THE BEDLAM STACKS

Listeners are transported to 1859, a time when cholera is ravaging parts of India and the only known treatment comes from the bark of the Peruvian cinchona tree. Narrator David Thorpe is an ideal match for the rich story of crippled smuggler Merrick Tremayne, who heads deep into Peru to bring back cuttings from this tree. The story is written in the first person, and Thorpe's voicing of Tremayne conjures up a man who finds himself somewhere he'd rather not be, doing something he'd rather not do, but knowing there's no alternative. Thorpe's portrayals of the other characters are also convincing as he gives them authentic voices. A picture is painted of a place of mystery and magic, mixed with a frisson of fear. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]