B. J. Harrison Reads to Build a Fire
by Jack London
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
A man travels through the frozen wasteland bordering the Yukon River, accompanied by his best friend – a large husky dog. The dog tries to dissuade the man from walking farther into the frozen land, but the man pushes on. At some point the man decides to stop and build a fire. Unfortunately, snow falls from one of the trees and extinguishes the fire. This is the moment where the problems truly begin.
Why is the man travelling through the Canadian frozen lands? Where is he heading to? Will he manage to restart the fire? Will he and his friend survive in the harsh weather?
Find all the answers in Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire" from 1908.
B. J. Harrison Reads T'was the Night Before Christmas
by Clement Clarke Moore
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"T'was the Night Before Christmas" or as it was known in the beginning "A Visit from St. Nicholas" is a magical poem about Christmas and cheer, St. Nicholas and his reindeers, presents and joy, winter and snow, merriment and happiness, and Christmas as a feeling which comes from the heart.
B. J. Harrison Reads the Rival Mechanicians
by Lydia Maria Child
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Antoine Breguet is an old watchmaker who wants to retire. One of his two apprentices is going to take his place, but which one? Who is better qualified and who will impress the watchmaker's granddaughter more? The two men are ready to compete. Whoever comes up with the best, most exquisite and intricate creation will inherit Breguet's shop. However friendship and love stand in the way. What will happen with the two friends and their future as watchmakers? Find out in Lydia Child's "The Rival Mechanicians".
B. J. Harrison Reads the Masque of the Red Death
by Edgar Allan Poe
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
B.J. Harrison reads one of Edgar Allan Poe's classic short stories "The Masque of the Red Death". Prince Prospero and 1,000 other nobles have taken refuge at a castle-like abbey to escape the Red Death, a horrifying plague that has taken over the land at large. Yet horror finds them one night when Prospero holds a masquerade ball and a guest dressed up as the Red Death itself shows up. The chilling story by Edgar Allan Poe dating back to the 19th century is a Gothic horror tale to its very core, providing frights of the most unimaginable type. The story has resulted in numerous adaptations on film, including the 1964 version starring Vincent Price, carrying the same name.
B. J. Harrison Reads Christmas by Injunction
by O. Henry
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Cherokee is a wealthy man who, unlike many others, wants to share his fortune with the people of his town Yellowhammer. He wants to give away presents to the children there but there are no children in town. Will Cherokee be discouraged and let this unexpected difficulty stop him? Or he will find another way to help those in need? Find out in "Christmas by Injunction" by O. Henry.
B. J. Harrison Reads Arsene Lupin Versus Herlock Sholmes
by Maurice Leblanc
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
From the books that inspired the new Netflix series "Lupin" with Omar Sy.
After Arsene Lupin is suspected of the theft of an antique desk holding a winning lottery ticket with his mysterious blonde accomplice, the Parisienne police are at their wits' end. Time to call in Sherlock Holmes. Will Lupin be able to outwit England's most famous detective and come out on top or has he finally met his match?
Two fast-paced adventures full of twists and turns, "The Blonde Lady" and "The Jewish Lamp" will keep readers thrilled as two of literature's most cunning heroes finally come face to face.
After a debate with Arthur Conan Doyle about the use of Holmes, Leblanc showed his trademark wit by changing the characters names to Herlock Sholmes and Dr Wilson for publication.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Death of Halpin Frayser
by Ambrose Bierce
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Halpin Frayser awakes from a dreamless sleep and the only thing in his mind was the words "Catherine Larue". Frayer feels a shiver down his spine because this was not the first strange thing he had experienced that day. Earlier, he was hunting in the forest but he could feel that something was not quite right. The picture of a haunted forest dripping with blood had come up in his mind. He had seen himself writing a poem with blood. The corpse of his mother had been in front of him.
When one day later a detective finds Frayser's lifeless body, many questions begin to arise.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Kiss
by Anton Tchekhov
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Lieutenant-General von Rabbek is a local aristocrat, who invites the officers of the Reserve Artillery Brigade to a cup of tea with brandy. Of all the guests, Ryabovitch is the most unpleasant one. While doing his best to avoid talking to people, Ryabovitch enters a dark room, where he an unknown woman surprises him by kissing him, then running away. The unexpected kiss awakes Ryabovitch's curiosity and passion, and the man spends the rest of the evening searching for the mysterious woman.
Why does nobody like Ryabovitch? Why is he avoiding the other guests? Who was the woman that kissed him? Will he be able to find her again and what will happen if he does?
You can find all the answers in Anton Chekhov's short story "The Kiss".
B. J. Harrison Reads the Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu
by Sax Rohmer
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu" is the second novel in the Fu-Manchu series, in which the villainous doctor returns to Britain in order to undermine the country's power. He has survived the previous novel's deadly attackand is now on the move against the forces of good, embodied by detective Smith and Dr. Petrie, who always disrupt his plans. Fu-Manchu's fanatical devotion to world domination and all things evil make Rohmer's novel a joyride through the actions and thoughts of his superbly-crafted villain. But Rohmer's novel also discusses social and political issues, flavoured with some racial prejudices, making it a rich and enjoyable read.
B.J. Harrison Reads Lord of the Dynamos
by H. G. Wells
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Holroyd is an unpleasant man who is in charge of a power station supporting an underground electric railway. Azuma-zi is a stranger who arrives from the East and soon finds a job at this power station. Holroyd starts to pick on Azuma-zi, lecturing him against religion and describing the dynamo as the only god. Soon enough, Azuma-zi begins to worship the dynamo, with disastrous consequences. H. G. Wells' short story "The Lord of the Dynamos" describes a clash of cultures in a hard, industrial setting. The story, which dates back to the late 19th century, is brought to life by B. J. Harrison.
B. J. Harrison Reads Desiree's Baby
by Kate Chopin
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Kate Chopin's short story "Desirée's Baby" depicts a love story that is far from simple. Desirée was found as a baby by a wealthy French Creole couple, Monsieur and Madame Valmondé, in Louisiana before the American Civil War. She marries Armand, the son of another wealthy French Creole family, and has a son with him. Yet a happy event takes a scandalous turn when upon the child's birth, the parents note that the child carries African blood in him. Whilst this short story is about social class, it also contains fairytale-like elements and even Gothic tones. Discover the story as read by the uncanny B.J. Harrison.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Adventure of the Dancing Men
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Hilton Cubitt visits Sherlock Holmes to show him a sheet of paper with a weird sequence of drawn figures. When these odd messages began to arrive at Cubitt's house, fear and panic overwhelmed his wife Elsie. She is afraid her past is catching up with her, but she refuses to reveal anything about it. Holmes is tasked with decipher the messages and find out who is sending them.
Who is sending the weird cipher messages and for what purpose? Why is Elsie hiding her past so well and why is she so scared? How will Sherlock Holmes cope with the task? Can he save the couple from the impending danger?
You can find all the answers in this exciting Sherlock Holmes story .
B. J. Harrison Reads A Journey in Search of Christmas
by Owen Wister
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Cowboy Lin McLean rides into Cheyenne, Wyoming at Christmastime. His plans quickly take an unexpected turn when he encounters the child of a person he once knew. In the spirit of Christmas, he finds himself going out of his way for the boy who has been living in harsh conditions and gives him a taste of a better life.
A sweet tale about Christmas and warmth, "A Journey in Search of Christmas" is a classic by the master of western fiction, Owen Wister. Hear the novel from the early 20th century as read by B. J. Harrison.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Devoted Friend
by Oscar Wilde
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"The Devoted Friend" from the 19th century is an unconventional classic for children and adults alike. The Water-rat tells the story of Big Hugh and his friend Hans, whose friendship is not what it seems, and certainly not easy. This story within the story tells of friendship, its importance and how it can go wrong. This ageless fairy tale is a dark and funny short story created by Oscar Wilde is now read by B.J. Harrison. It was also adapted into an animated TV movie in 2003 called "Wilde Stories: The Devoted Friend."
B. J. Harrison Reads Where Love Is, God Is
by Leo Tolstoy
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
B.J. Harrison reads the classic by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. Martin Avdeitch is a devoted shoemaker, who works in his basement and meets sorrow in life. His family has died, except for one son. When he faces a crisis, he turns to God to look for an answer to his hardships and find meaning in his life again. The short story "Where Love Is, God Is" from the late 19th century has been adapted to television, including the award-winning television film Winter Thaw (2016) starring John Rhys-Davies.
B. J. Harrison Reads the Unexpected
by Jack London
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Edith Whittlesey is born in a country district of England, where life flows as per the rule of thumb. She is married to an honest and hardworking miner, who works together with four other men. Usually no unexpected things happen, but one day it all changes. One of the miners bursts into the hut where his partners are sitting together with Edith. The man kills two of them but is stopped and tied up thanks to Whittlesey's quick reaction.
Why did the miner tried to kill his partners? Is it because of the gold they have gathered? Or is it a reason? What are the survivors going to do with the murderer? Is Edith's husband going to kill him?
Find all the answers in Jack London's short story "The Unexpected" from 1906.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Colour Out of Space
by H. P. Lovecraft
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
A meteorite crashes in an area around Arkham, Massachusetts and normally life is interrupted. The earth is poisoned, the animals are driven mad, the products that grow there become tasteless. One man decides to find out what has really happened but the townspeople are not willing to give more details about what they have gone through. The explorer however meets a man named Ammi Pierce. He looks a bit crazy but he is willing to share what he has experienced. Is he to be believed and can a logical explanation be given? Find out in "The Colour Out of Space" by H. P. Lovecraft.
B. J. Harrison Reads the Tree That Reached the Sky, a Hungarian Fairy Tale
by Gyula Illyés
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
The swineherd John spots a tree outside the palace that it is so high it reaches the sky. It blossoms in the morning, by noon it bears fruits and by midnight they are ripe. However someone steals each and every apple and the king does not get to taste it. Furious, hr decides to find out who the culprit is. Find out the end of this Hungarian fairy tale in "The Tree That Reached the Sky".
B. J. Harrison Reads The Secret Garden
by G. K. Chesterton
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Aristide Valentin holds a dinner party in his secret garden, which only has one main entrance. Many people are invited. Julius K. Brayne, one of Valentin's rivals, is of the party as well. Everything goes as planned until one group of guests finds a beheaded corpse and the dinner turns into an investigation. Many questions begin to arise: How could someone be killed in a closed back garden without anyone noticing? Who is the victim? Who is the murderer? Where is the head? Find out the answers in "The Secret Garden".
B. J. Harrison Reads The Four Just Men
by Edgar Wallace
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"In newspaper-land a dull lie is seldom detected, but an interesting exaggeration drives an unimaginative rival to hysterical denunciations."
When a British politician pushes through a law that will allow political refugees to be sent back to their countries of origin, he becomes the target of the Four Just Men – a group of vigilantes who set out to the punish the people who consider themselves above the law. The British public watch eagerly on the sidelines as they wait to see if the Four Just Men will succeed in assassinating their Foreign Secretary.
'The Four Just Men' is the first of a series of excellent and highly entertaining detective thrillers by Edgar Wallace.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Call of the Wild
by Jack London
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Buck is a 140-pound dog, a mix of St. Bernard and sheepdog, and lives in Santa Clara Valley with his owner, Judge Miller. However, Buck's happy and comfortable life comes to an end when he is kidnapped from Miller's estate and forced to pull sleds in the Klondike region of Canada. The poor dog does not want to obey his new owner and as a result he is beaten and tortured. After Buck arrives in the cold North, he meets another dog named Curly, that is mercilessly killed by a pack of huskies.
Who kidnapped Buck and how could Miller let this happen? Will Buck learn to obey his new master or will he try to escape? Can he survive the hard life int he Klondike? Find all the answers in Jack London's adventure novel "The Call of the Wild" from 1903.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Door in the Wall
by H. G. Wells
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
B. J. Harrison breathes new life into the fantastical world of "The Door in the Wall". Wallace is a good student living in London's West Kensington neighborhood with his family. At age five, he finds a mysterious door in the wall. When he enters, he discovers a magical garden where he meets unfamiliar creatures and new experiences. After this discovery, normal life seems far too ordinary, and as he finds the door again throughout his life Wallace finds himself torn between the two different worlds. H. G. Wells' short fantasy story from the early 20th century was turned into a BAFTA-nominated short film in 1957.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Hanging Stranger
by Philip K. Dick
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Ed Loyce is a store owner who is faced with a strange sight: someone is hanging from a lamppost. Furthermore, alien insects have taken over yet no one seems to consider things to be out of the ordinary. Ed goes to the police to sort things out and to find out what is going on, only to be thoroughly surprised.
The science fiction short story "The Hanging Stranger" by Philip K. Dick from 1953 was adapted into an episode for the television series "Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams". The story is read by the versatile B.J. Harrison.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Lady With the Dog
by Anton Tchekhov
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Dmitri Gurov is a nearly forty-year-old man, who is married and has three children. He is unhappy with his marriage and regrets this big mistake every single day. While on a vacation, Dmitri meets Anna Sergeyevna – a young lady, who just like him is unhappily married. Very soon a love affair enfolds between the two and they start secretly meeting at different places. Unfortunately, Anna must go back to Moscow because her husband is having some health issues. Dmitri cannot live with the thought of never seeing her again and sets off to find her.
Why is Gurov not happy with his marriage? What exactly is he missing? How long is the affair going to last and can it evolve into something greater? Will Dmitri be able to find Anna in the big city?
You can find all the answers in Chekhov's short story "The Lady with the Dog".
B. J. Harrison Reads The Judge's House
by Bram Stoker
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
A student arrives in a small town willing to find a quiet place where he can prepare for his exams. An old mansion seems like a great option for him. The locals warn him that strange things occur from time to time, but the student is not superstitious. He will however come to rethink his decision. Out of nowhere the house starts filling with rats. What is happening? Is there some logical explanation or he is really experiencing supernatural events? Find out the answers in "The Judge's House" by the master of horror, Bram Stoker.
B. J. Harrison Reads a Christmas Tree and a Wedding
by Fyodor M. Dostoevsky
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
The narrator in the story has just came back from a wedding, but he wants to take us to a Christmas party that he was at several years ago and where he witnessed how big of a difference there is between the social classes. He saw how the rich people's children received expensive gifts while one poor boy, the son of the governess, received only a book without covers. The narrator observed something else too: children do not build relationships based on wealth. They are pure and free from prejudices – until the society changes them. Do you want to know what the connection is between this Christmas party and the wedding? Between one rich girl and one poor boy? "A Christmas Tree and a Wedding" by Fyodor Dostoevsky holds the answers.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Tell-Tale Heart
by Edgar Allan Poe
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
B.J. Harrison tells Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Tell-Tale Heart", where our narrator has committed the crime of murdering an older man. He does not consider himself a madman, and he describes the murder up to the smallest detail. Yet he has killed a man whom he loved and had never wronged him, for the sake of the mans' "evil eye". The novella from the 19th century is one of Edgar Allan Poe's best-known short stories and has been transformed into theatre, film and television adaptations alike. One of the most recent ones is the film The Tell-Tale Heart from 2016, starring Rose McGowan.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Edgar Allan Poe Collection
by Edgar Allan Poe
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
The Edgar Allan Poe Collection features a selection of works from the pioneering 19th-century poet and writer Edgar Allan Poe. Poe's works include the dramatic short story "The Tell-Tale Heart" to his perhaps most famous poem "The Raven". This collection promises some of the finest from the master of mystery, horror and the imagination. With the riveting B.J. Harrison as the reader, these words and tales are not to be missed by fans of gothic settings and eerie atmospheres.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Canterville Ghost
by Oscar Wilde
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
B.J. Harrison breathes life into one of Oscar Wilde's first short stories, "The Canterville Ghost". The American Hiram B. Otis and his family move to a castle in Canterville Chase in the English countryside. They soon discover that they are not alone in the castle and that the ghost of an old tenant, Sir Simon de Canterville, is with them. Yet the family is not so easily scared, even if the ghost can take many shapes and forms.
The short story from the late 19th century mixes humor with the macabre. It has seen countless stage and screen adaptations, including the 1974 film adaptation "The Canterville Ghost", featuring James Whitmore.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Sign of The Shadow
by Maurice Leblanc
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
From the books that inspired the new Netflix series "Lupin" with Omar Sy.
On 15th April, every day, Louise d'Ernemont leaves the house in the morning with her daughter and does not return home until nightfall – and nobody knows where she goes. It turns out that she is in fact the granddaughter of the wealthy d'Ernemont, who was guillotined on that exact date years earlier. A lost fortune, hidden jewels, a family mystery, it's time for Arsene Lupin to step in to help the heirs of d'Ernemont.
The third story in Maurice Leblanc's collection "The Confessions of Arsène Lupin" about gentleman thief and criminal mastermind, Arsene Lupin. A classic detective series perfect for readers who love Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe's C. Auguste Dupin.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Witch Caprusche
by Elizabeth Fries Ellet
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"I will not suffer thee, ungrateful girl, to rule my people according to thine own capricious will!"
The king of Denmark is extremely frustrated with his daughter. Not only does she reject every suitor who asks for her hand – she does it so rudely that her reputation has become horrible in the neighboring countries. When the King orders her to marry one of her cousins, she does so only begrudgingly, and instantly starts planning her father's murder with her new husband. But can the newlyweds trust each other knowing what the other is capable of?
Grim, but satisfying 'The Witch Caprusche' is essentially about karma. Less melancholy than a Hans Christian fairytale, but with similar insight, the story certainly deserves a place among the greats.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Aunt and Amabel
by Edith Nesbit
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"What would you have done? Rubbed your eyes and thought you were dreaming? Well, if you had, nothing more would have happened. Nothing ever does when you behave like that."
In 'The Aunt and Amabel' a young girl damages a special flower-bed without meaning to, and as a punishment her aunt sends her to the bedroom with the large wardrobe. When Amabel finds a railway timetable naming a station called 'Bigwardrobeinspareroom' in there she is intrigued. And in opening the wardrobe, she finds something very unexpected on the inside.
C.S. Lewis was famously a fan of E. Nesbit's children's stories growing up. 'The Aunt and Amabel' is the inspiration behind his masterpiece 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' (1950).
B. J. Harrison Reads The Moonlit Road
by Ambrose Bierce
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Joel Hetman Jr. is summoned home because his mother was found dead. The only thing his father saw was an unknown man fleeing their home. The murderer was never found and the crime case turned to a mystery. One night Joel and his father were walking down a moonlit road when suddenly the father saw a pale figure. Was it a ghost or was he going crazy?
Joel will finally find out what happened to his mother. "The Moonlit Road" by Ambrose Bierce holds all the answers.
B. J. Harrison Reads Shadowed by Death
by Maurice Leblanc
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
From the books that inspired the new Netflix series "Lupin" with Omar Sy.
At Chateau de Maupertuis, death shadows Lady Jeanne Darcieux, as she escapes more than one attempted murder. But hero and gentleman burglar, Arsene Lupin is lying in wait and he can't help saving a stranger, especially if she's young and rich.
The sixth story in Maurice Leblanc's collection "The Confessions of Arsène Lupin" about gentleman thief and criminal mastermind, Arsene Lupin. A classic detective series perfect for readers who love Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe's C. Auguste Dupin.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Baron of Grogzwig
by Charles Dickens
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Baron Grogzwig lives a life full of pleasure, drinking and hunting with his friends. But when he decides ´ to marry one of his fellow baron's daughter, his days change drastically. First he has to send his friends away as per his wife's demands. Then his responsibilities start growing bigger with time as his wife gifts him with twelve children. When the thirteenth child is on the way, baron Grogzwig's despair and lack of money become unbearable. He decides to end his life. Will he commit suicide or will someone or something be able to make him rethink his decision? Find out the answers in "The Baron of Grogzwig".
B. J. Harrison Reads The Return and the Second Generation
by Algernon Blackwood
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Can people come back from the dead? Can they bring something or someone back from there? If so, can they reach out to people who are still alive?
"The Return" and "The Second Generation" are two stories about supernatural occurrences, about people returning from a world, which most of us do not know. Algernon Blackwood sets the readers in a scary and dreadful atmosphere which only the bravest can endure.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Hand of Fu-Manchu
by Sax Rohmer
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"The Hand of Fu-Manchu" is the third book in the Fu-Manchu series. It follows the mad doctor's adventures in the wicked underground world of crime. A secret organisation threatens to destroy the foundations of global power by resorting to assassinations and terrorism. Once again, Fu-Manchu faces Nayland Smith in this heart-stopping adventure full exotic settings, opium addicts, and villainous acts of treachery and malice.
B. J. Harrison Reads Barbara of the House of Grebe
by Thomas Hardy
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"Barbara of the House of Grebe" is a short story from Thomas Hardy's collection "A Group of Noble Dames". It is a dark that intertwines madness and desire. Barbara Grebe is already promised to a wealthy lord when she elopes with another young man, Edmond Willowes. He suffers a terrible disfigurement, and the couple's love begins to falter. Hardy's pessimism is revealed in his total rejection of the idea of eternal love, certain of its ephemerality. He writes a tale of female desire, madness, doomed love, and social roles giving "Barbara of the House of Grebe" immense psychoanalytic depth.
B. J. Harrison Reads A Chapter in the History of the Tyrone Family
by Sheridan Le Fanu
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"A Chapter in the History of the Tyrone Family" is a Gothic short story by Sheridan Le Fanu focusing on a young woman who marries a Scottish landowner with a dark past. A short story whose haunting and semi-supernatural elements might have influenced Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre", Le Fanu's tale combines a lot of elements – horror, romance, thriller, and drama – to create a compelling and sophisticated world from which there is no easy escape. All this, together with the countless secrets, murders, and betrayal turn the short story into a melodramatic Gothic classic, recommended to fans of the genre.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Captain of the Pole Star
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
While in the middle of the arctic ocean, Captain Nicholas Craigie decides to cast anchor. His crew, however, is afraid that the ship will be trapped in the ice, which would lead to everyone's inevitable death, but the captain is unwavering. Suddenly, one morning, the second mate reports that he has seen a ghost during the night. Of course, everyone laughs at him and refuses to believe his words. But things change when sailor Milne also reports seeing a shadow wandering around their boat. One night the brave captain decides to go out in the dark to find the ghost.
For what reason did the captain decide to anchor in the middle of the arctic ocean? What is this mysterious ghost that is wandering around the boat every night? Will the captain be able to find the ghost and solve the mystery? What will happen with the "Pole Star" and its crew?
You can find all the answers in this intriguing short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Harbor Master
by Robert William Chambers
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
In this dark story by Robert W. Chambers we are introduced to a detective, who is tasked to uncover a hoax in the Pacific Northwest. There he investigates the possible existence of a terrible porpoise-skinned humanoid with an insatiable hunger for human females.
If you like reading dark and weird stories, then "The Harbor Master" from 1904 is the right one for you. Do not hesitate to embark on this journey and solve the mystery of the porpoise-skinned humanoid.
B. J. Harrison Reads Lamia
by John Keats
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
The Greek god Hermes descends from Olympus in search of an invisible nymph. He sees a snake who speaks with the voice of a woman named Lamia. She tells Hermes, that her spirit is trapped in this snake's body. She offers Hermes to help him find the nymph if he uses his divine powers to turn her into a human again. Lamia herself is searching for a charming young man named Lycius.
Who is the nymph that Hermes is looking for? Why is she so special to him? Why is Lamia trapped into the snake's body? Will Hermes agree to the deal and restore Lamia's normal human appearance? Will she find the attractive Lycius?
Find all the answers in John Keats' poem "Lamia", published in 1820.
B. J. Harrison Reads In Letters of Fire
by Gastón Leroux
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
Three young men are caught by a storm and are offered shelter by a strange man. Something about him is very disturbing and they are about to find out what it is. Their host claims that he has made a pact with the Devil and can't get himself out of the deal. Is he going crazy or he is telling the truth? If it is the truth, can the three visitors help the poor man? Find out in Leroux's "In Letters of Fire".
B. J. Harrison Reads The Furnished Room
by O. Henry
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"The Furnished Room" is a short story about love and dedication, about exhaustion and despair. A young man is searching for a girl he fell in love with. He rents a room near the theatre where she could sometimes be seen and he devotes his days to the dream of finding her. When all of a sudden the sweet fragrance of her perfume fills his room... Has he finally found her? Or is this an evil ghost from the past? Will he get to embrace the girl he loves or she will drag him to the verge of madness?
B. J. Harrison Reads Olalla
by Robert Louis Stevenson
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
A nameless Scottish soldier is recovering from his wounds in a Spanish hospital. He takes a temporary residence with a local family. Felipe and Olalla are two siblings living with their mother, with whom the soldier develops a casual friendship. After being absent for a while, Olalla returns to the house and the Scotsman immediately falls in love with her. He wants to take her away and show her the world but the family is hiding a dark secret. Why did the family accept to take in the soldier? What is the dark secret they are hiding? What will happen to the Scotsman? Find all the answers in Robert Louis Stevenson's short gothic story "Olalla" from 1885.
B. J. Harrison Reads the System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether
by Edgar Allan Poe
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
In "The System of Doctor Tarr and Pofessor Fether" from the 19th century nothing is quite what it seems. During his tour of southern France, our narrator visits a local mental institution, of which he has heard a great deal. Upon arriving at the institution, which is run by an acquaintance of his travelling companion, the narrator quickly finds that something is off. He learns that the previous system used with the patients is no longer in use and has been replaced with something much more radical. The short story spiced with dark humor by Edgar Allan Poe is brought to us by the voice of B.J. Harrison. It has inspired film versions, such as Stonehearst Asylum (2014) featuring Michael Kaine, based loosely on the story.
B. J. Harrison Reads Playing With Fire
by Arthur Conan Doyle
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
A small group of friends decide to attend a seance at a local art studio. While some of them are very sceptical about the whole thing, others believe in the medium's abilities. The group starts a discussion about a new painting of a mythical creature, when a Frenchman joins and claims that he sees a unicorn in it. Shortly after the seance begins, a strange light fills the room and the medium starts speaking in a different voice. The voice is that of a person no longer within the living. A short conversation arises between the group and the spirit that possesses the medium.
Why do the friends decide to attend this seance? What do they want to find out? Will the sceptical ones believe in the occult? What does the mysterious painting actually represent? What is the group going to learn from the spirit and will something else happen?
Find all the answers in Sir Conan Doyle's short story "Playing with Fire", first published in 1900.
B. J. Harrison Reads The Eyes
by Edith Wharton
read by B. J. Harrison
Part of the Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison series
"Phil, my dear boy, really -- what's the matter? Why don't you answer? Have you seen the eyes?"
An older gentleman invites a group of friends over for dinner and to discuss the supernatural. Afterwards, when only two guests remain, he tells them a story about The Eyes, about a man who is repeatedly haunted at night by a pair of grotesque eyes floating over the foot of his bed.
'The Eyes' is a short, sharp read that slowly enters your psyche and leaves you with a paragraph that may haunt you forever, because it's not about ghosts at all... Elegantly eerie and similarily atmospheric, this Edith Wharton story makes a great companion to Henry James' 'The Turn of the Screw' (1898).