Shrine

A little girl called Alice. A deaf-mute. A vision. A lady in shimmering white who says she is the immaculate conception. And Alice can suddenly hear and speak, and she can perform miracles. Soon the site of the visitation, beneath an ancient oak tree, has become a shrine, a holy place for thousands of pilgrims. But Alice is no longer the guileless child overwhelmed by her new saintliness. She has become the agent of something corrupt, a vile force that is centuries old. Innocence and evil have become one. Remember with fear...

James Herbert is not just Britain's number one bestselling writer of chiller fiction, a position he has held ever since publication of his first novel, but is also one of our greatest popular novelists, whose books are sold in thirty-three foreign languages, including Russian and Chinese. Widely imitated and hugely influential, his twenty-three novels have sold more than forty-eight million copies worldwide.

English journalist Fen falls into an amazing story when he rescues a sleepwalking deaf-mute girl named Alice. After Alice is visited by an apparition, she is suddenly cured and works her own miracles. Narrator Sean Barrett splendidly presents the best and worst in people who are influenced by the "miracle." Each transition between characters and situations is perfectly translated by Barrett's controlled delivery. Particularly moving is the death of a beloved priest. Also, the weather and atmosphere become important characters as the story unfolds, and innocence and evil become one. Barrett's performance could hardly be more compelling. This is a must for those who like scary suspense. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine