The Diary Of River Song 09: New Recruit by Lizbeth Myles, James Kettle, Helen Goldwyn and Lisa McMullin (CD/download review).

The Third Doctor (Tim Treloar) has been unavoidably detained investigating something mysterious on the other side of the Earth. Doctor Liz Shaw (Daisy Ashford) as the Chief Scientific Officer has no problem with this as she’s a Cambridge graduate with more than adequate skills. She’s had a lot of additional experience with the Doctor, too, despite her initial resentment at having him foisted upon her. Her eyes have been opened to the very real extra-terrestrial threat.

Liz is pretty annoyed that once again Brigadier Lethbridge Stuart (Jon Culshaw) has decided to ‘offer’ her a new recruit whilst still constantly calling her ‘Miss’. Luckily for Liz it’s our very own River Song (Alex Kingston) who has decided she needs to get to know 1970s Britain, a time of women’s lib and continued casual sexism. What can possibly go wrong?

The Blood Woods by Lizbeth Myles

Liz takes her newest member of staff to investigate a quaint English village. Fans of Agatha Christie and ‘Midsummer Murders’ are well aware that quaint English villages are pretty dangerous places and it’s not just the full English that will give you heartburn. The two of them take Bessie which would probably give the third apoplexy. Goodness knows how long this takes and how their hair responds to such treatment in an open top car. They encounter closed ranks and superstition along with an archaeologist determined to dig on the land adjoining the local land owner. It’s pistols at dawn indeed.

Terror Of The Suburbs by James Kettle

Shades of ‘The Prisoner’ here as River Song pitches up to Liz’s new pad in a trendy village. The sun always shines but the grass doesn’t grow here. Liz hasn’t been to work for a few weeks. There’s always a party and the local hairdressers is keen to give her a new look.

This is an intriguing twist on familiar stories like ‘Stepford Wives’ but don’t be fooled by your initial expectations. As ever, it’s the interaction between the main characters driving the narrative and the consummate skill of the actors that make this such a pleasure to listen to.

Never Alone by Helen Goldwyn

There’s a company selling very up-to-date tech for about twenty years or so in the future. Both River and Liz are deeply disturbed. There’s a body in the woods and it seems the person was involved with the company called Intertraxia. The pair must go in deep before more people are killed but it might be a step too far.

  Rivers of Light by Lisa McMullin

Whoops! The Doctor is back and he’s determined to find out who River Song is. There is some very funny and snarky dialogue between the pair which listeners will enjoy. Meanwhile, Liz and River are investigating a series of electrical surges in a mining area and a young girl finds an inexplicable object in the woods. There are strikes and power cuts but it’s not happening anywhere else in the country. Finally, we find out just why River Song chose the 70s and it wasn’t for the flares.

Additional features

There are a few minutes at the end of every episode which fill in some background and anecdotes. The attention to detail and these features make this box set, as ever, a great experience and it can be enjoyed more than once if you have the time. The actors are excellent with Daisy Ashford, daughter of the original Liz Shaw, Caroline John, immediately believable, sharing and enhancing original voice patterns. Alex Kingston is a force of nature and River Song is a powerful character. The Doctor and Brig have a small input here but it all adds to the atmosphere, you could almost be there, some of us were.

Sue Davies

January 2022

(pub: Big Finish, 2021. 4 CDs, 292 minutes 4 stories. Price: £34.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-83868-726-7. Download: £29.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-83868-727-4)

cast: Alex Kingdom, Daisy Ashford, Jon Culshaw, Tim Treloar, Karen Archer, Michael Chance, John Holden, Holly Jackson, James MacNaughton, Abigail McKern, Dominique Moore, Dale Superville, Emma Swan and Claire Wyatt

check out website: www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-diary-of-river-song-series-09-new-recruit-2503