The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes
Encyclopedia
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is the final collection of Sherlock Holmes
stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
. Originally published in 1927, it contains stories published between 1921 and 1927.
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is the only remaining Sherlock Holmes book written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle still protected by copyright in the United States.
ated "Case-Book"), whereas title of the American was The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes ("Case Book" as two words).
Further confusing the issue of the title, some later publishers publish the collection under the title The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes ("Casebook" as a single word).
However, many newer editions of The Case-Book favour the following ordering:
Because of the two orderings, "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman" has often been incorrectly identified as the last Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle to be published, when the last such story to be published is in fact "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place".
" is narrated in the third person, since it was adapted from a stage play in which Watson hardly appeared. "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
" and "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
" are both narrated by Holmes himself, the latter being set after his retirement
.
Although some of the stories are comparable with Doyle's earlier work, this collection is often considered a lesser entry in the Sherlock Holmes canon. David Stuart Davies
has commented that "The Adventure of the Creeping Man
" "veers towards risible science fiction
"; in the 1974 novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, author Nicholas Meyer
's Watson claims that this entry, as well as three others from the Case-Book ("The Mazarin Stone
", "The Three Gables
" and "The Lion's Mane
"), are forged "drivel".
Accordingly, many Holmesian aficionados and scholars consider the stories contained in The Case-Book to be among the least impressive in the Holmes canon, claiming that they were written at a time when Doyle was preoccupied with Spiritualism and séance
s, and less interested in continuing to produce Sherlock Holmes stories, which he regarded as a distraction. (By the time The Case-Book was published, 40 years had passed since publication of the first Holmes adventure, although sales remained very strong.)
However, this view is challenged by the experimental nature of the collection, which suggests that Doyle, rather than cranking out stories by formula, was keeping his interest in Holmes alive by exploring unconventional storytelling methods, such as having Holmes narrate the stories. Additionally, The Case-Book features some of the most unusual villains in the Holmesian canon, including children and animals. The collection is also notable for its recurring depictions of mutilation and disfigurement (as in "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
," "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
," "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
," and "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
") and mental derangement ("The Problem of Thor Bridge
," "The Adventure of the Creeping Man
," "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
"), indicating the effect that the first World War had upon Doyle. As a result, The Case-Book stands as one of the darkest Holmesian collections.
Wikilivres is hosted in Canada, where the full book is already out of copyright.
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
stories by Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
. Originally published in 1927, it contains stories published between 1921 and 1927.
The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes is the only remaining Sherlock Holmes book written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle still protected by copyright in the United States.
Title of collection
The first British edition and the first American edition of the collection were both published in June 1927. However, they had slightly different titles. The title of the British collection was The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (hyphenHyphen
The hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word. The use of hyphens is called hyphenation. The hyphen should not be confused with dashes , which are longer and have different uses, or with the minus sign which is also longer...
ated "Case-Book"), whereas title of the American was The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes ("Case Book" as two words).
Further confusing the issue of the title, some later publishers publish the collection under the title The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes ("Casebook" as a single word).
Contents
The original chronological order in which the twelve stories in The Case-Book were published is as follows:- "The Adventure of the Mazarin StoneThe Adventure of the Mazarin Stone"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" (told in third-person) - "The Problem of Thor BridgeThe Problem of Thor Bridge"The Problem of Thor Bridge" is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, which appears in the collection The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Creeping ManThe Adventure of the Creeping Man"The Adventure of the Creeping Man", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Sussex VampireThe Adventure of the Sussex Vampire"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short-stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.- Plot summary :...
" - "The Adventure of the Three GarridebsThe Adventure of the Three Garridebs"The Adventure of the Three Garridebs", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Adventure of the Illustrious ClientThe Adventure of the Illustrious Client"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Plot summary:...
" - "The Adventure of the Three GablesThe Adventure of the Three Gables"The Adventure of the Three Gables", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Blanched SoldierThe Adventure of the Blanched Soldier"The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes...
" (narrated by Holmes) - "The Adventure of the Lion's ManeThe Adventure of the Lion's Mane"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr...
" (narrated by Holmes) - "The Adventure of the Retired ColourmanThe Adventure of the Retired Colourman"The Adventure of the Retired Colourman", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Veiled LodgerThe Adventure of the Veiled Lodger"The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old PlaceThe Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place", is the last of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes...
"
However, many newer editions of The Case-Book favour the following ordering:
- "The Adventure of the Illustrious ClientThe Adventure of the Illustrious Client"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Plot summary:...
" - "The Adventure of the Blanched SoldierThe Adventure of the Blanched Soldier"The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Mazarin StoneThe Adventure of the Mazarin Stone"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Adventure of the Three GablesThe Adventure of the Three Gables"The Adventure of the Three Gables", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Sussex VampireThe Adventure of the Sussex Vampire"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short-stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.- Plot summary :...
" - "The Adventure of the Three GarridebsThe Adventure of the Three Garridebs"The Adventure of the Three Garridebs", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" - "The Problem of Thor BridgeThe Problem of Thor Bridge"The Problem of Thor Bridge" is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, which appears in the collection The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Creeping ManThe Adventure of the Creeping Man"The Adventure of the Creeping Man", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of the Lion's ManeThe Adventure of the Lion's Mane"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr...
" - "The Adventure of the Veiled LodgerThe Adventure of the Veiled Lodger"The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" - "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old PlaceThe Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place"The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place", is the last of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes...
" - "The Adventure of the Retired ColourmanThe Adventure of the Retired Colourman"The Adventure of the Retired Colourman", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
"
Because of the two orderings, "The Adventure of the Retired Colourman" has often been incorrectly identified as the last Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle to be published, when the last such story to be published is in fact "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place".
Commentary
The Case-Book is notable for containing three stories not narrated by Dr. Watson, as most Sherlock Holmes stories are. "The Adventure of the Mazarin StoneThe Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes....
" is narrated in the third person, since it was adapted from a stage play in which Watson hardly appeared. "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
"The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes...
" and "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr...
" are both narrated by Holmes himself, the latter being set after his retirement
Retirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
.
Although some of the stories are comparable with Doyle's earlier work, this collection is often considered a lesser entry in the Sherlock Holmes canon. David Stuart Davies
David Stuart Davies
David Stuart Davies is a British writer. He worked as a teacher of English before becoming a full-time editor, writer, and playwright. Davies has written extensively about Sherlock Holmes, both fiction and non-fiction...
has commented that "The Adventure of the Creeping Man
The Adventure of the Creeping Man
"The Adventure of the Creeping Man", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" "veers towards risible science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
"; in the 1974 novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, author Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer
Nicholas Meyer is an American screenwriter, producer, director and novelist, known best for his best-selling novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and for directing the films Time After Time, two of the Star Trek feature film series, and the 1983 television movie The Day After.Meyer graduated from...
's Watson claims that this entry, as well as three others from the Case-Book ("The Mazarin Stone
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
"The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes....
", "The Three Gables
The Adventure of the Three Gables
"The Adventure of the Three Gables", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
" and "The Lion's Mane
The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr...
"), are forged "drivel".
Accordingly, many Holmesian aficionados and scholars consider the stories contained in The Case-Book to be among the least impressive in the Holmes canon, claiming that they were written at a time when Doyle was preoccupied with Spiritualism and séance
Séance
A séance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word "séance" comes from the French word for "seat," "session" or "sitting," from the Old French "seoir," "to sit." In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, speak of "une séance de cinéma"...
s, and less interested in continuing to produce Sherlock Holmes stories, which he regarded as a distraction. (By the time The Case-Book was published, 40 years had passed since publication of the first Holmes adventure, although sales remained very strong.)
However, this view is challenged by the experimental nature of the collection, which suggests that Doyle, rather than cranking out stories by formula, was keeping his interest in Holmes alive by exploring unconventional storytelling methods, such as having Holmes narrate the stories. Additionally, The Case-Book features some of the most unusual villains in the Holmesian canon, including children and animals. The collection is also notable for its recurring depictions of mutilation and disfigurement (as in "The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Plot summary:...
," "The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
"The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes...
," "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
The Adventure of the Lion's Mane
"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr...
," and "The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
"The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
") and mental derangement ("The Problem of Thor Bridge
The Problem of Thor Bridge
"The Problem of Thor Bridge" is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, which appears in the collection The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes...
," "The Adventure of the Creeping Man
The Adventure of the Creeping Man
"The Adventure of the Creeping Man", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.-Synopsis:...
," "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
"The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short-stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes.- Plot summary :...
"), indicating the effect that the first World War had upon Doyle. As a result, The Case-Book stands as one of the darkest Holmesian collections.
Texts in Wikisource
Full text in Wikilivres
- The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes
Wikilivres is hosted in Canada, where the full book is already out of copyright.