The Godsend

By: Bernard Taylor

Narrated by: Hannibal Hills

Alan and Kate Marlowe are a typical, loving, middle-class couple, with four small children. But they wish they had just one more, a beautiful baby daughter. So when a strange young woman abandons her infant at their house, they view it as a blessing - a godsend - and adopt little Bonnie as their own.

But not long after Bonnie’s arrival, terrible things begin to happen to the Marlowes, starting with the death of their son Matthew. As the tragedies mount, Alan suspects that Bonnie is somehow responsible. Is he losing his grip on sanity? After all, surely this angelic child could not be responsible for such horrors?

The classic first novel by Bernard Taylor, The Godsend (1976) earned widespread critical acclaim on its initial publication and was the basis for a 1980 film. Taylor’s chilling novels Sweetheart, Sweetheart and The Moorstone Sickness are also available from Valancourt.

©2015 Bernard Taylor (P)2020 Valancourt Books LLC

suspenseful

just creepy. can't say much more but very good narrator is pretty great too.

No good deed...

The Godsend is a horror story from the 70's, and while it doesn't have the twisted gore you might find in today's books (or movies), it still manages to be every bit as disturbing as when it was originally written, especially if you happen to have any small children in your life. A chance encounter alters the lives of a young English couple, leading to a surprise addition to their family that sets them on a road to ever increasing tragedy. Hannibal Hills does an absolutely fantastic job of breathing life into this tale of death. (Sorry, couldn't resist that, lol) But seriously, Mr. Hills does a great job with the narration, really making you feel the anxiety of our hero as his world crumbles around him and he seems helpless to stop any of it. I was given a free review copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

The Godsend

This book was just as good today as it was the first time around!A couple befriend a woman who then vanishes,leaving her newborn behind.The couple adopts her,then suffers loss after loss. Excellent narration by Hannibal Hills!I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'

Vintage creepy that holds up!

This is a fun one. Quick, creepy, and fairly grim. Some subtle supernaturalish elements, but mostly a story about a creepy child doing bad things, sort of in the vein of the Good Son. Has a vintage vibe that pulls off some pretty dark moments in a way that would be hard to manage in modern horror, all without feeling disorientingly dated. My only real complaint is that the reader’s voice makes all of the women seem shrill and unlikeable, but whatever. It’s fine. Definitely worth a listen.

Compelling

This is my first by this author and I enjoyed the writing style and steady pace of the story. As a mother I couldn't help imagining myself in the situation and could honestly see both Alan & Kate's side of the story. The narrator is one of my absolute faves and never dissapoints in bringing life & dimension to the story & characters.

Flow of story.

The narrator generally does a great job, but there are issues with the dynamics. In the Valley scenes, the volume fluctuates too much—it's at a moderate level in Midtown, but then suddenly drops to where it's barely audible, and then gets too loud unexpectedly. Other than that, the narration is solid.