Sherlock Holmes

Problems: Holmes asks how Mortimer Tregennis heard the news
– ignoring the fact that Roundhay has just told him. There
seems no reason for Sterndale to carry the gravel from his
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cottage. Divorce laws of the time permitted a husband to get a
divorce after two years of separation; Sterndale therefore
could have married Brenda much sooner.
Observations: Devil’s Foot is an invented poison, but could have
been inspired by such plants as Devil’s Bit, Devil’s Guts, Devil’s
Fuge, Devil’s Eye and Devil’s Turnip. Of these, Devil’s Eye
(often called Henbane) is a lethal narcotic. In reality, Mounts
Bay is very safe and does not attract shipwrecks.
Verdict: The surreal set-up for this story is very effective, and
the scene where Watson and Holmes undergo a hallucinogenic
experience is hard to forget. A fine example of Doyle imbuing
the most innocent of landscapes with a palpable sense of fear
and unease. 5/5
44) The Adventure of the Red Circle
UK: The Strand Magazine (March-April 1911, HMB & JS);
USA: The Strand Magazine (April-May 1911, HMB & JS)
The Case: A landlady becomes suspicious of her unseen
lodger…
Characters: Mrs Warren, Inspector  Gregson, Mr  Leverton,
Giuseppe Gorgiano, Gennaro Lucca, Emilia Lucca, Mr Warren,
girl, Tito Castalotte, Zamba.
Locations: 221B Baker Street; house in Great Orme Street,
Bloomsbury; high red house, Howe Street, Bloomsbury;
Morton & Waylight’s, Tottenham Court Road; Hampstead Heath;
Brooklyn, New York.
Unrecorded Cases: Fairdale Hobbs (client), the Long Island Cave
mystery.
Holmes: Files newspaper agony columns in a big book (the
previously mentioned commonplace book?). Enjoys the music
of Richard Wagner.
S H E R L O C K H O L M E S
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Quotable Quote: ‘Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of
lessons with the greatest for the last.’
Problems:The code! Morse would have been far quicker than the
cumbersome and lengthy method chosen – and why does
Holmes guess immediately that it is not Morse? If one flash
represents ‘A’, two ‘B’ etc., then how does he know that
passing the candle to and fro signifies ‘vieni’? Holmes claims he
flashed but the text indicates otherwise (anyway, ‘vieni’ would
have taken at least 50 flashes). The Italian alphabet has fewer
letters than the English version, so deciphering it wouldn’t be
as easy as Holmes suggests. Giving Emilia Lucca a false name
and sending letters to her would have been easier than all this
nonsense. And if Gennaro knew the Red Circle was after him,
it was extremely unwise to reveal the code and source of his
signals in the same newspaper advert.
Observations: The story was based on a wave of ‘Black Hand’
blackmail notes that plagued American immigrants before the
First World War.
Verdict: Yet another American secret society after revenge. 2/5
45) The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax
UK: The Strand Magazine (December 1911, AB); USA: The
American Magazine (December 1911, FDS)
The Case: A friendless woman has disappeared while touring
Europe…
Characters: Lady Frances Carfax, Marie Devine, Moser, Jules
Vibart, Dr Shlessinger, Mrs Shlessinger, landlord, Hon Philip
Green, Henry (‘Holy’) Peters, Annie Fraser, Rose Spender, Dr
Horsom, sergeant, Inspector Lestrade, Earl of Rufton, Susan
Dobney, Mrs Hudson.
Locations: 221B Baker Street; Hôtel National, Lausanne;
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Englischer Hof, Baden; Scotland Yard; 36 Poultney Square,
Brixton; Brixton Workhouse Infirmary; 13 Firbank Villas;
Stimson & Co Undertakers, Kennington Road; 11 Rue de Trajan,