The String of Pearls

by UNKNOWN ( - )

09 - Johanna at Home, and the Resolution

The String of Pearls

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).


Listen next episodes of The String of Pearls:
10 - The Colonel and His Friend , 11 - The Stranger at Lovett's , 12 - The Resolution come to by Johanna Oakley , 13 - Johanna's Interview with Arabella Wilmot, and the Advice , 14 - Tobias's Threat, and its Consequences , 15 - The Second Interview between Johanna and the Colonel in the Temple Gardens , 16 - The Barber Makes Another Attempt to Sell the String of Pearls , 17 - The Great Change in the Prospects of Sweeney Todd , 18 - Tobias's Adventures During the Absence of Sweeney Todd , 19 - The Strange Odour at St. Dunstan's Church , 20 - Sweeney Todd's Proceedings Consequent upon the Departure of Tobias , 21 - The Misadventure of Tobias. The Mad-House , 22 - The Mad-House Cell , 23 - The New Cook to Mrs. Lovett's Gets Tired of his Situation , 24 - The Night at the Mad-House , 25 - Mr. Fogg's Story at the Mad-House to Sweeney Todd , 26 - Colonel Jeffery Makes Another Effort to Come at Sweeney Todd's Secret , 27 - Tobias Makes an Attempt to Escape from the Mad-House , 28 - The Mad-House Yard, and Tobias's New Friend , 29 - The Consultation of Colonel Jeffery with the Magistrate , 30 - Tobias's Escape from Mr. Fogg's Establishment , 31 - The Rapid Journey to London of Tobias , 32 - The Announcement in Sweeney Todd's Window. Johanna Oakley's Adventure. , 33 - The Discoveries in the Vaults of St. Dunstan's , 34 - Johanna Alone. The Secret. Mr. Todd's Suspicions. The Mysterious Letter , 35 - Sweeney Todd Commences Clearing the Road to Retirement , 36 - The Last Batch of the Delicious Pies , 37 - The Prisoner's Plan of Escape from the Pies , 38 - Sweeney Todd Shaves a Good Customer. The Arrest , 39 - The Conclusion.