The String of Pearls

Unknown

The tale of Sweeney Todd has had many incarnations, most famously the stage and movie musical by Stephen Sondheim. But it all started in 1846 with a serialized telling of the story titled “The String of Pearls” in the weekly magazine “The People's Periodical and Family Library”. Called by some a romance, by others a horror story, it is one of the earliest murder mysteries. In “The String of Pearls”, Sweeney Todd is less sympathetic than in some of his later incarnations – a perfect villain, totally self-seeking with no redeeming qualities. How the deeds of Todd are uncovered and how he is brought to justice make a most intriguing tale, but one probably not suited for the very young and certainly not for the squeamish. (Summary by John Lieder).

Genre(s): Horror & Supernatural Fiction, Detective Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 01 - The Strange Customer at Sweeney Todd's musil
00:23:30
Play 02 02 - The Spectacle Maker's Daughter musil
00:20:45
Play 03 03 - The Dog and the Hat musil
00:23:25
Play 04 04 - The Pie-shop in Bell Yard Catharine Eastman
00:18:29
Play 05 05 - The Meeting in the Temple fablis310
00:17:29
Play 06 06 - The Conference, and the Fearful Narration in the Garden redabrus
00:26:45
Play 07 07 - The Barber and the Lapidary Christine Blachford
00:09:17
Play 08 08 - The Thieves' Home redabrus
00:27:17
Play 09 09 - Johanna at Home, and the Resolution redabrus
00:23:09
Play 10 10 - The Colonel and His Friend redabrus
00:35:57
Play 11 11 - The Stranger at Lovett's Christine Blachford
00:16:14
Play 12 12 - The Resolution come to by Johanna Oakley fablis310
00:31:32
Play 13 13 - Johanna's Interview with Arabella Wilmot, and the Advice redabrus
00:25:30
Play 14 14 - Tobias's Threat, and its Consequences HC
00:10:11
Play 15 15 - The Second Interview between Johanna and the Colonel in the Temple Gardens Christine Blachford
00:12:42
Play 16 16 - The Barber Makes Another Attempt to Sell the String of Pearls Christine Blachford
00:12:03
Play 17 17 - The Great Change in the Prospects of Sweeney Todd krithiga
00:13:17
Play 18 18 - Tobias's Adventures During the Absence of Sweeney Todd Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
00:20:42
Play 19 19 - The Strange Odour at St. Dunstan's Church Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
00:15:10
Play 20 20 - Sweeney Todd's Proceedings Consequent upon the Departure of Tobias Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
00:19:43
Play 21 21 - The Misadventure of Tobias. The Mad-House Lucy Burgoyne (1950 - 2014)
00:14:25
Play 22 22 - The Mad-House Cell Jennifer Stearns
00:13:59
Play 23 23 - The New Cook to Mrs. Lovett's Gets Tired of his Situation Jason Mayoff
00:16:32
Play 24 24 - The Night at the Mad-House Christine Blachford
00:09:37
Play 25 25 - Mr. Fogg's Story at the Mad-House to Sweeney Todd John Lieder
00:37:20
Play 26 26 - Colonel Jeffery Makes Another Effort to Come at Sweeney Todd's Secret Jennifer Stearns
00:20:23
Play 27 27 - Tobias Makes an Attempt to Escape from the Mad-House redabrus
00:11:18
Play 28 28 - The Mad-House Yard, and Tobias's New Friend Christine Blachford
00:10:23
Play 29 29 - The Consultation of Colonel Jeffery with the Magistrate Jennifer Stearns
00:11:57
Play 30 30 - Tobias's Escape from Mr. Fogg's Establishment redabrus
00:45:07
Play 31 31 - The Rapid Journey to London of Tobias redabrus
00:08:04
Play 32 32 - The Announcement in Sweeney Todd's Window. Johanna Oakley's Adventure. Christine Blachford
00:09:29
Play 33 33 - The Discoveries in the Vaults of St. Dunstan's HC
00:15:02
Play 34 34 - Johanna Alone. The Secret. Mr. Todd's Suspicions. The Mysterious Letter Christine Blachford
00:09:22
Play 35 35 - Sweeney Todd Commences Clearing the Road to Retirement Jason Mayoff
00:10:41
Play 36 36 - The Last Batch of the Delicious Pies Cori Samuel
00:11:53
Play 37 37 - The Prisoner's Plan of Escape from the Pies HC
00:15:45
Play 38 38 - Sweeney Todd Shaves a Good Customer. The Arrest M. W. Jackson
00:14:07
Play 39 39 - The Conclusion. Aaron Elliott
00:12:34