Featured stories

Explore the Story Hive with our author's picks and most popular stories.

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The Story Hive

Listen to exclusive short stories, non-fiction and serialised novels.

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Stories for children

From adventures to bedtime stories and life lessons, we have children’s stories for all ages.

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Laugh out loud

Let yourself be delighted and entertained with stories from our humour section.

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Dive into a novel

Tazzie and Howl, the first of our serialised novels, is a wonderful adventure for all ages.

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Thrills and chills

For gripping stories that will have you on the edge of your seat, check out our thriller section.

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Latest Stories

December 1, 2024

True Stories: A Christmas Big Issue Story

In keeping with the Story Hive tradition, here's this year's Christmas story. It's taken from the True Stories collection, and it's one of our favourites.
Phil Ryan
Love0
December 1, 2024

London Tales: Safira

So often our passions are locked away until a key turns and we take flight!
Phil Ryan
Love0
December 1, 2024

London Tales: Nancy

It’s funny how we change and what changes us. Meet Bill.
Phil Ryan
Love0
December 1, 2024

London Tales: Frankie

They often say we gotta do what we gotta do. Frankie certainly does that and more.
Phil Ryan
Love0
October 31, 2024

Guitar Breaks – by John Hamilton

John Hamilton is a Scottish writer and music producer based in London. Featuring a unique first in audiobooks, ‘Guitar Breaks’ is the world’s first audiobook to feature music and full…
Phil Ryan
Love0
October 31, 2024

The Rose Garden: Irina

The path to true love is often unusual, but that’s love.
Phil Ryan
Love0

Welcome to the Story Hive, the home of amazing audio stories!

The Story Hive is a place full of free stories you can listen to at home, in the park, in the car, on a train, by the ocean, or wherever you go. From short stories to serialised novels, from the humorous to the dark, for adults and children – we have stories for everyone.

Browse stories

Featured stories

Not sure where to start? Explore our author’s picks and most popular stories to  get a taste of the amazing range of audio entertainment waiting for you inside the Story Hive.

Collections

Short fiction

September in Rome

This collection of short stories follows the interwoven lives of fascinating characters in the Eternal City, filled with love, laughs and thrills.

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The Crime Files

The secret files of a high-ranking, retired police officer offer a glimpse into true crime stories that the public never knew about until now: fact or fiction?

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The Other Place

A collection of short stories that will transport you to strange, alternative worlds, where things and people are never quite what they seem

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The Storm House

Spellbinding modern fiction stories, ranging from humorous to very dark, featuring everyday characters in intense and enthralling situations.

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Just the Job

Every person’s job has a story and many are more fantastical than you could ever imagine. Take a look beyond the obvious and meet some extraordinary people.

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The World of Ink and Dreams

Every tattoo tells a story: this gorgeous collection of stories about the art of ink on skin will take you into a world beyond your wildest dreams.

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Love Stories

Love is all around us, and it comes in many shapes and colours. This collection celebrates the many different kinds of love we will find in a lifetime.

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The Random Emails File

The art of the letter for the 21st century: Email exchanges ranging from funny to  bizarre – prepare to be moved and entertained.

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Uncle Phil’s Slightly Altered Fairy Stories

A completely irreverent and slightly saucy rewriting of your favourite fairy tales – strictly for adults only!

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The  Horror Club

A selection of darkly clever and terrifying horror stories, not for the fainthearted. It’s probably best to keep the lights on when you listen…

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Shakespeare’s Sonnets

This is a collection of my favourite Shakespeare sonnets. Over the coming year I’ll be inviting guest readers to join us on the Story Hive, delivering their favourite ones too.

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The Gallery

A series of engaging tales from a well-known London gallery. Can you guess which one?

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Falling Into The Sky

A collection of poetry and prose.

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The Honeypot Lane Bookshop: A Novel

A sneak preview of Phil Ryan’s latest novel, “The Honeypot Lane Bookshop”.

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The Rose Garden

There’s a hidden gem at the heart of London’s Regents Park -it’s called The Rose Garden, a place bursting with flowers, and scents and stories! Come choose a bench, sit for a while and let your imagination take flight!

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London Tales

A series of stories set in the teeming metropolis that is London. Find a cast of characters you simply will fall in love with.

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Story Hive Competition Time

Every book we see in a bookshop has a description on the back. A mini summary if you will, one that hopes it will make us buy the book. In our competition, we want you to write a sixty-six-word description to entice us to buy the book!

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Guest Writers

The Story Hive will be inviting a new Guest Writer to join us every month. We’ve found a range of exciting and unusual books and stories from some really brilliant creators. Look out for them in your news feed! Enjoy!

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True stories

Overheard In London

You can believe your ears with these genuine conversations overheard in cafes, museums and public places around London and the UK.

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True Stories

An amazing collection of true stories that were told to – or actually happened to – author Phil Ryan during his career. Prepared to have your jaw drop.

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Plan Bee

The Story Hive is incredibly proud to support Tony Briggs’ amazing new initiative to restore the UK bee population and propogate the use of hives across schools, colleges, community groups and businesses.

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Longer fiction & novels

Circular Motion: A Short Novel

Follow the progress of a falling satellite across a continent and the lives it touches in a series of unbelievable and entertaining ways.

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Tazzie & Howl: A Novel

A charming tale of a young boy scout, his friends and their dog Howl going on a magical adventure in the late 1960s.

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Radio Plays

A collection of radio plays offering everything from life-affirming tales to humour and horror.

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Stories for children

Sleepy Bedtime Stories

Stories written for children aged 3-6 to listen to at bedtime, featuring a wonderful cast of characters having little adventures.

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The House of Eternal Summer

A delightful children’s book for ages 8-12, full of charming tales that gently explore the many emotions children encounter growing up.

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Sleep, mindfulness & meditation

The Sleep Room

Voice-guided exercises designed to help you get into a better sleeping cycles, perfect for those struggling with insomnia and poor sleep

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The Meditation Circle

Guided meditation exercises to help you relax, for first-time meditators and experienced folks alike.

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Things You Really Need To Know

Phil Ryan has travelled the world for the last forty years in an extraordinary career. Along the way, he has learned many life lessons and felt it a good idea to jot some of them down.

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