| Both the author and a poll of readers by the London Observer judged this to be the very best Holmes short story. It concerns a young woman who comes to Holmes because her older sister, soon to be married, died under mysterious circumstances -- the smell of cigar smoke, a whistle, and a metallic clang -- several years before; and now the client herself is about to marry and has experienced several of the same portents. Both lived in the run-down mansion of their uncle, Dr. Grimesby Roylott, a man of violent temper and unsociable ways, on his estate with a baboon and a cheetah.... | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of story - How difficult to spot villain? - Very obvious Time/era of story: Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes Cloak & Dagger Plotlets: What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - nearly 100% Kind of investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Crime Thriller Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: Eccentric: Yes Motive of antagonist - money/treasure How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting Europe Yes European country: - England/UK Misc setting - fancy mansion Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Unusual forms of death - poisoning Unusual form of death? Yes Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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