Sherlock Holmes

Montpellier; Langham Hotel, London; Bevington’s,Westminster Road.
Unrecorded Case: Abrahams (in mortal terror of his life).
Holmes: Has a strange sense of humour. Quotes Shakespeare
(Henry VI).
Elementary: Deduces from Watson’s boots that he has had a
Turkish bath.
Disguise: A French workman.
Quotable Quote: ‘When you follow two separate chains of
thought, Watson, you will find some point of intersection
which should approximate to the truth.’
Problems: Lady Frances Carfax’s family have spared no expense
in employing Sherlock Holmes to find her, so they must be
rather cross to learn he has sent Watson in his place.Why did it
take the combined efforts of several men to prise the lid off
after it had been unscrewed?
Verdict: One of the more original stories in this collection. Its
fast pace and wide-ranging geography belie its short length,
and the central idea is a good one. Holmes, though, has become
somewhat thuggish. 4/5
46) The Adventure of the Dying Detective
UK: The Strand Magazine (December 1913,WP); USA: Collier’s
(22 November 1913, FDS)
The Case: The Great Detective is dying of a rare Asiatic
disease…
Date: November 1889/90.
Characters: Mrs Hudson, Culverton Smith, Inspector Morton,
Staples, Sir Jasper Meek, Penrose Fisher, Dr Ainstree, Victor Savage.
S H E R L O C K H O L M E S
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Locations: Watson’s practice; 221B Baker Street; 13 Lower
Burke Street; Simpson’s,The Strand.
Unrecorded Case: Rotherhithe.
Holmes: He is untidy, addicted to music, indulges in pungent
chemical experiments, shoots his revolver indoors, but pays
handsomely for his rooms. Has considered writing a mono-
graph on malingering.
Watson: Cannot keep secrets.
Quotable Quote: ‘Shall the world, then, be overrun by oysters?’
Problems: ‘Contagious by touch’ is tautological. Watson’s
rushing off to another appointment when his friend lies dying
should have raised Smith’s suspicions. The bed must have been
in a strange place if there was enough room for Watson’s bulky
form behind it, and why didn’t he come out of hiding after
Inspector Morton appeared?
Verdict: A great story, laced with wit and humour. Holmes
seems to be enjoying his role tremendously, and even though
the twist is obvious, it’s undeniably satisfying. 5/5
47) The Valley of Fear
UK: The Strand Magazine (September 1914–May 1915, FW);
USA: George H Doran (1915, AIK)
The Case: An American gold magnate is found dead in his Sussex
manor house…
Date: Late 1880s.
Characters: Billy, John (‘Jack’) Douglas, Inspector MacDonald,
White Mason, Ivy Douglas, Cecil James Barker, Ames, Mrs
Allen, Sgt Wilson, Ted  Baldwin, Mrs  Hudson, Fred Porlock,
Professor Moriarty, Colonel Sebastian Moran, Dr Wood, Sir  Charles
Chandos, Jack (‘Boss’) McGinty, Hargrave, hotel manager, Mike
Scanlan, John (‘Jack’) McMurdo, Jacob Shafter, Murphy, two
T H E C A N O N
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patrolmen, Bartholomew Wilson, Jonas Pinto, bartender, Widow
MacNamara, Captain Marvin, JW Windle, Andrew Rae, Treasurer
Higgins, Tiger Cormac, Wilson, Foreman Blaker, Harraway, Jim
Carnaway, Chester Wilcox, Archie Swindon, Morris, Fred Morris,