The Graveyard Book.

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Speaking in a cultured British accent, Gaiman is the perfect choice to read his gothic tale of murder, revenge, lost loves, and friendship. Following the horrific murder of his family, a baby finds his way to a graveyard. The baby, who is named “Nobody,” or “Bod” for short, is cared for by Mr. and Mrs. Owens. Gaiman makes Bod (who is being pursued by the killer) sound bewildered, petulant, resigned, or indignant; and the befuddled Owenses never lose their loving tones, even in the midst of concern and apprehension. Gaiman’s pacing and cadence are mirrored by mood-setting music that begins and ends each disc. Premier banjo player Béla Fleck’s arrangement of “Danse Macabre,” a medieval tune at times wild and reckless and other times more lyrical and sober, sets the mood. Through changes in tone, pitch, and accent, Gaiman varies the characters, both Bod’s protectors and supporters and those out to get him. Miss Lupescu, his extraordinary (in every sense) teacher, clearly comes from foreign lands, with her slight Germanic accent, and Bod’s young human friend Scarlett Perkins picks up a Scottish accent after moving to the country and returning. Scary scenes are followed by calm, matter-of-fact conversations. Although the story is sometimes haunting, there is a sense that all is right in Bod’s world.