Showing results by narrator "Harrie Dobby" in All Categories

London, 1940. When nurse Elsie offers to send a reassuring letter to the family of a patient, she has an idea. She begins a book of last letters: messages to be sent on to wounded soldiers’ loved ones should the very worst come to pass so that no one is left without a final goodbye. London, present day. Stephanie has a lot of people she’d like to speak to: her estranged brother, to whom her last words were in anger; her nan, whose dementia means she is only occasionally lucid enough to talk.

Anna Karenina is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Many writers consider Anna Karenina the greatest work of literature ever, and Tolstoy himself called it his first true novel. It was initially released in serial installments from 1873 to 1877 in the periodical The Russian Messenger. A complex novel in eight parts, with more than a dozen major characters, it is spread over more than 800 pages (depending on the translation and publisher), typically contained in two volumes.

When Allie moves to a quaint old cottage with her husband, it’s their dream home. Nestled in the village of Pluckley, it seems a perfect haven in which to raise their two children. But Pluckley has a reputation. It’s known as England’s most haunted village. And not long after the birth of their new son, Allie begins to notice strange things.... What’s the flash of white she sees moving quickly through the woods to the back of their house? And what’s the strange scratching noise coming from the chimney?

In her huge mansion overlooking Wyllow Cove, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Natalia Amore had everything she could possibly want. But her house is empty and Nat yearns for the cosiness and bustle of seaside living. In particular, the rundown Lavender Cottage that has gone up for sale. But when her family arrives on the doorstep, all in need of her love and care, Nat's dream of a new life crumbles. Lavender Cottage will just have to wait. That is, until Irishman Connor enters Nat's life and makes her realise that it's okay to put herself first, and she's allowed to wish for more.

After his dad's death, Konrad stops speaking. Not a word at home or school. But that begins to change when he meets Maya on the beach he loved to explore with Dad. She doesn't mind his silence. It gives her a chance to be heard, because at home no one seems to notice her. When the pair go on a last visit to Konrad's family bookshop before it's sold, they soon get lost in the pages of Konrad's favourite book of folk tales. Whisked back in time to quest with a dragon, they must find themselves and their voices, as well as a happy end to the story in the book and in real life.

"Miss Brill" is a short story by Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923). It was first published in Athenaeum on 26 November 1920, and later reprinted in The Garden Party and Other Stories. Miss Brill is an English teacher living near the Public Gardens in a French town. The narrative follows her on a regular Sunday afternoon, which she spends walking about and sitting in the park.

Nina's life sounds great on paper. Or, more precisely, in her author bio. But, in reality, the farmhouse is crumbling, her gambling ex-husband has run away with all their money and Nina is just about keeping their (leaking) roof over her children's heads. But then her agent and best friend, Alice, gives her some life-changing news: her very first novel, Written in the Stars, has been picked up by a film producer in Hollywood. And before she knows it, she's flying her out to LA to meet the producers! 

The Baron is a short story by Katherine Mansfield: "Who is he?" I said. "And why does he sit always alone, with his back to us, too?" - "Ah!" whispered the Frau Oberregierungsrat, "he is a Baron." - She looked at me very solemnly, and yet with the slightest possible contempt - a "fancy-not-recognising-that-at-the-first-glance" expression.

Moni the Goat-Boy written by Johanna Spyri (1827 - 1901): Moni is the goat boy who takes care of all the goats belonging to the people of Fideris, Switzerland. His favorite is a young kid named Mäggerli. One day Moni comes across a serious situation where he must keep a deceitful secret in order to protect Mäggerli from being killed. This delightful short story teaches children that to trust God and do right is always better than being deceitful.

Suzanne is engaged to be married to the man of her dreams - except the lead up to her wedding is beginning to feel more like a nightmare. Can Suzanne uncover the truth about her fiancé ahead of her big day? Bella's life was on track until the day of the hen party when everything changed. Now she must find the strength to rebuild her future - and decide who she wants to spend it with. Mandy's grandmother has fallen in love, but her family don't approve. For her grandmother's dreams to come true, Mandy has a secret wedding to plan, and a very special dress to find.

After a very long and turbulent year, Sarah is dreaming of the five-star getaway her sister has booked them on. White sands, cocktails, massages, the Caribbean is calling to them. But as the sisters turn up to white sands, beach shacks, a compost toilet and outdoor shower, Sarah is sure there's been a mix-up. And there has.... At the last-minute, Amy decided a conservation project would be much more fun than a resort. 

Melody Bird has discovered an old, abandoned building on the edge of town.... It's a dark, creepy place, but she can't resist its pull. When she goes to explore, she finds a boy hiding out there.  Hal tells Melody that he is a spy-in-training, using the house as a base for his undercover surveillance of a nearby suspected criminal. He's very secretive about the details, but Melody trusts him and starts bringing him blankets and sneaking him food. 

What happened to Elisa Lam, found dead in a water tower atop a hotel roof? Who were the two men who came to see her, and what was in the mystery box they gave her? Why did the location of her gravestone match the zip code of a bookstore miles away? Why did a man write the Fibonacci sequence as a clue and tell a stranger he was 'Looking for the Beast' before he disappeared in the barren plains of a desert? Find many more head-scratching puzzles in Tales of Mystery Unexplained. 

Caught up in an alien war on a distant galaxy, Casey and her team are fighting for their lives—but which side should they be on? The second in an exciting and original debut sci-fi adventure trilogy for the gaming generation. Casey and hundreds of other SkyWakers are now stuck on the planet Hosin, thousands of miles out in space, forced by the Red Eyes to fight the elusive Squids. 

Failing antibiotics have shifted society online. As big tech companies begin to dominate life, the boundaries between real and virtual have blurred. At 14, Jess is attending school for the first time. Meeting other children and making real friends is something she's dreamed of for years. But Jess misses her family, especially her sister Chloe, who is in poor health. With Chloe's sickness worsening and her medication getting more expensive, Jess turns to the digital world to fix things. 

Lockdown is putting Sophia’s life on pause - just as she planned to put herself out there and meet someone. When the first clap for the keyworkers rings out around her courtyard, she’s moved to tears for all kinds of reasons. Jack is used to living life to the fullest. He’s going stir-crazy after just days isolating. Until the night he hears a woman crying from the balcony under his. He strikes up a conversation with the stranger and puts a smile on her face. Soon their balcony meetings are the highlight of Jack and Sophia’s days.

Heidi is a work of children's fiction published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri, originally published in two parts as Heidi: Her Years of Wandering and Learning and Heidi: How She Used What She Learned. It is a novel about the events in the life of a young girl in her paternal grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. It was written as a book "for children and those who love children" (as quoted from its subtitle).

Germans at Meat is a short story by Katherine Mansfield: Bread soup was placed upon the table. "Ah," said the Herr Rat, leaning upon the table as he peered into the tureen, "that is what I need. My 'magen' has not been in order for several days. Bread soup, and just the right consistency. I am a good cook myself"-he turned to me. "How interesting," I said, attempting to infuse just the right amount of enthusiasm into my voice.

"The Lady's Maid" is a story by Katherine Mansfield: Eleven o'clock. A knock at the door... I hope I haven't disturbed you, madam. You weren't asleep - were you? But I've just given my lady her tea, and there was such a nice cup over, I thought, perhaps...

"Bank Holiday" is a story by Katherine Mansfield: A stout man with a pink face wears dingy white flannel trousers, a blue coat with a pink handkerchief showing, and a straw hat much too small for him, perched at the back of his head.