The story begins with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson being summoned to Shoscombe Old Place by John Mason, the owner of the estate. Mason is worried about his brother, Sir Robert, who has been acting strangely and spending a lot of time in the old chapel on the grounds. When Holmes and Watson arrive, they discover that Sir Robert has been gambling heavily and is deeply in debt. He has also been selling off parts of the estate to pay his debts. Holmes and Watson soon discover that Sir Robert is being blackmailed by a mysterious figure known only as "The Colonel". The Colonel is demanding a large sum of money in exchange for not revealing a secret about Sir Robert. Holmes and Watson soon discover that the secret is related to a racehorse that Sir Robert owns, Shoscombe Prince. Holmes and Watson investigate further and discover that the Colonel is actually a former jockey who is trying to fix a race in which Shoscombe Prince is running. Holmes and Watson manage to foil the Colonel's plan and save Sir Robert from ruin.
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle · First published 1927 · Genre: Mystery, Detective Fiction, Crime Fiction