"Another Place"
from Binscombe Tales: The Complete Series
by John Whitbourn
Synopsis:
This is a spooky tale within a tale. Mr. Oakley listens to a creepy story about a former (current?) resident of the town to which he's just moved-- a man believed by some locals to be living in a parallel dimension.
My Reaction:
Cue the Twilight Zone theme song!
This story reminded me strongly of a "homier" episode of that classic program-- and since I've described it as a classic, you know that it's intended as a compliment. ;o)
I finally remembered to check back at Forgotten Classics. I've mentioned it before, but that was years ago, so here's a quick explanation/reintroduction:
Forgotten Classics
is a podcast produced by Julie D., who selects and reads books
aloud, a chapter or so at a time. (Or, as in this case, she reads a short story or a snippet from a larger work that's not in the public domain.) Usually, these are classics of
literature that may have fallen by the wayside or otherwise been
overlooked in favor of the famous classics, but sometimes she features more recently published books.
Julie has a very pleasant, clear voice, and if you didn't know better,
you'd think you were listening to a professionally produced audiobook.
(Actually, I prefer her reading style to that of many of the
professional audiobook narrators I've come across.) She chats a little at the
beginning and ending of each segment, so it has more of a podcast/book club feeling to it than a traditional audiobook. I enjoy that "personal touch" aspect of her recordings, and as a bonus, she often recommends other podcasts she's discovered and enjoyed.
...So, anyway, this was a sample from Binscombe Tales, which is a collection of 26 short stories connected (I assume) by their setting (a fictionalized version of Binscombe, a small village in England) and some of their characters (such as Mr. Oakley, I gather).
I don't think I can go into details without spoiling it... It was a very enjoyable read (erm, listen?) of its kind, though, and I'll certainly be putting Binscombe Tales on my to-read list!
