The Queen's Park Affair
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Volume Three

Game Review

Reviewed by William A. Barton


Written by Gary Grady and Suzanne Goldberg
Sleuth Publications, Ltd. 2814 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Released: January, 1985
Catalog No. SL-103
Price: $10.95
Complexity: Intermediate to Experienced
Solitaire Suitability: Excellent
* * * * 1/2

The mysterious disappearance of a sports reporter, a daring jewel theft, a bomb at a cricket match, a temperance crusade, and murder-the game's afoot in The Queen's Park Affair, the second mystery supplement for Sleuth Publications' excellent Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective (SHCD) game. In this addition to what is probably the foremost of detective games currently available, armchair detectives again portray members of Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars. They follow their leader, Wiggins, through a trail of intrigue, deceit, and murder to determine the reason for the disappearance of reporter Franklin Kearney, uncovering quite a few other bits of skullduggery along the way.

The supplement comes boxed, unlike the game's earlier format. Components include a sizable 8 1/2 X 11 inch Case and Clue book, which contains introductory briefings for each of the case's four days and 281 clue points that may be uncovered during investigation; an envelope of initial clues, with a letter asking Holmes to investigate Kearney's disappearance; calling cards; a 17 X 22 inch map of the Queen's Park area; a newspaper archive booklet covering the days of the case; a Time Pad for recording travel and clue time for each day; a rule sheet explaining changes from the basic game rules for this case, plus rules for the Queen's Park Affair contest (more on this later); and a four-page entry form for answering the questions raised in the case if you intended to enter the contest.

As a dedicated Sherlockian who devoured the original games 10 cases and the five in the Mansion Murders supplement, I eagerly awaited publication of Queen's Park. And I wasn't disappointed (except as explained below). Queen's Park is just as detailed, just as carefully laid out and executed and, most importantly, just as much fun to investigate as previous mysteries. And with its somewhat different format from previous case supplements -that of gathering clues within daily time limits, which in turn limits the number of clues that can be obtained--the Queen's Park mystery can be delved into quite a few times before familiarity destroys its replay value. In fact, the only thing that spoiled my fun was the realization that, no matter how many times I played through it and no matter what clever deductions I came to, I wasn't going to learn the solution(s) to the affair or whether I was right or wrong in my own conclusions - at least not with what came in this package.

The reason? As noted previously, the Queen's Park Affair is a contest, conducted by Sleuth Publications. To win, you had to submit the correct solution to the case by the deadline listed in the game; this means the solution isn't included in the supplement. I really find no fault in the contest idea per se; however, those of us who, like Holmes, play the game for the game's sake alone, and don't wish to enter the contest, have to send by mail by Oct. 31 an extra buck to find out whodunit. Since this means anyone buying a copy of the original supplement after Oct. 31 will never be able to learn the solution, I hope that Sleuth intends to replace any unsold copies of the supplement with a second edition containing the solution, or else extends this deadline.

Personally, I can do without contests. I wonder how many who entered didn't even play the game, but just read through all the clues so they'd have a shot at the prize money? But I must admit that not having a ready answer helps the replay value of the game. if it'd been easily available, I'd probably have only gone through the case once, then rushed to see how I compared against the Master. So much for my only real gripe against an otherwise excellent game supplement (and why it just misses a five-star rating).

Queen's Park uses the basic rules for SHCD, but adds the element of daily time restrictions to the game. Thus instead of simply gathering a clue point per turn until you think you can solve the case, as in earlier ones, you must mark off time traveled from clue to clue (15 minutes if in the same area of London, or from one area to an adjacent one). Additionally, each clue tells how long you must spend to obtain it.

Some of the times on these seem a bit long-another minor flaw. You start each day at 9 a.m., after your daily Baker Street briefing, and must end it at 10 p.m., marking elapsed time off on your Time Pads. Thus careful planning is necessary to get the most from the clues you can gather per day. Each days briefing includes lists of the clue points at each map location on the facing page. Clue Points follow a fifth day's briefing in which Holmes is about to expound upon the case's solution. Everything is clearly organized, and anyone familiar with the basic game should have no problem here.

Additional elements, such as notes at the top of some clues to read others first if you haven't yet, are great aids for keeping the facts straight.

A couple other warnings here: First, you really do need SHCD to play this case - at least the second edition London map and directory, and Holmes' Lecture on sources of information. (Sleuth Publications will sell you these items separately, but get the entire game-it's worth it.)

Second, this case is a toughy! If you can figure it out on your first time through, quit your current job and go into the sleuthing business full-time the world needs you. As many times as I've gone through it so far, I'm still not certain I've got it all right.

Sherlockian and Victorian buffs (like myself) will find lots of nice period flavor throughout the game - almost enough to recommend it even if you can't get the solution. Lots of standard characters from the Holmes sagas appear or are mentioned: Inspectors Lestrade and Gregson, the infamous Professor Moriarty-even Doyle himself - as well as lesser names. Mention is even made of Jack the Ripper, whose spree covered the time of this case, and the hound Toby, from Sign of the Four, which starts shortly afterward. The newspaper archives include period ads and "agony columns" (classifieds), and the calling cards and other physical clues are quite authentic in appearance. The map is even derived from actual Victorian ordnance survey maps! No doubt about it, Queen's Park deserves an A+ for authenticity!

If you're an aficionado of the great detective or his times, or just love a good mystery, I heartily recommend The Queen's Park Affair.

William A. Barton is a past president and long-time member of the Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis, a scion society of The Baker Street Irregulars.

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© Copyright 1985 by Dana Lombardy.
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