Showing results by publisher "Next Chapter Audio Ltd" in Literary Fiction

Strange Tales of Scotland all deal with a particular aspect of Scottish mysteries. You'll learn of the ghost that appeared at the wedding of King Alexander II, and of monsters such as the Shellycoat and Water-horse that were thought to inhabit Scotland’s lochs...Finally, we have a look at the legend of the phantom armies of Scotland; soldiers who refuse to fade away even centuries after their wars have been fought, and their causes faded in history. Welcome to the Strange Tales of Scotland.

Burmese War, 1852. Unable to join the famous Royal Malverns, Jack Windrush is commissioned into the despised 113th foot. Determined to rise in the ranks and make a name for himself, he is sent with the 113th to join the British expedition. But when they get involved in the attack of Rangoon, Jack realizes that war on the fringes of the empire is not as honorable and glorious as he expected. After a chance meeting with a renegade British soldier, Jack witnesses the true terrors of war, and begins to question the whole framework in which he has grown up.

Very few knew Antonia, despite her fame as La Stella di Venezia. In decadent 18th century Venice, she develops from Vivaldi’s star pupil into his musical colleague and the pride of Venetian music. After falling in love with Orlando Sagredo - master planner of the Palio - Antonia recognizes the emotional bondage she has never questioned. Antonia of Venice is inhabited by brilliant musicians, avaricious politicians, and ineffectual rulers of the Republic.

At the age of 21, Sydney Grey returns to her quaint hometown of Stoney Creek and begins renovations on her childhood farm. When she discovers a set of journals written by her mother - presumed to have abandoned her family 20 years ago - a long-hidden mystery is uncovered, leading Sydney to fear that her mother’s disappearance was the result of foul play.

When Luca went to Sicily in search of his parents’ roots, he didn’t count on meeting Vito: a wizened old man who seemed to embody the history of the island in his bones. He also didn't count on Vito taking him back centuries – millennia – to the ancient times when Sicily was settled by seafaring people, and fought over by warring tribes and invaders.

Chelsea, 1547. At 10 years old, Lady Jane Grey arrives at Old Manor to begin her education with the Dowager Queen Katherine: Widow of the late Henry VIII. Jane is a bright, scholarly girl, but destined to reach early maturity and be manipulated and groomed by over-ambitious men. After being forced to marry Guildford Dudley - son of the Duke of Northumberland - the country is divided and Jane struggles to come to terms with her situation.

People don't know what to expect as the rather aloof Reverend Matthews descends upon his unfamiliar parish. Nevertheless, he is welcomed with open arms. But after discovering a journal left by his predecessor, the clergyman begins to wonder what secrets lie behind the seemingly innocent lives of his congregation. The Bishop's unexpected arrival has the vicar questioning his own past and a cloud descends upon his religious beliefs, bringing chaos to both himself and the townsfolk.

This seaside town holds more secrets than you could ever imagine. Grace and Dick Thomas are the proud owners of the Sandybank Guest House, a pristine establishment set in a prime location overlooking the beach. Tourists come and go all year round, enjoying the beautiful setting and their host's wonderful culinary skills. However, the permanent residents of this pretty coastal town cause net curtains to flutter and tongues to wag with their myriad of secrets and tales to be told.

At the dawn of World War Two, German-born nurse Emma Taylor sits by the bedside of a Jewish heiress in London as she reminisces over her dear friend, Oscar Wilde. As the story of Wilde unravels, so does Emma’s past. What really happened to her husband? She’s taken back to her days in Singapore on the eve of World War One. To her disappointing marriage to a British export agent, her struggle to fit into colonial life, and the need to hide her true identity.

It's the 1960s, and Joe has fled the big city only to end up in the small resort town of Applewood. Writing for the Gazette, Joe's life is uneventful until strange events begin to unfold. A young girl drowns off a motorboat, and a local farmer plants a hoe in his wife's back. The assistant manageress of the bank vanishes without a trace. Why is the whole town going crazy?

Alicia Collinson poses a surprising question to her dinner guests: “Do you think lying is endemic in society today?” They all have different answers based on their experiences, but what was the purpose of Alicia’s question? She was separated from her twin brother Tom, when they were eight. Tom graduated into a life of violence, while Alice found a life of fortune and wealth in her partner Mary. But when Mary unexpectedly passes away, a new person enters Alice's life - someone who seems to know every detail about her.

When a deadly plague seizes the walled town of Avignon, young Marius is determined to save his townsfolk from the raging pestilence. While leading the effort to combat the Black Death, Marius is distracted by a liaison with the mysterious Alice. Meanwhile, Pope Clément harbors a burning desire for vengeance on the boy’s father. As death sweeps through the city, can Marius reconcile his passion with a duty to his wife, and his responsibility to the townsfolk?

Marvin Spangler is a self-centered, ill-equipped teacher of high school history, tasked by his principal to form an auctioneering team that has a chance in hell of winning a Tennessee state championship. He assembles a team comprising three very different souls: Larry Jr., the damaged prodigy, is led by fate; Eric, the obsessed jock, by unrequited love; and Helen, the usually disinterested beauty, by an inexplicable fascination. Together they surrender to a journey that carries them to the cusp of the summit of their dreams...and the nightmares awaiting far down below.

When the first hate letter arrives in the aftermath of her patient Bonnie’s death, obstetrician Dana Cavanagh reads it with shaking hands before placing it next to the small news article from the court’s verdict: Not guilty. Hate mail continues to trickle in, but one stands out from the others: A cryptic message with a tiny marble stone, its origins in Kos, Greece, the birthplace of Hippocrates. Dana had once proudly sworn his oath, "I will give not deadly medicine". Accompanied by her sister Madeleine, Dana follows the mystery of the letter to Kos.

In 1960's Brooklyn, NY, troubled teen Billy Delaney's life takes a drastic turn. After Billy and his high school friends get arrested during an attempted armed robbery, their lives are torn asunder. Billy struggles with unresolved issues of guilt over his friends' misfortunes. Obsessed to help them get back on track, he continues to seek "the break" that can redeem their lives. But the easy money along the criminal path is enticing, and soon Billy finds himself consumed by the moral struggle between good and evil.

Woodstock is a teenager, growing up restless and bored in the small East Texas town of Werchet. It's the 1980's, and this town seems to never let its citizens leave: to be born in Werchet is to stay there. Woodstock is afraid that delivering pizzas, day after day, will always be his life. Determined to change his future, Woodstock sets goals for himself and plans to escape Werchet’s clutches.

In 1755, the famous Portuguese tile maker Pêro Manuel Pires is empathetic to a fault. He is dedicated to freeing slaves with the proceeds of his art and hiring the freed to work in his tile factory, triggering rage and repercussions from a competitor. Risking his life and liberty, Pêro is determined to push forward. But on All Saints Day, November 1, Portugal is struck by earthquakes, tidal waves and massive fires, and Pêro loses what is most dear to him.

Beneath a façade of palm trees and sunshine, homelessness and addiction are bubbling to the surface. It can be hard to shake the brands others place on you; Derek, currently homeless, knows this better than most. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Melissa has a new boyfriend. Her best friend hates his guts but won't say why. Melissa and Jess find themselves drawn into a battle for reconciliation between their friends. With their help, painful truths from the past stand a chance of release, and a family receives the gift of restoration.

Cuando la matriarca de la familia judía menos exitosa de Estados Unidos se cansa de su desgracia, consulta los textos místicos en busca de ayuda. Decidida a que su próximo nieto será un genio que cambiará su suerte, y convencida de que nadie en su clan es lo suficientemente inteligente como para criar a un genio por sí mismo, decide que el niño pasará de casa en casa para ganar su sabiduría colectiva.

Abigail has always struggled with the voices. From the relentless tyranny a woman faces on an antebellum plantation to the unknown prison camps in America during World War II, our heroine discovers the past in a way that changes her future. Moments from the past serve as guiding posts for the country’s growth, and also mark the transitions for Abigail’s own personal history. Her best friend, Margaret, partners with Abigail to discover the identity of the mysterious voices, while focusing on her passion and quest to become a United States senator.