Showing results by narrator "B.J. Harrison" in All Categories

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are discussing the lack of interesting new cases when a man bursts into the room. The panicked young man is McFarlane and he believes that he will be arrested for the murder of 52-year-old Jonas Oldacre. Oldacre’s burnt remains are found behind McFarlane house, the day after the builder Oldacre came to the lawyer McFarlane to draw up his will and made him his sole beneficiary. McFarlane is arrested as the main suspect. Holmes believes that the young man is not guilty and does his best to prove it.

When a young teacher decides to come work in a secluded Dutch village, little does he know that his stay there will change his life forever. Set among tales of ghosts and supernatural beings, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story whose setting soon begins to play tricks on the protagonist. The chilling story of the Headless horseman is a perfect reading for Halloween or a dark and stormy night. What is more, Irving’s tale inspired many big and small screen adaptations, the most popular one being Tim Burton’s movie from 1999.

"The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion" is a short story by Thomas Hardy that follows the encounter between a young woman and a homesick soldier. The sparks of passion immediately set their souls on fire, but their love is hampered by social conventions and prejudice. In a direct, almost fatalistic way, Thomas Hardy paints a rather gloomy picture of the social conditions of the time, and how often human relationships fell victim to its whims.

The world stands on the brink of the rocket age, and everyone is thrilled that humanity has attained this stunning achievement. But William Stanley isn’t convinced we should be here. Will he really stop the launch of this incredible rocket that he has helped to create?

On a cool night, an ill-formed man darkens the doorway of Mrs. Boxer. Her trepidation turns to instant joy when she discovers it to be her long-lost husband, who has been lost at sea for the past three years. But the supposed Mr. Boxer has a suspicious mother-in-law. And when she secretly connives with an ancient fortune-teller, new discoveries show that Mr. Boxer isn't the man he proclaims himself to be.

Dorian Gray embodies every artistic element for artist Basil Hallward. But when Lord Henry reveals the phenomenal world experienced only to the young and beautiful, Dorian makes a devious deal. Thus begins Dorian Gray's extensive journey into dissipation, while somehow maintaining every element of his youth and innocence. What is his secret? And why does he keep Basil Hallward's painting hidden from prying eyes?

Quasimodo. Esmerelda. Frollo. Phoebus. Victor Hugo’s immortal tale of duty, desire and priestly revenge stands strongest on its own, and in this unabridged edition, it is more approachable than ever. Peer into the mind of the fiercely loyal Quasimodo. Discover the world through the sharp eyes of Esmerelda. Discover the privileged and calculating motivations of the ignominious Frollo - all amid the incredible backdrop of the Gothic Notre Dame cathedral.

Newly moneyed Jimmy can’t seem to get a certain girl out of his head. He’s never even spoken to her—the two have merely shared looks and smiles while traveling on an ocean voyage. But when he takes a bet to break into a house, and is caught by the owner of the house, (the chief of police, no less), a series of complicated events is set in motion. The first of which is the unaccountable appearance of his mystery girl. Soon Jimmy must show his true mettle, while demonstrating his singular gift for intrusion.

This case that the public nicknamed "the Magic Bullets Murder" stumped the police, the District Attorney, and the State Attorney General's forensic department because they all had no idea how a murder could be committed by bullets that were determined to have been fired from a gun that absolutely could not have been used...until someone with a much better brain than theirs started working on the case and amazed everyone with some answers that they never would have thought of.

"The Three Apples" is a story contained in the One Thousand and One Nights collection (also known as the Arabian Nights). Scheherazade tells the history of a murder - making this the first mystery story put to paper.

Join the feast of humor and epic adventure in a world where the gods of the Pantryon bestow mighty gifts of food magic on their guilds, including Cheese Wizards, Muffin Mages, and Bacon Masters. As a Bacon Master, Rasher Dilskin can channel the awesomeness of bacon for superhuman enhancements, making him a nearly unstoppable warrior. Except for the fact that he faints at the sight of blood. He is struggling to build a successful career and win permission to marry his true love, but the empire is invaded by hordes of monsters.

"Barbara of the House of Grebe" is a short story from Thomas Hardys collection "A Group of Noble Dames". It is a dark that intertwines madness and desire. Barbara Grebe is already promised to a wealthy lord when she elopes with another young man, Edmond Willowes. He suffers a terrible disfigurement, and the couples love begins to falter. Hardys pessimism is revealed in his total rejection of the idea of eternal love, certain of its ephemerality.

An assassin is sent back in time to prevent the ravings of a religious zealot which, if left unchecked, will lead to absolute catastrophe. A master of the “Silver Age” of science fiction, Philip K. Dick won the Hugo Award in 1963, and the John W. Campbell Memorial award in 1975. Though he lived most of his life in near poverty, he is behind some of the most recognizable science fiction stories to date, penning the stories behind the films Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, Paycheck, and The Adjustment Bureau.

Winter Wedderburn is an amateur collector of orchids, spending his days peacefully with his housekeeper. One day he invites more adventure into his life and buys an unknown species of orchids brought from the Andaman Islands. Little does he know that purchasing this unusual plant will bring him more adventure than he could ever have dreamt of. "The Flowering of the Strange Orchid" is a short horror story by H.G. Wells from the late 19th century, providing the reader with a most unusual enemy.

Hear the beloved children's tale as read by B.J. Harrison. "The Wind in the Willows" follows the eventful adventures of four animals: Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger, as they navigate twists of friendship, dangers and changing surroundings. This 20th-century novel has become known and loved through countless adaptations on the screen and stage alike, including the animated Disney adaptation The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) and the British film The Wind in the Willows (1996) starring Steve Coogan. B. J.

Isidore Smythe is in danger. He has received threating letters and he does not see a way out. John Angus offers Smythe his help and Smythe is escorted back to his flat. Angus is determined to find out who has sent the letters and he heads out to the former criminal Flambeau and the private detective Father Brown. Before he leaves Smythe’s apartment, he instructs four people to keep an eye on him. Yet when he comes back Smythe is missing and there's a bloodstain on the floor.

"Uncle Silas" is a Gothic locked-room mystery novel by Sheridan Le Fanu. Maud Ruthyn is an orphan, left in the care of her mysterious and evil uncle Silas. The latter keeps thinking up new and creative ways to get rid of his niece. In a similar vein to Wilkie Collins’ novels, Le Fanu’s "Uncle Silas" depicts a heroine in danger, who moves from one hair-raising adventure to the next, making it a perfect, terrifying, horror tale of greed and vile intentions. B. J.

So the Ulleran challenge begins, with the rantings of a prophet and a seemingly incidental street riot. Only when a dose of poison lands in the governer-general's whiskey does it become clear that the "geeks" have had it up their double-lidded eyeballs with the imperialist Terran Federation's Chartered Uller Company. Then, overnight, war is everywhere.

Stanley Featherstonehough Ukridge is willing to do anything to get a buck—except, of course, work. Bombastic and big-eared, Ukridge has a bottomless well of corking ideas that never seem to work out, yet he’s always willing to volunteer others to tackle the inconvenient bits. Whether he’s commandeering a dog college, managing a tender-hearted pugilist, or brushing the perpetual chips off his aunt’s shoulder, Ukridge’s spotty success record never gets him down.

At the height of a scorching summer, multiple EMP attacks are launched against the world’s western allies. Australia and the US are at the top of the hit list. Planes fall from the sky. Cars crash through buildings. Power outages create desperation for food and water and people quickly succumb to the heat. The world crumbles faster than anybody can imagine.