Short Family

On Ash Wednesday in 1908, Swiss German immigrant Fritz Hirter arrives at his children’s school, where he is the lone custodian. But soon after lessons start, a fast-moving fire breaks out—its cause is unknown, but its effects are horrifying. Although Fritz is soon cleared of any responsibility for the catastrophe, the community continues to suspect him, supremely testing Fritz and his family.

A story about a man grappling with his thoughts while hunting. This story explores complex themes of hope and personal growth after coping with loss.

always wondered, How does she do it? Defying gravity is no easy trick. Neither is motherhood. Now that her mother is leaving New York for bigger skies in New Mexico, it’s a new stage in life for both of them in an ever-evolving relationship that reveals the true magic of being a mother.

I’m Stephen Lund, confirmed bachelor…and son of a successful billionaire whose sins I can’t forget - or forgive. Though he insisted I get over his transgressions, I can’t. So I put space between us with a temporary getaway to Maui. My rental’s sexy caretaker, Skye Ingram, is a beautiful distraction. Yeah, it’s a terrible time to start a fling, but I can’t help wanting to give her every bit of pleasure she’s willing to take. When Skye needs a date to her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, I’m game to play her pretend fiancé.

In A Family Affair Shorts: Heartbreak, book four, Gloria finally decides to confront her suspicions that Charles has been having an affair and hires a private investigator. It is one thing to suspect, but what she discovers is so much more than a simple affair. And for those who remember Gloria’s ability to exact revenge, you won’t want to miss this!

In A Family Affair Shorts: Peace, book five, Charles visits Miriam and Lily, as he’s done for the past several years. Their time is ordinary and enjoyable, and passes too quickly. There’s already talk about the next visit and Lily’s 14th birthday in a few months. Such grand plans and dreams that will die on the icy road with Charles and create what can only be called fate as his two families converge.... And that’s where A Family Affair begins!

In A Family Affair Shorts: Regret, book two, Harry Blacksworth commits an unthinkable betrayal against his brother when he has an affair with his sister-in-law, Gloria. Listeners have often wondered about the events that led up to the betrayal and the aftermath that culminated in a pregnancy and a child who could belong to either brother.

In A Family Affair Shorts: Love, book three, Charles is determined to let duty prevail over desire and breaks off his relationship with Miriam. But he soon realizes his real life is with Miriam, even if it is only four days a month. When he confesses this truth, she shares a truth of her own; She’s pregnant. Together, they will form a new family, one that, while not conforming to society’s standards, is nonetheless filled with love and commitment.

"Canadian Family Adventures" follows the tale of 10 Irish siblings who immigrate to Canada in the late 1880s. Their mother, Maggie Collins, wants her children, between the ages of 10 years old and 30 years old, to have a good life, and she arranges for them to sail to Canada. The ten siblings arrive in Canada by ship, and each one settles in a different area of Canada and pursues a different career.

Few authors in America write with such sheer love of story, language, and imagination as T.C. Boyle, and nowhere is that passion more evident than in his inventive, wickedly funny, and widely praised short stories. In After the Plague, Boyle speaks of contemporary social issues in a range of...

From her many well-loved novels, Hilma Wolitzer - now 91 years old and at the top of her game - has gained a reputation as one of our best fiction writers. These collected short stories - most of them originally published in magazines including Esquire and the Saturday Evening Post in the 1960s and 1970s, along with a new story that brings her early characters into the present - are evocative of an era that still resonates deeply today.

How quickly the ground shifts beneath our feet. We make choices—in the face of love, or violence, or necessity—and the effects ripple outward. In these moving short stories, acclaimed authors examine the foundations of the past, uncovering the irreversible decisions and life-changing encounters that mark the turning point between before and after.

A short story from one of the country’s most-acclaimed and popular novelists James Lee Burke's story collection, JESUS OUT TO SEA...

Lonely, thanklessly courteous, and without the benefit of status, Gordon Schulmeister is only tolerated in his younger, hip, and gentrified Oakland neighborhood. Now, amid the tensions of a pandemic, the cantankerousness of his landlord, and dog sitting an intimidating pit bull, Gordon has never felt the target on his back so acutely. To keep his neighbors off his heels, with some hope and a sigh, Gordon might have to finally speak up.

When Jules first meets the handsome artist Kirin, she’s still mourning her husband’s death, but a fairytale romance soon sweeps her off her feet. Now she and her daughter Scout are moving out of the city and into Kirin’s once-lonely mansion. He’s thoughtfully updated and adapted the home to match their personalities. But Scout is determined to keep her father’s memory alive by rejecting the new life her mother and Kirin have spun for her.

A prequel to the nationally best-selling Jeff Resnick Mysteries, this collection of short stories chronicles Jeff's (and his brother, Richard Albert's) backstory. What forces molded these men into the people they are today? Find out in these 11 thought-provoking tales that span from Jeff and Richard's first meeting until two years before the first book in the series, Murder on the Mind. These stories are not mysteries.

From silly mix-ups and sweet surprises to timeless traditions and magical memories, Christmas Bedtime Stories for Kids (Part 3) wraps your child in cozy, comforting stories that celebrate connection, kindness, and family love. Each tale is short, soothing, and perfect for toddlers and kids to drift off to sleep with the spirit of Christmas in their hearts.

Ruskin Bond’s simple characters, living amidst the lush forests of the Himalayan foothills, are remarkable for their quiet heroism, courage and grace, and age-old values of honesty and fidelity. Residents of nondescript villages and towns, they lead lives that are touched by natural beauty as...

From the author of the imaginative and “awe-inspiring” (New York Journal of Books) The Electric State—now a Netflix film—comes the haunting sequel to his remarkable Tales from the Loop. Welcome back to the Loop. In 1954, the Swedish government ordered the construction of the world’s...

The story before the story...What happened before A Family Affair began? Best-selling author Mary Campisi answers this question in her new Park Bench series. These short stories make the perfect park-bench listen and are named after her signature park-bench covers.