Showing results by narrator "MIke Vendetti" in All Categories

Robert Hugh Benson, a Catholic priest wrote this short story of the taking the life of a songbird, and the vision that accompanied it.

William Hope Hodgson began his working career as a seaman, where he learned to fear and hate the sea. This short story takes place in the laboratory of a scientist who is in contact by one-way wireless telegraph with an unnamed friend who is on a ship trapped in a terrible storm. The sea becomes an evil thing, and the entity is determined to destroy the living, and the ship they came on. But before death comes to those aboard the doomed vessel, it brings out the very worst in the passengers.

A shadow of forbidden mystery hangs over the New England town of Innsmouth. The narrator in this novella by H.P. Lovecraft, a college student touring the detaining berg, discovers far more then he bargained for. Normal citizens tend to disappear, while the indigenous residents are taking on a fish-like appearance. Strangers are definitely not welcome in this rotting town. And could it be that the narrator is starting to resemble his grandmother and dead uncle Douglas?

A beautiful woman imagines she is married below her station. In an effort to make her happy, her husband brings home an invitation to a ball attended by the upper crust of Paris society. To his chagrin, she is only disappointed, and explains she has nothing to wear to the ball. The husband sacrifices his savings to buy her a dress. She has no jewelry, but she has a wealthy friend who will lend her a beautiful accoutrement to accompany the beautiful dress.

A traveler takes refuge in a château where he finds he is surrounded by fine paintings. Unable to sleep he takes refuge in a book. He moves the candelabrum to shed better light upon the book, but when he does so he discovers in the corner of the room and amazingly lifelike painting of a young woman. It is so real, and he is first so startled that he must close his eyes to gather his wits. After contemplating this painting for nearly an hour he discovers a catalog that describes the painting.

Unspeakable rituals are performed by an occult group residing in the Red Hook region of New York City in this haunting short story by H P Lovecraft, and told by Mike Vendetti.

Mild mannered Catholic priest Fr. Brown solves another mysterious mystery. How did the dead man get into the garden of Aristide Valentin, Chief of the Paris Police. There was no way in and no way out other than past a well guarded door. Also you may ask how did he end up dead, and who killed him. There are plenty of suspects, but Fr. Brown sorts it all out without relying on the confessional, therefore remaining true to his vows.

The small farming town of Hypothermia, Minnesota makes world news when a '62 Chevy Implala is discovered in a trailer full of grain. Government agents quickly impound the Chevy, down playing the incident. Yet when agricultural cooperative photographer Bob Putnam attempts to follow up with a story about the elevator manager who found it, he and his writer/partner uncover an unbelievable plot.

Narrated by Mike Vendetti, this is the original version of Hensel and Gretel published by the Brothers Grimm. Probably not suitable for the polite and sensitive child under 12. A really wicked stepmother convinces the children's father to lead the children out into the woods far enough so they wouldn't be able to return home, but they do return one time to the chagrin of the stepmother. The next time they are taken to the woods they are not able to return home but do stumble upon a little house constructed of cake and confectionery which they immediately begin to consume.

Three passengers board a train, one a woman. They are not among the disembarking passengers. There is however in the compartment of the railcar a dead man who has no ticket or identification. In his pockets are six expensive gold watches. Will you be able to solve this crime before Sir Arthur Conan Doyle does it for us.

Imagine if you will, a South Sea island with no trees, only grass. The natives haven't ventured into the grass since a dead woman was discovered there and it was apparent that she died of snakebite. But there are no snakes, and the only mark on her not unlike the bite of a very small child. Now imagine that upon visiting the only non-native inhabitant you see sitting upon a shelf an amazingly lifelike foot high carving of a beautiful Polynesian woman and you cannot believe how lifelike it is until you discover that it is...

Forbidden love in name baronial estate. An evil man dies with an evil smile upon his face believing his evil secret is going with him to the grave. And there it remains until the lovers creep into the crypt shortly after the stroke of midnight. An erie tale certain to creep you out and keep you in suspense.

The time has come to listen to echoes from our land... the wisdom and teachings of the mountains, streams, and woods. Their words are simple and their voices are soft. We have not heard them, because we have not taken the time to listen. We have been too busy smothering them in crypts of concrete and steel.

In the streets of Harrisburg, a man is killed in what appears to be a straightforward hit-and-run - until the victim turns out to have no identity whatsoever. Obituary writer Lenny Holcomb's ability to glimpse the secrets of his column's subjects leads him to suspect that his old friend, ex-congressman George Packard, may have had a hand in the "accident.” But if so, why do all the clues point to Packard's slick political rival?

A student needs to find a quiet place to study for his exams. He wants to be totally alone. He goes to the train station and picks a destination he has never heard of. He finds the ideal house. It hasn't been lived in for years. There is legend that surrounds this abode, and explains why it is unlived in. He of course ignores this, and since the rats don't bother him he takes up residence. Unfortunately by the time he realizes his mistake, it is too late to escape.

The fear of being buried alive was alive and well in the 19th century. It is said that Poe himself harbored this fear. An excellent audiobook to accompany a nighttime visit to a lonely graveyard.

This short story by O. Henry depicts the plight of a homeless person, Soapy, living in New York at the turn of the last century. A park bench is fine during the summer, but winter comes and Soapy needs a winter home. God willing to pay the price of philanthropy, Soapy determines to spend the winter months in jail. Now the problem is how to be arrested.

One of the worst storms - thunder, lightning, and rain - ever to strike London, arrived the same day the visionaries have predicted the end of the world. Could this be a harbinger of the arrival of an unseen comet that will destroy Earth? Has the apocalyptic day arrived? A beautiful maiden visiting the home of a doctor and his family believe so to the extent she is rendered catatonic. While in this state, her mind sees things unseen by mortal man.

A short story by Edgar Allen Poe about a mesmerist who puts a man, M. Valdemar, in a hypnotic state at the moment of death. M. Valdimar remains in the state for seven months. When the mesmerist removes M. Valdemar from this state, it resembles opening the door of a freezer that has been unplugged for months, the turkey inside.

Imagine being lost in Mammoth Cave, with no light, and your imagination begins to run wild. You hear footsteps, but they are not the footsteps of a biped. H.P. Lovecraft wrote this short story when he was 14 years old. A harbinger of future genius.