Tonight, we’ll re-broadcast the opening to “The Adventure of The Speckled Band” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” published in 1891 and written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The conclusion episode will air next.
The story tells of Helen Stoner, a soon-to-be married young woman who suspects her stepfather may be trying to kill her in order to retain control of her inheritance. Convinced of her stepfather's intentions, she turns to Holmes for help.
"The Speckled Band" is a classic locked room mystery that deals with the themes of parental greed, inheritance and freedom. Tinged with Gothic elements, it is considered by many to be one of Doyle's finest works, with the author himself calling it his best story.