Max Carrados, a fictional detective series, was first introduced to the literary world by Ernest Bramah in 1914. In the Edwardian era, Carrados' stories often outsold Sherlock Holmes, with the blind detective sharing top billing with his fictional rival. George Orwell wrote that together with those of Conan Doyle, they were "the only detective stories since Poe that are worth rereading". Recorded by national treasure Stephen Fry, 'The Coin of Dionysius' and 'The Game Played in the Dark' are two short stories from the collection. In 'The Coin of Dionysius' we first meet the suave sleuth Max Carrados, as he is called on by old friend Louis Carlyle to help determine whether an old coin is real or a clever fake. In 'The Game Played in the Dark', Max Carrados is contacted by the British Museum about a horde of stolen ancient coins. On the lookout for the coins, he is intrigued by the approach of an Italian lady who takes him from the safety of his study to a meeting with some recognisable former adversaries.... Stephen Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter, film director and all round national treasure. Fry has written and presented several documentary series, contributed columns and articles for newspapers and magazines, appears frequently on radio, reads for voice-overs and has written four novels and three volumes of autobiography, Moab Is My Washpot, The Fry Chronicles and his latest, More Fool Me.