The Floating Press: 2252 books

In this charming story from W. W. Jacobs, a pub denizen spins a yarn about a shooting party that went horribly awry. Though best remembered for his macabre tale "The Monkey's Paw," Jacobs' true literary strength is in his ability to concoct memorable salt-of-the-earth characters.

The world's prickliest nightwatchman is at it again in this funny tale from W. W. Jacobs. After mistaking one sailor for his twin brother during a chance meeting on the wharf, the watchman reminisces at length about a case of mistaken identity in his own past.

A retired boatswain has repeatedly asked his landlady to marry him -- but his advances are consistently rebuffed by the confirmed bachelorette. In a misguided attempt to change her mind, he cooks up a plan to convince her that she needs to have a man around to ensure her safety.

"George A. Birmingham" was one of the pen names used by James Owen Hannay, a lifelong Church of Ireland minister who also wrote novels and short stories. The tales collected in Our Casualty and Other Stories have a strong sense of place and are brimming with colorful Irish culture; many of the stories also have a military cast of characters.

Settle in for a pulse-pounding read with this fast-paced Victorian mystery from author George Manville Fenn. With the unexpected arrival of a beautiful and mysterious visitor, a physician finds himself thrust into the middle of a very strange situation.

This collection highlights the best of British writer G. A. Henty's engaging style. Pairing the title novella, which is an inspiring rags-to-riches tale, with a solid collection of shorter stories, Sturdy and Strong will keep you interested until the last sentence.

In this classic tale of suspense and horror from Bryce Walton, brilliant professor Dr. Spechaug has staked his career on his unique insight into the pathologies of the human mind. But will he be able to save himself from the dark curse that lingers within?

This wildly popular romance from British writer Marie Corelli begins as a classic fish-out-of-water story. The eponymous heroine Thelma, an innocent Norwegian girl, is plucked by a suitor from her family and inserted into the upper echelons of British high society. Will she retain her purity of heart, or will she give in to the debasement that encompasses her?

Immerse yourself in the lush language and enchanting fantasy world of Dutch writer Louis Couperus' Psyche, a twentieth-century reimagining of the ancient fable of Psyche, Eros and Cupid. It's a gorgeously rendered tale that is a must-read for fans of mythology.

We can't always choose the object of our affections, and often, Cupid's arrow causes people to fall in love with the most unsuitable candidates. That's a theme that surfaces time and time again in the collection Frivolous Cupid from British writer Anthony Hope. Bringing together one novella and a series of short stories, this delectable delight will enchant romance fans.

In the short comic play Evening Dress, William Dean Howells' bumbling recurring character Mr. Roberts finds himself in another ridiculous quandary. This time around, a planned evening out on the town is put in jeopardy because Roberts can't locate his formal suit.

Bob Brown, after living thirty years in as many foreign lands and enjoying countless national cheeses at the source, returned to New York and summed them all up in this book.

Well-known as a playwright and novelist, John Galsworthy was also a passionate patriot and supporter of Britain during World War I. Although he himself was too old to engage in active combat, he volunteered the use of his family estate to be used as a convalescent home for wounded soldiers, and he helped...

Over the course of an amazingly prolific literary career during which she penned hundreds of short stories, novels, essays, and screenplays, author Nina Wilcox Putnam developed a knack for creating indelibly unique characters. In the novel It Pays to Smile, patrician spinster Freedom Talbot is forced...