7 Sherlock Holmes short stories to read on a rainy day
Nothing shouts murder more like thunder and rain clouds. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is best read during cold weather, snuggled in your favorite sweater and served with a nice hot cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea. Start diving into the murder-mystery genre and follow Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson as they solve these mysteries together!
A Scandal in Bohemia
Published in 1891, this short story occurs after Watson’s marriage and the duo has drifted apart from each other. The case involves a very compromising set of photographs between the King of Bohemia and Irene Adler that the detective and the doctor must retrieve at all costs. This short story is later adapted in the BBC TV series Sherlock (2010-2017) in the episode A Scandal in Belgravia.
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
In this 1924 short story, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson receive a strange letter from Mr. Ferguson. He is convinced that his second wife is a vampire as she was seen sucking the blood of their infant son. However, when the duo arrives at their house, Holmes realizes that this matter is not at all supernatural. Completely gripping, this short story is perfect for people who like reading mysteries involving family drama.
The Five Orange Pips
John Openshaw seeks help from Holmes and Watson as he becomes endangered by a supremacist terrorist group. His wealthy uncle received a letter bearing the initials of the group and five orange seeds. However, when he burned the contents of the letter, his death mysteriously occurred soon after. The same event happened to John’s father, who inherited the estate before him. After living peacefully in their estate for years, the same letter now arrives for Holme’s and Watson’s frightened client.
The Adventure of the Six Napoleons
This short story includes Inspector Lestrade as he consults Holmes and Watson in a baffling case involving a seemingly mad robber terrorizing London who is only intent on smashing the busts of the famous Napoleon Bonaparte. This is one of the famous Sherlock Holmes short stories. The Granada TV series (1984) and Basil Rathbone’s The Pearl of Death (1944) adapt this story for the screen.
The “Gloria Scott”
This unique story happens in the time of Sherlock Holmes’ university days before he met Dr. John Watson. In his first case, Holmes solves the mystery that occurred during his visit to his friend Victor Trevor’s home in Norfolk and a returning shipmate named Hudson. This short story involves blackmail, sudden deaths, and family drama that is sure to keep your mind guessing!
The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
This short story starts when Nathan Garrideb writes to Holmes and Watson for help in searching for another man with an identical last name. When John Garrideb meets with them, the entire story of men having unusual last names and a hefty American inheritance unfolds for the detective and his riveted audience.
The Red-headed League
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson take the case of a disgruntled businessman in this short story. Mr. Jabez WIlson read an interesting opening from the newspaper by the Red-headed League where one can earn a salary from copying the Encyclopedia Britannica by hand. However, he soon realizes that someone might be playing a joke on him. This story features misdirection, planned misdoings, and hidden motives; a perfect read during the rainy season.
Stormy clouds are perfect for solving a murder, all cozied up in bed or in your favorite chair. When you can’t get out due to the weather, grab your favorite hot drink and spend the day with Holmes and Watson as the plot spins them into motion in these short stories.
