Clever stories greatly enhanced by narrator

Familiar, yet still enjoyable stories dramatized with verve by Derek Jacobi's spirited performance giving different voices to the characters.

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1 person found this helpful

Great book

Derek Jacobi is an excellent storyteller on a par with Stephen Fry in my humble opinion

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Excellent, as always.

Intriguing stories from an old world and expertly narrated by a true professional.
Derek Jacobi brings the stories to life.

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Excellently Read.

Jacobi reads Holm's very convincingly. lived every minute of it. have listened to the book several times. I find something new to enjoy every time!

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Lots of fun

Really well read, as one might expect from Derek Jacobi. The stories are as far fetched as ever, but great escapist stuff. Very enjoyable.

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Excellent Sherlock

This narrative by Derek Jacobi adds to the delight of this excellent series of stories by the much loved Dr Watson. Highly recommended, a must for all Holmes fans.

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2 people found this helpful

Holmes is alive!

This is the third volume of Holmes short stories, and in my opinion the weakest overall, although it still has several good stories in it. Forced by popular sentiment and commercial realities to resuscitate Holmes after the unfortunate drowning incident at the Reichenbach Falls, I always have the feeling that Conan Doyle’s heart wasn’t really in it at this stage – some of these are a bit bland in terms of plot. In the later volumes I feel he got back into his stride and came up with more imaginative and dramatic scenarios – some so imaginative, admittedly, that they test credibility to the breaking point, but more exciting on the whole.

That rather negative introduction shouldn’t put new readers off though – even the weaker Holmes stories are always well worth reading, simply for ACD’s easy, flowing writing style which makes anything he writes a pleasure to read. And the relationship between Holmes and his admiring friend Watson is always a joy.

I listened to Derek Jacobi narrating them this time, and he really is the perfect Watson, as well as creating a full range of voices and personalities for all the other many characters who cross the pages.

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1 person found this helpful

Great stories

loved it, especially read by Derek Jacobi , great voice and tone of a professional

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Well read

Reading is really nice, but chapters are listed on the app only as "Chapter 1" "Chapter 2" and so on. And when one chapter ends and another starts the change seems to happen on the same breath. No pauses. Chapter title quickly mentioned and on the story goes. Few times I was distracted from listening for few seconds and when I could focus back to the story the conclusion of the chapter had changed to a new story and I had to go rewinding after listening for few minutes of the new story.

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Excellent rendition

I’ve known most of these stories for many years, and enjoyed them greatly.
But Derek Jacobi’s reading is the best solo version I’ve ever heard.

His mastery of the many voices, including females, is uncanny and very natural and unforced.

Very redolent of the excellent BBC Carleton Hobbs radio series of the 1960s, but that of course was a dramatised version with many excellent actors. I do suspect that Derek Jacobi must have heard this version. His voices for the characters are very similar. His Dr Watson almost uncannily so.

Excellent job and highly recommended. Makes perfect bedtime (or dishwashing) listening.

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