Sherlock Holmes and the Crossbow Incident

Book excerpt: Sherlock Holmes was the creation of Arthur Conan Doyle, a British medical doctor, in a novel written in 1887. It became the prototype for a host of private detectives to appear on the literary scene in years to come. The novel where Holmes made his appearance was A Study in Scarlet, and over a period of forty years, Doyle wrote sixty stories about the consulting, private detective. Because of burgeoning popularity, selected adventures of Sherlock Holmes were presented on stage, in motion pictures, and in the 1930s heyday of radio. As counterparts to Holmes, are his loyal helpmate and chronicler, Doctor John H. Watsona well-intentioned and sometime, hapless bungler; Police Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard, and Holmes nemesis, the diabolical, brilliant master criminal, Professor Moriarty