Showing results by narrator "Virginia Ferguson" in All Categories

Dmitrey Merezhkovsky, a formidable historian and philosopher, known best for his epic narratives from Russian history, takes a romantic foray into the realm of life, death, love, and all things in between. Sound interesting? The author thinks so too! Listen to The Spirit of Romance, and experience the compelling world of historical romance.

Helen couldn't be more pleased to see her daughters, their husbands, and the kids gathered together. The Matthews have always been big on family. This year, with her grandson's arrival, and her daughter, Payton, settled in a new marriage, it was the perfect time to start a new holiday tradition! The chatter around the Christmas dinner table is usually merry and bright. So what could possibly go wrong? It all starts when one individual becomes very curious about a family secret. Will the curiosity spiral out of control and ruin Christmas for the Matthews?

November 1283. Prioress Eleanor’s cousin, the earl of Ness, visits with his wife, Eda. When his unloved spouse is murdered in the priory chapel with his knife, he becomes the prime suspect. Another murder follows. Eda’s quiet priest is killed in the same chapel. Eda had many enemies, so what connection could there be between a ruthless woman and a pious man who cared nothing of earthy things? Crowner Ralf insists the crimes fall under the king’s law and that Prioress Eleanor lacks objectivity because of her cousin’s involvement.

Five-year-old Sarah doesn’t understand why she’s afraid. But she is. Frightening things keep happening in their new home. A century earlier, a servant girl with dreams of fame and fortune collided with the house’s mistress - a British aristocrat bent on securing her place in proper society. The tension between these women began with small things, built to prickly pressure, and then exploded into raging mayhem, tearing the entire household apart. Fury, vengeance, and hatred infuse the very walls of Crawley House.

Recently retired from the Royal Navy, much acclaimed Captain Bartholomew Grayson has come home to London. He’s looking forward to the Christmastide season, especially now that he’s adopted his 10-year-old former cabin boy. The waif needs a family, and Bart wants to recapture the joy of his own childhood. Too bad the fly in the ointment is a strong-willed harridan with a tart mouth intent on stealing his cargo.

Another strange tale by Alexandre Dumas is as spooky as it is remarkable, in that it is impossible to tell where it's going at any given point. It progresses in leaps and bounds, and you shall understand the fully intended pun when you listen to it.

When a spate of sudden deaths occurs amongst the elderly in Ellie's home town, the South Australian ambulance officer grows concerned. After a man purporting to be the relative of one of the deceased who clearly is not moves into the old man’s house, she becomes suspicious. She alerts a local cop, Nick, who takes her concerns seriously.

Pierrot is one of Alexandre Dumas' stranger tales, a delightful mishmash of humor, adventure, satire, and poignancy. While presented as a children's tale, it has plenty of layers making it a satisfying story for grownups as well.

Sophie lives a comfortable life with her family in Bath before discovering that her mother, Joan, gave a baby up for adoption 40 years ago. Of course she could have had no idea what effect that decision was to have, not only on her son's life, but also on her own and her future family's. Decisions made with the best of intentions, sometimes result in unintended consequences, as in this case.

Father Felix, head master and parish priest at St. Polycarp Church and School is on his way to Palermo, Sicily, with a wild bunch of teenage girls from St. Hilda's school. He is sharing chaperone duties with Amelia Johnston and Julia Hopwood, both teachers at St. Polycarp and incorrigible amateur detectives, or snoopy busybodies in father Felix's mind, who credit themselves with solving the recent murder of Ms. Pinkerton at St. Polycarp School. Ms. Johnston and Ms. Hopwood think their trip is just an exciting week away during the long summer break.

They stood in a rough circle looking at what lay on the floor at their feet. One cleared his throat, hawked and spat. The spittle fell beside the dead man's shoe. The other three exchanged glances. Swift, furtive. The fourth stood tall. "So perish all traitors," he said.

This installment of the Alternative Endings series takes a fresh look at Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen", following Kai and Gerda in a somewhat different direction than the original.

The year is 1972. Following a fatal accident, 22-year-old Adrienne makes a chance discovery that propels her to Paris in an effort to uncover what happened to her mother, who had deserted the family home 10 years before. A man professing to be her father agrees to help her and travels with her to Paris. What Adrienne discovers is a saga that spans three decades, with its roots in the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1942.

Operation Rhubarb was an MI5 and Scotland Yard joint undercover investigation of Brockeln Belland, a city of London bank of impenetrable pedigree that was brought to a violent close 10 ago. One survivor of the blast, now-16-year-old Juliet, is seeking the truth about her parents' death. As the old case notes land on a Scotland Yard detective inspector's desk, Juliet's back-door inquiry opens a deadly can of worms that the Establishment presumed buried.

The thrills of 24, the swagger of Reacher and the smarts of Spooks. There’s a mercenary on the streets of London, protected by a gangland boss and bankrolled by members of the government, all of whom are embroiled in a plot to subvert democracy that puts thousands of lives at risk. This is the thrilling debut novel by Ben Bruce, an explosive, fast paced thriller that opens up the world of The Regulators Jack Quinn and Adam Morgan, as they work with tenacious NCA officer Thea Watts to stop the plot, before it’s too late.

It wasn't all musketeers, mysterious ladies, poisoned gloves, and palace intrigue.... Sometimes, Alexandre Dumas stepped back from historic misadventures and wrote fairy tales - and a very good job he did of it, too.

Many lies have been told about Mary Astor. She never abandoned her parents to poverty. Her face was their fortune rather than her own. Nor did she rate on a private scorecard the sexual prowess of Hollywood's leading men. But two more dangerous and persistent lies have distorted the understanding of her life. One lie defines Astor as the survivor of sex scandals and suicide attempts who ended up living on charity in a retirement home for film folk.

An old-fashioned ghost story with a twist and a chuckle, The legend of Countess Bertha shows us the more playful side of Alexander Dumas.

The theme of new beginnings continues as Rebecca and Ethan prepare to welcome their firstborn. However, these two have a lot more to figure out besides navigating parenthood. With the clock winding down before the baby's arrival, will they decide to make things official by getting married? Lastly, we can't forget about Cole's mother, Alice. She spent many years looking after the family.

Uncomplicated People is another masterfully written, bittersweet tale by Maria Krestovskaya - an everyday tragedy of love lost and dreams wasted on the altar of solid and secure mediocrity.