In this story, Holmes recounts to Watson one of his earliest cases presented to him by his old schoolmate, Reginald Musgrave. The family butler had disappeared after being caught rummaging among family papers containing the Musgrave Ritual, a strange rite that has been observed in the Musgrave family for some 200 years. Holmes took great satisfaction at the beginning of his career of succeeding where the police failed. This story has some similarities to the adventure stories of Robert Louis Stevenson and others during the period, although using the intellectual Holmes as narrator reduces the emotional suspense. ( )

Quite an engaging mystery, although it could have been more complicated - along the lines of The Hound of the Baskervilles - with the family secret. It was fairly compelling, however, and the ending is almost funny in how simple it was. The narration was interesting, as well, even though it was told almost entirely in a flashback. ( )

I really liked this one even with the Granada Series having had done it just a bit different ( )

From BBc Radio 4 Extra:

The sleuth recalls an early case involving a noble family's ancient tradition. Starring Clive Merrison and Michael Williams. ( )

From BBc Radio 4 Extra:

The sleuth recalls an early case involving a noble family's ancient tradition. Starring Clive Merrison and Michael Williams. ( )