When Paul Auster and NPR's Weekend All Things Considered introduced the National Story Project, the response was overwhelming. Not only was the monthly show a critical success but the volume of submissions was astounding. Letters, e-mails, and faxes poured in on a daily basis -- more than four thous[...]

A terrible crime occurs in "Elect H. Mouse State Judge."Two young girl are abducted and held hostage by a band of religious fanatics. The girls' anxious father, a politician on the eve of an important election, has reasons of his own not to go to the police, so he hires a pair of shady private eyes [...]