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Neurotic Literature

Neurotic Literature

By: James Lark
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What was the dreadful thing that threatened the fortunes of the Kingdom of Haufzeignet? How did a dinner engagement cause Lord Trivett's world to fall apart? And what was the single, fateful phrase that destroyed young Mary's life forever? From the pen of writer James Lark comes a series of short stories about people who are almost certainly worse off than you are. Often bizarre, sometimes unsettling, occasionally downright upsetting, they can at least guarantee to provoke a response - and, in an increasingly mechanised world, you can take comfort from the fact that no AI could possibly come up with an audiobook like this. Have a laugh at somebody else's expense, or at the very least, reassure yourself that reality is not quite as bad as this...2023
Episodes
  • Flights of Fancy
    Nov 5 2025

    When he noticed that the wing of the aeroplane was falling apart, Alan Biengo was not surprised. After all, he had pretty much predicted that it was going to happen.

    Even so, he was absolutely furious.

    But when his skill for predicting calamity on an aeroplane proved more than a little astute, it was to lead him to make a discovery about the nature of flight that was all the more surprising considering how obvious it ought to be...

    In the final episode of this season of Neurotic Literature, we bring you a story for anyone who is a little bit afraid of flying.

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • The Call of the Void
    Oct 31 2025

    'How strange... I was having a most wonderful dream.'

    When Gillian collapses at her granddaughter's ballet performance, her son Bradley is forced to confront his fears about vulnerability and mortality, still raw from a recent loss.

    But as doctors puzzle over her condition, Gillian becomes convinced that her deterioration is being caused by something - or someone - far beyond the explanation of medical science. Are her memories playing tricks, or is the voice in her sleep reaching for her - and, perhaps, for the rest of the family?

    A story about ghosts, whether they be real or imagined...

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    40 mins
  • The End of the War Against Terrorism
    Oct 22 2025

    Derek Smawk was an easy man to loathe. A squat figure with a pinched face, his track record prior to election had shown him entirely unsuited to the role of a public servant. Lazy, incompetent and a congenital liar, his all-round unattractiveness was matched by a kind of bullish incoherence when he spoke in public, as if he didn't really think his audience merited the effort to make actual sense. He was, if nothing else, an unlikely person ever to be a Prime Minister, lacking as he was in personality or any notable skills.

    This was his biggest strength as a politician: being unelectable puts a person in a position of absolutely no responsibility at all, enabling them to make all kinds of promises that need never be tested.

    In this story, we find out what happens when somebody unelectable unexpectedly gets elected, and their promises suddenly become a little bit significant...

    (It's just a story, of course - this sort of thing could never really happen, could it?)

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    21 mins
All stars
Most relevant
Lark has a uniquely entertaining style. He draws the reader into a sense of Woodhousian charm and familiarity, then pulls the rug out with an explosive level of 21st century incision and devilish wit. Genuine laugh-out-loud moments, punctuated by superbly crafted writing and originality. Won't be long before this series is snapped up for a major Netflix adaptation!

A real comedy gem!

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I loved all of these, like listening to the flip side of M.R. James or an updated version of Woodhouse. Dry, gentle wit, with wicked plot turns.

Brilliant, dry raconteur

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