Emil Tischbein’s adventure begins when he is traveling by train from the small town of Neustadt to visit his grandmother in Berlin. His hardworking mother has given him 140 marks in an envelope which is securely fastened with a pin to his inside pocket. Unfortunately for him, he’s sharing a railway carriage with a man in a bowler hat who, taking advantage of Emil’s sleepiness, has robbed him.

While Emil secretly follows the villain through the bustling streets of Berlin, he realizes that no policeman will believe him. He has no proof! But when a band of children hear his story, they join him and take on the role of detectives to capture the thief.

Generations of children have enjoyed Emil’s story and its lessons of teamwork and integrity. The man in the bowler hat has stolen his money, so would it be right for the detectives to steal the money from him?

“No,” they decide, “that would be stealing too!”

So they come up with an ingenious plan….

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The Odyssey has survived nearly three thousand years because it speaks to a simple, powerful truth: sometimes the hardest battle is not the war abroad, but the long, uncertain journey back home.

In this modern prose retelling, Homer’s epic is presented as a continuous story rather than as verse. The language is clear and contemporary, but the structure and major episodes of the original are faithfully preserved. You will hear:

Telemachus’s search for news of his missing father

Odysseus’s captivity on Calypso’s island and his shipwreck on unknown shores

The unforgettable encounters with the Cyclops, Circe, the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis

The visit to the underworld, where the dead speak hard truths

The tense return to Ithaca in disguise, the contest of the bow, and the reckoning with the suitors

This edition is especially suited to listeners who want the story itself—the characters, decisions, and consequences—without the barrier of archaic English. It is a perfect entry point for students, lifelong learners, and anyone who simply loves a good tale well told.

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The Oz Collection by L. Frank Baum presented by The Online Stage.

This collection features all 14 original Oz books written by L. Frank Baum. You will catch up with old friends and meet new ones throughout the entire land of Oz and beyond. With a consistent cast throughout, this collection will delight and excite all ages!

Featuring the voices of Erin Grassie, Amanda Friday, Anna Grace, Andy Harrington, Tyler Hyrchuk, Josh Innerst, Lance Rasmussen, Russell Gold, Sara Sheckells, Tim Sailer, Marty Krz, Rosie O’Toole, and Isabelle Friday.

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As a winner of multiple awards for his writing, Frank Belknap Long enjoyed a much lauded career across seven decades and a wide array of genres. This audiobook is a collection that celebrates his contributions to the realm of Science Fiction in 17 stories from publications between 1929 and 1956. These tales are explorations of humanity as much as they are of the exploration of space, time, extraterrestrial planets and life forms, and all things scientific and supernatural.

The collection includes:

The Hounds of Tindalos, 1929

The Vibration Wasps, 1941

The Mercurian, 1941

The Sky Trap, 1941

Time Trap, 1948

And We Sailed the Mighty Dark, 1948

The Miniature Menace, 1950

The Mississippi Saucer, 1951

Lake of Fire, 1951

Little Men of Space, 1953

The Man the Martians Made, 1954

The Man From Time, 1954

The Calm Man, 1954

Mr. Caxton Draws a Martian Bird, 1954

The Cottage, 1954

Two Way Destiny, 1954

Young Man With a Trumpet, 1956

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Shelli has a pulse, a heartbeat, and emotions—but she’s not human.

Once a government hunter of rogue synthetics, she now hides in plain sight, helping the very machines she used to pursue. However, when a building’s security system is implicated in the deaths of hundreds of people, Shelli is forced back into service.

Reunited with Special Agent Jake August, they follow a bloody trail across the country, uncovering a conspiracy with global consequences. As the attacks escalate, Shelli and Jake find themselves caught in the crosshairs of the Department of Defense and a deadly adversary unlike any they’ve faced before.

Lines are drawn. Sides are chosen. War is coming—unless Shelli can stop it.

In this science fiction crime thriller, rising panic over artificial intelligence has pushed humanity to the edge. Across a nation ruled by fear and misinformation, the second book in the SHELLI: Synthetic Crimes series follows the only android who appears human as she navigates a world where the balance between man and machine is collapsing.

Merging the investigation of a traditional crime procedural with the urgency of a sci-fi mystery, MurderMind explores how far governments will go to maintain control—and what happens when their creations refuse to obey.

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Experience the chilling dystopian world of E. M. Forster’s The Machine Stops, narrated by the captivating voice of Mike Vendetti.

Journey into a future where humanity lives underground, completely reliant on a vast, omnipotent Machine. Follow Vashti and her son Kuno as they grapple with the consequences of their mechanized existence and the terrifying realization that the Machine may be failing.

This thought-provoking tale, first published in 1909, remains eerily relevant today. Don’t miss this gripping audiobook that explores themes of technology, isolation, and the human spirit.

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In the bustling port of Lud-in-the-Mist, the citizens of Dorimare have spent centuries perfecting the art of the mundane. Long ago, they banished the memory of Duke Aubrey and the wild enchantments of Fairyland. Today, “Fairy Fruit” isn’t just a delicacy of the past—it’s a scandalous crime.

But the Dapple River still flows from the west, carrying more than just water from the mysterious Debatable Hills. When Ranulph, the son of Mayor Nathaniel Chanticleer, falls prey to the forbidden fruit, it is up to the Mayor to dig into the past in order save his family, and the people of Lud.

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He’s “Mister” Crow because he can’t stand his first name (for good reason!), but no one calls him Old to his face. Listen as Old Mr. Crow is mightily tricked by Mr. Frog the tailor, learns some downsides to owning the only umbrella in Pleasant Valley, and very nearly loses his standing in the local crow community. Oh! and he has a near miss with the worst case of gout Aunt Polly Woodchuck has ever seen!

Equal parts natural history, life lessons, and good fun, each chapter of Arthur Scott Bailey’s Tuck-Me-In tales is a perfect length for bedtime listening. These stories are also great for listening together as a family in the car or for supporting new readers by following along with the books.

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Could Lou be falling right into the killer’s trap?

Louisa’s first fall in Button is everything she hoped it would be: corn mazes, pumpkin patches, quirky town traditions, and beautiful foliage. The only unexpected thing: a dead body found in a pile of colorful leaves.

When Lou starts getting cryptic text messages about the murder, she’s wary, to say the least. Are the clues from the murderer baiting her into a trap? Or are they from someone who truly wants to help? When Lou is targeted as a suspect in the case, she may not have a choice but to listen. The mystery texter might be the only one who can help prove her innocence.

Dear listener, if you love rescue cats, goats who wear pajamas, and a cozy bookstore, you’re going to love this new series by Eryn Scott. Hold on to your hats. The town of Button is as cute as they come, but that doesn’t mean it’s free of murder. Each book and mystery stands alone. Curl up under a cozy blanket, cuddle with a cat (or two), and come join Lou as she solves mysteries in the town of Button.

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The Missing Mortgagee

By R. Austin Freeman

Narrated by Graham Scott

In another of Freeman’s revolutionary “inverted” detective stories, celebrated forensic investigator Dr. John Thorndyke examines the case of a man found dead in a cave at Margate, and the curious absence of the money lender attempting to make an insurance claim on the dead man’s life.

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The Picture of Dorian Gray, narrated by Mike Vendetti.

Step into a world where beauty conceals corruption and every whispered secret sends ripples through the surface of polite society. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray stands as one of literature’s most brilliant and haunting meditations on vanity, morality, and the eternal struggle between outward appearance and inner reality.

Now, with the mesmerizing narration of Mike Vendetti, you are invited to experience this classic in a way that is more vivid, more compelling, and infinitely more personal.

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Sixteen-year-old Nancy Drew thoroughly enjoys helping her Dad, lawyer Carson Drew, with his cases. Her talent for following clues comes in handy when looking for a will hidden by the wealthy Josiah Crowley.

Josiah told several relatives and friends—all in need of financial assistance—that they would be mentioned in his will. But after his death, the will bequeaths everything to his cousins, the Topham family. Nancy Drew knows the social-climbing Tophams and wonders why kindly Mr. Crowley would overlook his more needy relatives in favor of them. Surely, there must be another will! But where did the eccentric old man hide it?

Her determination leads to danger and adventure for the brave young sleuth. Will Nancy be able to solve her very first mystery?

This is the original 1930 edition of Nancy’s first adventure. The story has been updated many times over the years but this Nancy, a very independent young lady of her time, demonstrates why she became such an icon for young girls.

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