Doctor Who: Phantasmagoria

Big Finish: Monthly Range #2

by Mark Gatiss, Peter Davison (Narrator), Mark Strickson (Narrator)

The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Turlough to the London of 1702 where a mysterious highwayman roams the streets, a local occultist has made contact with the dead and gentlemen of fashion are disappearing, only to find themselves in a chamber whose walls weep blood...

The time-travellers become enmeshed in the hideous plan of Sir Nikolas Valentine, a gambler at the mysterious Diabola Club who always seems to have a winning hand...

Chronological Placement: This story takes place between the television adventures, Resurrection of the Daleks and Planet of Fire.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Media Tie In

2 pages, Audio CD

First published October 30, 1999

About the author

Mark Gatiss (born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, screenwriter and novelist. He is best known as a member of the comedy team The League of Gentlemen, and has both written for and acted in the TV series Doctor Who and Sherlock.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Gatiss has written three episodes for the 2005-revived BBC television series Doctor Who. His first, "The Unquiet Dead", aired on 9 April 2005; the second, "The Idiot's Lantern", aired on 27 May 2006 as part of the second series. In addition, Gatiss was the narrator for the 2006 season of documentary series Doctor Who Confidential, additionally appearing as an on-screen presenter in the edition devoted to his episode. Gatiss did not contribute a script to the third series, but appeared in the episode "The Lazarus Experiment", as Professor Lazarus. After his submitted script for the fourth series, involving Nazis and the British Museum, was replaced at the last minute with "The Fires of Pompeii", he eventually returned to the programme in 2010, writing the (also World War II-themed) episode "Victory of the Daleks" for the fifth series, in which he also appears uncredited as the voice of "Danny Boy". It has also been confirmed that Gatiss will be writing an episode for the 2011 season of Doctor Who, although details about the story are yet to be revealed.[19]
Gatiss wrote an episode of Sherlock, a modern day Sherlock Holmes series co-produced by him and Steven Moffat. The unaired pilot was shot in January 2009 and a full series was commissioned. This was aired in August 2010 and consisted of 3 episodes. Gatiss also starred in these as Holmes' older brother Mycroft. A second series has been confirmed, but dates have yet to be decided, since both Gatiss and Moffatt have additional commitments.[20]
Gatiss also wrote and performed the comedy sketches The Web of Caves, The Kidnappers and The Pitch of Fear for the BBC's "Doctor Who Night" in 1999 with Little Britain's David Walliams, and played the Master in the Doctor Who Unbound play Sympathy for the Devil under the name "Sam Kisgart", a pseudonym he later used for a column in Doctor Who Magazine. (The pseudonym is an anagram of "Mark Gatiss", a nod to Anthony Ainley, who was sometimes credited under an anagram to conceal the Master's identity from the viewers.) The pseudonym was used again in television listings magazines when he appeared in episode four of Psychoville, so as not to spoil his surprise appearance in advance.
In mainstream print, Gatiss is responsible for an acclaimed biography of the film director James Whale. His first non-Doctor Who novel, The Vesuvius Club, was published in 2004, for which he was nominated in the category of Best Newcomer in the 2006 British Book Awards. A follow up, The Devil in Amber, was released on 6 November 2006. It transports the main character, Lucifer Box, from the Edwardian era in the first book to the roaring Twenties/Thirties. A third and final Lucifer Box novel, Black Butterfly, was published on 3 November 2008 by Simon & Schuster.[21] In this the protagonist finds himself serving Queen Elizabeth II, in the Cold War era.
Gatiss also wrote, co-produced and appeared in Crooked House, a ghost story that was broadcast on BBC Four during Christmas 2008.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arriving in London 1702, The Doctor and Turlough soon discover oddly occurrences as card players from the Diabola Club are disappearing.

It’s a fun pseudo-historical romp, both Mark Gatiss and David Walliams distinct voices put me in mind of their sketch’s that also aired around this time of release.
The mystery is engaging enough and with plenty of twists to keep the listener hooked.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another early Big Finish audiobook - this time with Peter Davison taking the lead as the fifth Doctor. Written by Mark Gatiss and featuring the unmistakable voices of Gatiss and David Walliams, this is very much on-brand for both of them as a spooky, psychic ghost story (obviously, this is Doctor Who, so they aren't ghosts) and an opportunity for them both to fill out characters with dodgy 17C working class London accents.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Doctor and Turlough land in early 18th century London, where they encounter a city haunted by ghosts, people disappearing, and two mysterious characters: a card player and a highwayman, lay in wait for the unsuspecting.

This is arguably the first real Doctor Who audio adventure in the Big Finish line as their first one was a multi-Doctor affair and this one sets the model for what has become hundreds of adventures since. The set-up is pretty solid with multiple threads slowly weaving together over four episodes and some nice audio cues to provide atmosphere and mystery.

But it is still clearly an experiment at this point as a couple supporting cast characters are a bit broad and some elements don't really develop interest on their own accord until they're weaved into the larger arc.

That said, it's hard not to see elements of this story adapted to Mark Gatiss' first NuWho story, The Unquiet Dead. Though set almost a hundred and seventy years later, it's still an affair of ghosts that are not ghosts and features a maid who is not entirely what she seems working for someone who appears to have key knowledge to what is going on.

A solid start with potential to build on.

[Shyames · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew the story flow was familiar - and then I looked who wrote this one. Of course it was Mark Gatiss, who else.
5th Doctor is still before me in terms of the TV show but it was a nice glimpse into the personality and the journey of this incarnation.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so good!

The doctor does not really get involved integrally in the events until part 4 as events carry on about him with the Doctor stepping in late in the day to beat the baddie.
The plot also fell away as what began intriguingly became a humdrum plot regarding a nasty alien war criminal being pursued by other aliens wanting to bring him to justice (a plot done better (and more succinctly)in the McCoy story arc in Sirens of Time. Also, The Turlough here is unrecognisable from the TV series.
There is a good cliff hanger at the end of part 3, although even this is wasted in part 4 as it turns out not to be a threat at all but an ally.
An enjoyable,if lightweight, romp through an admittedly well realised historical setting.

[Frank Davis]

Currently updating my reads for the end of 2023, I listened to this and a bunch of other Big Finish Doctor tales (some twice) towards the end of the year, mostly because I was too busy thinking about other things to focus on new stories and the comfort of the familiar voices was a welcome relief from other stresses. Unfortunately I have left it too long to give any story-specific details, but I will inevitably listen to these many more times in future and will hopefully be able to say something more substantial. Suffice it to say that these are just excellent. Production quality is top notch and the storylines are as good and sometimes even better than the TV episodes.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting story! I think it's better than what others have said here that it is. A nice mix of fun comedy and dark themes.

[Josh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this is early Big Finish but this was not very good.

[Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting plot with some entertaining characters and interesting ideas. Some quite weird moments though, and a couple of unnecessary characters whose only purpose is to reveal a twist earlier than the later reveal to the main characters, which would have been more impactful. I also wasn't a great fan of Mark Strickson's voice acting, and Turlough's characterisation seemed a bit off to me. I did like the way they portrayed the relationship between him and the Doctor, as there's only really one story on TV with the two of them alone together, and this fleshes out their dynamic a bit more. It also provided me with some shipping fuel, but, you know, that's not a thing most people care about. 3.5 stars.

[Nicholas Whyte]

There was nothing very special about Phantasmagoria, except that it shared a plot twist with The Stones of Blood and I thought got away with it better. The soundscape of London was quite nicely done, though the writers seemed confused about who Queen Anne's father was (making me wonder for a bit if this was supposed to be some parallel universe; but no, it was just a mistake). Since I was never a huge fan of Turlough, his presence here didn't really excite me.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like this one quite so much, mostly because the voices were too similar all around, so I was never quite sure who was actually speaking. But then I'm not that familiar with Peter Davidson era DW.

It was enjoyable, but just to me sounded all too sameish.

[David Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best written and performed Dr Who audio I’ve heard. Very strong characters and funny dialogue. Highly recommended!

[Melody Soundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Eiery Supernatural Audio Drama That Delivers In Its Mystery.

If you are a Mark Gatiss fan I have to confess that in my opinion Phantasmagoria has to be the best piece of media I have consumed from him. Gatiss's writing was clearly made for the audio format. It's a credit that he can write in so many different formats. The mystery is well built up and the cliffhangers leave the right atmsophere. If you are a Mark Gattis fan you definitely need to check this one out. I also wish Turlough was in 17,00s clothing so he didn't have to say it allowed to the listener.

Honestly the only thing that dipped my enjoyment was the pacing and the fact The Doctor and Turlough got rushed straight into the action and the sexual harassment of course I thought it was disturbing and unesssacary especially with the fact it gets overshadowed by the main conflict of the story. Please Writers give female characters a break.

Apart from that though I really did enjoy this story, its got a nice plot that flows well and in a setting that well suits it. I also love how the story is the perfect blend of supernatural and scifi. Its like Doctor Who meets Scooby Doo but an even more campy supernatural/sci-fi way. The sound design was great too and really added to the immersion.

There's so many things I could praise about this audio but these are in my opinion the best parts about the story.

The performances! Oh my gosh the performances and supporting cast are super strong and up to the standard of future audios. Considering its only the second audio in the main range its really impressive how top tier the performances are. It felt really immersive and like I was watching a classic who episode just without the visuals. All the actors had great chemistry together and it made it very easy to get immersed as a result. Peter Davison and Mark Strickson are the defenite highlights as 5 and Turlough, they balance together really well and have a good contrasting chemistry. It's a really fresh to have the Doctor travelling with only a male companion for once. It isn't just are main tardis duo that give good performances though. David Ryall puts up an excellent performance as the villianous Sir Nikolas Valentine. Steven Wickham also does a really good job as the quirky Dr Samuel Holywell and Julia Dalkin especially in Part 4 does a really good performance. Jez Fielder, Mark Gatiss, Jonathan Rigby and David Walliams are good too. This is definitely worth listening too for the cast. It's as well casted as the 8th Doctor Adventures Series.

Second the chemistry between Turlough and the 5th Doctor. Like I said it's really fresh and a super bold choice to have the Doctor travel alone with a male companion and not on a tardis team. It creates really great story opportunities and allows for the chance to break away from typical companion rules. They aren't together for some parts of the story but when they are they work together like glue. When I say Peter Davison and Mark Strickson are giving it all I mean it. I feel like haven't 3 companions wouldn't have worked for this story and the two manage to put there heads together to solve the mystery of the disappearances. Turlough and 5 are literally the glue of this story and what makes it so engaging to listen too.

Finally the villian. Phantasmagoria had a really good villan in terms of Sir Nikolas Valentine. He reminded of Dr Faciller from Princess And The Frog. He seems like your average villian of the work until we go on in the parts and understand that his motives are far more sinister than thought and how dangerous his plan is. It actually adds to the stakes of the story and makes you worried. It's also nice for the villian to still be evil but have a multi-complex layer to them. The twists surrounding Valentine are well built and actually pay off. It doesn't leave you feeling disappointed and empty. There's good motives as his plan is terrifyingly just but you understand why he does what he does. If you want an audio with a fun, orginal villian that this is the one for you.

Overall a bonkers story that's really entertaining, built up well and leads to a satisfying ending. The time period and side characters are great as well. If your a Classic Who fan who likes Five and Turlough's dynamic then I definitely recommend this one as it was a delight to listen to.

Overall Rating: 4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

[Seb Hasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Besides the title being something people may need a dictionary to understand, I cannot think of another example of complexity in this entire story. This one is written by the endlessly talented Mark Gatiss, but as with most of early Big Finish; they are limited in what they can do on audio. If this story were made now it would have a wealth of atmospheric sound design, music, and enough room for each idea to breathe; alas what this story is, is four episodes that barely pass twenty minutes, and all the budget seems have gone into the fab final episode. There is a really surprising cast to this one, and a great villain, but the story is over in a flash and this what is most disappointing. With terrible stories you just beg for it be over as each episode slowly drags on by, but listening to Phantasmagoria I just wished every element could be expanded upon.

There is a highwayman who does seem to play an important part of the plot, and yet somehow is only in roughly three scenes. The ghastly and intriguing murders too, happen mostly in the background with people describing them to each other. It’s only the gamblers den and the villain’s lair that are really fleshed out and although very interesting, their limited prevalence they hardly substantiate the story. This story really is filled with interesting ideas, and some great performances, but with so much forced into the background via exposition; the story just ends up feeling like an early draft. The alien presence in the story really confused me if I’m honest, as the dialogue on that side wasn’t tied to events whatsoever; meaning only once we get past the big twist does a third of what you’ve listened to so far make sense. Given it’s fairly obvious from the offset that someone is an evil alien I’m not sure why the aliens needed to be so vague and half-present, as it really takes you out of the experience when trying to enjoy the plot and also remember things for later in the hope it finally makes sense.

Mark Strickson returns to the role of Turlough fantastically, and with his dialogue very evocative of his time on the show, his performance is delivered just as well as you’d hope. Peter Davison continues to fill his performance with charm, but as ever his pitfall is the more dramatic moments. Even down to the line delivery, the more climatic moments feel as though he is just intrigued by events rather than enraged or determined. This story weirdly contains a performance from David Walliams, and it’s safe to say don’t expect him in very much of the story. This is prior to his national fame, so here he really is just an actor playing a victim, and even with his limited appearance does do a decent job. Mark Gatiss provides the comedic relief in the story and is easily the most entertaining character. It’s just him putting on a silly voice and being oafish, but the performance has so much charm and the dialogue is really quite funny. I think the villain of the piece is brilliant, and the psychotic despot really is brought to life with an energetic performance and psychotic dialogue. Being confined to anonymity for plot reasons does mean you are left wanting more of him, but I just enjoyed each one of the scenes he was given.

There is a great twist in the story, but if you look past that, this story is formulaic classic who story 101. The historical setting is created in the story by the changes in slang of that era, the point of women having no high standing in society, and the villain moaning. It’s definitely an interesting way of making the listener feel part of that time period, but does strangely work. The final part has all the marvellous imagery, but it is the one where the villain gloats for a while and the Doctor defeats him with a pep talk. If it wasn’t for the room being made of bleeding flesh, this story wouldn’t be beyond the comprehension of 4 year olds. It feels odd to criticise without explaining why I find the story endearing, but that feels slightly inexplicable. Perhaps it is the well-written dialogue, a wealth of murders, and of course it being Big Finish finding their feet as a company and creative force. It’s a story that definitely leaves no lasting impact once finished, but if you’ve an hour and a half to spare, this will do wonderfully.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

あらすじ

Part1
 1702年3月8日ウィリアム三世が崩御した日、クラブ・ディアボロではジークとエドモンドがカードゲームに興じていた。
 ジークに圧勝したエドモンドはクラブを去ろうとするが、ニコラス・バレンタイン卿に誘われ、もう1ゲームすることにする。その頃、ターディスは博物館のような場所に到着していた。ところがターディスが着地したのは博物館ではなくオカルト研究家のサミュエル博士のコレクション室で、ドクターとタウロは博士に見つかってしまう。ドクターはサミュエル博士の気をそらすために博士のコレクションに興味を持ったふりをし、その間にタローは食べるものを探しにいく。しかし、サミュエル博士に仕える女中ハンナの助けを求める声がきこえ、タウロはドクターに声をかけて助けに向かう。玄関で男に絡まれているハンナを助けたタウロ。ところが奇妙なノイズが聞こえてきたかと思うと、今度は助けを求める男の声が聞こえた。「やつらがやってくる」と怯えて逃げてきたのはエドモンドだった。駆けつけたドクターが制止するのも聞かず、タウロはエドモンドの追っ手の正体をつきとめようと追いかける。夢中で追いかけて行ったタウロ。自分が1人で方向も見失っていることに気がついたとき、馬車にひかれてしまう。

 Part2
タウロを見失ってしまったドクター。逃げてきたエドモンドは息絶えており、手にはハートのAのカードが握り締められていた。ドクターはサミュエル博士からこの街から次々と男性が行方不明になっている話をきき、タウロの行方を心配しながら博士と協力して事件を調べることにする。一方、タウロは馬車に乗っていたジークとフラワーに保護されていた。フラワーはエドモンドの行方を捜しているといい、タウロは自分が追いかけていた何者かと何か関連しているのではと疑う。しかし、独自にエドモンドを探しに行くと二人と別行動をとったフラワーもニコラスとカードゲームをしていたという目撃談を残して姿を消してしまう。心配したジークとタウロはフラワーを探しに行く。すると街角で覚えきっているフラワーをタウロが発見する。その時、またノイズが辺りに響きはじめ、フラワーもエドモンドと同じように怯えて逃げ出すが、後を追ったジークとフラワーの前で忽然と姿を消してしまう。一方、手がかりを得るため、サミュエル博士の提案する降霊術をハンナとともに試してみることにしたドクター。するとエドモンドが現れた時のような激しいノイズがあたりに響きはじめた。

Part3
ノイズがなんらかのシグナルと判断したドクターはサミュエル博士とハンナを伴ってターディスで分析することにする。タウロはジークとともにフラワーの行方を捜査することに。失踪事件の手がかりを得るため、街に古くからつたわる都市伝説などに詳しい女性に話を聞こうと、ドクターとハンナとコーヒーハウスに出向き、そこでジークと共に失踪事件を捜査している最中のタウロと再会。お互い情報交換をし、失踪者がかならず行方不明になる直前にニコラス・バレインタインとカードゲームをしていると判明し、話をききにディアボラ・クラブに。そこでドクターはバレンタインと勝負をする。ゲームはバレンタインが勝利し、記念にとハートのAを持っていくようドクターにすすめる。ドクターはタローに考えを整理したいと一人街に出ていく。

Part4
ドクターが街を歩いているとノイズが聞こえ始める。連れ去られそうになるところを馬に乗った騎士ラブモアに助けられ、サミュエル博士の家に送り届けられるが、音はまだ聞こえている。ドクターはバレンタインに渡されたドランプから信号が出ていると気がつく。トランプを破壊すると音は消えた。その間、ジークとタウロはバレインタインの屋敷を探りに侵入を試みていた。ドクターはラブモアの正体が連続殺人犯のバレンタインを追いかけてきた宇宙人とみぬく。屋敷に侵入したタウロとジークはバレンタインに捕らえられてしまう。そこで失踪したフラワーと再会。ドクターはハンナと共に正面からバレンタインを訪ねていく。

 

感想
Doctor Whoらしいお話。18世紀のロンドン、オカルト好きの博士、怪しげなクラブ、テレビのエピソードでもありそう。やっぱり5thドクターは歴代の中でも落ち着いていた性格なのではなかろうかと思ったり。コンパニオンであるタウロとの関係も好印象で、機会があれ二人が活躍するオーディオかテレビのエピソードを見てみたい。

[Samael Kovacs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doctor and Turlough! And this time quite a bit earlier.

Gattis is a love or hate writer for most, others believe him to be simply underwhelming isn’t how I would describe the man.

I think he has great ideas but needs another writer to really help them flourish, it’s what I believe at least, anyhow enough about the man himself, let’s talk about the story here.

Somewhere around part 2 of this story I realized that this is basically a precursor to the Gattis’ first tellie story The Unquiet Dead. In a same way that Jubilee is the basis for Dalek.

Completely understandable why Gattis would choose to adapt this story to tellie as it’s really spooky in ways.

A lot of that came because I listened to a bulk of it while going home in the rain which helped a lot with atmosphere.

Gonna be honest here the fact that is the second Big Finish story it nuts, proper nuts because I thought it was gonna be really wonky and like a lot of what are we doing here guys how is this all gonna work? But it works splendidly I didn’t really notice what I feared at all.

I’ve said this before but there is nothing wrong with a baddie that is just a baddie. Sir Valentine was quite evil, yes that is my plan and it’s evil so what.

Yeah not much else to really say, incredibly atmospheric and fun with some twists.
Probably closer to a 3.5 then a full four stars for me

[Juan Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The age of this audiobook is breathtaking. It was made in 1999 - pre-Millenium, pre-pandemic, pre meeting my wife and having my son, pre-lots of jobs that have shaped my life. It’s frankly amazing and at the time this felt like a real hope for the future. There wasn’t even a new series on the horizon.

The story does not disappoint. The historical context is well realised (William and Mary); the fops, Flowers and Jeake, are wonderful (David Walliams and Mark Gatiss before I knew who they were) and the villain, Sir Nikolas Valentine, is pure Big Finish, theatrical, untrustworthy and demonic.

This story lends itself readily to a queer reading. With young men dying in blood red rooms, fops saving the day and a trans hero in Hannah Fry/Major Billy Lovemore, the story does what Doctor Who does best in challenging the status quo. It even has two male leads who seem utterly disinterested in women, the Doctor and Turlough.

It’s very close to being a classic with its homing beacon playing cards and witty dialogue. However the denouement is a bit rushed, as Doctor Who nearly always is, and it feels like the typical unmasking and explosive finale so beloved of the series. That’s not a criticism. It was good fun listening to it and I’m so glad I came back to it. Lovely!!!!!!

[Al (AFittingDistraction)]

Another Big Finish Doctor Who audio drama in the bag, this time with the fifth doctor and Turlough. Not a whole lot to say about this one, it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t brilliant and despite the alien big bad being kind of boring, I liked the setting of a Jack-the-Ripper-esque London and getting to see 5 being sarcastic little shit. Also this quote "Have no fear little man, your part in the great task is almost ended. Then you can rest, rest for all eternity, for the bright day is done and we are for the dark." cracks me up because it was so offhand and sounds like it’s out of fucking Skyrim or something, it has no business being that brilliant.

[David Layton · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Phantasmagoria" gets the Big Finish series going. In this start, they have decided to play it safe. "Phantasmagoria" contains much that is typical of Doctor Who. We have a villain who is clearly a villain and not merely misunderstood. We have a historical setting. We have separation of the companion and the Doctor for a large part of the story. We have a seemingly supernatural phenomenon that turns out not to be. Indeed, so much of "Phantasmagoria" is so typically Doctor Who that in the end it is just a ho-hum story. The one real change, for the better, is added depth to Turlough's character. He is much more complex than the merely shifty figure of the TV series.

[Finlay O'Riordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know recency bias makes it easy to look down on old Big Finish stories (the scriptwriting and production have come a long way since the early days), so I don't want to be overly harsh on this story, but I couldn't help feeling like this one was a load of nonsense.

I like Turlough but way too much of Part 1 was really just him talking to himself for no reason while the rest of the story was mainly the annoying side characters taking the spotlight and completely pushing the Doctor out of the narrative until Part 4.

Neat cover art though!

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun listen this one. Interesting tale set in 1702 London, with a bit of a mystery to begin with slowly being solved, revealing an interesting plot with a couple of surprise twists in there. I've always liked Turlough as a companion, and he is in good form here, mixture of pragmatism and an almost unwilling braveness. The Fifth Doctor in good form as well, with a good supporting cast, including a nicely over the top villain. All in all a good story.

[Luke Sims-Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow has it been 20 years? Listening to Phantasmagoria, it doesn't feel like it. It's probably been that long since I put this early Big Finish gem on and gave it a listen, but I'm glad I did. Davison and Strickson are in fine form as the Doctor and Turlough and the supporting cast seem to be relishing their roles.

A mystery abounds in 1702 England and the Doctor and Turlough investigate. The dialogue crackles and the story moves at a nice brisk pace. Recommended.

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great outing from the Fifth Doctor in his first solo release. The plot is fairly simple but with enough going on for the entire cast to get a good scene or two. It is paced fairly well, with no real lul. The voice cast is stacked, with a few familiar voices, and they all perform great. The audio work is solid with the music and effects done very well. Overall and solid release by Big Finish. 4/5

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, though Davidson is not one of my favorite doctors, by no fault of his own, and it is is still enjoyable to me.
I also like the companion known as Turlough.
I have the audiobook of this and it took me far too long to realize it was spelled Turlough and not, indeed, Terlow, as I had previously thought. The story itself was an easy read, or in this case listen.

[Joanna Hazelden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listening to a radio play with Mark Strickson and Peter Davidson was a blast from the past! It brought me back to all those Sundays waiting for the next installment on PBS when they still did them as 1/2 hour episodes. I had no idea that Mark Gatiss had also written for the Big Finish as well as Dr Who on BBC. This was well organized and enjoyed the London setting, creepy fogs and all!

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it three instead of four stars only because for half of the book it was really hard for me to follow what was going on. Once I put all the pieces together it ended up being a very interesting adventure.

[C S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Atmospheric, commendably performed and cleverly written, this Restoration-era ghost story may stick to being 'normal' Doctor Who, but it proves that maybe, just maybe, there isn't anything wrong with that.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playing like a classic Dr. Who episode, the Doctor and Turlough encounter a very gruesome entity indeed. Along with some stout 1702 assistance, they utilize wit and trickery to confront a very evil being. Just like watching an episode!

[Charles Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, not great. Turlough is one of my least favorite companions, but Mark Strickson(the actor who portrays him) is a lovely person, so I'm torn on any of his adventures lol. A short entertaining romp.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good. I thought it was an interesting plot although there was once or twice where I was a bit confused as to what was going on, eventually I managed to figure it out. Turlough and the 5th Doctor play off each other very well and I always look forward to stories where they interact.