3 Review(s)

The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of thirteen very interesting Sherlock Holmes stories that were published in 1903-04 in the Strand Magazine in UK and Collier’s in the United States. The first story, “The Adventure of the Empty House”, set in 1894, shows Holmes returning to London and explains the events of period 1891-94, which Sherlock’s enthusiastic readers called “The Great Hiatus”. Holmes dramatically returns after being presumed dead earlier. He, along with Watson, venture to take down Colonel Moran, a would-be assassin of Holmes and murderer of Ronald Adair. With Moran behind the bars, Holmes can safely resume his detective work in London. In “The Adventure of the Norwood Builder” a young man named John Hector McFarlane is falsely accused of murdering Jonas Oldacre. No evidence is found in his defence until Holmes takes his case and flushes Oldacre, who had faked his death, out of his hiding and saves McFarlane. The last story “The Adventure of the Second Stain” shows that Watson and Holmes are hired by the Prime Minister and the European Secretary to help recover a stolen document. If the document falls in the wrong hands, it could spark a war. Holmes and Watson track the document to Eduardo Lucas, a spy who has recently been murdered by his wife. The man was actually Trelawney Hope and the wife had married one of his assumed identities. She was being blackmailed by him and gave the document, which was in her possession, to him, not realizing the trouble it may cause. After his murder, she stole the document back. Holmes recovers it and thus the crisis is averted. The Return of Sherlock Holmes is among the most popular English classics. The stories have seen several TV adaptations.