THE COMPLETE STORIES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES Volume 2

Griffin's deep and aristocratic-sounding voice anchors the adventures of Holmes and Watson with a central gravity around which orbit many distinctive characterizations. The contrast between the dignified voice of Watson and those of other characters is particularly startling in "The Hound of the Baskervilles," in which Watson's voice instantly shifts to those of Holmes and other characters in dialogue. The contrast is not just in accent but also in emotional complexity, which gives believability even to female voices. The effect animates the tale into something chillingly real. Doyle's diary method of telling stories, both in shorter form and longer tales like this one, makes the accounts ideal for audio, and Griffin exploits this advantage to calculated effect. J.L. 2011 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2011]