great old fashioned ghost story

Told through interview segments with the surviving characters, hear their perspectives on the summer that the lead singer for a '70s psychedelic folk band became deeply obsessed with secretive things to do with "magik" and "sacred time" and spells and rituals and then disappears with a being who couldn't have been there.
Wonderful character portraits examining these events through different eyes, the setting is a palimpsest of an old manor house that gets more unsettling over time, the story comes from the tradition in which the not-knowing is the point - I'm afraid if you need the story to answer all the questions, reveal all the secrets, you will almost certainly find this story unsatisfying.
While about unknown supernatural / ghostly happenings, this isn't "scary", to the extent that this can be categorized in horror it really aligns with old-fashioned ghost stories, certain kinds of urban legends and fairy tales, etc. - very little blood, many already-dead birds, no gore, no violence.
Great story, believable characters, great narrators - I'm on my second listen and I think it's going into my relistening rotation.

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Intriguing and scary

Found it it interesting and was definitely a little scared while listening at night a good listen

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An interesting story that felt more like a drama

Given this title is free through membership and of decent quality, it is worth a listen. Clear effort was put into the voice acting/performance, mostly interview style. It has tinges of mystery and the supernatural along with nostalgia for the days of music records past. Not too much occult or horror if that is what you are seeking.

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Good reading

Very mysterious but no answers I enjoyed it Wish it were longer and more fleshed out

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Annoyingly Incomplete

This recording has a lot of things going for it. The book format is ideal for an audiobook: retrospective interviews à la 'World War Z' (a text copy of this story would be inadequate); the setting (an estate manor from the Renaissance period with a neighboring ancient barrow mound) is perfect for a gothic-type horror story; there is a very well-paced progression of revelations (adding to atmosphere); and there is enough foreshadowing to keep listeners interested in hearing what comes next.
Unfortunately, Elizabeth Hand's foreshadowing is overdone and the eventual pay-off is supernatural and moderately creepy - but nowhere near adequate for what the rest of the book promises. Readers are correct to say "That's It!?! That's the horrifying event all of these people are freaked out about!?!"

The full-cast performance is excellent. Tone and pacing are commendable from every one of the readers.. and portrayals of fear are superlative (it's part of the problem with the book: the performances outshine the material - by far). Blackstone Audio hired a brilliant cast for the audiobook and provide impressive technical support.

This 4.5/10 star story was offered to me for Free as part of my membership and I'm grateful to Audible for including it as part of the 'Plus' initiative. It wasn't a waste of time.. but if they're asking for a Credit, save it.

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