Audiobooks by Helen Simpson

Wonder Of Women - The Weird Stories - Volume 2

"Let’s be clear. We are all equal under the law. However, even in these more modern times that is not an absolute and still remains a distant ambition for many. In the days when Britain ruled the waves and bestrode the world as its policeman and plunderer in chief it also subjugated half of its own people to second class status. Women were chattel and property. There were some exceptions based on wealth and birthright but for the overwhelming majority your lot was to fall in with the rules and do as you were told. Many did.But whilst male society sought to place obstacles in the path to equality, it could not deny their literary talents, which many times they circumvented by using male pseudonyms. However, the soaring sales of magazines and periodicals during the Victorian Age meant they had voracious appetites for literature, whatever the sex of its gender.Dozens of authors appeared to fill the need. Narratives had new ideas. Characters were emboldened by societal changes and the female voice taking responsibility.The women included here are talents that dazzle. Put them up against anyone and they rise to the top. Whether they remain with an avid readership today or faded to obscurity with the passing of the times their quality remains undimmed. 1 - Women of Wonder - The Weird Stories - Volume 2 - An Introduction2 - The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman3 - Transformation by Mary Shelley4 - The Shadows on the Wall by Mary E Wilkins Freeman5 - The Blue Room by Lettice Galbraith6 - From the Dead by Edith Nesbit7 - The Death Mask by H D Everett writing as Theo Parker8 - The Last of Squire Ennismore by Charlotte Riddell9 - Sylvia by Bessie Kyffin Taylor10 - Whittington's Cat by Lady Eleanor Smith11 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson12 - No 5 Branch Line. The Engineer by Amelia Edwards13 - In Dark New England Days by Sarah Orne Jewett14 - A Wicked Voice - Part 1 by Vernon Lee15 - A Wicked Voice - Part 2 by Vernon Lee"

Amelia B. Edwards, Bessie Kyffin Taylor, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Charlotte Riddell, Edith Nesbit, H D Everett writing as Theo Parker, Helen Simpson, Lady Eleanor Smith, Lettice Galbraith, Mary E Wilkins Freeman, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Sarah Orne Jewett, Vernon Lee (Author), George S. Irving, Laurel Lefkow, Liza Ross (Narrator)

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Stories of Dark Powers

"Some very few amongst are a little different. They look the same, possibly act the same but, somehow, we might suspect that they are a little out of tune, a little off. Their difference is that they have dark powers. Powers for the greedy benefit of themselves and not you or I. In these stories our authors have them doing some quite unconscionable actions that disturb and menace those around them and of course you and I. 1 - Stories of Dark Powers - An Introduction2 - The Testament of Magdalen Blair - Part 1 by Aleister Crowley3 - The Testament of Magdalen Blair - Part 2 by Aleister Crowley4 - Lost Hearts by M R James5 - When I Was a Witch by Charlotte Perkins Gilman6 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson7 - Clairvoyance by D K Broster8 - The Operation by Violet Hunt9 - Foreordained by Anthony Hope10 - The Death Hound by Violet Mary Firth writng as Dion Fortune"

Aleister Crowley, Anthony Hope, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, D.K. Broster, Dion Fortune, Helen Simpson, M.R. James, Violet Hunt (Author), Lisa Bowerman, Marie-Pierre, Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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Essence of Evil – Tales of Curses, Necromancy, Dark Magic & More

"Pure Evil is one of our greatest fears. No appeals to reason, no pleas of mercy or forgiveness will have the slightest impact on the mind of the oppressor. But in this volume our authors are rather more spiteful that we could at first imagine. Here they blight the lives of characters with Curses, Necromancy, Dark Magic and other assorted ghouls that care little about the fate of you or I.1 - Essence of Evil - Tales of Curses, Necromancy, Dark Magic & More - An Introduction2 - The Mark of the Beast by Rudyard Kipling3 - The Brute by Joseph Conrad4 - Herbert West - Reanimator - Part 1 by H P Lovecraft5 - Herbert West - Reanimator - Part 2 by H P Lovecraft6 - The Mass of Shadows by Anatole France7 - The Shadows on the Wall by Mary E Wilkins Freeman8 - Casting the Runes by M R James9 - Clairvoyance by D K Broster10 - Warning Whispers by A M Burrage11 - Wake Not the Dead - Part 1 by Ernst Raupach12 - Wake Not the Dead - Part 2 by Ernst Raupach13 - The Dead Hand by Wilkie Collins14 - The Beast With Five Fingers by W F Harvey15 - The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy16 - The Arm of Mrs Egan by W F Harvey17 - The Monkey's Paw by W W Jacobs18 - The Hair by A J Alan19 - The Ash Tree by M R James.wav20 - Blood - Part 1 by Hanns Heinz Ewers21 - Blood - Part 2 by Hanns Heinz Ewers22 - Beyond the Pale by H D Everett23 - The Operation by Violet Hunt24 - Foreordained by Anthony Hope25 - The Miracle by John Davys Beresford26 - Lost Hearts by M R James27 - Lost in a Pyramid (or the Mummy's Curse) by Louisa May Alcott writing as A M Bernard28 - The Screaming Skull by F Marion Crawford29 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson30 - Witchcraft by Arthur Machen31 - A Witches Den by Helena Blavatsky32 - When I Was a Witch by Charlotte Perkins Gilman33 - The Spectre Bridegroom by William Hunt34 - The Waxworks by A M Burrage35 - The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain - Part 1 by Edward Bulwer Lytton36 - The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain - Part 2 by Edward Bulwer Lytton37 - The Ebony Frame by Edith Nesbit38 - St Johns Eve by Nikolai Gogol39 - A Fight with a Cannon by Victor Hugo40 - Carnacki, The Ghost Finder - No 1 - The Gateway of the Monster by William Hope Hodgson41 - Couching at the Door by D K Broster42 - The Death Hound by Violet Mary Firth writng as Dion Fortune43 - Marsyas In Flanders by Vernon Lee44 - The Testament of Magdalen Blair - Part 1 by Aleister Crowley45 - The Testament of Magdalen Blair - Part 2 by Aleister Crowley"

A J Alan, A.M. Burrage, Aleister Crowley, Anatole France, Anthony Hope, Arthur Machen, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, D.K. Broster, Edith Nesbit, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Ernst Raupach, F Marion Crawford, H D Everett, H.P. Lovecraft, Hanns Heinz Ewers, Helen Simpson, Helena Blavatsky, John Davys Beresford, Joseph Conrad, Louisa May Alcott writing as A M Bernard, M.R. James, Mary E Wilkins Freeman, Nikolai Gogol, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, Vernon Lee, Victor Hugo, Violet Hunt, Violet Mary Firth writng as Dion Fortune, W F Harvey, W W Jacobs, Wilkie Collins, William Hope Hodgson, William Hunt (Author), Garrick Hogan, Lisa Bowerman, Richard Mitchley (Narrator)

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The Top 10 Short Stories - The 1920's - The Women

"Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author's brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted 'Top Tens' across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions - Why that story? Why that author? The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature. Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something. In this decade the equality of the sexes is now law. In real life it's patchy. Power refuses to ebb or cede. In literary terms though women are again second to none with writing that strides confidently forward addressing the issues, the characters and the stories in unique and individual ways. 1 - The Top 10 - The Women - The 1920's - An Introduction 2 - The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield 3 - The String Quartet by Virginia Woolf 4 - Miss Ogilivy Finds Herself by Radclyffe Hall 5 - The Difference by Ellen Glasgow 6 - Rhapsody by Dorothy Edwards 7 - Hodge by Elinor Mordaunt 8 - Blessed Are the Meek by Mary Webb 9 - Decay by Marjorie Bowen 10 - The Night of No Weather by Violet Hunt 11 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson"

Dorothy Edwards, Elinor Mordaunt, Ellen Glasgow, Helen Simpson, Katherine Mansfield, Marjorie Bowen, Mary Webb, Radclyffe Hall, Violet Hunt, Virginia Woolf (Author), Eve Karpf, Ghizela Rowe, Kelly Burke (Narrator)

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The Top 10 Short Stories - The 1920's - The English

"Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author's brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted 'Top Tens' across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions - Why that story? Why that author? The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.In this volume the decade reveals some who are doing very well and the many who are not; underfoot, underpaid and under-represented. Our writers of many hues and telling talents bring both their stories and their characters to bear on the decade between the two world wars with searing clarity.01 - The Top 10 - The 1920's - The English - An Introduction02 - The String Quartet by Virginia Woolf03 - The Horse Dealer's Daughter by D H Lawrence04 - Rats by M R James05 - The Resurrection of Father Brown by G K Chesterton06 - Miss Ogilivy Finds Herself by Radclyffe Hall07 - Running Wolf by Algernon Blackwood08 - Mrs Amworth by E F Benson09 - Smee by A M Burrage10 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson11 - Decay by Marjorie Bowen"

A.M. Burrage, Algernon Blackwood, D.H. Lawrence, E F Benson, G K Chesterton, Helen Simpson, M.R. James, Marjorie Bowen, Radclyffe Hall, Virginia Woolf (Author), Elliot Fitzpatrick, Ghizela Rowe, Richard Mitchley (Narrator)

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The Top 10 Short Stories - The 1920's - The English - The Women

"Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author's brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted 'Top Tens' across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions - Why that story? Why that author? The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.In this volume English women have begun the long haul to be treated as equals, even though some see others as beneath them. Class still has its boundaries and its distinctions. Our authors show that the decade brings much to revel in but also much to worry our hearts. 01 - The Top 10 - The 1920's - The English - The Women - An Introduction02 - The String Quartet by Virginia Woolf03 - Miss Ogilivy Finds Herself by Radclyffe Hall04 - Her Murderer by Mary Cholmondeley05 - Hodge by Elinor Mordaunt06 - Blessed Are the Meek by Mary Webb07 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson08 - Sylvia by Bessie Kyffin-Taylor.wav09 - The Black Crusader by Alicia Ramsay10 - Decay by Marjorie Bowen11 - The Night of No Weather by Violet Hunt"

Alicia Ramsay, Bessie Kyffin-Taylor.Wav, Elinor Mordaunt, Helen Simpson, Marjorie Bowen, Mary Cholmondeley, Mary Webb, Radclyffe Hall, Violet Hunt, Virginia Woolf (Author), David Shaw-Parker, Ghizela Rowe, Marie-Pierre (Narrator)

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Young Magic

"Helen de Guerry Simpson was born in Sydney, Australia on the 1st December 1897. As a 17 year old she was sent to France and then on to Oxford, England to complete her education. Whilst there she founded the Oxford Women's Dramatic Society. She was sent down in 1921 apparently for breaking regulations prohibiting men and women students from acting together. Her early work of poems, plays, a novel and a collection of short stories found little commercial success. It was only with ‘Boomerang’ in 1932 that her success was established. Helen continued to write across the genres and by now had become intensely interested in politics. She was selected to run by the Liberals for the Isle of Wight parliamentary seat in the expected General Election of 39 or 40. Sadly this coincided with the rapid onset of cancer and her health very quickly deteriorated. Helen Simpson died in Worcestershire, England on the 14th October 1940. She was 42. In ‘Young Magic’ a young girl has definite supernatural abilities which she attempts to control. Years later when she returns home and begins a relationship those abilities begin to reappear in a more sinister form."

Helen Simpson (Author), Ghizela Rowe, Marie-Pierre (Narrator)

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Ask a Policeman

"This new edition, which is reproduced from a first printing of the book, is introduced by the author Martin Edwards, archivist of the Detection Club, and includes a never-before-published Preface by Agatha Christie, ‘Detective Writers in England’, in which she discusses her fellow writers in the Detection Club. Lord Comstock is a barbarous newspaper tycoon with enemies in high places. His murder in the study of his country houseposes a dilemma for the Home Secretary. In the hours before his death, Lord Comstock’s visitors included the government Chief Whip, an Archbishop, and the Assistant Commissioner for Scotland Yard. Suspicion falls upon them all and threatens the impartiality of any police investigation. Abandoning protocol, the Home Secretary invites four famous detectives to solve the case: Mrs Adela Bradley, Sir John Saumarez, Lord Peter Wimsey, and Mr Roger Sheringham. All are different, all are plausible, all are on their own – and none of them can ask a policeman… This classic whodunit adopted a completely new approach: Milward Kennedy proposed the title, John Rhode plotted the murder and provided the suspects, and four of their contemporaries were asked to lend their well-known detectives to the task of providing solutions to the crime. But there was to be another twist: the authors would swap detectives and use the characters in their sections of the book. Thus Gladys Mitchell and Helen Simpson swapped Mrs Bradley and Sir John Saumarez, and Dorothy Sayers and Anthony Berkeley swapped Lord Peter Wimsey and Roger Sheringham, enabling the authors to indulge in skilful and sly parodies of each other. The contributors to ASK A POLICEMAN are: John Rhode, Helen Simpson, Gladys Mitchell, Anthony Berkeley, Dorothy L. Sayers, Milward Kennedy with Agatha Christie and Martin Edwards."

Agatha Christie, Anthony Berkeley, Dorothy L. Sayers, Gladys Mitchell, Helen Simpson (Author), David Timson (Narrator)

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