Sherlock Holmes Story Summaries

"The Case of Anton Furer" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; Mrs. Hudson; Tobias Gregson Historical Figures: Vincent Smith; Mrs. Smith Other Characters: Anton Furer; Colonel C.H. Ridlington; Jack Evans; Mukherjee; Mrs. Smith; Tongawallah; Balaram; Tharu Tribesmen; Dacoits; Jang Bahadur; Anthony Fordham; Bahadur's Men; Gagan Singh; Aubert ; (Julius Furer; Buddhist Monk; General Khadga Shamshere) Date: Spring 1884 / June 1895 / During the Hiatus Locations: 221B, Baker Street; Abandoned Building on Baker Street; Green Park; India; Banaras; Clark's Hotel; Hôtel de Paris; A Train; The Tarai; Motihari; Hariyapur; Tilaurakot; Delhi; (Egypt; Alexandria; Constantinople; Nepal; Rummindai) Story: The antiquities thief, Anton Furer, is supposed dead. Only Holmes believes him to still be alive and behind a spate of international thefts. Years later, in 1895, he is consulted by Ridlington. A statue of Buddha has been stolen from his house, apparently in mistake for one he had brought back from Nepal as a favour for a Buddhist monk he met there. The statue is returned, but has been smashed open and a large cloth placed inside it. Attempts are made to retrieve the second statue from the Baker Street rooms. After revealing the contents of the second statue, Holmes tells Watson that while in Banaras he went to the aid of a distressed woman, wife of the historian Vincent Smith who has disappeared while investigating a possible archaeological fraud. She is going to look for him. Holmes tells her that her husband's assistant was really Furer. Holmes travels into the Tarai to find the men, and enters Fordham's camp with a large party of locals.
	"The Case of Hodgson's Ghost" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; Colonel James Moriarty; (Mycroft Holmes; Professor Moriarty; Baron Maupertuis) Historical Figures: Brian Houghton Hodgson; Shiv Shankar; Gunanand; Dr. Daniel Wright; (Edward Gardner; Mrs. Gardner; George Abraham Grierson; Maharajah) Folkloric Characters: (Vishnu) Other Characters: Gorashar; Bazaar Crowds; Gorashar's Family; Servant Boys; Asan Worshippers; Rizzetti; Old Newar Woman; Lakshman; Edward Richardson; Lucy Richardson; Residency Servants; Guards; Maidservant; Processions; Shrine Children; Saunders; Lucy's Attendant; James Morrison; Tundhikhel Crowds; Moriarty's Cavalry; Caspariste; Lucy's Guard; Trafalgar Square Strollers; Aldersley Boy; Cabby; (Kakovetsky; Thalmann; Anna Miramar; Mrs. Richardson; Ellen van Maupertuis; Maya; Salim; Hodgson's Sons) Date: A February during the Hiatus and Late Summer, 1894 Locations: 221B, Baker Street; Tibet; Lhasa; Nepal; Dolakha; Banepa; Katmandu; The Main Bazaar; Gorashar's Inn; Asan; Hanuman Dhoka; Makhantol; Bhotahity; The British Residency; The Bansbari; The Tundhikhel; Baker Street; Trafalgar Square; Aldersley; Hodgson's House; (Mrs. Richardson's Home near Oxford; The Chandragiri Pass) Story: Some time after reading of the death of the Orientalist Hodgson, Holmes tells Watson of his time in Nepal. He journeyed there from Tibet with the trader, Gorashar, and stayed at his family's inn in Katmandu. His explorations, disguised as a Kashmiri Brahman, reveal a gathering of known criminals in the bazaars. On a night-time foray he witnesses the murder of Rizzetti the poisoner by two Englishmen. He visits the British Resident and finds him weakened by illness, but recognises Wright, the Resident Surgeon, as one of the men he had seen with Rizzetti. Holmes hears of stories of ghosts at the Residency. He accompanies the Resident's daughter, Lucy, on a shrine tour, and she tells him of her unhappy home life in England on account of her mother's lover, Morrison, who has shown a strong interest in her father's experiences of Nepal. Holmes believes Morrison may be in Katmandu. He returns to the Residency at night and sees the resident fire at a giant apparition in the garden. Removing the Resident back to his hotel, Holmes learns that the apparition is reputed to be the ghost of Hodgson. Holmes becomes convinced that he knows the identity of his adversary and a letter from Mycroft affirms his belief. Returning to the Residency he finds the surgeron, Wright, murdered and learns his true identity. He also learns of the disappearance of Lucy. Events come to a head after earthquakes an planetary alignments signify a time of chaos, and the appearance of the god Vishnu himself. Back in England, Holmes visits the real Hodgson from whom he learns the history of his greatest enemy.
"The Case of the French Savant" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; Historical Figures: Shiv Shankar; Gunanand; Sylvain Lévi; Maharajah Deb (or Bir) Shumshere Jang Bahadur Rana; Madame Lévi; Dharmadeva; (Rayjavati; Manadeva) Other Characters: Gorashar; Head Priest; Brahman; Boy; Lakshman; Soldier; Maharajah's Servants; Bodhnath Beggars; Changu Pilgrims; Priests; Family of Untouchables; (Edward Richardson; Lucy Richardson) Date: April, 1896 and during the Hiatus Locations: 221B, Baker Street; Nepal; Katmandu; Bhaktapur; Changu Narayan; Thapathali; Bodhnath; Gokarna Forest; The Chandragiri Pass Story: Holmes lets Watson see a portfolio of his drawings of Asia, and before consigning them to the fire allows him to choose one to keep. Watson asks the story behind the picture. Holmes tells him that after the Hodgson's Ghost case he stayed in Katmandu a while, clearing up the criminal population and visiting nearby sites of interest. The picture showed the temple of Changu Narayan which he visited with Gorashar, then returned to to make the picture recording the inscription on a pillar which he believed would help him solve the ancient murder of King Dharmadeva. He also noticed how at certain times of day a beam of light was reflected onto statues of Vishnu and Ganesh, and a boy who rotated the disc off which the sun reflected. He tires of the task and resolves to leave Katmandu, but as he is about to do so he receives a visit from Lévi, the French Orientalist, who he does not take to, but who is also interested in the temple inscriptions. The following day he receives word from the Maharajah that Lévi has disappeared. He traces him to the temple, arriving in the middle of some kind of funeral rite. His investigations lead him into an underground treasure chamber from which no one who has entered has been able to return. In it also lies the secret of the King's death. NOTE: The Prime Minister at the time of this case, and mentioned in the previous case in the collection, The Case of Hodgson's Ghost, was Bir Shumshere Jang Bahadur Rana. Deb Shumshere was his successor, in office for only three months in 1901.
	"The Case of the Viceroy's Assistant" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; (Mrs. Hudson) Historical Figures: Lord Curzon Other Characters: Fakir; Sir Reginald Maxwell; Karim; Lady Jennifer Maxwell; James Hamilton; Sergeant Laughton; Curzon's Secretary; Three Gurkhas; Temple Residents; Dumb Girl; Karol Lissanevitch Rastrakoff; (Jeremy Hume; Jennifer's Sister; Rose Hamilton; Mrs. Hume; Edward Staunton; Humphrey Maxwell; Mrs. Staunton) Date: During the Hiatus and shortly after the Return (but the hiatus is placed during the reign of Edward VII) Locations: 221B, Baker Street; Tibet; Nepal; India; Banaras; Calcutta; An Hotel off the Chowringee; Maxwell's Office; Curzon's Office; A Temple of Kali; (Wyck Rissington, Yorkshire; St. David's Pembrokeshire; Nairobi; Rangoon) Story: Holmes tells Watson of his visit to India after leaving Tibet. Arriving in Calcutta he encounters a fakir who he realises has been following him. He contacts an old school friend, Maxwell, now assistant to the Viceroy and learns of his unhappy marriage, and of an upcoming visit by the King. he is visited Maxwell's wife who tells him of her early love for James Hamilton, and of meeting and marrying Maxwell. Shortly after her arrival in Calcutta she met Hamilton again, and also discovered that he was her husband's half-brother. The following day Holmes is summoned by Lord Curzon - both Hamilton and Maxwell have been horribly murdered and a secret file stolen. A visit to Maxwell's office and another to a temple dedicated to Kali bring matters to a head in India, and a visit to Yorkshire on his return to England ties up the remaining loose ends.
"An Envoy to Lhasa" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; (Mycroft Holmes) Historical Figures: Dorjieff (Dorjiloff) Other Characters: Pensione Portiere; Signor Berolini / James Munro; Two Cabinet Ministers; Villa Servant; Potala Official; Gorashar; Sentry; Man with Dead Yak; Rastrakoff; Mirbeau; Pema; Regent's Guards; Gethong Tsarong; Grand Lama's Brother & Sister; Purna Lal; Garden of Punishment Guard; Prisoners; Sir William Manning; Sackville-Grimes; Pushkar; Potala Monks; Clement Moorcroft; William Moorcroft; Clement Moorcroft's Aunt; Mr. Barzami; Thieves; Kashmiri Merchants; Gyerong; Ladakhi Merchant; Farouk; Dharma Ratna; Colonel Gillespie; Pasang; Pasang's Mother; Amdo Headman; Tenzing Gyerong; Gelugpa Monks; (Platon Gilbert; Wilamowitz-Moellendorf; Sviadek; High-ranking Monk) Date: March 1895 & During the Hiatus Locations: 221B, Baker Street; Florence; A Pensione; A Villa; Aboard the SS Downes-Porter; Bombay; Shigatse; Tibet; Lhasa; Lodge; Gorashar's Residence; Pema's Residence; The Garden of Punishment; The Potala; America; Boston; New York; California; Persia; Kashmir; Amdo Story: When Watson notices that a gold-handled Tibetan knife has replaced the jack-knife that holds Holmes's unanswered correspondence, Holmes tells him the story behind the artefact. Holmes was sent to Tibet to search for the missing British emissary Sir William Manning, to ensure the signing of a treaty and neutralise the Russian agent Dorjiloff. In Lhasa no one admits to any knowledge of Manning. He discovers one of Manning's monogrammed buttons, and encounters Dorjiloff at one of Gorashar's soirees. From the Princess Pema he learns of Manning's fate, but believes that the body he is shown is not Manning's. When he finally learns Manning's story he realises that the plot that is afoot is not directed against Manning. He enters the Potala disguised as a monk and bearing the golden knife to bring the case to its conclusion and reveal the true identity of the Regent, who assists in his campaign against Dorjiloff. Holmes allows Watson to read the Regent's diary, which tells his life story. NOTE: The character Clement Moorhouse (and his father, William) is derived from the English explorer, William Moorcroft (1770-1825).
	"The Giant Rat of Sumatra" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche narrated by Holmes Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; Baron Maupertuis; The Giant Rat of Sumatra Other Characters: Ellen Van Maupertuis; Pickpocket; Maupertuis' Servants; Maupertuis' Guests; Professor Van Ruisdael; Peacock Throne Servant; Two Porters; Workers; Uru; Captain of the Matilda Briggs; Captain's Men; Bulang; Priests (Mr. Blackton; Blackton's Family; Dutch Couple & Their Crippled Daughter) Date: Spring, 1893 Locations: Singapore; Aboard the Matilda Briggs; Batavia; Jogjakarta; Maupertuis Residence; Peacock Throne Boarding House; Bulayo; Van Ruisdael's Camp; Temple Story: Holmes encounters Maupertuis and his wife aboard the Matilda Briggs, and later visits them in Jogjakarta. They introduce him to Van Ruisdael, a paleontologist, who shows Holmes a fossilised giant rat's tooth. A few day's later he shows Holmes a similar tooth, this time modern. Holmes accompanies him back to the site of this latest find. They find more evidence of the rats, and learn of the Batak god, Kallo. Holmes attends a religious rite and sees the giant rat. Meanwhile Van Ruisdael's camp is attacked. Holmes discovers that the Matilda Briggs plays a part in events, but is unable to thwart its captain's plans.
"Murder in the Thieves' Bazaar" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson Other Characters: Count Lorenzo Spinelli; Lachman; Lachman's Wife; Soldier; Inspector Pushka Shamshere; Brothel Keeper; Women; Murderer Date: During the Hiatus Locations: 221B, Baker Street; India; Trivandrum; Bombay; The Chor Bazaar; Police Station; The Gymkhana; Brothel Story: Holmes tells Watson how he encountered the Italian, Spinelli, and his servant Lachman in India. Some time after Spinelli's departure, Holmes looks for Lachman to deliver some money from Spinelli. He learns that Lachman has been arrested for the murder of a soldier who had stayed in his house and insulted his wife. Holmes visits the man in prison, then examines the scene of the crime, finding a plethora of clues. He finds the case's solution in a visit to a brothel.
	"The Mystery of Jaisalmer" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; The Swiss Lad Other Characters: Louis Benoît de Boigne; Shiva; Giacomo Schaumberg; Maharajah of Jaipur; Maharajah of Udaipur; Shyamal Das; Porters; Guides; Gujar Herdsmen; Camel Drivers; Tongawallah; Café Proprietor; Gendarmes; Police Inspector; Palace Sentinel; Captain Fantôme; Elizabeth de Grimault; Ramon; Palace Guard; Mine Slaves; Mine Overseers Date: During the Hiatus Locations: 221B, Baker Street; India; Delhi; Nizamuddin; Amber; Tonk; Udaipur; Jodhpur; Rajputana; Abandoned Temple; Jaisalmer; Hotel; Native Hotel; Mandor; Café; Police Station; Palace; Museum Street (London); Turkish Restaurant Story: Shortly before returning to Europe, Holmes travels in the company of Benoît and Schaumberg. He becomes suspicious of his companions and hears them whispering of "Captain Fantôme". They lose their guides and equipment in a sandstorm. Eventually they arrive in Jaisalmer, where after a few days he sees the servant Shiva who had fled in the storm,. and from whom he learns more of his companions and the Captain. He journeys to Fantôme's home town, where he learns the Captain's true identity and the secret of the country of Mandor where he finds himself a prisoner in a replica of the Baker Street rooms.
"A Singular Affair at Trincomalee" (2003) Included in: The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (Ted Riccardi) Story Type: Pastiche Canonical Characters: Sherlock Holmes; Dr. Watson; Mycroft Holmes; Colonel Sebastian Moran; (Atkinson Brothers) Historical Figures: William Ewart Gladstone; Arabi Pasha; (Queen Victoria) Other Characters: Eaton Square Men; Diogenes Guard; Ethiopian Polo Player; Marie de Benoît; Colonial Secretary; Diogenes Members; Jewel Dealers; Franziska van Rhede; Van Rhede's Coolie; Innkeeper; Gorashar; Vansittart's Peon; Anthony Vansittart; Arthur Wellesley; Vansittart's Orderly; Thyagamma; Nelusko; Sweeper; Abdul Latif; Rebels; Rama IV; (Gniessen; Young Thief; Captain of the Susannah II) Date: June, 1897 / September, 1893 Locations: 221B, Baker Street; House on Eaton Square; Diogenes Club; Aboard the Susannah II; Pondicherry; A Train; Rameswaram; A Steamer; Ceylon; A Train; Marichakudi; Chetty Street Hotel; Pearl Town; Tank Street; Circuit House; Thyagamma's Hotel; Trincomalee; Les Portes d'Argent; Foul Point Story: Escaping the Jubilee crowds and heat, Holmes and Watson go to the Diogenes Club, where Holmes and Mycroft tell Watson of a case in Trincomalee. The Prime Minister decides to acquire a pearl, found in Ceylon, to present to the Queen. Mycroft asks Holmes to help procure it. On his journey he encounters many jewel dealers. In Rameswaram, he sees one of them, van Rhede, contact Moran. The father and daughter who found the pearl have not been seen for some time, but are said to have taken it to the Atkinson brothers, gem merchants in Trincomalee. He meets the exiled Egyptian leader Arabi Pasha, and learns more of Moran from Vansittart, the British Resident. Arabi Pasha says he can get Holmes the pearl in return for his freedom. Gladstone agrees to the deal. The pearl's finders are found murdered. Holmes obtains the pearl, but must duel with Moran and face new enemies old while trying to get it out of the country.

SHERLOCKIAN STORY SUMMARIES

Ted Riccardi

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