Snowflake written by Joseph Lidster and directed by David Darlington

What's it about: “It's this town. It's Collinsport. It's broken." Victor Frost, a private investigator, is visiting Collinsport to find out whether the people there believe in ghosts. After meeting many of the townsfolk, he's in no doubt that they do. But will he survive to tell his tale?

Sparkling Dialogue: 'Death is coming to Collinsport. An innocent die and we will all suffer. Blood will have blood.'

Great Ideas: An ideal jumping on point for beginners Snowflake is precisely what newbies to the Dark Shadows range need to listen to in order to deliver the basics of the series so they can delve into further parts of this critically acclaimed series. What a truly bizarre assignment for a detective to be given? To be sent to a coastal town in America and find out if the people there believe in ghosts. Collinsport is described as a place where time has stood still because it is afraid to move forwards. Like a school a night; waiting, frozen. Stories of vampires, werewolves and ghosts run through the town like writing through a stick of rock but none of them can be substantiated. There have been so many unexplained deaths and disappearances that you cannot help but put your faith in some of them. Widows hill gets its name from the fact that over the years women have thrown themselves from it. Lidster paints a very forbidding picture of the location, the worst place to take your vacation but the best place to tell a scary story in. In the cave at the base of Widows Hill lies secrets...Snowflake is waiting for you.

Audio Landscape: Rain lashing on the window, wind howling, screams howling, rumbling thunder, whispering voices...

Result: This couldn't have come along at a more opportune time. My husband and I went out for a meal with a friend last night and then came home to watch a horror movie that turned out to be the worst film that any of us had ever seen (a million kisses if you can guess what it was). My friend said that we would have been better off turning the lights out and telling each other ghost stories...and I pointed out that I did have a story that we could listen to, one that kick started the latest Dark Shadows range. And so we listened on... Needless to say it was a massive improvement on the movie and we were all left intrigued because this isn't so much a horror story in its own right but a prelude to the Bloodlust serial that Big Finish are about to embark on. It promises dark and twisted events in a freaky location, a story that not only fans of the range can enjoy but anybody can embark on. There isn't much substance to this release because that isn't it's purpose...but it manages to pack in some real atmosphere in a short amount of time. The Dark Shadows range is one of the best ranges at the present for atmosphere, innovation and fresh talent and this is your chance to jump on board. Snowflake is a freebie too so snatch it up: 8/10