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1-Page Summary of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Overview

“A Scandal in Bohemia” begins with Irene Adler’s appearance in the story and Watson’s reaction to her. He talks about how impressed he is by Sherlock Holmes’ deductions of him from his attire, and then reveals that a man has come to see them wearing a mask. The King of Bohemia tells them that he wants Irene Adler kept away from the public eye because she possesses photos of their tryst together, which could be used as blackmail against him. Holmes agrees to take on the case. Later, Holmes stalks Irene while disguised as a groom; however, when she marries another man immediately after leaving her house for an appointment with someone else (presumably Sherlock), he decides not to pursue her further since it would mean breaking up her marriage.

One day, Watson visits Holmes and finds him in the company of a red-headed man. This man narrates his experience with Duncan Ross who hired him solely on the basis of his hair color. He worked for two months at “The Red-Headed League” when he discovered that it had been dissolved and was unable to find any trace of it. Later, Holmes advises Wilson to visit Vincent Spaulding’s place without letting him know about this. During their investigation, they discover that Spaulding is actually John Clay—a wanted criminal whom Holmes has encountered before.

Holmes and Watson are called upon by a woman, Mary Sutherland, for the missing person case of Hosmer Angel. She narrates how her young stepfather would not bear her meeting people of her own age, and that he has complete control on their money. The woman earns good income and has a good inheritance. While her father was gone on a business trip, she persuades her mother to go to a ball where she meets Hosmer Angel and in a few weeks after some meetings and daily correspondence they decide to get married. However, the groom asks her to swear by the testament (a will) “to stay true to him” come what may, as well as vanishes on the morning of their marriage. Sherlock asks her to forget him but since this case does not have any criminal motive, Holmes can’t do anything except for warning the man.

Watson receives a note from Holmes to join him in his journey to Boscombe Valley. A man, Charles McCarty, had been murdered brutally and his son, James McCarthy, is suspected and has considerable circumstantial evidence against him. Holmes has been hired by a young woman named Alice Turner who lives in the same neighborhood as the victim’s landlord and friend John Turner. She tells them that her father had called out for help after seeing his son with another man but was surprised to see him. They then argued about something which he refused to state the cause of, before leaving home where he heard screams from Mr. McCarthy calling “Coee!” He found him dying alluding to a “rat.” However Watson observes the crime scene finding presence of another man and murder weapon; a stone used for killing Mr. McCarthy. He avoids naming the murderer as it is Mr Turner who is now on death bed suffering from cancer and would rather avoid humiliating himself in front of his daughter than tell her what happened during their argument leading up to this incident so she can move on with life peacefully without knowing how her father died or why he killed someone else’s father when she did not know about it herself until now due to lack of communication between them resulting in misunderstanding each other’s intentions & feelings over time causing resentment among family members one towards another while trying hard not let others know about it especially at work place keeping secrets close ones only even if its destroying you inside because you don’t want people thinking bad things about your character & reputation making yourself look like an evil person or be looked down upon by others for being weak & selfish instead wanting people think good things about you which they do anyway just because they don’t know any better yet still treat you differently treating me like I’m different too…