THE ANIMALS AT LOCKWOOD MANOR

Narrator Sarah Lambie does double duty in alternating chapters as Hetty, an associate at a natural history museum, and Lucy, the terrified daughter of Major Lockwood of Lockwood Manor. It's WWII, and London is being bombed, so Lockwood offers his country estate to house the museum's collection of mammals. Hetty is sent to live at the manor and watch over the collection. As Hetty, Lambie sounds organized and matter-of-fact, very much the cool, determined professional woman in a male-dominated workplace. As Lucy, Lambie uses an ethereal tone, particularly as Lucy reveals monstrous truths. In this modern gothic, animals disappear, chilling screams pierce the night, and tales of abuse and madness abound. An appropriately horrific conclusion is worthy of the genre's best storytellers. Lambie makes it all exceptional listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2020]