Classic Detective Stories

CSA Word has put together eight diverse but amazingly representative detective stories spanning a century of the British short story tradition. Edward Hardwicke uses an assortment of vocal styles, revealing a breadth that will surprise listeners familiar only with his portrayal of Dr. Watson in the BBC's Sherlock Holmes television series. The stories range from Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Dying Detective" through late stories by Colin Dexter and Muriel Spark. Two stories feature Edgar Wallace's cleverly humble public prosecutor J.G. Reeder ("The Green Mamba" and "The Poetical Policeman"). Other tales include a Father Brown story by G.K. Chesterton, Sax Rohmer's rational ghost story, "The Case of the Tragedies of the Greek Room," and Nicholas Blake's "The Assassin's Club," featuring Nigel Strangeways. Hardwicke reads with an animation and depth of characterization that exceeds his television performances. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

March 2, 2009
Edward Hardwicke (who played Dr. Watson from 1986 to 1994 on various British Sherlock Holmes TV series) has the perfect voice and accent for this outstanding sampling of short, very British detective tales. Naturally, his Watson is pitch-perfect in Doyle’s “The Dying Detective,” but his Holmes is just as skillful. For Edgar Wallace’s J.G. Reeder (“The Green Mamba” and “The Poetical Policeman”), his delivery is unassuming but wry; as Sax Rohmer’s psychic antique dealer Morris Klaw (“The Case of the Tragedies of the Greek Room”), Hardwicke adopts a sharply arrogant style, and his version of C. Day Lewis’s Nigel Strangeways (“The Assassin’s Club”) is unadorned old-school stiff upper lip. His Inspector Morse and assistant Lewis (in Colin Dexter’s “The Burglar”) are satisfactory approximations of the characters’ TV portrayals, though that story and Muriel Spark’s “Chimes” fall a bit short of the “classic” standard set by the others.

In Classic Detective Stories amateur sleuths solve perplexing crimes in stories by G.K. Chesterton, Edgar Wallace and others, Edward Hardwick reads at a moderate, relaxed pace in a fine British lilt, and his variations of tone are very good. However, from time to time fading phrases make many characters sound feeble and make listening in a car frustrating. Nonetheless, for lovers of classic tales, this audiobook is a fine selection. J.A.H. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


This selection of detective stories is a must-hear for mystery fans. Within the three-hour production, listeners will find a good range; there are stories from classic authors like Edgar Allan Poe ("The Purloined Letter"), as well as more contemporary pieces like Colin Dexter's "The Burglar." Stage and screen actor Edward Hardwicke (best known as Dr. Watson on PBS's "Mystery!") is a perfect match for these timeless tales. His energy and wit are apparent in all the pieces. Hardwicke's able performance makes Classic Detective Stories a great catch for mystery fans and newcomers alike. R.A.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine