughter, Lily turns to renowned therapist, Amber, to help Rachel get control of her life. It’s essential for Rachel’s welfare—but also to protect the darkest secret of all, one that Lily has kept hidden for years.

Ten-year-old Bryony is excited to move with her family to a new home by the sea. She knows that adventures are just around the corner but wishes she didn't have to leave her best friends or the local stables behind. Then, while exploring the woods near her house, she encounters a beautiful bay pony. Something has spooked the pony and caused him to bolt, but Bryony manages to calm him using her natural ability and their instant connection.

Stephanie Green isn't like most other doctors. Nearly every day, she confronts life-and-death situations behind the scenes at Heathrow, where the truth is almost always stranger than fiction. Here, she reveals the exhilarating drama of working in the world's sixth busiest airport and what is required to make life-and-death decisions in the hidden no-man's-land of medicine, geopolitics, terror and tragedy that is The Heathrow Doctor.

A year ago, Bronte left Sydney for a wedding in England, where she met newly single Alex. After one amazing night together they parted ways. Now working on the picture desk for a glassy magazine in London, Bronte is about to meet a new colleague - who turns out to be all too familiar. Alex is now engaged, but the memory of the spark they felt when they met hasn't died. As Alex's wedding day looms, it is clear that he and Bronte have unfinished business....

The gripping follow-up to The Binding Song, from the winner of the Stephen King and Guardian short story competition. Is there a serial killer in East Anglia? The police deny it. Journalist Frankie suspects they're wrong. Student Ava knows they're wrong...because she's just been abducted by him. This is a gripping novel in which suspense meets investigation - as Ava struggles to stay alive and Frankie finds herself far closer to the case than she'd anticipated....

When watching a documentary on the average human experience, Emily realises she's the epitome of the typical woman. Her name, her height, her occupation…even her blood group. The only thing unusual about her is that she’s a twin. But her twin died when they were only 8 and Emily can't help but think maybe her sister was meant to live instead of her. Secretly she suspects her sister would have done a better job at life...better than average anyway. So Emily writes a list committing her to live a more extraordinary life…she’ll become a vegan, run a marathon and bungee jump.

Nova Kumalisi would do anything for her closest friend, Mal Wacken. She owes him her life. So, when he asked her to be the surrogate mother for him and his wife, in spite of her fears about how it would alter their friendship, Nova agreed. Eight years later, Nova is bringing up their son alone, and she and Mal don't speak. Months into the pregnancy, Mal's wife changed her mind about the surrogacy agreement. Already suspicious of how close Nova and Mal were, Stephanie realised her strained marriage was in serious trouble when she found a text from her husband to Nova.

When a select group of influencers and journalists receive an exclusive invitation to a luxury resort in the Maldives, it seems like the ultimate press trip. But when the island is cut off during a storm and people start dying, it looks like someone has murder in mind. Are the guests really who they seem to be, or does each one of them have a secret to hide? Something they would kill for?

Becky Brown has selected extracts from the Mass Observation Archives to anthologise the voices of everyday people as they deal individually and collectively with the crisis of the Second World War. The diarists themselves have been selected from every level of society - from warehousemen to widows, soldiers to farmhands, WRENs to architects. The extracts have been chosen to both uplift and to ground, to remind listeners that nothing is new, that everything can be weathered and perhaps even made better. After all, World War II saw the birth of the NHS.

Every December, Josie posts a letter to the parents she lost one Christmas night, many years ago. She always writes the same three words: Missing you, always. When Josie accidentally collides with a stranger at the postbox, she is unaware that Max has his own reasons for trying to avoid the season...or that their chance encounter is set to alter both their lives - and their hearts - in the most unexpected and beautiful of ways....

Jayne is quiet. She keeps to herself and has no grand expectations for her days. But after a chance encounter with her elderly neighbour, Meredith, Jayne is forced to reevaluate her determination to keep the world at a distance. Meredith's dust-covered home is chaotic and neglected. And slowly, Jayne starts to grasp that Meredith herself is quite lost. She can't seem to remember anything: what she last ate, when she last went out or saw her daughter, or even Jayne's name, despite what are becoming frequent visits. But most alarmingly, Meredith can't remember where her husband is.