• A Study in Emerald

  • By: Neil Gaiman
  • Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
  • Length: 49 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (3,519 ratings)

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A Study in Emerald  By  cover art

A Study in Emerald

By: Neil Gaiman
Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
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Publisher's summary

Alluding to both the Sherlock Holmes canon and the Old Ones of the Cthulhu Mythos, this Hugo Award-winning short story will delight fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, H. P. Lovecraft, and of course, Neil Gaiman.

A Study in Emerald draws listeners in through carefully revealed details as a consulting detective and his narrator friend solve the mystery of a murdered German noble. But with its subtle allusions and surprise ending, this mystery hints that the real fun in solving this case lies in imagining all the details that Gaiman doesn't reveal, and challenges listeners to be detectives themselves.

©2006 Neil Gaiman (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

  • Hugo winner, Best Short Story, 2004

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and More From Neil Gaiman

What listeners say about A Study in Emerald

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    1,731
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful.....

Would you consider the audio edition of A Study in Emerald to be better than the print version?

.... as usual. Just what you should expect from Gaiman. Flawless reading and plotting. A perfect story that just wraps you up and carries you along.

What about Neil Gaiman’s performance did you like?

What sets Gaiman's reading apart from the usual cast of actors who so audio tracks is the simple ease with which he reads. He's not just reading the story, he's telling it, but he does it so well that he manages to not become a character himself.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, and I did too.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A fun take on a classic

This was a fun and slightly twisted take on a classic, one I enjoyed very much in a noir meets the creature from the black lagoon kind of way.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Study in Awesome!

Where does A Study in Emerald rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high!

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes. I had to take a moment to realize what I had just heard at the end.

What about Neil Gaiman’s performance did you like?

EVERYTHING!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

I <3 Neil Gaiman!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

interesting concept but failed execution.

Basically a plagiarized version of Sherlock Holmes where the aristocracy are lovecraftian monsters. The setting and story are cool but the characters are pale cheap imitations.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A clever play on Holmes!

I really loved this short story! It's clever and set in an interesting version of London and the plot twist is excellent. This will be one of my new go to audio books. And Neil Gaiman is a wonderful narrator, as always

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I love this spin on Holmes

I have recently been trying to acquaint myself with the great Sherlock Holmes as I had never gotten around to it in my youth. As I love Neil Gaiman's works, when I'd discovered that he wrote a Holmes tale, I was sold. I love Neil Gaiman's spin on this classic. It is perfect, spot on, and very fun. I think all Holmes fans would prefer to think of this story as canon. I know I do.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Listen Well

This story is brilliant, and subtle. It's a real treat! It's even worth re-listening to, because you will certainly miss some fantastical points the first time through. If you've listened to Sherlock Holmes stories before, don't let yourself get lulled into the familiar patterns of speech and characters -- keep sharp! You'll be glad you paid attention! If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Gaiman pays great homage to two amazing authors, and leaves his own patent mark, too. Buy it! You won't regret it!

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Jf
  • 05-12-08

come again?

What a nice retelling of a classic: comfortable yet unnerving. It's like putting an old pair of slippers and noticing how warm and fuzzy they are still and then noticing that you just put your feet in 2 spider nests...

brilliant!

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This story is already in Fragile Things

Wish I had known I had it already in another book before wasting a purchase. I like the story and performance very much however.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Strange mix of genre - but well done anyway!

At first, it's an old Sherlock Holmes story, but then, throw in a globe-conquering alien life form, and then only "hint" at the alien's true nature. I know, sounds kinda weird, but in all, a great little story.

- Frederick

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1 person found this helpful