Sherlock Holmes

Verdict: Despite the flawed premise, this is a pleasantly under-
stated little tale that neatly rounds off the current series. 5/5
T H E C A N O N
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41) The Adventure  of Wisteria  Lodge
UK: The Strand Magazine (September-October 1908, AT);
USA: Collier’s (15 August 1908, FDS)
The Case: A guest wakes up in an empty house, his new friend
and his servants having mysteriously vanished…
Date: Late March 1892.
Characters: John Scott Eccles, Mrs Hudson, Inspector Gregson,
Inspector Baynes, PC Walters, Aloysius Garcia, Melville, Lord
Harringby, Sir George Ffolliott, Hynes Hynes, James Baker Williams,
Henderson, Rev. Joshua Stone, PC Downing, Marx, cook, housekeeper,
Lucas (‘Lopez’), Miss Burnet, John Warner, Don (‘Juan’) Murillo, Mr
and Mrs Victor Durando, José, Marquess of Montalva, Rulli.
Locations: 221B Baker Street; Wisteria Lodge, near Esher; The
Bull, Esher; Popham House, Lee; Albemarle Mansion, Kensington;
Allan Brothers, Esher; Spanish Embassy, Oxshott Common; Marx & Co,
High Holborn; British Museum; High Gable, Oxshott; lodging house,
Edmonton Street; Hotel Escurial, Madrid.
Recorded Cases: The Red-Headed League, The Five Orange Pips.
Unrecorded Case: Colonel Carruthers.
Holmes: Enjoys botany.
Quotable Quote: ‘My mind is like a racing engine, tearing itself
to pieces because it is not connected up with the work for
which it was built.’
Problems: How does Watson know Scott Eccles is the surname,
and not the full name? Garcia’s 1am alibi is illogical – it would
still have provided enough time for him to return to Wisteria
Lodge.And there is no reason for him to keep Signora Durando
alive (other than that she provides the necessary solution). Did
Inspector Lestrade arrive at 221B by following Scott Eccles or
by (somehow) intercepting a telegram?
Observations: After The Second Stain, Conan Doyle wrote a set of
S H E R L O C K H O L M E S
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medieval stories serialised in The Strand from December 1905
to December 1906, later published in book form as Sir Nigel.
In 1906, he had a minor success with a stage production of
Brigadier Gerard in New York. In 1907, he defended George
Edalji and married Jean Leckie. He gave in and wrote two
further Sherlock Holmes stories in 1908 because of public
pressure and generous fees.
This story originally appeared as A Reminiscence of Mr Sherlock
Holmes  (using the spelling ‘Wistaria’), spread over two issues
for  The Strand. Even taking into consideration the change of
literary style over the past century, it’s difficult to avoid the
conclusion that Scott Eccles is homosexual.The wife of a Latin-
American diplomat would be ‘Señora’ (Spanish) not ‘Signora’
(Italian).
Verdict: Another story divided into two distinct parts, but at
least Holmes draws his conclusions early on, and we don’t have
to wait ages for the solution. Doyle has done the whole thing
before much more successfully though. 3/5
42) The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans
UK: The Strand Magazine (December 1908, AT); USA: Collier’s
(18 December 1908, FDS)
The Case: A man with stolen submarine plans is found dumped
by a railway line… 
Date: Late November 1895.
Characters: Maid, Mycroft Holmes, Violet Westbury, Inspector
Lestrade, Colonel Valentine Walter, Sidney  Johnson, railway
spokesman, passenger, messenger, valet, Arthur Cadogan West,