Dickens' final novel, left unfinished at his death in 1870, is a mystery story much influenced by the 'Sensation Novel' as written by his friend Wilkie Collins. The action takes place in an ancient cathedral city and in some of the darkest places in Victorian London. Drugs, disappearances, sexual obsession, disguise and a possible murder are among the themes and motifs. A sombre and menacing atmosphere, a fascinating range of characters and Dickens' usual command of language combine to make this an exciting and tantalising story. Many thanks to Mr Chant for his breathtaking recording. A true delight to listen to. It will appeal to all enthusiasts of classic British literature and to the distinguished listener! An exceptional recording Philippe Horak 2009-03-08 14:21:47 2009-03-08 14:21:47 5 I wholly disagree with the previous review that gives this recording 5 stars. I found the reader's attempts at character voices to be so bad that I couldn't pick up the actual words. This was especially true when the guy tried to do an old woman's voice... none of the dialogue actually got through to me because the "voice" made the words unintelligible. I guess the reader deserves a bit of credit for trying, but really, I'd just as soon be able to hear the author's words than listen to silly voices. Had to give up gooch12 2009-03-26 22:53:20 2009-03-26 22:53:20 1 2 3.00