If you ask me now, I would say that I am currently reading Sherlock Holmes volume 1. (I accidentally bought, then read, volume 2 first.) But in reality, I haven't picked it up in forever.
The reason is...I am currently on the chapter called "The Final Problem" at the part where Sherlock and Watson are hiding from Moriarty by travelling all over Europe. I already know what's going to happen and it depresses me to think about it so I haven't been able to finish the story.
The other issue is, I just can't start a new book if I'm not able to finish my current one. Which means I've basically been stuck in reading limbo for over a year now.
There's so much of the book left to read but I just can't. :'(
Showing posts with label Sherlock Holmes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sherlock Holmes. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Crooked Man
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - The Crooked Man
A few months after Watson's marriage, Holmes visits Watson to help with the end of a case.
Story: Colonel James Barclay and his wife Nancy were heard fighting. They have never had a disagreement. The coachman tried to break down the door to the room they were fighting in. It was locked from the inside but the key was no where in the room. The colonel was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood and the wife was fainted on the couch.
Result: Henry Wood was competing with Colonel Barclay for Nancy's hand at the time. During the Indian Mutiny, Henry volunteered to go out for help, Barclay gives Henry directions straight into an ambush. He was taken and tortured (thus deformed.)
Henry saw Nancy the night of the incident and followed her home. He saw her fighting with her husband and climb in through the window. The Colonel went into shock and collapsed at the sight of Henry
A few months after Watson's marriage, Holmes visits Watson to help with the end of a case.
Story: Colonel James Barclay and his wife Nancy were heard fighting. They have never had a disagreement. The coachman tried to break down the door to the room they were fighting in. It was locked from the inside but the key was no where in the room. The colonel was lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood and the wife was fainted on the couch.
Result: Henry Wood was competing with Colonel Barclay for Nancy's hand at the time. During the Indian Mutiny, Henry volunteered to go out for help, Barclay gives Henry directions straight into an ambush. He was taken and tortured (thus deformed.)
Henry saw Nancy the night of the incident and followed her home. He saw her fighting with her husband and climb in through the window. The Colonel went into shock and collapsed at the sight of Henry
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Reigate Puzzle
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - The Reigate Puzzle
April of '87, a strenuous case concerning Baron Maupertuis left Holmes ill. More than once, he had spent 4-5 days awake at a time working on the case that the police of three countries had failed.
Watson took Holmes to Reigate in the country to visit Colonel Hayter and to let Holmes have a little fresh air.
They happened to visit the day after there was a break in at one of the other residents. And the night they arrived, there was a shooting. Involved were the feuding families of Acton and Cunningham.
Result: Cunninghams robbed Actons looking for a deed to the land. Their coachman, William Kirwan, was shot because he followed his employers (a father and son team) and witnessed them robbing the Acton's library. They both made up a story to cover their tracks about the shooting.
April of '87, a strenuous case concerning Baron Maupertuis left Holmes ill. More than once, he had spent 4-5 days awake at a time working on the case that the police of three countries had failed.
Watson took Holmes to Reigate in the country to visit Colonel Hayter and to let Holmes have a little fresh air.
They happened to visit the day after there was a break in at one of the other residents. And the night they arrived, there was a shooting. Involved were the feuding families of Acton and Cunningham.
Result: Cunninghams robbed Actons looking for a deed to the land. Their coachman, William Kirwan, was shot because he followed his employers (a father and son team) and witnessed them robbing the Acton's library. They both made up a story to cover their tracks about the shooting.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Musgrave Ritual
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - The Musgrave Ritual
Watson tells Holmes to organize his papers. Holmes pulls out a box with "a crumpled piece of paper, an old fashioned brass key, a peg of wood with a ball of string attached to it, and three rusty old discs of metal."
It's from one of his earlier cases about the Musgrave Ritual. His college acquaintance, Reginald Musgrave, came to him with a case: His butler, Brunton, disappeared after being caught looking through family papers. Brunton asked for one week before leaving the job. But he disappeared a few days before the week was up.
Result: The Musgrave Ritual is an initiation for young men of the family to join the estate. It goes like so:
"Whose was it?"
"His who is gone/"
"Who shall have it?"
"He Who Will Come."
"Where was the sun?"
"Over the oak"
"Where was the shadow?"
"Under the elm/"
"How was it stepped?"
"North by ten and by ten, east by five and by five, south by two and by two, west by one and by one, and so under."
"What shall we give for it?"
"All that is ours."
"Why should we give it?"
"For the sake of the trust"
Holmes figured out that they were directions and it lead to a cellar. Brunton's dead body was in it.
Earlier, they had fished a bag of metals and stones out of the pond. It turned out to be the crown of Charles the Second.
Ancestor Sir Ralph Musgrave was the right hand man of Charles the Second. He was protecting the crown until the king could get it but died before then. He created the ritual as a way to remember the location.
Watson tells Holmes to organize his papers. Holmes pulls out a box with "a crumpled piece of paper, an old fashioned brass key, a peg of wood with a ball of string attached to it, and three rusty old discs of metal."
It's from one of his earlier cases about the Musgrave Ritual. His college acquaintance, Reginald Musgrave, came to him with a case: His butler, Brunton, disappeared after being caught looking through family papers. Brunton asked for one week before leaving the job. But he disappeared a few days before the week was up.
Result: The Musgrave Ritual is an initiation for young men of the family to join the estate. It goes like so:
"Whose was it?"
"His who is gone/"
"Who shall have it?"
"He Who Will Come."
"Where was the sun?"
"Over the oak"
"Where was the shadow?"
"Under the elm/"
"How was it stepped?"
"North by ten and by ten, east by five and by five, south by two and by two, west by one and by one, and so under."
"What shall we give for it?"
"All that is ours."
"Why should we give it?"
"For the sake of the trust"
Holmes figured out that they were directions and it lead to a cellar. Brunton's dead body was in it.
Earlier, they had fished a bag of metals and stones out of the pond. It turned out to be the crown of Charles the Second.
Ancestor Sir Ralph Musgrave was the right hand man of Charles the Second. He was protecting the crown until the king could get it but died before then. He created the ritual as a way to remember the location.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The "Gloria Scott"
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - The "Gloria Scott"
This is Holmes' first case, he shows Watson a note:
"The supply of game for London is going to steadily up [it ran]. Head-keeper Hudson, we believe, has been now told to receive all orders for fly-paper and for preservation of your hen-pheasant's life."
The client was his only friend in college, Victor Trevor. Holmes was invited to vacation with Victor in his home in Birmingham. He uses his deduction skills to wow and shock Sr Trevor causing him to be cautious around Holmes.
On the day that Holmes left, a drunken sailor comes to visit. Sr Trevor went above and beyond to appease him.
Two months later, Victor goes to see Holmes to tell him that the sailor, Hudson, is "the devil." He drinks and acts like he owns the place. And his father has fallen ill and is in his deathbed.
Result: Sr Trevor died and left his son a letter with the story. His real name is James Armitage, he was being transported on Gloria Scott as a convict. They overthrew the crew and just as they were escaping from the ship it blew up. He and his friend Evans changed their names and both prospered. Hudson, the only survivor of the explosion did not prosper. He went around blackmailing all the escapees.
The real message behind the note was actually this:
"The supply of game for London is going steadily up. Head-keeper Hudson, we believe, has been now told to receive all orders for fly-paper and for preservation of your hen-pheasant's life."
This is Holmes' first case, he shows Watson a note:
"The supply of game for London is going to steadily up [it ran]. Head-keeper Hudson, we believe, has been now told to receive all orders for fly-paper and for preservation of your hen-pheasant's life."
The client was his only friend in college, Victor Trevor. Holmes was invited to vacation with Victor in his home in Birmingham. He uses his deduction skills to wow and shock Sr Trevor causing him to be cautious around Holmes.
On the day that Holmes left, a drunken sailor comes to visit. Sr Trevor went above and beyond to appease him.
Two months later, Victor goes to see Holmes to tell him that the sailor, Hudson, is "the devil." He drinks and acts like he owns the place. And his father has fallen ill and is in his deathbed.
Result: Sr Trevor died and left his son a letter with the story. His real name is James Armitage, he was being transported on Gloria Scott as a convict. They overthrew the crew and just as they were escaping from the ship it blew up. He and his friend Evans changed their names and both prospered. Hudson, the only survivor of the explosion did not prosper. He went around blackmailing all the escapees.
The real message behind the note was actually this:
"The supply of game for London is going steadily up. Head-keeper Hudson, we believe, has been now told to receive all orders for fly-paper and for preservation of your hen-pheasant's life."
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Stock-Broker's Clerk
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - The Stock-Broker's Clerk
Watson had moved out of Baker Street after he married Miss Morstan from the Sign of Four case.
One day, Holmes visits him with the client Mr Hall Pycroft. Mr. Pycroft tells his story:
He used to have a job at Coxon & Woodhouse but was laid off. After months of looking he finally found a job at Mawson & Williams, a stock-broking firm.
A man, Arthur Pinner visits him and offers him a much better job with his brother Harry Pinner. Pycroft visits Harry and discovers that they look exactly the same except for the hair color. Pycoft is given menial tasks and asked to report in occasionally. He notices that Pinner is only there in the completely empty office building except during the appointed time. He calls Holmes once he realizes that both brothers have the exact gold tooth filling with a peculiar mark on it.
Result: The Beddington brothers, famous forger and cracksman used Pycoft's new job and writing sample to impersonate him at the Mawson job. One kept Pycroft distracted during those days while the other one robbed the bank.
Watson had moved out of Baker Street after he married Miss Morstan from the Sign of Four case.
One day, Holmes visits him with the client Mr Hall Pycroft. Mr. Pycroft tells his story:
He used to have a job at Coxon & Woodhouse but was laid off. After months of looking he finally found a job at Mawson & Williams, a stock-broking firm.
A man, Arthur Pinner visits him and offers him a much better job with his brother Harry Pinner. Pycroft visits Harry and discovers that they look exactly the same except for the hair color. Pycoft is given menial tasks and asked to report in occasionally. He notices that Pinner is only there in the completely empty office building except during the appointed time. He calls Holmes once he realizes that both brothers have the exact gold tooth filling with a peculiar mark on it.
Result: The Beddington brothers, famous forger and cracksman used Pycoft's new job and writing sample to impersonate him at the Mawson job. One kept Pycroft distracted during those days while the other one robbed the bank.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Yellow Face
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - The Yellow Face
A man comes calling, Grant Munro, tells a story about his wife Effie Hebron. She had a husband and child in America. They both died of yellow fever.
Grant says he and Effie were super in love. She even signed over all her money to him. One day, she asks him for money and a few days later, new people move into a nearby cottage. The woman is extremely rude to him. He tells his wife and later that night he catches her sneaking out.
Next day, he sees a yellow faced man from an upstairs window. Then his wife walks out of the house. She begs him not to go in and she wouldn't lie to him again. A few days later, he comes home early and catches her there. He goes in but it was empty inside.
Holmes says to go back and telegram when the occupants come back to the house.
Result:
The face is actually Effie's child wearing a mask. Turns out her first husband was African and since the child was darker than the dad, she couldn't admit to it still being alive. Grant accepts the child and tells Effie should should have had more faith in him.
Holmes' theory was that the man was the surviving husband and was blackmailing her. Turns out he was wrong. He tells Watson to reference this case whenever Holmes needs to be humbled.
A man comes calling, Grant Munro, tells a story about his wife Effie Hebron. She had a husband and child in America. They both died of yellow fever.
Grant says he and Effie were super in love. She even signed over all her money to him. One day, she asks him for money and a few days later, new people move into a nearby cottage. The woman is extremely rude to him. He tells his wife and later that night he catches her sneaking out.
Next day, he sees a yellow faced man from an upstairs window. Then his wife walks out of the house. She begs him not to go in and she wouldn't lie to him again. A few days later, he comes home early and catches her there. He goes in but it was empty inside.
Holmes says to go back and telegram when the occupants come back to the house.
Result:
The face is actually Effie's child wearing a mask. Turns out her first husband was African and since the child was darker than the dad, she couldn't admit to it still being alive. Grant accepts the child and tells Effie should should have had more faith in him.
Holmes' theory was that the man was the surviving husband and was blackmailing her. Turns out he was wrong. He tells Watson to reference this case whenever Holmes needs to be humbled.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: Silver Blaze
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes - Silver Blaze
Background:
The horse Silver Blaze, owned by Colonel Ross, goes missing a few days before the Wessex Cup
The trainer, John Straker, is the ex jockey. He is married and lives very close to the stables.
Also working there are 3 lads and they watch over the 4 horses in the stable.
One of the lads stay up each night keeping watch while the other two sleep in the loft above the barn.
Case:
Two of the lads go up to the house to eat dinner. The third one, Ned Hunter, stayed at the stables keeping watch. The made, Edith Baxter, went to bring food to the barn and a man stops her. He is described as gentlemanly and was holding a cane. He bribed her, wanting information about the top two horses, Silver Blaze and Bayard.
The next morning, Mr Straker (the trainer) and Silver Blaze were both missing. Straker's coat was found on a bush and him dead a few yards over. He had suffered a heavy blow to the head, was covered in blood, and had a huge gash on his leg. He was also holding a red and black cravat which belonged to the stranger from the previous night. There were hoofprints where the struggle took place.
The stranger was later identified as Fitzroy Simpson and arrested.
Result:
The trainer bet against his own horses and wanted to make them lame with a small cut to the leg. The horse knocked him down by accident. Simpson merely wanted information on the horse because he bet against them too.
Background:
The horse Silver Blaze, owned by Colonel Ross, goes missing a few days before the Wessex Cup
The trainer, John Straker, is the ex jockey. He is married and lives very close to the stables.
Also working there are 3 lads and they watch over the 4 horses in the stable.
One of the lads stay up each night keeping watch while the other two sleep in the loft above the barn.
Case:
Two of the lads go up to the house to eat dinner. The third one, Ned Hunter, stayed at the stables keeping watch. The made, Edith Baxter, went to bring food to the barn and a man stops her. He is described as gentlemanly and was holding a cane. He bribed her, wanting information about the top two horses, Silver Blaze and Bayard.
The next morning, Mr Straker (the trainer) and Silver Blaze were both missing. Straker's coat was found on a bush and him dead a few yards over. He had suffered a heavy blow to the head, was covered in blood, and had a huge gash on his leg. He was also holding a red and black cravat which belonged to the stranger from the previous night. There were hoofprints where the struggle took place.
The stranger was later identified as Fitzroy Simpson and arrested.
Result:
The trainer bet against his own horses and wanted to make them lame with a small cut to the leg. The horse knocked him down by accident. Simpson merely wanted information on the horse because he bet against them too.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Copper Beeches
A young woman, Violet Hunter, visits Holmes because she received a peculiar job offer. She usually works as a governess and when she went into the agency, there was a man (Jephro Rucastle) there who told her she would be perfect for the job. He said she wouldn't have to take care of the child that much and that she would mainly be hired to do certain things (wear specific dresses, laugh at his jokes, sit by the window while reading a book). But most important, she has to cut her long hair.
Holmes forms a theory about the job but tells her to take it anyways. A few weeks after taking the job, she messages for them to go meet her. She tells them about the strange things that have happened while at this job. When she sits by the window reading, she is never allowed to look out the window. So when she brought a mirror to peek behind her, she saw a man there. The owners of the house asked her to wave him away. She never had to read by the window again after that. Another strange thing was that the dresses she had to wear fit her perfectly. And that in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe in her room, there was a braid that looked exactly like the one she had cut off before accepting the job.
But most peculiar of all, the way to the attic was locked and when looking from outside, one of the windows were clearly shuttered. She investigated before sending for Holmes and encountered a scary creature behind the shuttered room in the attic.
Result: Turns out the man outside(Mr. Fowler) was the betrothed of the family's daughter (Alice). They hired Miss Hunter who resembled Alice to convince Mr. Fowler to go away and that Alice no longer wished to see him. The night that Holmes arrived, Mr Fowler devised a plan to rescue Alice, with success. Miss Hunter later became the principal of an all girls school.
A young woman, Violet Hunter, visits Holmes because she received a peculiar job offer. She usually works as a governess and when she went into the agency, there was a man (Jephro Rucastle) there who told her she would be perfect for the job. He said she wouldn't have to take care of the child that much and that she would mainly be hired to do certain things (wear specific dresses, laugh at his jokes, sit by the window while reading a book). But most important, she has to cut her long hair.
Holmes forms a theory about the job but tells her to take it anyways. A few weeks after taking the job, she messages for them to go meet her. She tells them about the strange things that have happened while at this job. When she sits by the window reading, she is never allowed to look out the window. So when she brought a mirror to peek behind her, she saw a man there. The owners of the house asked her to wave him away. She never had to read by the window again after that. Another strange thing was that the dresses she had to wear fit her perfectly. And that in the bottom drawer of the wardrobe in her room, there was a braid that looked exactly like the one she had cut off before accepting the job.
But most peculiar of all, the way to the attic was locked and when looking from outside, one of the windows were clearly shuttered. She investigated before sending for Holmes and encountered a scary creature behind the shuttered room in the attic.
Result: Turns out the man outside(Mr. Fowler) was the betrothed of the family's daughter (Alice). They hired Miss Hunter who resembled Alice to convince Mr. Fowler to go away and that Alice no longer wished to see him. The night that Holmes arrived, Mr Fowler devised a plan to rescue Alice, with success. Miss Hunter later became the principal of an all girls school.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
Described as a very peculiar case. Alex Holder of the bank Holder & Stevenson of Threadneedle street was visited by a nobleman. The noble offered up his beryl coronet (a jeweled crown of sorts) as collateral for a loan of £50,000. Holder gave up his own money for the loan.
He took the crown home, told his kids Arthur and Mary (adopted niece). He woke up in the middle of the night to see his son holding a twisted up crown with three of the jewels missing. The son was arrested.
Result:
The daughter had run away with the neighbor/friend, Sir George Burnwell.
She had handed the crown through a window to him which the brother had witnessed. Arthur chased Sir George and fought for the crown, thus twisting it. A piece broke off and Sir George got away. The son didn't want to say anything in order to protect Mary.
Here's a picture of a jeweled coronet I found online
Described as a very peculiar case. Alex Holder of the bank Holder & Stevenson of Threadneedle street was visited by a nobleman. The noble offered up his beryl coronet (a jeweled crown of sorts) as collateral for a loan of £50,000. Holder gave up his own money for the loan.
He took the crown home, told his kids Arthur and Mary (adopted niece). He woke up in the middle of the night to see his son holding a twisted up crown with three of the jewels missing. The son was arrested.
Result:
The daughter had run away with the neighbor/friend, Sir George Burnwell.
She had handed the crown through a window to him which the brother had witnessed. Arthur chased Sir George and fought for the crown, thus twisting it. A piece broke off and Sir George got away. The son didn't want to say anything in order to protect Mary.
Here's a picture of a jeweled coronet I found online
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
This case is about Lord St. Simon's marriage and his wife Hatty Doran's sudden disappearance after the wedding.
During the ceremony, Hatty was seen dropping her bouquet when walking down the aisle. A man picked it up and handed it back to her.
After the ceremony a woman, Flora Millan, caused a scene while they were walking into the wedding breakfast. Hatty wasn't there to witness the ruckus but she disappeared after excusing herself from the table.
Result: The man was her ex-fiance, Francis (Frank) Hay Moulton. They promised themselves to each other but he wanted to wait until he had money before getting married. He went off to make money and news came that he died at a miners' camp. When Frank appeared at the wedding, she felt that her duty was to Frank so she left to be with him.
After the reveal, Lord St. Simon left in anger.
This case is about Lord St. Simon's marriage and his wife Hatty Doran's sudden disappearance after the wedding.
During the ceremony, Hatty was seen dropping her bouquet when walking down the aisle. A man picked it up and handed it back to her.
After the ceremony a woman, Flora Millan, caused a scene while they were walking into the wedding breakfast. Hatty wasn't there to witness the ruckus but she disappeared after excusing herself from the table.
Result: The man was her ex-fiance, Francis (Frank) Hay Moulton. They promised themselves to each other but he wanted to wait until he had money before getting married. He went off to make money and news came that he died at a miners' camp. When Frank appeared at the wedding, she felt that her duty was to Frank so she left to be with him.
After the reveal, Lord St. Simon left in anger.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb
Summer of '89, not long after Watson's marriage. 7am, Mr. Victor Hatherley, a hydraulic engineer comes to see Watson because one of his thumbs came off.
Story: Hatherley describes himself as an orphan and a bachelor, the exact thing Colonel Lysander Stark is looking for in an employee for the job. He demanded full secrecy for the job. That night, they drove around in a carriage for awhile and went to a house of Germans. He was asked to look at a hydraulic press. While trying to fix it, he comes to the conclusion that the press isn't being used for what they said it was used for. Lysander tries to murder Hatherley in the press but he escapes with the help of the woman in the house. Lysander cuts of Hatherley's thumb during his attempt to escape from a second story window.
Result: The Germans were making counterfeit coins (it is assumed) with the press. The house was on fire and the criminals escaped by the time that the police arrived.
Summer of '89, not long after Watson's marriage. 7am, Mr. Victor Hatherley, a hydraulic engineer comes to see Watson because one of his thumbs came off.
Story: Hatherley describes himself as an orphan and a bachelor, the exact thing Colonel Lysander Stark is looking for in an employee for the job. He demanded full secrecy for the job. That night, they drove around in a carriage for awhile and went to a house of Germans. He was asked to look at a hydraulic press. While trying to fix it, he comes to the conclusion that the press isn't being used for what they said it was used for. Lysander tries to murder Hatherley in the press but he escapes with the help of the woman in the house. Lysander cuts of Hatherley's thumb during his attempt to escape from a second story window.
Result: The Germans were making counterfeit coins (it is assumed) with the press. The house was on fire and the criminals escaped by the time that the police arrived.
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