PLAGUE HOUSE

Jenna and Jake find ghosts in the strangest places. Jake narrates their discovery of an ancient plague house that is haunted by its victims. Tom Lawrence portrays the impatient Jake, who wishes his sister would stop trying to rescue ghosts. While Lawrence creates youthful voices for Jenna and Jake, he fails to evoke a spooky atmosphere overall. The narration doesn't overcome a slight story and insufficient character development. An unusual bunch of villagers, including a magician and a taxidermist, add local color, but the minor characters never emerge as three-dimensional personalities. Given the abrupt conclusion and loose ends, Lawrence has a challenging story to articulate. A more confident narration might have overcome some of the story's deficiencies. C.A. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2009]