Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl are back as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in The Adventure of The Fleet Street Transparency from Big Finish.  Available as a standalone download for £2.99 or as part of 6. Sherlock Holmes: The Master of Blackstone Grange, this adventure takes place sometime before Holmes’ later adventures that were recorded/released previously.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE FLEET STREET TRANSPARENCY

The story begins in a typical Sherlock Holmes manner, with the client coming to Baker Street with a problem.  He tells his tale to Holmes who, after some consideration, decides against pursuing it.  It’s just before Christmas, and Holmes has promised Watson that they would celebrate the Christmas period like normal people.

As is Holmes’ wont, however, his curiosity is piqued and he doesn’t like a mystery to go unsolved.

In this case, a newspaper columnist is baffled by how his editorials keep being sabotaged just prior to press.  The editor and staff are at a loss to explain how this can happen, hence the visit to Holmes.

Mysterious footprints in the snow sees Holmes inviting Watson to see a magic show, and it’s not long before they discover that they are in the presence of a very mysterious man indeed.

The Adventure of the Fleet Street Transparency is a Christmas adventure. That is to say that it takes place around Christmas and is an excuse for the story to take some latitude whilst the characters indulge in some brevity.

This isn’t the first time that Holmes has crossed literary fields and it probably won’t be the last.

In terms of production, The Adventure of the Fleet Street Transparency is as competent and professional as always, and both Briggs and Earl are a delight and a comfort to listen to.

That said, there are occasions in which the voices of the guest cast are perhaps not as distinctive as they might be.  The voice of the mystery saboteur is so close to Briggs’ Holmes that for, some time, I expected we’d learn that Holmes himself was the figure, using tricks learned at the magic show together with some voice throwing to pull off the con.  It was with some slight disappointment to learn that the identity of the “Fleet Street Transparency” is someone from a rival literary work from around the same era.  I’m not entirely sure why this was necessary, as it doesn’t result in a whole lot of detective work on Holmes’ part but crossovers are as crossovers will be.

Nevertheless, it’s Briggs and Earl as Holmes and Watson.  What more could you want?  In the words of another literary genius, ’nuff said.