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

In "Lost in a Pyramid; or The Mummy's Curse" by Louisa May Alcott, Paul Forsyth and his fiancée Evelyn discover that taking souvenirs back from ancient places may not be the best idea. Paul returns from an expedition to Egypt with his risk-taking colleague Professor Niles with a box of seeds, which Evelyn takes a liking to. The problem is, the seeds were collected from the grave of a sorceress, who has vowed to take revenge on anyone disturbing her resting place.

"Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by Washington Irving about a man who drinks some liquor then falls asleep for 20 years amidst the hills. Having missed the American Revolution, Rip Van Winke returns home but finds it completely changed. What he notices is really important, as they possess social and political messages that Irving wanted to stress.

Mr. Cave is an antique shop owner with some curious items in his collection. One of these if an extraordinary crystal egg, which he comes across one evening. Indeed, the egg seems to be a gateway to the planet Mars. This science fiction short story by H. G. Wells dating back to the late 19th century has inspired numerous other literary pieces, as well as radio and television adaptations. "The Crystal Egg" is considered to be a precursor to H. G. Wells' famous science fiction novel "The War of the Worlds" from 1898. B. J.

Inspector Lestrade is investigating a series of break-ins in London which have one thing in common: shattered Napoleon busts. After many unsuccessful attempts to solve the case, Lestrade comes to a dead end and is forced to ask Sherlock Holmes for help. The next day another bust has been destroyed, but there has also been a murder. Holmes wants to solve the case as quickly as possible to prevent another crime. He finds out that all the Napoleon busts come from the same mould.

Can people come back from the dead? Can they bring something or someone back from there? If so, can they reach out to people who are still alive? "The Return" and "The Second Generation" are two stories about supernatural occurrences, about people returning from a world, which most of us do not know. Algernon Blackwood sets the readers in a scary and dreadful atmosphere which only the bravest can endure.

This a typical Christmas story but with a classic Leacock ironic twist and a zest of humour. "The Errors of Santa Claus" is a charming tale of gift-giving and kindness. It is Christmas time and parents are getting their children’s gifts ready.

Set in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age, this story introduces us to the legendary Conan the Barbarian. After the death of Vendhya’s emperor, Bunda Chad, Conan kidnaps his sister - Devi Yasmina.

Holroyd is an unpleasant man who is in charge of a power station supporting an underground electric railway. Azuma-zi is a stranger who arrives from the East and soon finds a job at this power station. Holroyd starts to pick on Azuma-zi, lecturing him against religion and describing the dynamo as the only god. Soon enough, Azuma-zi begins to worship the dynamo, with disastrous consequences. H. G. Wells’ short story "The Lord of the Dynamos" describes a clash of cultures in a hard, industrial setting.

Father Brown, an amateur detective, takes up his first case ever. He has to find the infamous criminal Flambeau. The task is however very difficult because Flambeau is a master of disguise and nobody knows what he really looks like. The detective finds out that Flambeau is planning to head out to an international conference in London, most probably intending to steal some religious articles. So Father Brown decides to cross Flambeau’s path. What the detective had not expected is a police inspector from Paris to be crossing his path.

Mrs. Pratt mysteriously dies in her sleep after a fight with her husband. He thought that she had tried to poison him. But maybe it was the other way around? After a while Mr. Pratt is found dead as well, with a skull next to his head. Those who believe in ghosts think that Mrs. Pratt finally got her revenge. What do you believe? What happened with Mr. Pratt? If you are courageous enough, find the answer in "The Screaming Skull" by Francis Marion Crawford. B. J.

Apart from the ubiquitous presence of the authors who work in the short story tradition, the Second Season introduces poems and novellas. The romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge is here with his haunting and supernatural sea adventure "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", while Rudyard Kipling tests the human condition with his famous poem "If". Perhaps the most potent addition in this second part is Joseph Conrad’s timeless novella "The Heart of Darkness", exploring the darkest recesses of the human soul. B. J.

Composer and music teacher Annette Brougham hears a knock on her ceiling. Ready for a confrontation, she goes up and is surprised to find herself drawn to the mysterious artist Alan Beverley. As their relationship develops, Annette finds herself knocking on the ceiling whenever she wishes to speak with Alan. However, it appears that things are more complex than meets the eye, and Annette is faced with an important decision. The short story "The Man Upstairs" by P. G. Wodehouse is filled with relationship twists and unforeseen turns.

B. J. Harrison reads P. G. Wodehouse's second full-length novel featuring the beloved characters Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves. Bertie returns from a trip to find his friend seeking advice from Jeeves. Insulted, Bertie attempts to provide counsel of his own to those around him, but with utterly disastrous effects. The novel Right Ho, Jeeves dates back to the early 20th century and features classic Wodehouse twists of humor to amuse readers of all tastes. Not to be missed by friends of situational aristocratic comedy. B. J.

Jerome, George and Harris are three hypochondriacal friends who like to spend time comparing their illnesses, although none of them is ill. One day they decide to go on a vacation by sailing down the Thames river towards Oxford. The three friends prepare a long list of things they will need and even take the dog Montmorency with them. During the journey they visit many different places and fall into various and interesting situations.

The Porte Montmartre is under citizen Bibot’s command and he is determined not to let anybody escape. When he finds out that Scarlet Pimpernel is planning his next rescue mission, he is ready to do whatever it takes to stop the commander of "The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel". Will he manage to do so or will Pimpernel outwit him? Will the Duc and Duchesse de Montreux be saved by Pimpernel or will this mission fail? Find out the answers in the second of eleven short stories, combined in "The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel" from 1919.

Halpin Frayser awakes from a dreamless sleep and the only thing in his mind was the words "Catherine Larue". Frayer feels a shiver down his spine because this was not the first strange thing he had experienced that day. Earlier, he was hunting in the forest but he could feel that something was not quite right. The picture of a haunted forest dripping with blood had come up in his mind. He had seen himself writing a poem with blood. The corpse of his mother had been in front of him.

Forty-two years old Marlow is drinking with four other Englishmen. They have known each other since the beginning of their working lives. Some of them have other jobs now, but they still gather to recall the good old days. Marlow tells his friends a story of his early life, when he travelled to the East as a young man in search of adventure. He shares his experience and impressions of the different cultures he came across with the four men.

The Greek god Hermes descends from Olympus in search of an invisible nymph. He sees a snake who speaks with the voice of a woman named Lamia. She tells Hermes, that her spirit is trapped in this snake's body. She offers Hermes to help him find the nymph if he uses his divine powers to turn her into a human again. Lamia herself is searching for a charming young man named Lycius.

Ed Loyce is a store owner who is faced with a strange sight: someone is hanging from a lamppost. Furthermore, alien insects have taken over yet no one seems to consider things to be out of the ordinary. Ed goes to the police to sort things out and to find out what is going on, only to be thoroughly surprised. The science fiction short story "The Hanging Stranger" by Philip K. Dick from 1953 was adapted into an episode for the television series "Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams". The story is read by the versatile B.J. Harrison. B. J.

A woman is suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and her husband takes her to a colonial mansion where they can spend the summer. The woman is however closed and isolated in a single room where her nervous depression gets worse with the time. The only thing she sees all day long is a yellow wallpaper which she studies in so many details that she finally finds a creeping woman behind the pattern. The summer is over and the family is about to go home. The husband opens the door to his wife’s room.