A Study in Scarlet

There's a murder and a message scrawled in blood, but the game afoot in this drama based on the first Sherlock Holmes story is most of all John Watson's study of the famous consulting detective. Dr. Watson moves into the lodgings at 221B Baker Street and becomes fascinated with his new roommate, a skilled boxer and fencer known for mysterious experiments and a remarkable base of knowledge. Clive Merrison gives Sherlock Holmes a maniacal laugh and a moody temperament that would seem incompatible with Michael Williams's calm, reserved Watson. First aired in 1989, this adventure kicked off a BBC Radio series. The emphasis on the interplay between the two characters makes this production sharp and entertaining. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

The first of the Sherlock Holmes novels, A STUDY IN SCARLET (1877) takes the listener to an early Mormon settlement in Utah, as well as to Baker Street and its environs. This represents a challenge for British narrator Davidson, as he must endure long passages of dialogue in American accents. His Americans are a wee bit throaty, and occasionally the reading is perfunctory, as though Davidson can't wait to reach the end. Of course, the end of a detective story is always the most entertaining part, and listeners and fans of Holmes and Watson will have little difficulty staying with this performance until its climax. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine