The Tell-Tale Heart

Title: The Tell-Tale Heart

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Narrator: Jonathan Dunne

Original Publication: 1843

Public Domain: Yes

Series Placement: Number 2 in the Timeless Terrors series

Description:

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe is a cornerstone of Gothic horror and psychological suspense. First published in 1843, this chilling short story explores the depths of madness, obsession, and guilt. A nameless narrator insists upon his sanity even as he recounts the murder of an old man whose “vulture eye” torments him — only to be undone by the relentless sound of a phantom heartbeat beneath the floorboards.

This recording is narrated by Jonathan Dunne, capturing Poe’s feverish intensity and the claustrophobic descent into insanity. While the text is in the public domain, this performance is an original work and copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne.

Listeners should prepare for a haunting, unforgettable experience — a tale that continues to define horror through its mastery of paranoia, tension, and the terrifying fragility of the human mind.