The Adventure of the Speckled Band- Taylor Bridgers

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character, Sherlock Holmes, is known as one of the greatest detectives in fiction writing. In the story, The Adventure of the Speckled Band, Holmes portrays his sharp and intellectual detective skills. There are many elements that make this story a detective story. Throughout the passage, words such as “investigation”, “client”, “promise of secrecy” and “deductions” are used frequently to indicate the professional nature of Sherlock Holmes’ detective work. The passage also provides us with an in-depth background of Holmes’ newest client, Mrs. Hudson who is trying to solve the mystery of her sister Julia’s sudden and inexplicable death. Holmes is extremely observant, noticing small details that could easily be overlooked. He connects clues that seem unrelated, even to Dr. Watson, such as the ventilator and the dummy bell rope. Another element, in which you see in many modern day movies and television shows was the interview that Holmes gave Mrs. Hudson. Although today, these types of interviews are done on camera, in police stations, usually in holding rooms, the interview between Holmes and Hudson was a little less formal. The one thing that surprised me about this story, seeing that it is indeed a detective story, is that there was never at any point any police involved in the case. Holmes, who is a private detective, handled matters personally and put himself in the midst of the case to help solve the murder of Julia and save Mrs. Hudson from meeting a comparable fate.