Six months after a terrible tragedy, Paul and Sarah Fanshawe take a break in the countryside…

Mark Morris reunites with director Simon Barnard for the final story in this collection, after their highly enjoyable take on Blood on Satan’s Claw last year. As he did with that adaptation, Morris has retained the spirit of the original tale but not felt bound by it in order to tell a compelling piece in its own right.

This isn’t a James story that I knew prior to this version, and Morris’ version takes the core elements, both plot and thematic, and brings them neatly into the 21st century, adding in a further layer with an exploration of the effect that the death of a child can have on parents. Having sadly known a few couples in this situation, much of the reactions on both sides feel very true to life – and I am very relieved that none of them found themselves in the dilemma that’s presented here. The original MR James tale centres around a pair of binoculars, and what might be seen through them; Morris’ version links to the podcast and the regular recordings that Paul Fanshawe makes – a particularly appropriate conceit to use on audio.

The casting for the whole collection has been handled well, and Andy Nyman and Alice Lowe are a convincing central couple. Anna Carteret and Kerry Howard as the two generations of the local family never allow their performances to stray into cliché territory, and there’s good support from Ewan Bailey and Tom Barnard. David Roocroft’s sound design and music help to achieve the requisite atmosphere, and Simon Barnard builds the tension very effectively.

The score beneath will surprise no one who’s read the previous reviews: this set has been one of the best collections I’ve listened to in recent times, and I hope the “volume 1” on the cover indicates more are on their way soon…

Verdict: A story that will get underneath your skin and haunt your dreams – bet you too go back and listen as carefully as Sarah does… 10/10

Paul Simpson