Résultats de "E.F.Benson" dans Toutes les catégories

England between the wars was a paradise of utter calm and leisure for the very, very rich. But into this enclave is born Mrs. Emmeline Lucas - La Lucia, as she is known - a woman determined to lead a life quite different from the pomp and subdued nature of her class. With her cohort, Georgie Pillson, and her husband, Peppino, she upends the greats of high society.

The Man Who Went Too Far: A Ghost Story by E. F. Benson opens one summer’s day in a beautiful, sequestered garden on the edge of the New Forest. A forty-something artist visits a friend to recuperate from a debilitating illness but is staggered to discover him looking remarkably young and oddly vibrant. He listens as this ‘boy’ explains his new found philosophy, expands on the delight he takes in the natural world all around him and describes the strangely haunting music he has begun to hear in the woods and among the reeds.

In the beautiful Villa Cascana on the Italian Riviera, all is not as it seems. Why does the hostess leave a perfectly charming bedroom unoccupied? Why does Arthur Inglis present our hero with a caterpillar in a cardboard pill-box one lunchtime? And rather more bizarrely, why do luminous, bloated and gigantic versions of this creature haunt his dreams? Or could it possibly be that he is wide awake?

This collection contains the best of classic horror writing, with the atmospheric genius of Edgar Allan Poe, the invention and eeriness of Bram Stoker, and the suspense of Wilkie Collins amongst the terrifying gems. In this veritable schooling in the origins of modern-day horror and fantasy, some of the best minds in the history of English literature take on the world of vampires, werewolves, and the supernatural.

Here are some truly spooky stories, given a spine-tingling read by Richard Pasco. The stories include "The Mark of the Beast" by Rudyard Kipling, "Aurelia" by E.T.A. Hoffmann, "Ligeia" by Edgar Allan Poe, "Mrs. Amworth" by E.F. Benson, and "Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker.

Taking a winter holiday in a splendid resort in the Swiss Alps our hero finds himself billeted in a surprisingly large room, furnished with two beds. He checks with the man at the bureau, but there’s no mistake: it’s all his, a veritable snip at 12 francs a night! What a stroke of luck! And what could possibly connect this alpine idyll with Boston, Massachusetts? E. F. Benson is well known for his Mapp and Lucia novels but his ghost and supernatural stories are marvellous jewels, combining elegant writing and moments of blood-curdling horror.

While staying at a friend’s house in an apparently humdrum London suburb, the sceptical Hugh Grainger sees and then converses with an unsettling stranger from his bedroom window in the very dead of night. But what could be the meaning of this curious visitation? ‘Hold very tight, please!’ E. F. Benson is well known for his Mapp and Lucia novels but his ghost and supernatural stories are marvellous jewels, combining elegant writing and moments of blood-curdling horror. Here Greg Wagland narrates one of the best of them, for Magpie Audio.

The Horror Horn is set in the Swiss Alps and opens in the cosy lounge of a resort hotel, where a string ensemble strikes up with the sugary strains of Puccini. Our hero is further entertained to an unlikely yarn of savage sub-humans living near the Ungeheuerhorn, or Horror Horn, a forbidding mountain peak nearby. Next day, a skiing trip to St. Luigi in the next valley to lunch with a friend marks the start of an unexpectedly terrifying adventure. The Horror Horn is not a ghost story as such: the creatures in it are most definitely flesh and blood and they are hungry!

The energetic, pretentious and sometimes malicious Lucia's reign over Riseholme's gentry is challenged by a dazzling diva, a fraudulent guru and the exposur eof her faulty Italian.

With tongue firmly implanted in cheek, Benson introduces us to a world full of snobs, hypochondriacs, faddists, and social climbers. Some of the titles include "The Compleat Snob", "Aunt Georgie", "The Poison of Asps", "The Eternally Uncompromised", "The Grizzly Kittens", and "The Praisers of Past Time".

Discover the enchanting world of E.F. Bensons second collection of short stories, Visible and Invisible. Within these pages, youll find tales infused with the authors signature flair for melodrama and the macabre, often straddling the line between the extraordinary and the eerie. These stories explore the depths of the human spirit, presenting a delightful mix of quirky charm and haunting power. Some narratives may feel quaint, while others have earned the admiration of the genres most esteemed authors. Join us on this captivating journey through the visible and the unseen. - Summary by Andy ...

Dive into a collection of haunting tales crafted to evoke a delightful sense of unease. Ideal for those quiet moments before sleep, when the world around you is still and shadows dance in the corners of your room. These ghostly stories explore the mysterious forces that sometimes make their presence known, inviting you to glance into the dark and wonder what might be lurking just out of sight. The author sincerely hopes to provide you with a few spine-tingling moments. Preface - by E.F. Benson

London 1912: Ist der verurteilte Mörder Charles Linkworth in Wahrheit unschuldig? Nach dessen Hinrichtung wird der zuständige Gefängnisarzt von Erscheinungen gepeinigt, die er sich nicht erklären kann. Schnell wird klar, dass der Verbrecher gar nicht so tot ist, wie es den Anschein hatte - und dass er noch eine Rechnung im Diesseits zu begleichen wünscht.

Dive into the eerie and enthralling world of the supernatural with master anthologist Joseph Lewis Frenchs collection of the finest ghost stories ever penned. From the early influential works of Daniel Defoe and Edward Bulwer-Lytton to the chilling narratives of contemporary legends like M. R. James, Algernon Blackwood, and E. F. Benson, this anthology promises to deliver a treasure trove of haunting tales that will keep you on the edge of your seat and awake through the darkest hours of the night! - Summary by Ben Tucker

The queen bee of the fictional village of Riseholme, Mrs. Emmeline ‘Lucia’ Lucas is a snobbish yet oddly charming woman who prides herself on being the cultural and intellectual leader of her community. She dabbles in art, plants Shakespeare-themed flower arrangements in her garden and uses fake Italian phrases to maintain her social standing. Trouble brews when some new arrivals to town – including the glamorous opera singer Olga Bracely and the eccentric spiritualist Daisy Quantock – begin to challenge Lucia’s hold over Riseholme.

Overbearing Emmeline ‘Lucia’ Lucas is back yet again, leaving the small town of Riseholme to embrace the new and exciting social offerings of London. Having acquired a second home in the city with her husband, Peppino, Lucia immediately evaluates her avenues to climb the ranks to the highest social circles. All are not fooled by her shameless gambits, however, and we are introduced to a cast of astonished followers, including Stephen Merriall, who may not be as trustworthy as he appears.

Set in the quaint seaside town of Tilling, inspired by the real-life village of Rye where Benson once lived, busybody Miss Mapp is known for her sharp eye and even sharper tongue. Usually found spying on the neighbourhood through her bay window, Elizabeth works hard to maintain her social standing through winning bridge games, making the most lavish dresses of the town and obtaining the best gossip.

Lucia is back—and she's more formidable than ever. In this wickedly funny fifth instalment of E.F. Benson's beloved Mapp and Lucia series, the indomitable Mrs. Emmeline Lucas sets her sights on the quaint village of Tilling. With impeccable manners and a razor-sharp sense of strategy, she schemes her way to the top of the social ladder, charming and outmaneuvering her rivals at every turn.

Delve into the gripping tale of a dying man, a concealed diamond, a murder conspiracy, and spectral visitations in this unique narrative crafted in a round-robin style by renowned authors of yesteryears. This riveting tale, woven together by the likes of Jerome K. Jerome, Eden Phillpotts, E. F. Benson, F. Frankfort Moore, and Barry Pain, offers an unparalleled storytelling experience. Join us as we unravel the Mystery of Black Rock Creek. (Summary by Ben Tucker)

Part of a six-instalment comic book series, Mapp and Lucia, which recounts the eccentric tales of various women in the 1920s and their fight for social status, Trouble for Lucia sees the continued rivalry between the two iconic protagonists, Emmeline Lucas and Elizabeth Mapp. It is the final book in Benson’s hugely successful series. Emmeline ‘Lucia’ Lucas, now Mayor of the small seaside town of Tilling, continues her scheming for social dominance with an inflated sense of self-importance.