Showing results by narrator "Maria Johnson" in All Categories

Gaslight flickers. Fog curls through forgotten streets. And in the shadows of great houses and haunted towns, something ancient stirs. In this series of standalone yet interconnected gothic tales, bestselling author Stephanie Marcum leads listeners deep into the heart of Victorian horror—where wealth and privilege mask curses, family legacies are written in blood, and the line between salvation and damnation grows perilously thin.

France, 1940. Nazi forces march towards Paris. Lili Rosenswig's wealthy and eccentric family is ensconced in their country chateau with their sumptuous collection of arts and antiques. The beloved Matisse portrait of Lili's mother has been brought from their Paris salon for safety. It is the day before young lovers Lili and Paul are to be married that they are forced to flee and their fortunes change irrevocably.

Following the demise of the old rector, newly reformed Thomas Allen receives a position as vicar near Allen Abbey, his boyhood home. But memories of Thomas’ wild youth cause both the gentry and the country folk to doubt his sanctity and sincerity. Only Mary Bates, the daughter of the Abbey’s steward, seems willing to believe that the leopard has truly changed his spots.

After losing a hand at Waterloo and selling out of the military, Captain William Allen has little to live for. But when he encounters the clever and exquisite Margaret Blackburn, the necessity of extricating her from a moneylender's clutches gives him a new purpose in life. If Margaret is to remain in London long enough to realise her goal of becoming a published author, William must convince Margaret's mother that he is a suitor in earnest.

When Eloise Blackburn finds a strange gentleman perched in the leafy branches of an ash tree, she has strong suspicions he is not who he says he is. After all, the neighboring Allen family has never mentioned a cousin named Crispin from the West Indies. And what's this he's saying about a missing inheritance and a secret passageway in Allen Abbey?

In Tragedy at Ravensthorpe, Chief Constable Sir Clinton Driffield arrives at the Ravensthorpe estate just in time for an opulent 1920s masquerade—but behind the silk masks and champagne toasts, danger simmers. A mysterious figure is stalking the halls, family tensions threaten to erupt, and whispers of local folklore—including the enigmatic “Fairy Houses”—haunt the estate grounds.

was in love with the romance and beauty of the dancing white horses of Spain and Portugal and the artistry of Baroque Classical riding. When my young Lusitano colt arrived from Portugal, his purity and intelligence deeply affected me. His joy and precociousness was captivating. Yet, if I was to turn him into a riding horse, how was I to achieve this without affecting all the connection and engagement I already felt with him? I was in a dilemma, and I began to realize I wanted more than the prescribed horsemanship offered for Unico within its lens of goals and competitiveness.

It is 1535, and in the tumultuous years of King Henry VIII’s break from Rome, the religious houses of England are being seized by force. Twenty-year-old Catherine Havens is a foundling and the adopted daughter of the prioress of the Priory of Mount Grace in a small Yorkshire village.

I have always wanted to tell my story, not for sympathy or to shock anyone but to show I am human. My life has been far from perfect. It's not one of those broken child books. I am and never will be broken. I am a strong woman with a successful career. Why is it called Fact or Fiction? Sometimes I have said to myself, " You couldn't make this shit up”, but then wonder if people would actually believe me if I told them.

East Berlin, 1982. When Greta Schneider meets Henry Henderson, she is instantly smitten. An engineer on a work visa from Britain, Henry offers Greta a taste of the world beyond the Iron Curtain, a world that she yearns to explore as a translator once she finishes university. For Henry, Greta is simply perfect—bold and beautiful, adding a vital spark to his everyday life.

A quiet moment of light can change everything. In An Arrow in a Sunbeam, Sarah Orne Jewett delivers a beautifully reflective story filled with warmth, emotional insight, and the gentle rhythms of coastal New England life. Known for her graceful prose and deeply human storytelling, Jewett...

Portrait to Landscape: A Landscape Strategy to Reframe Our Future is a groundbreaking book that calls for a transformative shift in our relationship with the natural world. Written by a renowned landscape architect, this book offers a new perspective on our place in the world and a compelling vision for a regenerative future. In an era plagued by environmental disasters and global challenges, the book argues that our exploitative and fragmented relationship with nature is at the root of these issues.

Jack Long is enjoying a rare opportunity to spend an afternoon at the beach alone with his son, when tragedy strikes. Years of heartache follow, but Jack gradually rebuilds his life, eventually finding a measure of peace, until one day, a 12-year-old boy literally cycles into his life, and the nightmare begins again.

Award-winning poet Helen Frost received the Michael L. Printz Honor for her acclaimed debut novel, Keesha's House. Written in free verse, Hidden is a compelling tale about an unlikely friendship between two girls. Darra Monson and Wren Abbott first cross paths when Darra's deadbeat dad is...

As a child, Richard dreamed of knighthood and gallant deeds. As a grown man, he is committed to doing his best as an officer of the Guard, as a Lord of the land, and as a father. Living up to his oaths is easy. Being a good husband is much more of a challenge. Alysoun has done everything expected of a woman in her position. She has married well and had two clever, healthy children. That's not enough. Richard is kind, but increasingly distant. Alysoun herself has pain and fatigue magic can't fix. In truth, she is isolated and more than a little bored.

Felicity Wren, a woman without family, is bound by societal expectations and a lonely past. Theodore “Tad” Hartford, the son of a successful merchant, is an outsider to the world of nobility. Their arranged marriage, a means to secure Felicity’s future and Tad’s ascension in Society, begins as a duty but quickly becomes something more.

Forbidden love and seductive intrigues intertwine in "Camelot's Echo: The Once and Future King," Where the pursuit of the Holy Grail becomes entangled with the clandestine affair between Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere. As their passion casts shadows over Camelot's splendor, a war erupts, leading to the illicit seizure of the throne by the cunning Knight Sir Mordred. The kingdom, once radiant, crumbles in a final, devastating battle.

It’s midwinter in 1539, and Catherine Havens Overton has just given birth to her second child, a daughter. The convent in which she was raised is now part of the Overton lands, and Catherine’s husband William owns the properties that once belonged to her mother’s family. With a son, Robert, and her new daughter, Veronica, Catherine’s life as the mistress of a great household should be complete.

In a world invisible to human eyes, the enchanting Faery Realm exists. Entering a secret portal from the mundane to the magical begins Tansy WaterSprite's adventure of sparkling danger. Her evil guardian is stalking her with a different, dark agenda. Only "littles" who have been monitored since birth and passed secret tests are invited to attend the Faery Academy of QuillSnap, but not everyone gets to stay. Those who overcome the dangerous obstacles during the Night of the Purple Moon will determine who stays.

S. Trell Beaty is a woman who has worn many hats - wife, mother, grandmother, divorcee, and widow. In her book, Trell captures five life lessons encircled by heaven-sent reminders instilling an intuitive understanding built on faith and an eternal perspective. The essence of her life lessons shared will attach to you symbolically each time you reflectively ponder them upon the five fingers of your hand.