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Blood Sinister

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Blood Sinister

By: Celia Rees
Narrated by: Shirley Barthelmie
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About this listen

 Ellen's just sixteen, but she's dying and nobody knows why. So when she's sent to her Gran's house she's relieved to find a distraction in the form of her great-grandmother's diaries, written when she was Ellen's age. As Ellen reads, she becomes increasingly embroiled in the fascinating story of her life. Who is the enigmatic and seductive Count her great-grandmother was supposed to marry? And why is it that Ellen and her great-grandmother resemble each other so much that they could be twins? But Ellen's condition is worsening, and it's becoming more and more difficult for her to distinguish her own life from the nightmarish events recorded in the diaries. Is the past destroying her, or do the diaries hold the key to Ellen's survival?©1996 Celia Rees (P)2007 Bolinda Publishing

Editor reviews

Shirley Barthelmie gives a disquieting, captivating performance of the supernatural thriller Blood Sinister by best-selling author Celia Rees. Sixteen-year-old Ellen is dying of unknown causes. At her grandmother’s house, she discovers her great-grandmother’s enthralling diaries. She is the splitting image of her great-grandmother, who was to marry a mysterious and seductive count. Soon, her reality and the terrifying events of the diary become intertwined. As her illness gets worse, she wonders: Do the diaries hold the key to her cure?

Critic reviews

"Rees knows how to make your blood curdle." (South China Sunday Post)
"Ellen has been ill for months, and no amount of testing can diagnose her illness. As she stays with her grandmother and reconnects with a childhood friend, this plucky, if sickly, teen discovers her ancestor's private diaries and learns that vampires are no legend. Shirley Barthelmie's narration is strong enough to articulate the flashbacks between present-day England and the Victorian era, so the listener can easily follow both story lines. Her Transylvanian accent is thick yet clear and falls just short of campy – which is perfectly appropriate for the story. Barthelmie's pace and emotional tones enhance a novel that balances horror, mystery, and romance." (AudioFile Magazine)
All stars
Most relevant
To be fair, it's a vampire story, so of course we know what is going to happen, but even then it was fairly obvious as soon as characters were introduced what part they were going to play.

Saying that, I still enjoyed it.

A bit predictable

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