CURIOUS CREATURES The Shorter Horror of M.R. James

Drawing on his one-man shows, Lloyd Parry captures the subtle horror in M.R. James’s stories by performing them, rather than simply reading them. The listener will feel as though the English gentlemen narrators are whispering odd little tales they are embarrassed to admit they know. Encounters with dowager zombies, talking stained-glass windows, and slender beings perched on windowsills remind listeners of ghost stories like the ones schoolboys tell after lights-out. While mouth noises sneak into the recording, they could be considered a clever enhancement of character. Parry’s narration is so entrenched in the ambiance that the listener becomes absorbed in the spooky moments when Parry pauses to let the question “What if...?” resonate in the silence. A.H.A. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]