Audio CD review
Starring Paul McGann, Sheridan Smith
Big Finish
Release date Out now

A holiday in Sweden is interrupted by the return of the Headhunter and her accomplice Karen…

After a slight blip with The Skull of Sobek, the eighth Doctor and Lucie range is back on track with this fast-paced release, which seems to go by very swiftly. It’s a good blend of historical drama and science fiction – there’s an artist whose works the Doctor is determined to destroy because they have a malignant influence on those who view them. There’s sparkling repartee between the Doctor and Lucie, and also between the Headhunter and Karen, who make a nice counterpoint to the regular TARDIS team.

While the CD extras sometimes come across as space filler, they’re well worth listening to on this occasion. Writer Eddie Robson nails the reason why this part of the Big Finish range is working so much better than the main stories are at the moment. There’s more overall control over story content on this “season” than on the individual releases, and Big Finish supremo Nick Briggs outlines some of the changes already made to streamline the flow. The extras also reveal a surprising titbit about the recording process, which does come as a shock after you’ve heard the story. Patrick Holm

VERDICT: 8/10
A good romp – more like this, please.