Read by Lisa Richards, David Selby, Andrew Collins and Christopher Pennock

Written by Alan Ronald, Matthew Waterhouse, Kate Webster and Aaron Lamont

Directed by David Darlington and Jim Pierson

In which the pasts of, or events from their pasts, return to haunt Sabrina Jennings (Richards), Quentin Collins (Selby), Barnabas Collins (Collins) and Sebastian Shaw (Pennock)…

“Every New Yorker has a story nobody else will believe. This is mine,” begins Sabrina’s tale of woe. Going through the motions and barely making ends meet as a late-night waitress in a grimy New York City diner, she’s as far from her imagined life with Chris and Amy as she can be. But, as she tiredly observes, waking up next to the murdered body of your husband the morning after your wedding day can lead to certain relationship issues. An inexplicable feeling of being watched soon fades into the background when an insistent scratching and tapping begins emanating from her full-length mirror… Sabrina Jennings isn’t the most interesting Dark Shadows character, but writer Alan Ronald does his utmost to give her an interesting, atmospheric story in which all is not as it seems. Lisa Richards does a competent job of reading “The Reflected Man” and conveying Sabrina’s haggard state, but she doesn’t “go for the gusto” like the other readers in this collection.

“Old Acquaintance” marks Matthew Waterhouse’s writing debut for Big Finish in this tale of returning evil set on the last day of 1971. It’s an intricate tale spanning the decades, and David Selby launches himself into the proceedings with animated brio, bringing a variety of voices to the numerous characters, particularly the antagonist. Waterhouse has certainly done his homework, delving into the Mari Lwyd wassailing tradition and turning it into a macabre ritual in which a largely-forgotten tradition can tap into long-dormant malignant powers.

In Kate Webster’s “Devil’s Rock”, a post-Bloodlust Barnabas Collins and Willie Loomis are traveling along the Maine coastline – on foot rather than by car for reasons that are never explained – heading for the boat that will take them to Jaipur, where Barnabas parted company with Dr. Julia Hoffman. However, chance makes them stop in Ham Harbor, an insular little community with an abundance of fish in its nets and a terrible secret at its heart. While initially it seems like this tale could’ve been called “Dark Shadows Over Innsmouth”, Webster steers the Lovecraftian elements in a pleasingly unexpected direction. She also captures the dynamic between Barnabas and Willie quite adroitly, imbuing their scenes with some welcome character development.

Aaron Lamont’s “Cobwebs” concludes this quartet of vignettes with a visit to Sebastian Shaw in Windcliff Sanitarium – or at least a very strange version of Windcliff, devoid of staff and patients. It’s just Sebastian and an itsy-bitsy spider weaving its web. Oh, and the Burned Man who stalks the empty corridors, wailing the same cryptic refrain again and again… Your enjoyment of “Cobwebs” will depend on how much you enjoy (or don’t) Christopher Pennock’s particular brand of aural scenery-chewing. His fevered deliveries need to be heard to be believed as the addled astrologer finds himself in dreamscape after dreamscape. It’s a breathtaking performance, but not one for the faint-hearted or sensitive of hearing.

Verdict: While overall not as strong as Big Finish’s previous collections of Dark Shadows tales, “Dreams of Long Ago” still makes an enjoyable listen for fans. 6/10

John S. Hall