In this classic Sherlock Holmes mystery, the great detective is called upon to solve a case involving a mysterious woman, Irene Adler. Adler is a former opera singer who has been blackmailing the King of Bohemia with a compromising photograph. The King hires Holmes to retrieve the photograph, but Holmes soon finds himself outwitted by Adler. In the end, Holmes must rely on his wits and his knowledge of human nature to solve the case. Along the way, he encounters a variety of colorful characters, including a bumbling police inspector, a crafty lawyer, and a mysterious stranger. In the end, Holmes is able to outwit Adler and retrieve the photograph, but not before Adler has taught him a valuable lesson about the power of the human mind.
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle · First published 1909 · Genre: Mystery, Crime Fiction, Adventure · 3 chapters