THE VALLEY OF SECRETS
Charmian Hussey, , read by Charles Keating. . Listening Library, $33 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-307-20651-0
Keating's rich, low voice—gravelly and whisper-tinged in all the right places—hooks readers into discovering just what secrets lie inside the magnificent gates of the ancient Cornwall estate known as Lansbury Hall. Wrapped in an evocative cloak of suspense, Hussey's debut novel stars an orphan boy named Stephen who learns he has inherited the long-overgrown Lansbury Hall from a great-uncle he never knew he had. Stephen's exploration of his new, mysterious surroundings (and the creepy discovery that someone else has been living there all along) form the bulk of this meaty tale. The lad's detailed interest in botany will be a bonus for any green-thumbed listeners. Keating's understated British accent and smooth delivery go far in making this a great selection to sink one's ears into. Ages 8-up.
Reviewed on: 02/14/2005
Genre: Audio
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-0-307-20652-7
Compact Disc - 978-0-307-20736-4
Hardcover - 10 pages - 978-0-340-90237-0
Hardcover - 382 pages - 978-0-689-87862-6
Paperback - 400 pages - 978-1-4169-0015-3
Prebound-Glued - 382 pages - 978-1-4177-7017-5
