Showing results by narrator "Cathy Dobson" in All Categories

When the new captain takes over command of his first ship for the homeward voyage from the Gulf of Siam, he surprises his crew by taking the first nightwatch himself. While alone on deck he is surprised to find a lone swimmer in the sea who comes on board. The stranger is a murderer escaping justice, but is also eerily an almost exact doppelganger of the captain himself. Not only does he look identical, but the two almost seem to share the same thoughts and secrets. Rather than turn his fugitive-double over to the authorities, the captain hides him in his own cabin.

A wonderful collection of 50 of the best classic ghost stories ever written. 'The Missing Model' by Lettice Galbraith, 'Pomegranate Seed' by Edith Wharton, 'The Screaming Skull' by F. Marion Crawford, 'The Ghost in the Cupboard Room' by Wilkie Collins, 'The Shadow on the Blind' by Louisa Baldwin, 'A Ghost's Revenge' by Lettice Galbraith, 'The Lost Ghost' by Mary Wilkins-Freeman, 'On the Northern Ice' by Elia W. Peattie, 'The Cold Embrace' by Mary E. Braddon, 'The Dust Cloud' by E. F. Benson, and many more.

A gripping collection of over 50 of the greatest short stories written by great British writers. 1."The Missing Years" by Barry Pain, 2. "His Brother's Keeper" by W. W. Jacobs, 3. "A Madman's Manuscript" by Charles Dickens, 4. "The House of Cobwebs" by Barry Pain, 5. "Old Fags" by Stacy Aumonier, 6. "A Long-Ago Affair" by John Galsworthy, 7. "August Heat" by W. F. Harvey, 8. "The Dabblers" by W. F. Harvey, 9. "Rose Rose" by Barry Pain

David Herbert Richards Lawrence (1885-1930) is recognized as one of the greatest English novelists, poets, playwrights and short story writers. His works address such themes as emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct, wrapped up in gripping plots which range from the poignant to the downright creepy.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) was one of the most versatile and accomplished writers of his day, as well as being a prominent art critic, painter, philanthropist and social commentator. His writings included academic essays, travel guides, poetry, manuals, treatises, letters...and one enchanting fairy tale: The King of the Golden River. The story tells of three brothers, two of them greedy and dishonest, the third and youngest a kind hearted and trustworthy lad.

"The Lady Or The Tiger?" is Frank R. Stockton's most famous work, first published in 1882. The semi-barbaric ruler of an ancient kingdom has devised an unusual method of justice. Offenders are placed in the arena of an amphitheatre where they must choose between two doors. Behind one is a hungry tiger and behind the other a beautiful woman whom they will marry. Their fate is left entirely to chance. When the king's daughter's secret lover is accused, only she knows which door hides which destiny.

Sherwood Anderson's wonderful story of a young boy, brought up on an unsuccessful chicken farm, whose impoverished parents try their luck at running a restaurant. The father, not a natural showman by nature, attempts one night to entertain the sole diner with tricks which use eggs. The result is disastrous.

William Fryer Harvey (1885-1937) was an English writer of short stories, particularly in the mystery and horror genres. August Heat is one of his best-known stories. It tells a most peculiar tale of James Clarence Withencroft, an artist who is inspired to draw a sketch of a prisoner in the dock being sentenced. Later the same day, he goes out for a walk and happens upon a stonemason's workshop, where he meets the very man he drew in his earlier sketch.

A riveting collection of stories of ships, sailors, adventures on the high seas and maritime mysteries. The Tale by Joseph Conrad. The Saloon Passenger by E. W. Hornung. The Terrible Story of the "Mary Russell" by J. G. Lockhart. Marooned by J. G. Lockhart. A Rash Experiment by W. W. Jacobs. The Mystery of the Mary Celeste by J. G. Lockhart. Smoked Skipper by W. W. Jacobs. The Flying Dutchman by J. G. Lockhart. The Cabin Passenger by W. W. Jacobs. The Ship that saw a Ghost by Frank Norris.

"The Storm" is Kate Chopin's most sexually charged story, and as such is quite exceptional for a work which was written in 1898. It describes a chance sexual encounter between Calixta and her former flame Alcée during a heavy storm in Louisiana when her husband Bobinôt and her son Bibi are absent. Chopin's description of the events of that day is refreshingly modern and free of the stifling morals of the day.

Alexander Pushkin's greatest short story. Hermann, a young German officer serving in the Engineers regiment, is obsessed by gambling, although he never indulges in it himself. One night he hears a tale about how a wealthy 87-year-old Countess in St. Petersburg once learned the secret of how to win on three cards from the Duc d'Orleans. He becomes obsessed with learning the secret himself. In pursuit of this aim, he becomes enamoured of the Countess' companion, the beautiful Lizaveta.

Herbert George Wells (1866 - 1946) was a prolific English writer of science fiction stories and novels, and is frequently credited as being the father of science fiction. 'The Flowering of the Strange Orchid' is a creepy horror story about an orchid collector who buys an unknown species from the Andaman Islands. The botanist who collected it had died in a mangrove swamp in the process - allegedly from an attack of jungle leeches.

E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror as well as a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist. His stories were highly influential during the 19th century, and he is one of the major authors of the Romantic movement. 'The Cremona Violin' is the story of Councillor Krespel, an eccentric violin maker who lives with a mysterious woman, Antonia, who has the most beautiful singing voice ever heard by anyone in the town, but she was only ever heard to sing once.

The Elephant Man is Treves' own firsthand account of how he met and befriended Joseph Merrick (whom he mistakenly calls John Merrick), a young man with very severe physical deformities, who was being exhibited as a sideshow freak, as half man, half elephant. Treves initially invited Merrick to his rooms in the London Hospital so as to examine him, and to ensure Merrick's admittance he gave him his card.

A creepy anthology of 25 of the most hauntingly scary ghost stories ever written. 1.Afterward by Edith Wharton 2. Bagnell Terrace by E. F. Benson 3.His Brother’s Keeper by W. W. Jacobs 4.A Coincidence by A. J. Alan 5.The Confession of Charles Linkworth by E. F. Benson 6.The Death Mask by H. D. Everett 7.The Room in the Tower by E. F. Benson 8.The Furnished Room by O. Henry 9.The Thing in the Hall by E. F. Benson 10.The Eyes by Edith Wharton 11. The Wind in the Portico by John Buchan.

"Comrades" reveals an ironic humour in its conception and is one of Gorky's lighter tales. A peasant policeman is dispatched to escort a vagrant without papers to the nearest magistrate, a considerable distance away. As the two talk on the journey, it becomes clear to the listener...and finally to the policeman...the real identity of the vagrant.

Poe's mysterious tale of two feuding families. On the night when the young Metzengerstein is suspected of burning his rival's stables, a strange uncanny horse is rescued from the flames. He recognizes the stallion as the one depicted in an ancient tapestry in his castle and believes it also to relate to an old prophecy regarding the two houses. He adopts the horse as his own and becomes obsessed with it.

Growing up in a strange dysfunctional family, Paul discovers that he has a unique gift. He is able, with the aid of his rocking horse, to predict the winners of horse races. In order to gain his mother's affection, Paul sets about winning enough money to sate her consuming passion for luxury with one last enormous wager....

Thirteen terrifying horror stories from the master of the macabre....1. 'Pickman’s Model' 2. 'The Terrible Old Man' 3. 'Dagon' 4. 'From Beyond' 5. 'The Cats of Ulthar' 6. 'Nyarlathotep' 7. 'Imprisoned with the Pharaohs' 8. 'The Book' 9. 'Memory' 10. 'The Beast in the Cave' 11. 'The Evil Clergyman' 12. 'In the Vault' 13. 'Cool Air'

A comprehensive and varied collection of the best vampire stories from the Victorian era by the greatest Gothic writers of the time. Includes: 'The Horla' by Guy de Maupassant; 'Mrs. Amworth' by E. F. Benson; 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' by John Keats; 'Dracula's Guest' by Bram Stoker; 'The Bride of Corinth' by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe; 'Will' by Vincent O'Sullivan; 'Ken's Mystery' by Julian Hawthorne.