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Set in the affluent town of Hamilton, Austin’s classic presents a whodunit mystery focusing on a crime involving a young woman who has been murdered under mysterious circumstances during a game of Bridge, with no hard evidence pointing to the perpetrator. Accordingly, the townspeople are also affected by the mystery and they refuse to play the dummy in fear of sharing the same fate as the unfortunate victim. A gripping mystery crime novel, Murder at Bridge evokes feelings of suspense, awe, mystery and puts to the test the crime solving capabilities of the audience as they take up the role of detective. The novel begins when Broadway dancer Nita Selim moves to Hamilton, which is regarded as a prosperous neighborhood, and upon settling in she inveigles herself within the circle of high society. Taking up the role as hostess, she organizes a bridge party for high class locals in her home for a chance to mingle with the crowd. Subsequently, during the dummy hand in the game she excuses herself and heads to her bedroom to freshen up for the cocktail party which is to follow. However, while absent, Selim is murdered by a fatal shot in her very own bedroom with little clues tracing back to the murderer. Consequently, investigator Bonnie Dundee comes into the picture when he is assigned to investigate the mystery and put together the pieces of the puzzle. Dundee goes about various approaches to solving the mystery, one method of which is re-enacting the night’s events as they unfolded. The investigator must interview suspects and search for the murder weapon, while additionally try to determine the motive behind the murder. Fortunately, Austin is generous with descriptive detail, dialogue and imagery, which gives the novel a personal touch and encourages the reader to join in and assist in unraveling the baffling crime. An engrossing case of parlor mystery, Murder at Bridge presents an intriguing plot with multifaceted characters and unanticipated twists that additionally amplify the suspense as it is heightened with every turn of the page. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Anne Austin, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Murder at Bridge, MYSTERY

A book on the all importance of humility, how Jesus was humble, and how we also can become humble. Murray wrote “Without humility, there can be no true abiding in God’s presence or experience of His favor and the power of His spirit. Without it there can be no abiding faith or love or joy or strength.” More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: Andrew Murray, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Humility : The Beauty of Holiness, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, religion

An American Robinson Crusoe is a short version of the original story. An indolent, rebellious teen goes on a marine voyage against his parents’ wishes. The ship (and all of its crew) is lost in a storm, but Robinson makes it to a deserted island. He has no tools, no weapons, but he lives for over 28 years on the island. He befriends many animals on the island and after over 20 years living solo, he is joined by a young “savage” who becomes his constant companion. The transformation from the young, lazy teen to a self-sustaining, incredibly knowledgeable adult is one of the major themes in the story.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, An American Robinson Crusoe, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Samuel B. Allison, Teen/Young adult

The Princess and Curdie is the sequel to The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. It’s been a year since the Princess Irene and Curdie first met, and a year since the goblin incident and all appears to be going well in the Kingdom. Or is it? After a visit from Irene’s great-great-grandmother, Curdie finds himself on a mission to save the kingdom, with a rather strange companion in tow. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, George MacDonald, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Princess and Curdie

If you thought history was dull, dry and boring, you haven’t read Bill Nye’s books! He brings wit, humor, satire, irony and sheer nonsensical fun into the subject, making it both entertaining and memorable. The Comic History of England was published posthumously in 1896 after the writer’s tragic and untimely death half-way through the project. Hence it remains incomplete and covers the history of the island nation only up to the Tudor period. However, beginning with Julius Caesar, the Roman invasion of Britain, the Druids and Stonehenge, this book is still a rib-tickling ride through the centuries. Some of the humor is extremely topical and readers may in fact have to actually know some of the facts to get the jokes, but one thing is certain; this is no serious and scholarly tome to be pored over in a dusty library! Delightfully illustrated by W. W. Goodes and AM Richards, the book is embellished by truly hilarious illustrations which add to the comic element. Edgar Wilson (“Bill”) Nye was an American journalist. He was a trained to be a lawyer and was admitted to the bar. However, his interest lay in humor and writing and he soon began to contribute short sketches and humorous pieces to local newspapers. His works were well received and he was also popular on the lecture circuit as a comic speaker along with fellow writer James Whitcomb Riley. His brand of humor was uniquely American and he not only poked fun at people from all over the world, but also at himself and his fellow Americans. He once remarked that true humor rose from a “pathetic philosophy” of hunger and deprivation, making it all the more keen and hard hitting. His earlier book, Comic History of the United States had met with a rousing reception. The Comic History of England contains some droll and ludicrous takes on events like the advent of the Danes, the Norman Conquest and the Feudal System. Some of the humor is quite trenchant, as when he speaks of the Roman invasion of Caledonia (modern Scotland) and says one of the generals, Agricola, took some Scotchmen home and “domesticated” them! He also uses puns and word-play to enhance the humor, especially in the chapter that describes the advent of the Angles; the paragraphs are filled with “obtuse angles” “right angles” and the like! For a light-hearted, rollicking account of the centuries gone by, the Comic History of England is indeed unmatched! More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Bill Nye, Comic History of England, ebooks, free audio books, History, humor, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

The nineteenth century was marked by intense colonization by countries like Britain, France, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. Initially, the pioneering efforts were made by men who battled unfamiliar terrain to create territories that they marked out as their own, while their wives, mothers, sisters and daughters kept the home and hearth in their native land. However, with travel becoming more common and family life assuming more importance, the women too began to travel to the four corners of the earth. There are many accounts by Victorian women of their travels to the colonies and these are valuable insights into the social history and fabric of the colonies. Many of these accounts were however, quite superficial and concentrated more on the scenery and landscape—two of the most important things that interested women of the period. A Lady’s Life on a Farm in Manitoba by Mrs. Cecil Hall was published in 1884. The book consists of a series of letters written by the author to her family in England and as she says in the preface, were never meant to be published. However, she later felt they provide useful tips for those intending to make the journey and settle in a far off land. Her brother had migrated to Manitoba in 1881. In 1882, Mrs. Hall and her sister traveled to Canada via New York and Chicago. En route, the letters describe their meeting with President Chester Allen, the newly appointed head of state who took over as President after the assassination of President James Garfield. In Chicago, the letters describe a city that’s limping back to normalcy after the Great Chicago Fire. Their journey by train across the vast plains of Canada, their arrival on the farm managed by her brother and two others who have purchased 13,000 acres and their experiences in the New World are chronicled in these letters. The sisters spend three months on the farm where they soon roll up their sleeves and pitch in, abandoning their fine lady’s ways! Cooking, cleaning, helping on the land, ruining their soft hands and learning a different way of life are well described. The ladies then move to Colorado, where they visit friends who are here to try their luck in gold mining. The book closes with a letter from their brother who updates them on the progress he and his friends have made on the Manitoba farm. As an account of the difficult and hostile conditions that pioneers faced in America and Canada, A Lady’s Life… is indeed an interesting and valuable work that modern day readers will certainly enjoy.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: A Lady's Life on a Farm in Manitoba, audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mrs. Cecil Hall, Non-fiction, travel

Travel along as Mike Vendetti aka miketheauctioneer narrates an outstanding true account of a trip made in 1909 by Zane Grey and a plainsman, Buffalo Jones, through the Grand Canyon to lasso a cougar. That’s right lasso. Throw a rope around. That’s equivalent to catching one by the tail. As I narrated this book, I found fact to be as exciting as fiction. This part of the west was relatively wild and untamed at this time. Wolves, wild horses, buffalo and other wildlife were quite prevalent, and the Indians were not that friendly. This adventure would never make it to “Animal Planet”, or as a National Geographic special, because there is quite a lot of what we would consider cruelty to animals, but this is a true story, and life as it was at the turn of the last century. Parts of this story will offend the sensibilities of some, but it is a glimpse into a world that no longer exists. I was definitely drawn into this story, as I hope the listener will be.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Teen/Young adult, The Last of the Plainsmen, westerns, Zane Grey

The Adventures of Paddy Beaver is another in the long list of children’s books by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, the industrious and clever Paddy Beaver, a newcomer to the Green Forest, has encounters with Sammy Jay, Jerry Muskrat, Ol’ Man Coyote and other inhabitants of the Green Forest. Along the way, we learn how Paddy builds his dam and his house, and how he stores his food. We also learn little lessons about life, such as the importance of planning before doing, caring for Nature, trusting others, the benefits of working together and how wonderful it is to have a job one can sink one’s teeth into. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, nature, Teen/Young adult, The Adventures of Paddy Beaver, Thornton W. Burgess

Long before Christiane Amanpour, Frances Fitzgerald and Martha Gellhorn blazed a trail in courageous investigative journalism, a pioneering and intrepid writer and journalist whose pen name was Nellie Bly opened up a whole new field in what had previously been a strictly male domain. Ten Days in a Madhouse was published as a series of articles in the New York World during 1887. Nellie Bly was given the assignment by her editor to have herself committed to an insane asylum in New York with a “view to writing a plain and unvarnished narrative of the treatment of patients therein and the methods of management…” She was to feign insanity and get herself legally declared insane, pass the test conducted by the doctors and get committed. She was to chronicle her experiences and write a report that revealed everything that she went through in the asylum. It was not an easy decision to make and Nellie herself had doubts about the fact that once she was declared insane, her editors would hardly be in a position to get her out! Ten Days in a Madhouse received a sensational response. Nellie’s account of the dehumanizing conditions inside the asylum, the prevailing attitudes towards mental illness, contemporary ideas of treatment and the brutality and neglect of the system that she experienced were an eye-opener for the authorities. The authorities were left red-faced when it was discovered that insanity could so easily be faked. However, her expose of the conditions inside the Lunatic Asylum for Women at Blackwell’s Island prompted a grand jury investigation in which she was asked to testify. The Department of Public Charities and Corrections was allotted a larger budget as a result of this. Nellie Bly, or to give her real name, Elizabeth Jane Cochrane, was a champion of human rights. She was also an extremely adventurous and creative journalist who looked at her profession not just as a job. A later series of articles that followed Ten Days… was one in which she aimed to beat Phineas Fogg’s record of 80 days recreating the journey described in Jules Verne’s novel. Nellie completed the nearly 25-thousand km journey in 72 days. Her other articles included Six Months in Mexico, a report on Mexico under the dictator Porfirio Diaz. She retired from journalism after marrying the industrial tycoon Robert Seaman and proceeded to devote herself to social causes. Ten Days in a Madhouse is a riveting account of the shocking and pathetic condition of mental health rehabilitation in the early part of the twentieth century. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Nellie Bly, Non-fiction, Ten Days in a Madhouse

On Loving God is one of the best-known and most influential works of Medieval Christian mysticism. Written at the request of one of the cardinals of Rome, it describes the four “levels” of love for God, and puts Christian devotion in the context of God’s love for mankind. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Bernard of Clairvaux, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, On Loving God, Philosophy, religion

“There are very few persons who have not heard of the fame of Peter the Great, the founder, as he is generally regarded by mankind, of Russian civilization. The celebrity, however, of the great Muscovite sovereign among young persons is due in a great measure to the circumstance of his having repaired personally to Holland, in the course of his efforts to introduce the industrial arts among his people, in order to study himself the art and mystery of shipbuilding, and of his having worked with his own hands in a ship-yard there. The little shop where Peter pursued these practical studies still stands in Saardam, a ship-building town not far from Amsterdam. The building is of wood, and is now much decayed; but, to preserve it from farther injury, it has been incased in a somewhat larger building of brick, and it is visited annually by great numbers of curious travelers.The whole history of Peter, as might be expected from the indications of character developed by this incident, forms a narrative that is full of interest and instruction for all.” (from the Preface of Peter the Great)

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, History, Jacob Abbott, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Peter the Great

The Art of War is a 6th Century BC Chinese treatise on war and military strategy known for its timeless examples of strategy and planning. There is intense interest in this ancient work since it teaches how to be victorious in conflict and that the final victory ultimately is to see war as an effort to win minds and hearts rather than a mere acquisition of territory and wealth. The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a two thousand year old work, reputedly authored by a famous military general and strategist who lived in ancient China. Apart from this, he is also revered and respected in many South Asian countries as a learned philosopher. The book is divided into thirteen chapters and there is historical evidence to prove that it was written over a period of time and perhaps with many borrowings and collaborations with other similar works of the period. However, it was also heavily criticized by generations of scholars and thinkers in later centuries as it advocated deception and spying as accepted strategies in war. Many scholars have also doubted whether a figure such as Sun Tzu existed at all and have found several inaccuracies in terms of the timeframe in which the book was supposed to have been written. Many feel that the original work may have undergone several revisions over the centuries before being consolidated in its present form. Whatever the nature of these opinions The Art of War remains a fascinating, valuable and extremely interesting work. Each chapter explores a different aspect of war. Beginning with elaborate plans that should be put in place before the commencement of war, the book goes on to describe different situations in which wars are fought, the kind of strategies employed in various types of terrain, understanding the nature of the enemy and finally positioning, timing and methods of attack. For present day corporate warriors, The Art of War is an invaluable text. Business management, sports and politics are some of the fields where it has found immense application. Conflict resolution theory has been immeasurably enhanced with the addition of Sun Tzu’s millennia-old tried and tested methods. It also provides valuable assistance in the grooming of leaders, understanding and appreciating the opponent and leveraging one’s own advantages. The Art of War provides compelling reading for anyone who is interested in the dynamics of negotiation, competition, mediation, planning and arbitration.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle thought he had finished forever with his immortal sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his chronicler, Dr Watson. Exhausted and bored with the Holmes saga, he wanted to turn to more serious writing. In the short story The Final Problem, published in 1893 as part of the collection The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, the author had sent Holmes plunging to his doom into the Reichenbach Falls. However, by 1901, Doyle found himself in severe financial difficulties. It was then that he resurrected his popular detective. The Hound of the Baskervilles is set in time before the Reichenbach and as the publishers had predicted, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once again struck gold! The Hound of the Baskervilles is thrilling, tightly-plotted and full of atmosphere. Set in the misty and sinister landscape of Dartmoor, it was inspired by the true story of a wicked 17th century Squire who lived in the West Country. Tales of the man’s villainous ways were whispered about and when he finally died, his evil spirit continued to roam the moors, leading a pack of supernatural hounds who were often seen at his tomb! In the novel, Sir James Mortimer, a physician and friend of the Baskervilles, a noble country family consults Holmes in London and seeks his help. Sir Charles Baskerville, the owner of a mansion called Baskerville Hall has been found dead under mysterious circumstances, which lead Sir James to fear that he was the victim of a strange and fatal family curse. A remote ancestor, notorious for his debauched ways, had been violently killed by a hell-hound with supernatural powers. People in the neighboring village report having seen an enormous hound on the moors at night. Mortimer now fears that Sir Charles has been visited by this terrible creature whose mission is to destroy the Baskerville family. The heir to the estate, Sir Henry Baskerville, is on his way home from Canada to claim his inheritance. Mortimer is apprehensive that Sir Henry will be the next target of this terrible creature. Holmes and Watson set out for Baskerville Hall. As he remarks, “The game’s afoot!” The Hound of the Baskervilles is a masterpiece of chilling detective fiction. It has been extensively adapted for radio, film and television all over the world. The story has lent its name to a psycho-medical condition called the Baskerville Effect – heart ailments caused by psychological stress! In all, a great read for that cold and rainy night! More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles

This is a collection of public domain works either published in 1912, or written in 1912 and published before 1923. The accent is on non-fiction but a few short stories are included. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: 1912: Short Works Collection, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Unknown

A treasure trove of wise and pithy sayings, reflections on education, family values, the ideal human being, life and living, politics, art, culture and timeless wisdom, The Sayings of Confucius is indeed an invaluable addition to your bookshelf. Ever since Chinese literary works first began to be translated into European languages, the works of the legendary Chinese philosopher and teacher Confucius, who lived in present day Qufu in the Shandong province of China, more than two thousand years ago, have held universal appeal. He was a teacher, philosopher, editor, mentor and politician who lived at some period during 776-476 BC and is credited with editing and writing many texts and treatises. However, he is best known for his Aphorisms or Sayings. These are compact, perceptive and often witty sayings, which were compiled in a volume of Analects long after his death. Confucius, or Kong Fuzi, to give the Chinese rendering of his name, was brought up by his mother in great deprivation and poverty after the early death of his father, a valiant and victorious army general. Though they were aristocrats descended from the royal Song dynasty, circumstances forced their ancestors to flee from violence in their native state and settle down in the walled city of Zhou. As a young man, Confucius endured humiliation and hardship, having worked as a menial laborer and shepherd to make ends meet. However, he managed to educate himself and in his later years, gathered a large and dedicated group of students round him. He also held high positions in the government in the kingdom of Lu where he reached the peak of his political career and became the confidant of the Duke. His works became the foundation for centuries of Chinese intellectual thought and are revered even today. His philosophy is based on the concept of “ren” or compassion, and his famous Golden Rule, “What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others,” remains immortal. “He who learns but does not think is lost, he who thinks but does not learn is in great danger” is another example. The genealogical descendants of Confucius still exist in China, where the Kong family has the oldest recorded ancestry in the world, but his spiritual family is scattered all over the world and across generations. Confucius’ teachings continue to delight, enlighten and educate us and his Sayings remain relevant and fresh even in this modern Age of Information.

Categories: Arts, Education, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Confucius, ebooks, free audio books, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, The Sayings of Confucius

Harry Houdini, master illusionist and contortionist, unmasks the various ways that criminals take advantage of their victims.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Harry Houdini, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, The Right Way to Do Wrong

It wasn’t Archie’s fault really. It’s true he went to America and fell in love with Lucille, the daughter of a millionaire hotel proprietor and if he did marry her–well, what else was there to do?From his point of view, the whole thing was a thoroughly good egg; but Mr. Brewster, his father-in-law, thought differently, Archie had neither money nor occupation, which was distasteful in the eyes of the industrious Mr. Brewster; but the real bar was the fact that he had once adversely criticised one of his hotels. Archie does his best to heal the breach; but, being something of an ass, genus priceless, he finds it almost beyond his powers to placate “the man-eating fish” whom Providence has given him as a father-in-law.

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Indiscretions of Archie, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, P. G. Wodehouse

King Solomon’s Mines is the story of the leader Allan Quatermain and his adventurous group of followers on their mission to find the lost brother of an aristocrat, Sir Henry Curtis. Considered similar to Robert Louise Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island, Haggard’s book proved to be another must-read adventure novel in the international literary world. The African desert hides underneath its sands myths and legends that lasted for centuries in the minds of the locals. Quatermain has a mysterious map that could lead to the ancient mines of the wise King Solomon. The road to discovery is not easy, and the group of adventurers must pass through dangerous and life threatening situations. They are taken prisoner by a local tribe ruled by King Twala, a violent and cruel person who wove his path to the throne by killing his brother and abandoning his sister-in-law in the hot sun of the African desert. The novel presents a whole series of furious battles between the Englishmen and the indigenous tribes, in the end the road to King Solomon’s mines being revealed by the maleficent Gagool. The mysteries deepen when Quatermain discovers the body of the adventurer who drew the map to these mines in his own blood. But how will they get to the labyrinth of the mines and find the correct route through? This and many mysteries will keep you riveted as you read this book. King Solomon’s Mines is a great book to explore the ancient world and discover wisdom through Haggard’s amazing narration.

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, H Rider Haggard, King Solomon's Mines, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com