Showing results by publisher "Next Chapter Audio Ltd" in Anthologies & Short Stories

A woman sits on a city bus, reflecting on her life - do both need change in direction? Is it possible that a single pea left on plate can change one’s future? What dark secrets are revealed by an old suitcase? And will the surprise for Christine go according to plan? Playing upon a myriad of sentiments and emotions, Eileen Thornton's A Surprise for Christine is a collection of 12 sweet, lighthearted, and romantic stories sure to brighten even the darkest of days.

It's Christmas Eve - a time of wonder, magic, anticipation....And terror. A father who will go to any lengths to feed his hungry children. An unsuspecting woman who inherits a house with a deadly secret. A murderous widow who shares a train carriage with Jack the Ripper. Two burglars who bite off more than they can chew, during a late-night raid. These, and many more bedtime stories, come hideously to life, in Mark L'Estrange's 19 tales of terror - each set on the most festive night of the year.

Though often drawn in to difficult circumstances not of their own making, the women in She Is Vengeance always have the final say in what impacts their world. These strong women guide their own outcomes against a myriad of settings, from libraries to farms, beaches, the city, and even a deserted lighthouse.

A collection of crime stories with a difference, the quick listens in She Is Vengeance all have strong female protagonists who refuse to be the victims in their own life stories.

What if a man with a Gila-Monster head decided to try his luck with online dating? What if the government conducted a secret experiment in which they altered the color of people's skin? What if a famous serial killer was hired to kill a Nazi war criminal hiding in the US? What if the corpse of John Wayne was reanimated so he could appear in a low-budget zombie movie? Find out the answers to these and many other questions in Fever Dreams and Drunken Scribbles, a powerful, one-of-a-kind story collection by a master storyteller.

A portrait which hides the secret to a brutal murder. A secret military experiment which results in a terror beyond imagination. An invitation to a night of passion, too good to be true. A derelict asylum for the criminally insane, where one patient refuses to leave. A young girl unleashes her feline instincts. A serendipitous discovery that carries the DNA of a serial killer. A murder victim who returns from the grave, seeking retribution. These, and many other tales of terror, await you in Mark L'Estrange's Spine Chillers, ready to turn your blood to ice.

Some art is worth dying for. After Niki Dupre buys a painting at a Starving Artist sale, she learns that the artwork is priceless, and that there are others who also want it in their possession. The church wants it back. Two mobsters want it back. And all of them are willing to kill to get it.

He gathers his wits and calls emergency services. Despite a thunderstorm, Sheriff's deputies, the fire department, and an ambulance all respond quickly. But there's little they can do. The victims are long dead. The snoop invites the emergency workers inside, out of the rain, to await the arrival of the coroner and the funeral home staff. The lightning flashes. The thunder rolls. And the setting inspires the police, firefighters, and paramedics to pass the time by telling stories, both thrilling and chilling. And you are invited to join them.

Time Wasters are short adventures based on true stories. They’re all titled Super Short Preludes because they are just that: super short stories that lead up to big life concepts or events, designed to help pass short spouts of time. Each mini-book in the series actually contains an entire story that will draw you in, make you laugh, and then allow you to move on with your life.

In "Promises", during the late 1960s, the ketch, Mercy, sinks during a sea storm off Culebra near the Virgin Islands. Ciara Malloy assumes custody of her drowned fiancé’s son, and learns a devastating secret about the boy that changes her life forever.

Songs of the Dead is a collection of 19 short stories with varying themes, ranging from creepy to the supernatural. In “The Dinner Guests,” a man finds himself experiencing an unusual hunger. In “She Had a Good Heart,” a young heart transplant survivor meets her donor's family for the first time. What could go wrong? In “Dobie's Last Ride,” a man finds himself at odds with a seemingly harmless black Lab, who turns out to be a bit less harmless as he first thought. This book contains graphic violence and is not suitable for listeners under the age of 18.

Welcome to Thunderlands. It looks the same on the surface, but there's just a hint that all might not be what it seems beneath. Even the most ordinary things may be just a touch off kilter. Stewart Bint’s collection of 21 short stories ranges from the sublime to powerful, puzzling, funny, horrific, different, and unforgivably ridiculous.

Dark humor, dread, and despair—this collection of short stories has it all. Some will make you smile wryly; others will creep you out. All will inspire your dark imaginings.

Infused with gentle optimism, these 15 uncompromising stories explore themes of sacrifice and hope in domestic relationships. At once dark, poignant, and witty, All Because of You depicts intimately and honestly the travails and heroic responses of women and men confronting the pith of their lives.

A cantankerous old woman is charged with aiding a young girl. A male dryad finds his place in the world. Paralyzed from the neck down, a teenage sculpting prodigy is given a new opportunity to pursue her art again. A Victorian professor journeys across England to lecture on evolution, only to walk into trouble at every turn.

Humor and nonsense, flights of fantasy into other realms, fright, disgust and disappointment, silliness and wonderment, and the sadness of reality and heartache. It’s all here, and more, in stories that may leave you a little Off Center in the Attic.

A boy seeks cosmic revenge on the adults in his life. The darkest of carnivals rolls into the neighborhood. The Devil haunts a man’s entire life in a possession story unlike anything you’ve ever listened to. A Nazi officer is tormented by time’s most cursed seductress. The whole world is truly held in the hands of Gods - and much more.

Becker is a British traveler in trouble. Madhurima is a rising star police officer. In these three explosive tales, the two join forces to investigate the city’s crooked high society. On the way, they take on deluded would-be messiahs in search of Mother Teresa’s stolen millions, encounter fanatics, circus freaks and cannibals, fall in and out of love, and pay homage to one of the world’s most beautiful and toughest cities. Amidst passion, murder and mayhem, is there room for two lovers driven by justice and compassion?

Topical, relatable, and just plain fun, these and many other stories in this collection deal with friendship, kinship, and the complexities of the modern world, and are sure to leave you with a smile.

A cabinetmaker, private investigator, journalist, mystery lady, homemaker, police officer, true-crime writer, and flavorist. Between them they witness, investigate, perpetrate, and are victims of serious crime. Murder in the midst of carjacking, fraud, statutory rape, theft, vindictive bullying, and serial arson.

Explore the distant realms of your imagination. Dive deep into alien worlds, learn how a kingdom that knew only light brought darkness to the world, and gasp with horror at the annihilation of an entire species. Covering a myriad of thought-provoking topics—from alien cultures to human relationships and genocide—each of these five stories encapsulates the wonder of human, and humanoid, curiosity and strength.