The Sign of the Four

Bert Coules' Sherlock Holmes (BBC Radio, 1989-1998) #2

by Bert Coules (Adapter), Arthur Conan Doyle, Clive Merrison (Narrator)

Once a year, Mary Morstan receives an anonymous package containing a magnificent costly pearl. Aware that the gifts are somehow connected to the disappearance of her father ten years previously, she is both intrigued and frightened by the arrival of a letter summoning her for a meeting in the dead of night. Accompanied by Holmes and Watson, Mary embarks on a quest which is to lead them through the dark heart of the city, to a one-legged man and an incredible tale of greed and revenge.

Clive Merrison stars as Holmes with Michael Williams as Watson in this adventure, part of the unique fully dramatised BBC canon of Conan Doyle's short stories and novels featuring the world-famous sleuth.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, 19th Century

2 pages, Audio CD

First published August 3, 1998

About the author

Bert Coules is an English writer, and dramatist, who has produced a number of adaptations and original works. He works mainly in radio drama but also writes for TV and the stage.

Coules specializes in mystery and science fiction audio and radio drama, and has written a number of adaptations, most notably as the head writer of the Sherlock Holmes radio series (1989–1998) starring Clive Merrison as Holmes and Michael Williams as Watson (the first time the entire canon had been adapted with the same two lead actors throughout). He also wrote original Sherlock Holmes scripts for the following BBC radio series The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, each based on a reference from the original stories. These were first broadcast between 2002 and 2010, and starred Merrison and Andrew Sachs as Watson, following Michael Williams' death in 2001.

He has also written adaptations of several of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael novels, and of works by Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Isaac Asimov and other best-selling genre authors.

[with thanks to Wikipedia]

Reviews

[Esme · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sign of the Four ist der zweite Fall, in dem Arthur Conan Doyle seinen brillanten Privatdetektiv Sherlock Holmes ermitteln lässt, hier wieder als BBC Radio Play. Das Verbrechen und seine Aufklärung konnten mich nicht fesseln. Es ist zu sehr in seiner Zeit verwurzelt. Das kann man dem Autor natürlich nicht unbedingt vorwerfen. So ein gefälliges sportliches Rätsel sorgt für gute Unterhaltung, doch etwas darüber hinaus Gehendes fehlt.

Das Hörspiel wartet mit der passenden Atmosphäre auf. Hufgeklapper, das Rattern von Kutschenrädern auf regennassem Kopfsteinpflaster sind zu hören und der Nebel über der Themse in diesem Herbst Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts zu spüren. Sherlock Holmes ist wunderbar gespielt, er ist sehr sarkastisch und hat eine dreckige Lache.

[Diane]

Elementary! A Holmes mystery about a lost treasure. Fun summer reading.

[Bas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, who knew Sherlock was a coke fiend?