3. The Secret of Dunstan's Tower

Inspector Lestrade was made to look a fool in the Sherlock Holmes stories. Now he gets his own back, with tales of Holmes' rivals.

James Fleet stars as Inspector Lestrade.

Lestrade enlists the help of the brilliant blind detective Max Carrados when he is asked to help a woman who believes that an old prophecy is foretelling her death.

In 1662 a fierce quarrel lead to the fatal wounding of Sir Philip Belmont by Henry Ainsworth who owned Dunstan's Tower. Before Sir Philip died he prophesied that when blood appeared on the steps of the grand staircase of Dunstan's Tower, then one of the Ainsworth family had a week to live.

Blood has now appeared on the steps and the present Lady Ainsworth is awaiting her death.

Written by Ernest Bramah and dramatised by Chris Harrald.

Lestrade ...... James Fleet
Max Carrados ...... Pip Torrens
Tom Ainsworth ...... Tom Forrister
Edith Ainsworth ...... Kirsty Oswald
Lady Una Ainsworth ...... Joanna Munroe
Parkinson ...... James Lailey
Swarbrick ...... Sean Baker

Producer: Liz Webb.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2016.