Short Stories

When vandals destroy beach hut 512 on Brighton’s iconic seafront, they reveal a dead body that has apparently lain undisturbed for two months. But according to the hut’s owner, Sims, its locks rusted shut three months ago and she hasn’t had access to it since. So how could the man have got in, and why is there no evidence of the murderer?

In the twelve stories of Heart Lamp, Banu Mushtaq exquisitely captures the everyday lives of women and girls in Muslim communities in southern India. Published originally in the Kannada language between 1990 and 2023, praised for their dry and gentle humor, these portraits of family and community tensions testify to Mushtaq’s years as a journalist and lawyer, in which she tirelessly championed women’s rights and protested all forms of caste and religious oppression.

It’s a New Jersey summer in 1967, and thirteen-year-old Ravi Ramanathan has the makings of a tennis prodigy. His surgeon father encourages his ambition, while his mother dreams of their only child following his father’s path. Surrounded by his parents’ love, Ravi chafes a bit at their daily routines and little traditions. Then one unexpected day, everything changes. Realizing how much he took for granted, Ravi must grow up overnight and find a new role in the life of his family.

Nathan Tyler ist ein unscheinbarer Mathematikprofessor, der sich ausschließlich der Welt der Zahlen verschrieben hat. Bis ihn eines Tages das Weiße Haus kontaktiert. Bei einer streng geheimen Besprechung erfährt er, dass er eine kryptische Kette von Gleichungen entschlüsseln soll, die möglicherweise das Passwort zum Zugang zu den russischen Nuklearcodes für eine Raketenanlage ist. Alles, was er tun muss, ist, ein Treffen mit dem renommierten russischen Mathematiker zu erreichen, der sie erstellt hat.

Sounds good? The author thinks so, too. Listen to Short Story Collection, Vol. 077 today.

Once upon a time, there was a kind and honest man named Hans. He lived alone in a tiny cottage. Hans was a little man who owned a beautiful garden, where he grew flowers of all kinds and colours which were sold in the market to make some money. He enjoyed the company of another man called Hugh, a miller who used to visit Hans very often during the summer time and with whom he shared thoughts about friendship and loyalty. Hans was so devoted to Hugh that he even gifted him whole bunches of flowers from his own garden.

A medida que Lord Murchison intenta descubrir el secreto detrás de la enigmática belleza de Sibyl, se ve envuelto en una trama de intriga y pasión. La historia explora temas como la dualidad entre la apariencia y la realidad, la obsesión amorosa y las consecuencias de perseguir un ideal inalcanzable.

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit and the Pendulum plunges listeners into the claustrophobic mind of a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition, who awakens in utter darkness to face a series of psychological and physical torments. Chained beneath a slowly descending pendulum blade, surrounded by monstrous iron walls and the yawning mouth of a deadly pit, he must summon every ounce of courage, reason, and instinct to survive.

In a town full of suffering poor people, a swallow who was left behind after his flock flew off to Egypt for the winter meets the statue of the late "Happy Prince", who has never experienced true sorrow, for he lived in a palace where sorrow was not allowed to enter. Viewing various scenes of people suffering in poverty from his tall monument, the Happy Prince asks the swallow to take the ruby from his hilt, the sapphires from his eyes, and the gold leaf covering his body to give to the poor.

Don Juan de Alfranje, un noble caído en desgracia, busca venganza contra aquellos que lo han traicionado y arruinado su familia. A lo largo de su viaje, enfrenta duelos, intrigas políticas y conspiraciones en la corte española. Con la ayuda de leales amigos y su astucia, Don Juan desenmascara a sus enemigos y lucha por restaurar su honor y herencia.

Beginnend mit einem mysteriösen Mordfall, in dem der Erzähler - Dumas selbst - in eine surreale Welt voller rätselhafter Geschichten gezogen wird, führt das Werk durch eine Vielzahl von phantasmagorischen Erzählungen. Dumas, bekannt für seine historischen Romane, beweist mit diesem Werk sein Geschick für das Fantastische.

A small, dark speck becomes the starting point for a cascade of thought—quiet, precise, wandering. In a room with a fire, a cigarette, and silence thick as dust, a mind drifts from memory to philosophy, from loss to structure, from trees to snails. Virginia Woolf's voice here is both still and restless, charting the motion of consciousness as it moves without hurry or warning.

In 2004, Mark Leslie released his first collection of chilling fiction and disturbing poetry in a volume called One Hand Screaming. Twenty years later, this special anniversary edition that is more than twice as long as the original includes all the stories and poems from the first edition plus new ones published in the past 20 years along with all new pieces crafted specifically for this volume. This collection includes previously published award-nominees alongside original and never-before published works.

We all come to the fork in the road many times every day, every week. What was your last fork and where did the road lead? Choice, Chance, and Repercussion face each of us when we decide to go left or right. Reflecting later was it a good or poor choice? Did it yield wealth or disaster? Should we have taken greater care? These 25 stories examine those possibilities in various genres: general, romance, adventure, mystery, crime, fable, and fantasy—whatever your leaning you will find something to your taste here.

Leo the Primus Pilus of the Third Britannorum Cohort under Stillicho receives his retirement papers and land grant to a small farm in Ad Fines Pannonia. He gets more than he bargained for and has to establish himself amid conflicts with the church, Roman officials and warring tribes in a fragmenting Empire in the borderlands between East and West.

The Birth-Mark by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a hauntingly thought-provoking short story that explores the dark side of perfectionism, science, and obsession. With rich symbolism and moral complexity, Hawthorne crafts a powerful narrative that continues to resonate with listeners today. Ideal for fans of classic literature, psychological fiction, and philosophical allegory.

In The Shadow Over Innsmouth, Lovecraft guides listeners into a decaying coastal town shrouded in mystery, where ancient pacts and unnatural beings have shaped generations. What begins as an innocent detour for a young traveler turns into a spiraling descent into horror, madness, and the terrifying realization of what lurks beneath the surface—both of the sea and of his own ancestry.

Rediscover the warmth, laughter, and unforgettable moments of the good old days with Timeless Short Stories for Seniors—the #1 nostalgic collection that brings cherished memories back to life. Do you ever miss the simple joys of yesterday—sharing stories, hearty laughs, and life’s gentle lessons with the people who mattered most? This nostalgic book is your invitation to revisit those meaningful moments and celebrate them all over again.

Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1907 to 1908: This popular classic work by L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery is unabridged. If you enjoy the works of L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery then we highly recommend this audiobook.

“The Piece of String” by Guy de Maupassant is a timeless short story from 1883 that captures the tension between appearance and truth in a small French village. With sharp irony and emotional depth, Maupassant explores how pride, suspicion, and social perception can shape a man’s fate. Originally published in the collection Miss Harriet, this classic work of French literature is a compelling reflection on human nature, reputation, and the power of rumor.

First published in the early 1950s, the story follows beings from across the universe—especially Morran and Lingman—as they seek out the enigmatic Answerer, a near-omniscient entity designed to reveal the answers to any question. But as the seekers discover, the quality of the answer depends entirely on the quality of the question.

One Man’s Poison by Robert Sheckley is a witty and suspenseful science fiction short story from the early 1950s that explores alien life and survival with a darkly comedic twist.

"Nightshade" by Dashiell Hammett is a short story appearing in "Mystery League Magazine, October 1933" featuring Jack Bye, who encounters a young woman, Helen Warner, stranded near Piney Falls bridge. Helen urgently asks for a ride into town, escaping from two men, Tony Forrest and Fred Barnes, who seem wary of Jack. Jack helps Helen and drives her into town, where they stop at a speakeasy for drinks. Their interaction is lighthearted but tinged with tension.

Against the wishes of her stepfather, Mary Sutherland has become engaged to Hosmer Angel. On the morning of their wedding Hosmer elicits a promise that Mary will remain faithful to him "even if something quite unforeseen" occurs, then mysteriously disappears en route to the church. Holmes deduces that Hosmer was Mary's stepfather in disguise, the charade a bid to keep Mary a spinster and thus maintain access to her inheritance.

Bishop Rider Lives! And for a dead man, he’s been busy. His story and the parts of it yet to be told being what populates Brand New Dark.