Forbidden Audiobook

In early-nineteenth century Scotland, sixteen-year-old Josie, an orphan, is sent to live with an aunt and uncle on the rocky, stormy northwest coast. Everything and everyone in her new surroundings, including her relatives, is sinister, threatening, and mysterious. She’s told that Eli, the young man she’s attracted to, is forbidden to her, but not why. Spirited, curious, and determined, Josie sets out to learn the village’s secrets and discovers evil, fueled by heartless greed, as well as a ghostly presence eager for revenge. An author’s note gives the historical inspiration for this story.

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“Narrator Alison Larkin performs this intricate gothic horror story through the eyes of a single character: sixteen-year-old Josie, who has been orphaned and sent to live with her uncle and aunt in a small fishing village on the Scottish shore. The village and her family are unnervingly odd, and danger and frightening magic surround her. Larkin’s voice—tiny, breathy, and lilting—makes the sheltered Josie sound younger than her years. But Larkin populates the small town with a terrific variety of characters: snooty, curious, ditzy, or dependable, all with mild Scottish accents. The villains of the story sound as harried and tired as hard-working islanders should. Larkin’s performance makes for a terrifically dramatic climax.”

— AudioFile