THE BLACK VEIL 📚: with Andrew Smith
THE BLACK VEIL 📚: with Andrew Smith  
Podcast: Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! 🔥
Published On: Fri Oct 31 2025
Description: This Halloween Dominic is joined by the inimitable Prof. Andrew Smith who guides us through Dickens' The Black Veil and his latest book Dickens and the Gothic (for Cambridge University Press)Perhaps calling to mind Susan Hill’s The Woman In Black …  The Black Veil  begins with a young man sitting by the fire one winter’s night, with cosy thoughts of Christmas. Out of the corner of his eye the veiled figure of a lady dressed in mourning appears, standing motionless, with eyes fixed on him. As the story unfolds the man - a newly qualified doctor - is compelled to leave his cheerful parlour and head towards a derelict house in an isolated spot, to face whatever is waiting for him there …Returning to the series to read excerpts from Dickens, Radcliffe, Walpole & Thackeray is the brilliant actress: Rebecca TanwenThe 'harpsichord swirl' at the start of the Castle of Otranto reading has been used under license from EPIDEMIC SOUND. All other music and sound has been created by Dominic GerrardOriginal cover headshot of Dominic Gerrard © Jane Lloyd / Original cover headshot of Andrew Smith © Andrew Smith /  Original Dickens illustrations sourced from Michael John Goodman's incredible Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you so much!Host: Dominic GerrardSeries Artwork: Léna GibertOriginal Music: Dominic GerrardThank you for listening!