Audiobook - Dark Shadows: Blood Dance

Susan Omand follows Quentin Collins to the Windy City of Chicago at the height of prohibition for this next Dark Shadows tale from our friends at Big Finish...

Looking back at his time in Chicago in 1929, Quentin Collins (David Selby) recalls how he found himself drawn to one particular speak-easy, the Arcadia Club, owned by Chandres Tessier (Lisa Richards). As they talk over a drink, she explains her parents disappeared under mysterious circumstances and she was taken in by over-protective relatives. She also tells him that the unusual dancers at the club, who all appear to be under some kind of spell, are orphans or from broken homes and she wants to make life better for them than it was for her. After that first meeting, Chandres dominated his thoughts and he begins to spend more and more time at the club.

One night, Quentin discovers two shadowy figures breaking into the club. When he tackles them both and a fight ensues, Chandres deduces the men to be from a gang who are running a protection racket. She asks Quentin to act as her bodyguard but, thinking that the men left a little too quickly he refuses the offer. In the days that follow, Quentin spends more and more time with Chandres, finding himself entranced by her voice, but also sensing that she is hiding something. Soon after, following the dancers backstage, he discovers one of the girls dead but with no apparent injures. He confronts Chandres about it, and she says it must have been a seizure.

Another night, Quentin becomes intrigued by a tall dark figure heading towards the Arcadia Club. Finding the doorman slumped unconscious, Quentin follows the figure inside and is attacked with a glowing blue blade. After fighting it off, and much to Quentin's surprise, the figure disappears before his eyes, leaving only a coat and hat.

Who was the figure with the blue blade, why do the dancers seem to be under a spell and is Chandres hiding even more of a secret?

I’m enjoying finding out more about Collinswood stalwart Quentin Collins in these “flashback” episodes about his past. Although the immediacy of action is somewhat removed by being told as a story, rather than experienced as a play in real time, there is still enough intrigue and mystery to hold the interest, although I must admit I was left wanting a bit more from this story as it asked more questions that it answered. I can only surmise that it has set some groundwork for a later, more involving story.

That said though, as ever the acting and production of the audio was top notch and very enjoyable to listen to so I will forgive it for feeling a bit like filler and look forward to the next one.

Image - Big Finish.