The Man Who Disappeared | L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace | A Bitesized Audiobook

[@BitesizedAudio]

Story begins at 00:01:18 Charles Pleydell receives an unexpected visit from his old friend Oscar Digby, an explorer, with news of an exciting discovery in South America. But it soon becomes clear that some devious villains are on Digby's track... Can Pleydell act in time to save his friend and secure the secret? See the video description for some background notes on the authors. If you enjoyed this story you may enjoy some of my previous readings of Meade and Eustace stories, 'A Master of Mysteries', featuring "professional exposer of ghosts" John Bell, available here: kzbin.info/aero/PLi95qAoufCZLC2ixFiWF3flPkm1JhyCnJ Or for a selection of other Victorian and Edwardian detectives, you may like to try my "Rivals of Sherlock Holmes" playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLi95qAoufCZL5tiXECltwXUI2QDDFrDHD

[@mariameere5807]

Excellent accent! I love it! I love the story and I love your performance! Genuinely, it makes the world of a difference that you are an actor! Best wishes! 🙏

[@patriciaramsey5294]

​@@mariameere5807you are soooo right.

[@kathleenellenford4816]

Thank you!

[@niamuun]

Well said! We adore them as well…relaxing at the end of a long day

[@heathermacdonald6404]

Super! (And I love the beard! You remind me of Shakespeare.)👍🏻😊

[@mariameere5807]

You are spoiling us Simon we adore you and your beautiful dulcet tones and you know how I feel about this author! Like me from Ireland but with an English heart! I get homesick for London now if I leave!! 🙏💜🪷✨

[@gogolsdeadsouls]

Simon Stanhope and Tony Walker are by far the best narrators of audiobooks. Brilliant talents and a genuine passion for the stories and their authors.

[@crimsonwolf9099]

Not familiar with Tony Walker (yet) but totally agree with you about Mr Stanhope. The best! I must add my other fave narrator, Greg Wagland (aka Magpie Audio).

[@lindamoser6317]

​Tony Walker is great with his ghost stories. I favor Simon but both r awesome story tellers!!❤​@@crimsonwolf9099

[@parabellum2126]

I agree that Simon is a wonderful narrator. I also recommend Jasper Le strange who narrates and also writes stories for Encrypted Horror

[@ClockworkChainsaw]

@@parabellum2126 I agree with all mentioned so far, but you can'@t forget @Horrorbabble.

[@northernlights8126]

@@parabellum2126, 💯

[@ginabeena6757]

Do you see how happy we all are when you put out a new video? It's just so exciting! ❤️

[@BitesizedAudio]

Very kind of you, thank you Gina!

[@simoneclift3155]

Aaaaaand relax. Thank you Mr Stanhope for another fabulous story telling. 😊

[@lindamoser6317]

Wonderful story!! It's got everything... mystery, intrigue, danger, a gold mine, a creepy dark mansion and all needed to keep u on the edge of your seat. ❤

[@tammyhanlon3057]

Hi, Simon. I'm glad to see your face. I can't stop to talk right now, I have a new story to listen too. Thanks so much, I'm sure it will be perfect, as always.

[@leriava]

I thought I had heard of all LT Meade & Eustace stories, but this one is new to me. What a treat! Thank you!

[@nct948]

And suddenly there is no more any mention of the tresor map, so it is a very unsatisfactory ending when murderers not only cannot be procecuted but become ones of the richest people on earth 😂. No fault of the narrator of course, who is always a pleasure to listen to. Thank you.

[@elleeo1495]

A chilling story, so marvelously performed! Thank you, Simon! You are the best

[@kpcraftster6580]

Delighted to have another Meade and Eustace, excellently narrated! Quite a detection horror story!

[@blackswan1900]

Yayyy! I'm a member now! Thank you so much for all the joy your narations bring me!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you so much for your support!

[@eleshasmith6064]

Always a perfect pleasure. Thank you so much! ❤❤

[@mngirl5437]

Thanks for the great reading Simon ❤

[@dodiekoehler]

Thank you Simon. I really liked this one. I appreciate your work.

[@crystalclear6864]

Oooh! Marvelous. Tks Simon

[@TheHexCube]

Thank you Simon! 👍❤

[@SpuktasticAudio]

Another long one. Deep joy. More is more when it comes to my beloved Simon. Oh, and nice to see you getting your Bear on in the intro vid. Woof! 🤭 ❤

[@Kit-vb5rm]

Another very large thank you for an exciting reading. Without exception, you read with great skill and are always thoroughly entertaining . Again, a big thank you.

[@mymymom2]

Replaying. Very excellent performance as always. Even better this time around. Thank you.

[@patriciaramsey5294]

These authors are so talented. They draw you into the mystery immediately. Thank you for this jewel. Edit: What an ending! (Shudder)

[@katyvdb5993]

Beautifully read and very effective. The story itself was unexpectedly dark and chilling. Also exasperating! - why must characters ignore sound advice?

[@baruchben-david4196]

Very true... but I guess if they did listen, there wouldn't be as many great tales...

[@katyvdb5993]

@@baruchben-david4196 Fair comment. Just as many horror films would end tamely after a mere 10 minutes if the protagonists showed an ounce of self-preservation when someone says 'Let's break into the haunted lunatic asylum at midnight'!

[@doriellesoler7502]

​@@katyvdb5993lol - yes, common sense would really kill the plot !

[@tammyhanlon3057]

That was a pretty good story, beautifully narrated. I count you among my blessings, Simon.

[@marciedewolff9357]

My cup runneth over. I do not even care that my new rose bushes are just sitting there looking green and naked, refusing to bloom. 😁🤗

[@mariameere5807]

They will if you play this to them!🌟🕊🤍🕊 🌹🥀🌷🥀🌹

[@marciedewolff9357]

@@mariameere5807 I should try it...nothing else seems to be working and listening to Simon certainly makes me happy!😂

[@smythharris2635]

Look in the mirror ma'am, I'm sure a rose is blooming there.

[@mariameere5807]

Marcie, I am jealous! What a beautiful reply you got! I have a cactus 🌵 it’s the first plant I’ve not overwatered and loved to death!!!

[@marciedewolff9357]

@@mariameere5807 I almost gave up on plants of any kind a few years ago. My dear friend gave me a Norfolk pine tree and as hard as I tried, I managed to kill it. The guilt was overwhelming! But my Mom lives with me now and she at 90 years young, is a master gardener and I have learned so much from her and am back in the ranks of the green thumbs....With very close adult supervision.😂

[@annagettings4675]

Wonderful! I knew that damned tank had something to do with it. But I kept thinking of that awful fiend John George Haigh. I knew it could be that because he could never get rid of the bones, revolting man. But what was it then? What a surprise! Thank you so much Simon. So beautifully read as always ❤

[@irenabevans3411]

Welcome back it's an age since I've had a download from you, most likely YT has been playing the lottery on what I receive, last time I got one you were clean shaven.!!!!, must admit the beard does suit you. Thank you for this intriguing tale, most enjoyable😊

[@cannett8966]

Love the accent! I would so enjoy seeing you on stage. 💚💚💚🍀🍀🍀

[@GradKat]

That was a disturbing solution to the mysterious disappearance! My mind was running to hidden trapdoors and priest holes, I must admit.

[@charlottehackett6389]

Thank you, Simon! (Oh, love the facial hair!)

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you Charlotte!

[@TheSonsofFalstaff]

Perfect timing.

[@eshanroveran7850]

Another fantastic upload. Very happy that the last two uploads have been an hour long. Nothing is sweeter than being able to listen to these new wonderful narrations for literally hours on end

[@stephaniealeman8522]

Ah the upper Essequibo- a region I know well having lived with Amerindian people during my fieldwork as an anthropologist- there are still those who come looking for gold and diamonds there, but no chart ever leads to vast riches…Pleydell rather an opportunist in the end though, I must say…

[@JesusIsTheAnswer332]

Love this story & your natural ability & amazing talent to bring the characters and setting to life!!!

[@flapjackfae]

You have no idea what a delight you are. I hear so many good stories "read" by AI, and they're godawful. You are not only human, but an excellent reader of well-chosen literature. Bless you, sir.

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you kindly. I do worry about the growth of AI narration... I agree they're pretty unlistenable, but they are getting better and there seems to be an explosion of channels on YT using AI narration now, some of which pretend to be real people.... on Audible too... very depressing.

[@flapjackfae]

@BitesizedAudio There's a YT channel of Agatha Christie stories read by AI under the name "Jason Fraser", and Hugh Fraser should sue, because they've made it sound just like him, only illiterate. It's terrible. BTW, you look great with the goatee.

[@nickybaker1338]

Such suspense & intrigue! Thank you-brilliant 🥰

[@rstephens9834]

What a treat. 😀

[@MikeM-uy6qp]

Wow. This is a great story. I was blindsided by how dark it was.

[@mjrchapin]

Thesse stories are quaint and charming, but that's just the icing on the horrors of the plot!!

[@pilgrim....]

Another great story and new to me. As usual a stellar performance from yourself, again setting the bar high for the competition. Thank you ❤

[@MadonnaGrogan]

A wonderfull rare treat, much thanks

[@119bm14]

Your uploads are always a treat, Simon.

[@mikekennedy5470]

By all means go to dinner with your buddy but take care to bring a 45 cal semi auto pistol with a few xtra clips..

[@sophiamartinou903]

Wonderful.gentle voice ! I listen to you and i enjoy your so theatrical narrations. Best regards from Athens Greece.

[@nickybaker1338]

Fab-a whole hour! Looking forward to this ...😍

[@nw133]

I love the story but even more so loving the facial hair....fabulous!!

[@amgroves76]

Wonderful, both the story and the reading

[@susanotway7875]

Excellent as always Simon. Many thanks.

[@crimsonwolf9099]

Just totally wonderful!!!

[@tomasomaonaigh7659]

7.55 going to sleep. Bram Stoker must feel violated. Turning in his grave even. I may well.be wrong said I.

[@heathermoulds73]

Like the beard Simon, most distinguished,sir.x love your work 😌

[@carnitagroves7758]

Hoooorraaaaay!!!! No chatbit! I'm a grateful new subscriber!! Greetings from Ghana. 😊

[@vickif.4645]

This is a great one. Love the new intro and the beard! Thanks, Simon ☺️

[@thurayya8905]

I had not heard this one before; thank you.

[@judikingsman6132]

Hello Simon. It's 1740 and I'm in bed already with my 3 cats. I'm here in Tasmania 🇦🇺 and it's really cold 🥶❄️. I'll listen to you until I awake tomorrow ❣️😁

[@clarahalfin399]

Excellent!!! You are a wonderful Artist!!!

[@jannorris9764]

Brilliant thank you! 👍❤️👍

[@catrinlewis939]

Hilarious! Why did I think of Hampstead Heath the moment the Spanish lady outlined her requirements? I spent a lot of time walking on the Heath when I was in London this past June.

[@januzzell8631]

Thrilling to see you again - such fun

[@markmanning8832]

Loved the story. Really gross how they killed Mr. Digby. However, as Sherlock Holmes may have said - That is not all of the story. First, the police are eye witnesses to Mr. Digby going into the house. They are also eye witnesses that Mr. Digby brought his chart with him. If the chart was still in the possession of the other two persons - then Mr. Digby had to have come to the house, talked to the two, and either given the chart to them or had had it taken forcibly by them from him. Therefore, since Mr. Digby never left and they now have the chart - it stands to reason that they had done something to Mr. Digby which I would think would be enough to give them prison terms. Now, the real question (to me) is whether they used Mr. Digby's ashes to put up a new wall or did they flush him down the drain. Since fire was ruled out in the telling of the story, this means they flushed him down the drain. There is a very interesting story of a convict who, when he died, he wanted his body frozen and then microscopic layers of his body sliced off and photographed (or maybe scanned). His body is still online and takes something like six terabytes to download. Even here, they had to deal with destroying these super thin layers of human flesh. What they did with the "body" though, was to send a layer to every medical university to study. As for the part of the story about the rabbit - Rabbits have the distinct pleasure of being the largest animal to ever be frozen in Liquid Nitrogen and then brought back to life. They did this by rapidly bringing the temperature of the dead rabbit quickly back to its normal temperature range after which it simply started breathing again and sat up. But in another case, a rose that was frozen in Liquid Nitrogen was shattered. The thing is - once removed from the chamber, everything begins its journey back to the normal temperatures found in the world and thus, even if they worked as quickly as possible - there would still be blood all over the floor. Unless they were as fast as the Flash. For even with chisels, hammers, spikes, and what all - you can not take a frozen body apart fast enough to not have blood all over the place. Unless you ground him up and dumped him down a drain. But then the drain.....

[@uslines]

Great story until the very end. Good grief, they both lived happily ever after!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Not the most original of endings, I agree!

[@Norah56s]

Very excellent narration!🎉

[@SunnySmile-fr5yg]

So nice to hear from you again 😍

[@leebennett1821]

Thanks

[@pakde8002]

Amazing channel. Best wishes for your success ❤

[@davidhorn6008]

The Law of Constant Conservation - "Matter can neither be created or destroyed!"

[@nesapanjalingam704]

Thank you ❤❤❤

[@jackyhawkins1895]

Thank you so much 😊

[@marshathornburg4352]

Really like your beard! Looks good. As always, thanks so much for your talent sharing😊

[@JT_Soul]

Excellent reading, as always. And, if I may say so, the beard suits you well.

[@judikingsman6132]

Have you recorded other Hamilton Cleek stories, and where can we find them? ❤❤

[@BitesizedAudio]

Only one other so far, the "origin story" for the character: available here, in case you missed it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kF60iqt9f7apkM0 I do hope to record some more of his adventures in the future

[@KarenBryant-qv9nm]

Thank you.

[@esma3658]

Many thanks

[@diannebalemi6334]

Thanks mate,from NZ.😊

[@snippycutwell9878]

That beard quite rakish...🙂 thank you for the story

[@qingma7663]

Thanks!

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thank you!

[@4362mont]

Nope... No way they actually were allowed to leave... What sort of "friend" or police would allow them to walk??

[@paulacnote]

So happy...love the beard!

[@RachelWellborn-h6w]

This is great

[@footfault]

There probably wasn't much of a market for liquid air at the time. Hardly a good business practice to schlep giant tanks around. Btw, one wonders if the Brazilian nuts left empty-handed, or if their goal was achieved.

[@elegantpaws4650]

Lovely channel.

[@sarge4455]

Right on 😊

[@flapjackfae]

As ever, I enjoy your reading very much, but the story puzzles me. Even if the daughter - for whatever reason - doesn't write to Digby directly with her warning, why does Pleydell not tell him the source of his fears, instead of stating seemingly baseless distrust? Am I missing something, or does this make no sense, except in the interest of prolonging the story and artificially sustaining the suspense?

[@BitesizedAudio]

I know what you mean. I couldn't help but wonder [SPOILER ALERT for anyone who hasn't listened yet] why Pleydell didn't just show the lady's letter to his friend to convince him of the genuineness of the danger, rather than making ambiguous hints ... But, as you say, it would have shortened the drama somewhat and we wouldn't have had the ingenious denouement/solution

[@dorothyheisey2150]

I subscribe to this channel . This story is ridiculous. I hope this is a “one-off.”

[@headphone.spirit]

Hi I'm a new subscriber! I really hit the jackpot with your channel & I'm loving it, but there's so many I was wondering if someone could point me to one that takes place on a farm?

[@BitesizedAudio]

Thanks for subscribing! The only farm-related story which springs to mind is 'Nut Bush Farm', by Charlotte Riddell... one of my earliest efforts (over 4 years ago), available here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/emTQYpiwjsmEaMk

[@headphone.spirit]

@@BitesizedAudio thank you so much!

[@suitov]

Well, my guess had been "For the love of god, Montresor!" but I was actually not cynical enough...

[@davidwhite7294]

One wonders if this story is where Haigh the acid bath murderer got the idea.

[@jerrycarter7843]

I've always thought this gentleman is a class act. If Vinsent Price had a bast#d son he'd be it! ❤

[@michaelgilbert3713]

😊 Simon Stanhope 😊 to be or not to be 🔝 what matter 🔝 🔝 the dealer 😊 or 🔝 the house 🏡 😊 ©

[@leebennett1821]

Was the Inspectors first Name Jack

[@barrycrump6189]

The BBC (both radio & TV) should be tapping you on your shoulder with a view to once again creating some quality programming.

[@smythharris2635]

I'm sorry to inform you that is the longest of long shots. The cultural climate has changed irreversibly.

[@CharlieOkeson]

Hey there, Simon. Just letting you know, you got a "best narrator hands down" comment over on neuralsurfer's channel. Apparently, you had a cold when you recorded "The Razor's Edge" by Somerset Maugham. It's the commenter's saying it, and I'm positive it's not you 🤨 (Doing that reading, that is. You ARE the best narrator, hands down). The channel description tells us that they use AI, but a few listeners seem to think it's you. At least you're well known on the KZbin streets enough to (possibly) start an excited debate! 😊 please let me know that I'm right, and it's not you; I've been listening to you pretty much since you began. I know my Simon, dammit 😤 ✌️

[@BitesizedAudio]

Hello Charlie, thanks for the warning. You're quite right, it's not me... but I've had several messages from other listeners who think it is! I don't think it sounds much like me either (except perhaps a vague echo in tone), and various friends and family I've played it to back me up. As far as I can tell it is AI, but I can't bring myself to listen to it for very long... I deplore the use of AI narration generally, no matter how pleasant the voice is, as a listener I just find it lifeless and expressionless, impossible to main concentration, not to mention the frequent mistakes in pronunciation and sense! Anyway, thank you for your kind words and long-time listening support, I really appreciate it!

[@CharlieOkeson]

I 100% agree with you, Simon, about the lifelessness and missed emphasis on many words and phrases. It is difficult to listen to, and I've barely gotten through one,but I've heard all of yours many times, and I'm trying to fill the voids 😊. It's truly a struggle to find someone else to listen to and to find stories that I want to fall asleep to. I prefer older authors, and I don't want an overtly acted out dramatization. I have been spoiled rotten with your channel 😊. Thanks for all you do, though, I sincerely appreciate you. ✌️ G'nite 😴

[@honesty3440]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@careylong4297]

Need any suitcases????

[@michaelgilbert3713]

quote unquote © the rain ☔ in ______ falls mainly on the ⏸ ✈ 😊

[@minvalara2765]

❤❤❤

[@nickynoonooVIII]

🖤🖤🖤🖤

[@kristinacable]

❤❤

[@leebennett1821]

Well that was a bit Grim

[@jwsuicides8095]

Are you aware that another channel is using your voice on AI to read stories?

[@vickif.4645]

What channel is that?

[@jwsuicides8095]

@@vickif.4645 neuralsurfer

[@BitesizedAudio]

@jwsuicides8095 A few people have warned me about this... although having listened to a few samples I don't think it is my voice, there's perhaps an echo of my tone in places. I thought it sounded a bit like Jared Harris. But I really appreciate your concern in flagging it up, thank you: it's something I know I need to keep aware of.

[@tomasomaonaigh7659]

Shes no lady.... No disrespect.