Curious Tales

I’ll admit, I approached *Curious Tales* with skepticism—another anthology of old-school ghost stories risks feeling like a museum piece. But Cathy Dobson’s narration won me over immediately. She doesn’t ham up the scares; instead, she delivers lines with the kind of dry humor that makes you lean in, wondering when the next twist will hit. My favorite was the titular ‘Curious Tale,’ where a man’s obsession with a seemingly harmless artifact spirals into something deliciously dark. Dobson’s delivery made it feel like a campfire story told by a friend who’s *way* too invested in the details. That said, not every story lands. A few feel overly reliant on twist endings that rely more on Victorian-era contrivance than genuine tension, and the pacing drags in spots where Alan’s wordiness outstays its welcome. The production, while clean, occasionally forgoes deeper ambient layers that could’ve amplified the dread—though this might be a stylistic choice to keep things lighthearted. Still, the strengths far outweigh the misfires. If you love ghost stories that balance wit with creeping unease, Dobson’s performance alone is worth the listen.