The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book

by Kathleen Kaska

  The mood of the last story in this collection reflects Conan Doyle’s melancholy frame of mind concerning the trauma of World War I. The east wind, a wind that has never blown over England before, symbolizes England’s conflict with Germany and the feeling of impending doom that blanketed all of Europe. At this time in Conan Doyle’s life, his interest in spiritualism deepened as he sought to grasp a lifeline in a difficult, changing world.

  QUIZ 53 “THE ADVENTURE OF WISTERIA LODGE”

  Published in Collier’s in August 1908 and in the Strand in September 1908

  The theme of “The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge” involves a Central American tyrant who flees to Barcelona with his family and a shipload of treasure in order to escape the uprising against him. His tentacles of terror, however, continue to reach his enemies in Britain and in Europe. This Sherlock Holmes story is based on a real dictator, José Santos Zelaya, the president of Nicaragua, who fled to New York when his country revolted against him. The following quiz contains ten short-answer questions.

  Story Date: 1894

  1. In the beginning of the story, what word does Holmes ask Dr. Watson to define? (This word set the tone for the story.)

  2. What evidence do the police have that leads them to suspect that John Scott Eccles was linked to the death of Aloysius García?

  3. When was the last time John Scott Eccles talked to anyone before he fell asleep?

  4. What did Mr. Scott Eccles find the morning he awoke at Wisteria Lodge?

  5. What is the name of the inspector from Surrey Constabulary who earned Holmes’s respect for his ability to detect and decipher clues?

  6. Which religion does Holmes research in order to understand certain events in this case?

  7. What unusual fact does Holmes start with in forming his hypothesis?

  8. Who sent the message to Mr. García the night Mr. Scott Eccles stayed at his house?

  9. Why did Mr. García ask Mr. Scott Eccles to visit him?

  10. Who gives Holmes the inside scoop on the Henderson household?

  QUIZ 54 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE CARDBOARD BOX”

  Published in the Strand and in Harper’s in January 1893

  In 1888 Jack the Ripper was terrorizing the Whitechapel district in London. Stories of his hideous murders were told and retold as he managed to elude Scotland Yard and remain forever a mystery. In taunting his pursuers, Jack the Ripper threatened to send the ears of his victims to Scotland Yard. A few years later when Conan Doyle wrote “The Adventure of the Cardboard Box,” he used this gruesome act, for in the cardboard box were two severed human ears. The following quiz contains ten true/false statements about this case, which involves love, hate, deception, and, finally, murder.

  Story Date: August, in the late 1800s

  1. Miss Cushing’s mysterious package was delivered by a young boy on a bicycle.

  2. Miss Cushing buried the contents of the package in her backyard.

  3. Holmes detects that the string that bound the package is peculiar because it is stained with blood.

  4. Inspector Lestrade suspects that the package was meant to frighten Miss Cushing out of her home.

  5. The names of the three Cushing sisters are Susan, Mary, and Sarah.

  6. Holmes realizes that the victim is related to Miss Cushing, because their ears are almost identical in shape.

  7. Sarah Cushing hated her brother-in-law, Jim Browner, because he was a womanizer who abused his wife.

  8. Jim Browner caught his wife, Mary, with her lover when he returned home after his ship put into port unexpectedly.

  9. When Sarah realized what Browner had done, she tried to kill him.

  10. Holmes detects the odor of coffee from the paper used to wrap the package.

  QUIZ 55 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE RED CIRCLE”

  Published in the Strand in March and April 1911

  It is quite possible, considering the plethora of news articles on the subject, that the story “The Adventure of the Red Circle” was partly based on the Italian organized crime ring called the Black Hand. Several members of the organization were captured, and events of the trial were reported almost daily. The following quiz contains ten multiple choice questions.

  Story Date: September 1902

  1. How much money did Mrs. Warren’s new tenant offer to pay her for the room if she promised to give him his own key and to leave him undisturbed?

  A. The tenant offered her an entire year’s rent.

  B. Five pounds a week for a fortnight

  C. He offered to pay four times the going rate.

  D. Fifty pounds

  2. How did her strange lodger communicate what was needed to Mrs. Warren?

  A. The lodger would leave a clue outside the door; for example, if the lodger needed water, an empty glass would be placed outside the door.

  B. The lodger would leave Mrs. Warren a simple riddle.

  C. By printing one word on a piece of paper, the lodger communicated what was needed.

  D. The lodger would draw a picture of the item needed.

  3. Why does Holmes believe that the person is a foreigner?

  A. The method of communicating with Mrs. Warren leads Holmes to this conclusion.

  B. The type of food that the lodger requested

  C. The type of clothes the lodger sets out to be cleaned

  D. The type of tobacco the lodger smokes

  4. In which journal does Holmes find a message meant to communicate with the mysterious lodger?

  A. Times

  B. Daily Gazette

  C. Strand

  D. Herald

  5. How does Holmes get a glance at Mrs. Warren’s lodger?

  A. Holmes hides behind a door and watches in a mirror as the lodger retrieves a tray left by Mrs. Warren.

  B. Holmes climbs a tree near the lodger’s window and is able to briefly glimpse at the lodger.

  C. Holmes goes into the adjoining room and peers through a crack in the wall.

  D. Holmes looks through the keyhole.

  6. In which language is the candlelight message sent?

  A. French

  B. Spanish

  C. Greek

  D. Italian

  7. From which case does Holmes connect Mr. Leverton of the Pinkerton’s American Detective Agency?

  A. A famous kidnapping case associated with an American general

  B. The Long Island cave mystery

  C. The Gold Rush embezzlement mystery

  D. The Reading Railroad extortion case

  8. How does Emilia Lucca respond when she realizes that her husband killed Giuseppe Gorgiano?

  A. Mrs. Lucca is overjoyed.

  B. She faints.

  C. She pleads for mercy on his behalf.

  D. She swears that it must have been an accident.

  9. To where did Gennaro and Emilia Lucca flee when they left Italy?

  A. Brooklyn

  B. London

  C. Paris

  D. Athens

  10. What caused Gennaro Lucca to attack Gorgiano?

  A. He found out that Gorgiano was blackmailing Emilia Lucca.

  B. Gorgiano had insulted Emilia Lucca.

  C. Gorgiano had insinuated that Emilia had had an affair.

  D. Gorgiano grabbed Emilia and tried to make love to her.

  QUIZ 56 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE BRUCE-PARTINGTON PLANS”

  Published in the Strand and in Collier’s in December 1908

  Conan Doyle became close friends with King Edward VII (Sherlock Holmes stories were the only fiction that the King cared to read) and Prime Minister Herbert Asquith. The theme of “The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans” involved the theft of submarine plans which could eventually lead to war. At the time, Britain was concerned because Germany’s naval force surpassed hers, and the government was making plans to remedy the shortfall. Since the subject of submarine warfare had not yet been revealed to the public, there was some speculation that Conan Doyle may have received information for this
story from his friends in higher places. This quiz contains ten short-answer questions.

  Story Date: November 1895

  1. On a dreary day in November 1895, who presents Holmes with an intriguing investigation?

  2. Where is Arthur Cadogan West’s body found?

  3. What is the first clue that leads Holmes to suspect foul play?

  4. Where was Cadogan West apparently going on the evening of his death?

  5. Why does Holmes believe that Cadogan West did not die from a train accident?

  6. Why is Cadogan West’s death important enough for Mycroft to leave his home and visit Holmes in person?

  7. When Holmes pays a visit to Sir James Walter, the official guardian of the secret paper, what does Holmes find?

  8. Who gives Holmes important information as to the emotional state of Cadogan West the night that he died?

  9. What information leads Holmes to locate the man responsible for the caper?

  10. Why does Holmes focus his investigation on Hugo Oberstein?

  QUIZ 57 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE DYING DETECTIVE”

  Published in Collier’s in November 1913

  In describing the apparent fatal condition of his detective, Conan Doyle draws on his experience as a doctor to make Holmes’s symptoms severe enough to convince Dr. Watson that the situation is serious. There is also only one person in the world who can save Holmes, if indeed it is not already too late—and that person is not his lifelong friend Dr. Watson. The following quiz contains ten true/false statements.

  TRIVIA FACTS : DID YOU KNOW THAT . . .

  1. In 1956, Captain Thomas O’Rourke and his wife Bobbye appeared on NBC’s game show The $64,000 Question. Millions of Americans watched as the O’Rourkes tackled Sherlock Holmes trivia questions that would stop a runaway hansom. When the dust cleared, each had won $32,000, answering all questions correctly.

  2. In 1903 Conan Doyle discovered a new hobby which quickly became a daring new passion—motoring. He purchased a twelve-horsepower Wolseley, along with a travelling coat, cap, and goggles. When taking his mother for a drive around her home in Yorkshire, he soon discovered that, although she enjoyed the experience, she did not share his enthusiasm, as proven by her desire to knit a sweater rather than take in the view. Their adventure ended when they collided with a horse-drawn cart carrying a load of turnips. Conan Doyle crawled from the vegetable mound to find his mother sitting on top, knitting needles clacking away.

  3. In 1894 when Conan Doyle first visited the United States, Major J. B. Pond, a Civil War hero who arranged for Conan Doyle’s speaking tour, greeted the author as soon as he stepped off the ship with, “Dr. Conan Doyle, I presume?”

  4. In 1894 Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, staged Conan Doyle’s one-act play, Waterloo. The story is about a ninety-year-old veteran who recalls his experiences in the Napoleonic Wars. The play was a tremendous success, proving quite lucrative for the young author.

  Story Date: Late 1890s

  1. Holmes tells Watson that he has contracted a contagious, fatal disease from Sumatra.

  2. Holmes refuses to allow Watson to examine and treat him for fear that Watson will become exposed to the disease.

  3. Watson recommends that Holmes check into a hospital immediately.

  4. Holmes claims that the only person who can save him is a planter from Sumatra named Culverton Smith.

  5. Smith holds a grudge against Holmes for having him arrested several years before.

  6. During Holmes’s apparent delirium, he begins ranting about the proliferation of oysters.

  7. Holmes pretends that he is dying, thus tricking Smith into confessing.

  8. Holmes instructs Watson to hide behind the curtain before Smith enters the apartment so that Holmes has a witness to Smith’s confession.

  9. Watson realizes that Holmes is not really ill when Holmes asks for a match and cigarette.

  10. The curtains are opened as a signal for Inspector Morton to make the arrest.

  QUIZ 58 “THE DISAPPEARANCE OF LADY FRANCES CARFAX”

  Published in the Strand in December 1911

  In the first decade of the twentieth century, while Kingsley Doyle, Conan Doyle’s son, was studying medicine in Lausanne, he reported to his father the strange disappearance of a lady from a hotel. No one was able to account for her sudden departure, but foul play was suspected due to her leaving several unpaid bills. Bringing Sherlock Holmes in to investigate such an occurrence made for a perfect detective story. This quiz contains ten multiple choice questions.

  Story Date: Late 1800s

  1. How does Holmes deduce that Watson has been to a Turkish bath?

  A. Watson’s hair is still damp above his collar.

  B. Holmes detects the smell of massage oil.

  C. Watson’s boots have been fastened with an elaborate double bow, and since they are fairly new boots, it is unlikely that Watson has been to a shoe repair shop.

  D. Watson is standing a bit taller and walks with ease, indicating that he has had a bath and massage.

  2. Why does Miss Dobney become concerned and contact Holmes to locate Lady Frances Carfax?

  A. Lady Frances Carfax was scheduled to visit three days ago and has not yet arrived.

  B. Lady Frances mentioned that she was terribly frightened about something.

  C. Lady Frances has written to Miss Dobney every second week for four years, and five weeks have gone by without Miss Dobney receiving a letter.

  D. Miss Dobney suspects that Lady Frances was becoming unstable.

  3. What suspicious fact does Holmes uncover before he sends Watson to investigate?

  A. Before Lady Frances disappeared, she paid her maid, Miss Marie Devine, fifty pounds.

  B. Before she disappeared, she withdrew all of her money from her bank account.

  C. Lady Frances deposited 2,000 pounds into her account.

  D. Lady Frances instructed her lawyers that she planned to change her will.

  4. After Watson’s initial investigation and report to Holmes, what question does Holmes telegraph to Watson?

  A. Holmes wants to know how long Marie Devine has been in service to Lady Frances.

  B. Holmes wants to know what type of carriage Dr. Shlessinger uses.

  C. Holmes wants to know in which month Lady Frances was born.

  D. Holmes wants a description of Dr. Shlessinger’s left ear.

  5. What reason did Marie Devine give for Lady Frances giving her the money?

  A. Marie wants to send money to her destitute sister.

  B. Marie says that it is a wedding gift.

  C. Marie claims that the bonus is a gift for her dedication and service.

  D. Marie claims that when she gave her resignation, Lady Frances offered Marie money to stay.

  6. How is Holmes disguised when he rescues Watson from an attack?

  A. Holmes is disguised as a French ouvrier from a cabaret. He is wearing a blue blouse.

  B. Holmes is disguised as a drunk.

  C. Holmes is wearing a nun’s habit.

  D. Holmes is wearing his favorite elderly lady outfit.

  7. Holmes realizes that he has overlooked an important clue when he remembers a comment about something “being out of the ordinary.” Who makes this comment?

  A. Dr. Shlessinger

  B. The undertaker’s wife

  C. Philip Green

  D. Mrs. Shlessinger

  8. What is Dr. Shlessinger’s reason for pawning Lady Frances’s jewelry?

  A. Lady Frances asked him to do so because she needed the money and was too ashamed to pawn the jewelry herself.

  B. She gave him the jewelry as a gift and, therefore, he could do with it as he pleased.

  C. He paid her hotel bill and ticket to London, after which she fled before repaying him. She left her jewelry, and he pawned it as reimbursement.

  D. She gave him the jewelry as a donation to his ministry.

  9. Why do the Shlessingers take Rose Spender into their apartment
?

  A. The Shlessingers rescued her from the streets. She was drunk and sick, and several thugs were tormenting her.

  B. The Shlessingers rescued her from a workhouse infirmary.

  C. Rose was recently fired from her position, and she had no family and was destitute.

  D. Rose was ill and poor and did not want to die in a hospital.

  10. What leads Holmes back to the Shlessingers’ apartment the morning of Rose Spender’s funeral?

  A. Holmes realizes that the coffin is unusually large, especially since Rose was a small, frail woman.

  B. Holmes has reason to believe that Rose Spender is really Lady Frances.

  C. Holmes wants to gather the dead woman’s clothes and ask Miss Dobney if they belonged to Lady Frances.

  D. Holmes has reason to believe that the coffin will be empty.

  QUIZ 59 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE DEVIL’S FOOT”

  Published in the Strand in December 1910 and in America in a magazine of the same name in February 1911

  The setting of the story “The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot” was influenced by the trip Conan Doyle and his friend Fletcher Robinson took to Cornwall in order to investigate the moor around Dartmoor for the book The Hound of the Baskervilles. Although the theme does not reflect any particular incident, the allure for Conan Doyle of this mysterious countryside was strong enough to provide the author with a perfect opening to one of the few Holmes stories set outside of London. This quiz concerning Holmes’s odorous ordeal contains ten short-answer questions.

  Story Date: March 1897

  1. What tragedy occurs during their stay?

  2. Why has Mortimer Tregennis recently quarreled with his siblings?

  3. Who calls on Holmes shortly after the tragedy, inquiring about his theories concerning the case?