
Library of the World's Best Mystery and Detective Stories
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.00 for first 30 days
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Scott Woodside
About this listen
In the six volumes of the Library of the World’s Best Mystery and Detective Stories, Julian Hawthorne presents us thrilling and mysterious short stories from all corners of the world. Some of the stories appeared in this 1907 collection for the first time translated into English, and many of them come from unexpected sources, such as the letters of Pliny the Younger, or a Tibetan manuscript. In the first volume, we find stories written by American authors.
Public Domain (P)2012 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Ben-Hur
- A Tale of the Christ
- By: Lew Wallace
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 23 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A classic of faith, fortitude, and inspiration, this faithful New Testament tale combines the events of the life of Jesus with grand historical spectacle in the exciting story of Judah of the House of Hur, a man who finds extraordinary redemption for himself and his family. Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the first century. His old friend, Messala, arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions.
-
-
Not Like the Movie
- By Paul Z. on 01-31-12
By: Lew Wallace
-
Uncle Tom's Cabin
- By: Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Narrated by: Richard Allen
- Length: 20 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Uncle Tom's Cabin opens with a Kentucky farmer named Arthur Shelby facing the loss of his farm because of debts. Even though he and his wife, Emily Shelby, believe that they have a benevolent relationship with their slaves, Shelby decides to raise the needed funds by selling two of them - Uncle Tom, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and Harry, the son of Emily Shelby's maid Eliza - to a slave trader.
-
-
More on Richard Allen
- By Steven on 07-12-10
-
The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 70 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here in one recording is every Sherlock Holmes story ever written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Originally appearing in serial form, these famous stories are here presented in the order in which they were first published beginning in 1887. Included in this definitive, award-winning collection are four novels and 56 short stories, a total of 60 titles. The 56 short stories are aggregated into five named collections, just as they were originally published in book form.
-
-
More collections like this, please!
- By Myusollo on 07-22-14
-
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Left unfinished after Dickens died in 1870, The Mystery of Edwin Drood centers on Edwin Drood's uncle, John Jasper, and his love for Rosa Bud, Edwin's fiancee. Set in the dark, fictional cathedral city of Cloisterham, the novel is awash with guilt, disguise and mystery. It contains some fine writing, and just before his death, Dickens left an indication of where the plot was going, which is included.
-
-
An Unfinished Potential Dark Classic
- By Jefferson on 08-10-14
By: Charles Dickens
-
The Count of Monte Cristo
- By: Alexandre Dumas
- Narrated by: Andrew Timothy
- Length: 50 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas.
Published in 1844, it is often considered one of the great thrillers of all time and, along with The Three Musketeers, Dumas' most popular work.
Falsely accused of treason, the young sailor Edmund Dantes is arrested on his wedding day and imprisoned in the island fortress of the Chateau d'If. After staging a dramatic escape, he sets out to discover the treasure of Monte Cristo and catch up with his enemies.
-
-
Incredible value
- By Barnabasdaughter on 12-17-09
By: Alexandre Dumas
-
Jane Eyre
- By: Charlotte Brontë
- Narrated by: Thandiwe Newton
- Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety.
-
-
Perfect!!
- By Amazon Customer on 04-21-16
By: Charlotte Brontë
-
Ben-Hur
- A Tale of the Christ
- By: Lew Wallace
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 23 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A classic of faith, fortitude, and inspiration, this faithful New Testament tale combines the events of the life of Jesus with grand historical spectacle in the exciting story of Judah of the House of Hur, a man who finds extraordinary redemption for himself and his family. Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the first century. His old friend, Messala, arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions.
-
-
Not Like the Movie
- By Paul Z. on 01-31-12
By: Lew Wallace
-
Uncle Tom's Cabin
- By: Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Narrated by: Richard Allen
- Length: 20 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Uncle Tom's Cabin opens with a Kentucky farmer named Arthur Shelby facing the loss of his farm because of debts. Even though he and his wife, Emily Shelby, believe that they have a benevolent relationship with their slaves, Shelby decides to raise the needed funds by selling two of them - Uncle Tom, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and Harry, the son of Emily Shelby's maid Eliza - to a slave trader.
-
-
More on Richard Allen
- By Steven on 07-12-10
-
The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes
- By: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 70 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here in one recording is every Sherlock Holmes story ever written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Originally appearing in serial form, these famous stories are here presented in the order in which they were first published beginning in 1887. Included in this definitive, award-winning collection are four novels and 56 short stories, a total of 60 titles. The 56 short stories are aggregated into five named collections, just as they were originally published in book form.
-
-
More collections like this, please!
- By Myusollo on 07-22-14
-
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
- By: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Left unfinished after Dickens died in 1870, The Mystery of Edwin Drood centers on Edwin Drood's uncle, John Jasper, and his love for Rosa Bud, Edwin's fiancee. Set in the dark, fictional cathedral city of Cloisterham, the novel is awash with guilt, disguise and mystery. It contains some fine writing, and just before his death, Dickens left an indication of where the plot was going, which is included.
-
-
An Unfinished Potential Dark Classic
- By Jefferson on 08-10-14
By: Charles Dickens
-
The Count of Monte Cristo
- By: Alexandre Dumas
- Narrated by: Andrew Timothy
- Length: 50 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Count of Monte Cristo is an adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas.
Published in 1844, it is often considered one of the great thrillers of all time and, along with The Three Musketeers, Dumas' most popular work.
Falsely accused of treason, the young sailor Edmund Dantes is arrested on his wedding day and imprisoned in the island fortress of the Chateau d'If. After staging a dramatic escape, he sets out to discover the treasure of Monte Cristo and catch up with his enemies.
-
-
Incredible value
- By Barnabasdaughter on 12-17-09
By: Alexandre Dumas
-
Jane Eyre
- By: Charlotte Brontë
- Narrated by: Thandiwe Newton
- Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety.
-
-
Perfect!!
- By Amazon Customer on 04-21-16
By: Charlotte Brontë
-
Debt of Bones
- Sword of Truth Series
- By: Terry Goodkind
- Narrated by: Sam Tsoutsouvas
- Length: 3 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A milestone of storytelling set in the world of The Sword of Truth, Debt of Bones is the story of young Abby's struggle to win the aid of the wizard Zedd Zorander, the most important man alive. Abby is trapped, not only between both sides of the war, but in a mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abby's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to save the life of a child....
-
-
Bags! This is a good prequel.
- By Patrick Sanchez on 05-02-14
By: Terry Goodkind
-
The Brothers Karamazov [Naxos AudioBooks Edition]
- By: Constance Garnett - translator, Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Narrated by: Constantine Gregory
- Length: 37 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fyodor Dostoyevsky is a titanic figure among the world's great authors, and The Brothers Karamazov is often hailed as his finest novel. A masterpiece on many levels, it transcends the boundaries of a gripping murder mystery to become a moving account of the battle between love and hate, faith and despair, compassion and cruelty, good and evil.
-
-
A Spiritual and Philosophical Tour-de-Force
- By Rich on 02-27-16
By: Constance Garnett - translator, and others
-
Homeland
- Legend of Drizzt: Dark Elf Trilogy, Book 1
- By: R. A. Salvatore
- Narrated by: Victor Bevine
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This stunning new release of the classic R.A. Salvatore novel recounts the origins of Salvatore's signature dark elf character, Drizzt Do'Urden. This title kicks off The Legend of Drizzt series, which will showcase the classic dark elf novels in these new audiobook editions.
-
-
Among the drow, all trust is foolish.
- By Pi on 04-26-13
By: R. A. Salvatore
-
The Three Musketeers (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Alexandre Dumas, William Robson - translator
- Narrated by: Guy Mott
- Length: 27 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Young nobleman d’Artagnan has arrived in Paris intent on joining the guardians of King Louis XIII. He befriends the regiment’s most formidable musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and together they unite in their commitment to uphold justice. Soon, a royal indiscretion thrusts them into an audacious escapade of courtly intrigue, thwarted romance, and daring rescue. But it’s the Machiavellian schemes of a powerful enemy and the wicked seductions of an ingenious female spy that will be their greatest challenges.
-
-
terrible narrator. every comma is a 3 second pause
- By Anonymous User on 09-21-21
By: Alexandre Dumas, and others
-
Time of the Twins
- Dragonlance: Legends, Book 1
- By: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman
- Narrated by: Ax Norman
- Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sequestered in the blackness of the dreaded Tower of High Sorcery in Palanthas, surrounded by nameless creatures of evil, Raistlin Majere weaves a plan to conquer the darkness - to bring it under his control. Crysania, a beautiful and devoted cleric of Paladine, tries to use her faith to lead Raistlin from the darkness. She is blind to his shadowed designs, and he draws her slowly into his neatly woven trap. Made aware of Raistlin’s plan, a distraught Caramon travels back in time to the doomed city of Istar in the days before the Cataclysm.
-
-
TERRIBLE, Passionless, and Dry Narration
- By Matthew on 08-11-13
By: Margaret Weis, and others
-
Les Miserables
- By: Victor Hugo
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 57 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set in the Parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.
-
-
one happy insomniac
- By Kathryn on 01-27-05
By: Victor Hugo
-
Ringworld
- By: Larry Niven
- Narrated by: Tom Parker
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to Ringworld, an intermediate step between Dyson Spheres and planets. The gravitational force created by a rotation on its axis of 770 miles per second means no need for a roof. Walls 1,000 miles high at each rim will let in the sun and prevent much air from escaping. Larry Niven's novel, Ringworld, is the winner of the 1970 Hugo Award for Best Novel, the 1970 Nebula Award for Best Novel, and the 1972 Ditmars, an Australian award for Best International Science Fiction.
-
-
Genuinely Creative
- By Kennet on 05-25-03
By: Larry Niven
-
The Iron King
- The Accursed Kings, Book 1
- By: Maurice Druon
- Narrated by: Peter Joyce
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the publishers that brought you A Game of Thrones comes the series that inspired George R.R. Martin’s epic work. France became a great nation under Philip the Fair - but it was a greatness achieved at the expense of her people, for his was a reign characterised by violence, the scandalous adulteries of his daughters-in-law, and the triumph of royal authority.
-
-
Historical Goodie
- By Syd Young on 08-03-13
By: Maurice Druon
-
The Scarlet Pimpernel
- By: Baroness Orczy
- Narrated by: Walter Zimmerman
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A blood-red flower is his calling card, daring rescues are his mission. The Scarlet Pimpernel is a daring English aristocrat who rescues French nobles from death at the hands of Madame Guillotine, patron saint of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror. This popular romantic adventure is filled with skin-of-the-teeth escapes and spine-tingling intrigue. It is presented here in unabridged form so you won't miss a moment of swashbuckling suspense.
-
-
It's up to the Narrator
- By Ashley on 11-04-10
By: Baroness Orczy
-
Candide (AudioGO Edition)
- By: Voltaire
- Narrated by: Jack Davenport
- Length: 3 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When first published in 1759, Candide became an instant best seller and is now regarded as one of the key texts of the Enlightenment. Voltaire’s preoccupations with evil and with various kinds of human folly and intolerance found a perfect vehicle in this philosophical tale. A master storyteller, he combined often wildly entertaining action with profoundly serious sense, parodying the traditional chivalric and oriental tales with which his public was more familiar.
-
-
Guaranteed to keep you smiling if not LOL
- By Robert on 08-09-12
By: Voltaire
-
The Red House Mystery
- By: A. A. Milne
- Narrated by: William Sutherland
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Ablett's stately mansion, the Red House, is filled with very proper guests when his most improper brother returns from Australia. The prodigal brother enters Mark's study, the parlor maid hears arguing and the brother dies...rather suddenly, with a bullet between the eyes. The study is locked from the inside and Mark is missing! Investigating the crime is wealthy Antony Gillingham, who rivals Sherlock Holmes in his remarkable powers of observation.
-
-
difficult listen
- By Todd on 10-17-03
By: A. A. Milne
-
Storm Warning
- Valdemar: The Mage Storms, Book 1
- By: Mercedes Lackey
- Narrated by: David Ledoux
- Length: 17 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With her phenomenal Mage Winds trilogy, bestselling author Mercedes Lackey captivated fans across the country. Now in the first volume of the series sequel, she continues the same storyline, returning readers to a war-torn Valdemar in preparation to confront an ancient Eastern Empire - ruled by a monarch whose magical tactics by be beyond any sorcery known to the western kingdoms.
-
-
Great story! Slow narration.
- By ArtisticFool on 02-16-13
By: Mercedes Lackey
Editorial reviews
This audiobook is from the fourth volume of a six-volume collection of diverse mystery and detective stories from around the world, assembled by Julian Hawthorne. From a letter to Roman Senator L. Licinius Sura written by Pliny the Younger in the 1st Century CE describing his experiences with the supernatural to tales from all over Europe throughout the early 20th-century that touch on tragic irony, horrific torture, Faustian deals and mystery, this audiobook has many rare gems. Most notable is Voltaire’s "The Babylonian", considered by some to be the primogenitor of the detective genre. Scott Woodside performs the collection lending this audio the air of a radio drama with his deep driving voice.
Is there anything you would change about this book?
The first few stories were written by French authors. Unfortunately the reader had not learned French and he mispronounced such simple words as "monsieur" which he pronounced as "moan-sewer." As a lifelong mystery reader, some of these stories were predictable. So, I look for how the story is told. They were so-so overall.Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Scott Woodside?
Anyone who knew how to speak French.Was Library of the World's Best Mystery and Detective Stories worth the listening time?
Not really.Reader should have learned French.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Unfortunately very poor narration
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If you are getting paid to read this stuff in English... then we expect you to read it in adult English not pedantic English.... really a bummer
When did Zoroaster become Zoo Roaster.. Mon Sewer.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Library of the world's best mystery and detective stories
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Not So Interesting Mystery Stories
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Would you try another book from Julian Hawthorne (editor) and/or Scott Woodside?
I don't know how the process of recording a book is done but if there is supposed to be an audio editor they did a very poor job. Scott Woodside has a pleasant, easily-understood voice but the glaring mispronunciations are disconcerting. Because I like short stories I was able to forgive the errors. Shouldn't someone be noticing these errors or previewing possible difficulties before the recording is made ? Not every narrator might be familiar, for example, with a "brazier" and would (understandably) pronounce it "brassiere", and "sow" ( rhyming with "now") is a perfectly reasonable mispronunciation of "sou."How could the performance have been better?
As I mentioned, someone needs to preview and go over possible pronunciation problems before the recording session. I do not fault the narrator for this omission.Can you ignore mispronunciations ?
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
did not finish
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It’s as if the narrator has no idea what he’s reading
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Narration too distracting!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Idiosyncratic selection and variable
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.