THE LITTLE STRANGER

Sarah Waters's devotion to period detail, painstakingly drawn psychological characterizations, and a plot unwilling to be second-guessed distinguish this from other gothic novels. Simon Vance's performance keeps listeners attentive as the lengthy narrative puts all the pieces into play. Vance navigates the crumbling hallways of an English country estate, The Hundreds, taking listeners into the drawing rooms and parlors of the Ayers family. He becomes the first-person narrator, Dr. Faraday, the observer and interpreter of a series of hellish happenings. Vance creates an aura of menace as Faraday watches while, one by one, the family is destroyed by an eerie presence in the house. By the close of the book, listeners will wonder if the devastating events were supernatural or sinister. Choice listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]