Showing results by narrator "Lauren Pedersen" in All Categories

On the morning of July 3, 1915, John Pierpont Morgan Jr., one of the most famous names in finance, was entertaining guests at his sprawling Long Island estate when the doorbell unexpectedly rang. An armed man forced his way inside. At the same time, authorities in Washington, DC, were investigating a shocking bombing at the US Capitol.

Mabel plans to bring the thrills of volunteering to the masses—if she doesn’t go to the dogs first. When Mabel finds herself sharing a thicket with a dead body while volunteering with canine search-&-rescue, her life has clearly—once again—gone to the dogs!

Marley Brooks is used to receiving fan mail, but when letters from one particular fan take a dangerous turn and a coworker is killed, she leaves her job and flees to Misty Hollow. Her desire to hide doesn’t come easy, as even the people in this remote mountain town recognize her. The letters continue, and Marley enlists the help of local farmer Dirk Mason, former military police.

Mark and Elias Hammond are brothers in bustling Boston. The two brothers have been very close from childhood, and especially since they made a promise to their dying mother years before that they would never be separated.

Every era has its challenges, but ours seem to be majoring in anxiety. Bombarded (via screens) by constant global conflicts, rancorous politics, and church scandals, today we endure seemingly endless external stressors. The reasons are easy to find—division in politics and the pews, caring for kids or aging parents, and the rapid impact of social media on our psyches, to name a few. While exploring these origins may hold some benefit, Sara Billups is concerned with right now: How do we live well in the presence of pervasive personal and collective anxiety?

Matt heaved a forkful of hay down just as the barn door opened, and a shadowed figure entered. He heard an unfamiliar cry of bewildered irritation that did not belong to one of his seven younger brothers or sisters. This was a woman’s voice - young, and most definitely annoyed. In an instant, Matt was brushing hay off a young woman’s shoulders. She wore a pale yellow dress dotted with yellow and green flowers with stylish puffed sleeves and a nipped-in waist that flattered her petite figure.

Nothing exciting EVER happens in the tiny town of Alamo, Texas. But that doesn't stop feisty fifteen-year-old Crystal O'Mally from dreaming of becoming a top notch detective, just like her hero. She gets her chance when her dad, the local jeweler, is accused of stealing the town's treasure, a giant pink diamond. However, things quickly get out of control as clues don't add up, the suspect list grows rapidly, and a mysterious shadow always seems to be one step ahead of her.

Duncan McCammon receives a text for help from his sister. When he arrives at her house, he discovers her gone and her husband murdered. Detective Kennedy Sparks arrives on the scene. As the two investigate, they are drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse where Duncan's long ago rock-climbing buddies are killed off one by one. The killer is following the plot of one of Duncan's books based on an unfortunate accident that had happened years before - a plot that would result in the woman Duncan loved being murdered.

Delaney Cooper receives a text from her identical twin sister, Danica, saying she’s in trouble. Again. Except this time, she doesn’t want help. She wants her sister to stay out of it. The trouble was too great this time. Remembering they’d vacationed often in Misty Hollow as children, and her sister often mentioned how much she wanted to go back, Delaney (Delly) packs up the camper and heads out to find her sister before their mother returns from her cruise. She had no idea exactly how bad the trouble following her sister was.

1943: The world is at war and the outcome is anything but sure. In the heartland, communities like Caroline, Iowa, must bind together to support the cause. As the war drags on, few families escape paying the ultimate price. But the unity of this close-knit community is threatened by a violent death: a murder committed in the basement of the town's beloved Church Street United Brethren. Everyone, including the congregation's handsome new pastor, becomes a suspect.

Misty Dawn has inherited her grandmothers old house in Small Town USA. There she meets up with Carl, her new realtor and others who learn that childhood teachings were more than just stories! As a freak lightning storm ravages the city, Misty learns the Rapture has taken place before her very eyes and she has been left behind. The group struggle to survive the End Time as plague after plague is unleashed upon the Planet. Only faith will get them through as they endure the pain and agony of the Apocalypse. Misty mourns loss after loss until she comes to her breaking point.

An anthology of time’s most beloved stories, written and adapted by the world’s most well-known fairy tale authors, and narrated by a variety of great storytellers.

Former wild child Katrina Bouvet longs to be taken seriously. So when she’s commissioned to create a garden honoring her late estranged stepsister, she vows to make it serve as her redemption. But her high hopes are threatened after she’s forced to work with the grieving widower–the man who broke her heart.

You’re tired. You have trouble sleeping and thinking, you feel down and stressed out, and you worry that you’ve lost your edge. You're plagued by many physical symptoms, too! Your doctor told you that you were depressed, handed you a prescription for an antidepressant, and referred you to a psychiatrist. Your heart of hearts truly believes that you're not depressed, but you don't know what causes you to feel this way.

Bailey Colburn is safe in the Land, but her father figure, Professor Tim, never made it to Good Springs. When Bailey discovers Tim is lost in the Land’s dangerous mountain terrain and out of his life-saving medication, she sets out to rescue him. Even with the help of intriguing native Revel Roberts, Bailey faces an impossible journey to save Tim. The mountains are shrouded in dark folklore and full of deadly surprises.

Fifteen-year-old Crystal O'Mally never thought her detective career would take off with a bang, literally. No sooner does she wish to solve a case NOT connected to diamonds, a local rancher approaches her with a baffling case. A saboteur has been stalking him for over five years, intent on blowing the family ranch to smithereens. Horses are stolen, cows stampeded, and workers injured. No matter where the rancher moves or what he does, the saboteur always manages to wreak havoc. Crystal's a little more cautious to take this case and for good reason.

What if your daily suffering isn’t in vain, but preparing you for something deeper? After surviving a traumatic car accident, Pebbles Wireman has spent over 20 years battling invisible illnesses like chronic migraines and pseudo tumor cerebri. Through raw storytelling and unshakable faith, she shares how God met her in the darkest pain and how hope and perseverance still rise. If you've ever wondered why God allows long-term pain, this book offers honest answers, heartfelt encouragement, and a reminder: you are never alone.

Lydia Colburn is a young physician dedicated to serving her village in the Land, an undetectable island in the South Atlantic Ocean. When Lt. Connor Bradshaw’s parachute carries him from the world war to Lydia's hidden land, his mission could expose her simple society. As Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland, and Lydia’s attraction to Connor stirs desires she never expected.

Faithful dog Barnacle has run off into a snowstorm, disrupting Mabel’s fun outing at the Christmas tree farm. Things don’t improve much when he reappears…with a human skull. Since Mabel moved into her late grandma’s house, the sleepy village of Medicine Spring has provided clean air, a close-knit community, and charming small-town shops. To her surprise, it's also offered up several murders—and romance with a handsome private investigator.

Mabel plans to bring the joys of volunteering to the masses… if she doesn’t fall victim to an ancient curse first. A university archeology team has come to excavate an old privy on the grounds of the Thompson estate, home of Medicine Spring’s first white settler. They hope to retrieve items of historic interest, but rumors of lost treasure and dark curses swirl around the project.