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It's a race against the clock in this tale of danger and intrigue. In the glitzy era of the 1920s, charming armature sleuths, Tommy and Tuppence set out to solve the mysterious disappearance of a client and unravel a mysterious plot involving blackmail, international intrigue, and perhaps even the sinking of the Lusitania. When labor unrest erupts in England, the situation could turn deadly if a state secret falls into the wrong hands, but Tuppence has no qualms in accepting a job offer to stop that from happening.

Like many Jules Verne classics, The Mysterious Island takes you on an unforgettable journey of adventure and reflection. During the American Civil War, a group of Union soldiers escape their confederate captors when they steal a balloon. What they didn't anticipate is the violent storm that awaits them and leads them into uncharted territory.

The most mysterious of twists, turns, and amusing misfortunes occur in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the sequel, Through the Looking Glass. In the first book, we are introduced to the origins of Alice's journey, as she encounters the elusive White Rabbit, the Caterpillar, the Queen of Hearts, and, of course, the guests of the Mad Tea Party.

Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne is a classic novel filled with wonder and adventure. The story begins when London native Phileas Fogg attempts to win a wager by attempting to travel around the world in 80 days. Fogg accompanied by his newly hired valet, Jean Passepartout, sets off on his adventure on October 2, 1872.

Faust has long been considered one of the most important works of European literature ever published. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe began writing Faust in the 1770s while still a young man, spending most of his adult life on the project. Faust was finally finished almost 50 years later, near the end of his life. Faust is a philosophical drama full of humor, satire, and tragedy. The demon Mephistopheles makes a bet with God that he can lure Faust from the path of good.

The Secret Garden is a wonderful children's book that explores the nature of curiosity and perseverance. When the young and sickly Mary Lennox is shipped off to her uncle's mansion after her parents' deaths, Mary doesn't know what to do. She feels alone and isolated within the confines of the giant Misselthwaite Mansion. Gradually, and without her uncle's knowledge, she builds new friendships with the staff of the mansion and her strength builds so that she is not as sickly as she had once been.

Madame Bovary is a lurid tale of unremorseful adultery and violent emotions set against the background of the stupefying, boring provincial town of Yonville in Normandy. The book is a biting criticism of entitlement and living beyond one's means.

Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil takes an in-depth look at the major truths of philosophy. However, the unique approach of adding poetry and commentary to these truths makes this work both more interesting and more dynamic than the typical philosophic discussion found in most modern philosophy books. In addition, Nietzche argues that most philosophies are centered on the philosopher's attempt to explain their own bias. The work offers insight to finding the truths not only about philosophy, but also about the philosophers who wrote these insights.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a classic novel set in the 1800s that explores the revelations of the simple housewife, Edna Pontellier. While on vacation with her husband and her two sons in the Grand Isle near New Orleans, Edna makes new friendships that transform her ordinary life and perspective upside down.

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, written in 1891, is a timeless philosophical classic that is still seen today as an interesting debate on the true meaning of beauty. Basil Hallward, a kind-hearted painter, is inspired by Dorian Grey's unbelievable good looks. While painting a still life of Dorian, Hallward and an acquaintance, Lord Henry Wotton, discuss Dorian's beauty and the idea of perfection. Convinced by their discussion that beauty is the only thing that matters in life, Dorian wishes that he would never age. Instead, he hopes that his painting will age in his stead.

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness tells a story based on Conrad's own experiences in the Congo Free State during the 1890s. Set in Africa, the main character, Marlow, is asked to find and bring back the ivory trader, Mr. Kurtz. However, the deeper Marlow travels, the more ominous and depressing his surroundings become.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson tells a mysterious and thrilling tale through the eyes of the honest and good-natured lawyer, Mr. Utterson. In the will entrusted to Mr. Utterson, Dr. Jekyll states that when he dies, all of his money and possessions shall be left to Mr. Hyde. At first Mr. Utterson and his close friend, Mr. Enfield, suspect that the brutish and child-trampling Mr. Hyde is somehow blackmailing the well-known and well liked Dr. Jekyll.

The Scarlet Letter is one of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s most memorable novels. In this moving story, one sinful act wreaks havoc on the lives of three people. When a beautiful young woman, Hester Prynne, conceives a child outside of marriage, she is punished and humiliated by being required to always wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her clothing. Believing her husband was lost at sea after a shipwreck, Hester takes a lover. When she becomes pregnant, she refuses to divulge the name of the baby’s father. When her husband returns unexpectedly, the lives of all involved are put in turmoil.