The Red-Headed League
Categories: Story stubs | Sherlock Holmes short stories
| The Red-Headed League | ||
|---|---|---|
| Author | Arthur Conan Doyle | |
| Released | 1890 | |
| Series | The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | |
| Client(s) | Jabez Wilson | |
| Set in | 1890 | |
| Villain(s) | John Clay and "Archie" | |
The Red-Headed League is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. It first appeared in the Strand in August 1891, with illustrations by Sidney Paget. Conan Doyle ranked "The Red-Headed League" second in his list of his twelve favourite Holmes stories. It is also the second of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which was published in 1892.
Synopsis
The story, set in 1890, follows Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they attempt to solve the singular puzzle provided by a London pawnbroker Jabez Wilson, who is being paid very large sums of money for simply coming to an office and copying the Encyclopædia Britannica. There is a far more serious underlying motive, though.
It seems obvious to Holmes that the point in having Jabez Wilson spend several hours each day away from his pawnshop performing such a pointless task is simply to keep him out of the way while some nefarious deed is perpetrated back at the shop. Jabez Wilson's high pay for this task suggests that it may involve quite a bit of money. After a visit to the pawnshop and the surrounding neighbourhood, Holmes deduces exactly what the pawnbroker's assistant is up to, and catches him red-handed.
It has been noted that the dates given in the story do not match the characters' descriptions of time passing.
Other media
In the television adaptation starring Jeremy Brett, the scheme was masterminded by Professor Moriarty.
External links
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - in easy to read HTML format.
- "The Red-Headed League" - in easy to read HTML format.
- Free eBook of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes at Project Gutenberg (including "The Red-Headed League")
| The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle |
|---|
| "A Scandal in Bohemia" — "The Red-Headed League" — "A Case of Identity" "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" — "The Five Orange Pips" — "The Man with the Twisted Lip"
|
| Study in Scarlet — Sign of Four — Adventures — Memoirs — Hound of the Baskervilles — Return — Valley of Fear — His Last Bow — Case Book |