Sherlock Holmes Short Stories Read Along!

[Bee]

https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_St ... ckled_Band

Well, I loved this one for some reason?

[InspectorCaracal]

I haven't finished re-reading it quite yet so I'll reply tomorrow

[InspectorCaracal]

https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_St ... ckled_Band

Well, I loved this one for some reason?

I remembered this as being one of my absolute favorites since I first got into Holmes, so what with remembering the associations with India, I was a bit nervous lol BUT. It's still extremely good! Classic locked room but also a very Holmes sort of story, with a mixture of self-effacing grandstanding, a keen attention to detail, and a mysterious danger!

Also, I hadn't thought of it before, but I think this story makes a good case for Holmes being afraid of snakes.

[Bee]

https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_St ... %27s_Thumb

Just went ahead and read the next one! So horrifying it needed a ghost or two, imo

Also I'm absolutely dying at the idea of a morning smoke consisting of the remains of the previous day's??

[Bee]

https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_St ... ckled_Band

Well, I loved this one for some reason?

I remembered this as being one of my absolute favorites since I first got into Holmes, so what with remembering the associations with India, I was a bit nervous lol BUT. It's still extremely good! Classic locked room but also a very Holmes sort of story, with a mixture of self-effacing grandstanding, a keen attention to detail, and a mysterious danger!

Also, I hadn't thought of it before, but I think this story makes a good case for Holmes being afraid of snakes.

Yes, it's great! I couldn't help but think the step father was dumb not to disguise the means of the murder better, though, like seriously, there should have been a real bell at least, sheesh xD

[InspectorCaracal]

https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/The_St ... ckled_Band

Well, I loved this one for some reason?

I remembered this as being one of my absolute favorites since I first got into Holmes, so what with remembering the associations with India, I was a bit nervous lol BUT. It's still extremely good! Classic locked room but also a very Holmes sort of story, with a mixture of self-effacing grandstanding, a keen attention to detail, and a mysterious danger!

Also, I hadn't thought of it before, but I think this story makes a good case for Holmes being afraid of snakes.

Yes, it's great! I couldn't help but think the step father was dumb not to disguise the means of the murder better, though, like seriously, there should have been a real bell at least, sheesh xD

True lol although I think he was relying on gaslighting and a presumption of women being stupid and timid.

[InspectorCaracal]

I'd totally forgotten to mention that the Speckled Band has one of my favorite moments???

It's the one where the guy is trying to intimidate Holmes and bends the iron poker before stalking out, and Holmes is just totally unfazed but then afterwards just casually straightens it out again. Like. You know he's showing off!! He's just showing off only for Watson it's adorable

[Bee]

I'd totally forgotten to mention that the Speckled Band has one of my favorite moments???

It's the one where the guy is trying to intimidate Holmes and bends the iron poker before stalking out, and Holmes is just totally unfazed but then afterwards just casually straightens it out again. Like. You know he's showing off!! He's just showing off only for Watson it's adorable

omg YES it's absolutely adorable!! Also Watson saying of course he's going to risk his life 10/10 friendship goals

[InspectorCaracal]

I'd totally forgotten to mention that the Speckled Band has one of my favorite moments???

It's the one where the guy is trying to intimidate Holmes and bends the iron poker before stalking out, and Holmes is just totally unfazed but then afterwards just casually straightens it out again. Like. You know he's showing off!! He's just showing off only for Watson it's adorable

omg YES it's absolutely adorable!! Also Watson saying of course he's going to risk his life 10/10 friendship goals

They're so good

[thiskurt]

This is a very nice example of the "Holmes and Watson go to the country to ~~have a lovely trip~~ ~~go on an adventure~~ solve a mystery" subset of stories. And you can never go wrong with a locked room mystery. Bring back locked room mysteries I say. CSI: Room would have a tiny budget and thus great profits.

According to at least one source[^1] this is Doyle's favourite story, I don't remember if that other source from a few stories back said the same.

"I know you, you scoundrel! I have heard of you before. You are Holmes the meddler."

My friend smiled.

"Holmes the busybody!"

His smile broadened.

"Holmes the Scotland-yard Jack-in-office!"

This is a lovely exchange, Watson smiling at his buddy getting ribbed. We should call him Holmes the Medler, because the man isn't wrong, is he? The whole mystery genre is founded on medlers.

I should be very much obliged if you would slip your revolver into your pocket. An Eley's No. 2 is an excellent argument with gentlemen who can twist steel pokers into knots.

Holmes manages to be both an American hard boiled detective and very Victorian British man in that quote.

"He must guard himself, for he may find that there is someone more cunning than himself upon his track."

Holmes the Modest Medler.

"What's in here?" he asked, tapping the safe.

"My stepfather's business papers."

"Oh! you have seen inside, then?"

"Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of papers."

"There isn't a cat in it, for example?"

"No. What a strange idea!"

"Well, look at this!" He took up a small saucer of milk which stood on the top of it.

Don't kinkshame, Holmes, if he want to sip milk from a saucer like a cat then let him.

I wonder if the mention that there is a baboon in the house is in any way a reference/red herring to 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' seeing as that's one of the first locked room mysteries and in that (SPOILERS) an orangutan is the murderer. (/SPOILERS)

Speaking of references/red herrings, I wonder if the Incredibly Deadly Viper is a nod to this story?

"In the first place, both my friend and I must spend the night in your room."

Both Miss Stoner and I gazed at him in astonishment.

"Do you know, Watson," said Holmes, as we sat together in the gathering darkness, "I have really some scruples as to taking you to-night. There is a distinct element of danger."

"Can I be of assistance?"

"Your presence might be invaluable."

"Then I shall certainly come."

You know, maybe the shippers have a point.

"Subtle enough, and horrible enough, When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge. Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession. This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet pipe, and turn our minds for a few hours to something more cheerful."

This story was published four years after the Jack the Ripper murders, I wonder if the theory he was a doctor too was already around then and if it at all had an influence here. Probably not, these two are morbid enough.

[^1]: Green, Richard Lancelyn (1998). "Explanatory Notes". The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Oxford University Press. pp. 361–367. ISBN 0-19-283508-4.