Dark Shadows: The Happier Dead

Dark Shadows Dramatic Readings, Audiobooks #41

by Adam Usden

Genres: Gothic, Horror

Audiobook

First published March 1, 2014

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Paranormal investigator, Amy Jennings, is taken to Collinsport Hospital for an emergency appendectomy. There she discovers that NOBODY is dying in the hospital. No matter if their heart isn't beating,or they aren't breathing -- they are alive and in agony. As she investigates, she finds a person who will do anything to avoid death, and terrible consequences for breaking the spell.

I love Dark Shadows. I don't even mind that these are new characters and that, except for brief appearances by Caroline Stoddard and Maggie Evans, I didn't know the characters. It ws Dark Shadows. Creepy, horrible, scary things going on...but...

I was just so annoyed by the idea of a woman who just had an emergency appendectomy is up and running around, investigating and chasing the bad guy etc... It is like the cop show - shot in the shoulder issue. They will be down and out for a while... Ugh.

[Vincent Darlage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Jennings is back in another adventure. In December, 1973, driven to Collinsport Hospital by her college boyfriend when her appendix starts to rupture (a three-hour drive that he shouldn't have made, and angered Amy when she found out he did it), Amy finds herself in a hospital where no one can die... even if they should. This was an EXCELLENT audio-drama, accessible even to people unfamiliar with Dark Shadows. It was genuinely horrifying and had a tragic ending. Well-written and well-acted.

[Daniel Cork · Rating 5 out of 5]

So it's been a while since I've listened to Dark Shadows but since I started watching the show again for Halloween, I decided to relisten to one of my all-time favorites and see if it still lives up!

The Happier Dead is one of the most disturbing and scariest audios in this range. It's also a heartbreaking story of loss and despair. With the dead not staying dead in Collinsport Hospital, Amy Jennings and her husband Simon have to solve the mystery and finally put the living dead to eternal sleep. However, in doing so Amy Jennings might have to make a sacrifice.

This audio is just as brilliant as I remember it being, not only does it have a stellar cast and an incredible script but the sound design and direction in this audio are flipping spectacular, it's genuinely frightening in places with screams of men without hearts, jumpscares, etc. This audio isn't for the faint of heart.

Overall: I hope Adam Usden returns to Big Finish someday because this is an absolute triumph of a story! 10/10

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazing how many British accents there are in Collinsport, Maine!!! ;)

[Debra Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

The people in Collinsport aren't dying. Can Amy Jennings find out why.