A Scandal in Bohemia
"It is simplicity itself," said [Holmes]; "my eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously th...
The Red-Headed League
"Well, but China?" "The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right wrist could only have been done in China. I have made a small study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the...
A Case of Identity
Indeed, I have found that it is usually in unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation, and for the quick analysis of cause and effect which gives the charm to an investigation. T...
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
"Well, it is not for me to judge you [John Turner]," said Holmes as the old man signed the statement which had been drawn out. "I pray that we may never be exposed to such a temptation." "I pray no...
The Five Orange Pips
There is ever a flaw, however, in the best laid of human plans, and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the orange pips which would show them that another, as cunning and as resolu...
The Man With the Twisted Lip
Through the gloom one could dimly catch a glimpse of bodies lying in strange fantastic poses, bowed shoulders, bent knees, heads thrown back, and chins pointing upward, with here and there a dark,...
The Blue Carbuncle
"Get out!" said [Holmes to first-time jewel thief James Ryder]. "What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!" "No more words. Get out!" And no more words were needed. There was a rush, a clatter upon the stai...
The Speckled Band
"With the result of driving it through the ventilator." "And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master at the other side. Some of the blows of my cane came home and roused its snak...
The Engineer's Thumb
I shall have to tell my tale to the police; but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing evidence of this wound of mine, I should be surprised if they believed my statement, for it is...
The Noble Bachelor
"Very good, Lestrade," said Holmes, laughing. "You really are very fine indeed. Let me see it." He took up the paper in a listless way, but his attention instantly became riveted, and he gave a lit...
The Beryl Coronet
It is unfortunately more than possible [that Mary Holder has eloped with Sir George Burnwell]; it is certain. Neither you nor your son knew the true character of this man when you admitted him into...
The Copper Beeches
Pshaw, my dear fellow, what do the public, the great unobservant public, who could hardly tell a weaver by his tooth or a compositor by his left thumb, care about the finer shades of analysis and d...