For anyone who likes creeping dread audio dramas, I’d recommend The Piper, which came out on BBC Sounds a while back. I discovered it by accident as I heard from somewhere that Natasha Khan aka Bat for Lashes - whose work I love and have seen perform in concert twice - had produced the music for it. I jumped in without reading anything at all about it and that’s the best way as the surprises keep on coming. It is a modern retelling of the Pied Piper myth with a creepy, contemporary twist which is right up my alley. Khan’s music is instrumental to the story as the discordant piano riff that plays is central to the plot of the 9 episode series.
The story is of a modern-day Pied Piper figure who preys on vulnerable children. He signals his intent by playing a discordant riff. When a local girl goes missing, it is up to Tamzin Outhwaite’s Detective Ali to try and get to the bottom of the matter. However, her niece and friends are on the case and may be closer to solving it. Will they be able to identify the Piper before any more children go missing?
The actors are all solid in this production and the younger cast really do play their roles well. Writers Natalie Mitchell and Vickie Donaghue keep the story going at a cracking pace and the added lore about the Piper being a character that persists over time is a great concept. Sure, it has the typical genre tropes of ‘don’t go into them thar woods’ or the like but that’s part of the charm in this effective radio drama.
The audio book is well worth a listen and, whilst not ground-breaking, is pretty effective for scares.