The Crooked Man

The Crooked Man is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle that follows the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr. John Watson. In this tale, they encounter a mysterious figure known only as "The Crooked Man," who seems to have supernatural powers and is able to bend and twist his body in impossible ways. The story is known for its suspenseful and intriguing plot, as well as its exploration of the limits of human perception and understanding.

By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle · First published 1898 · Genre: Mystery, Suspense/Thriller, Detective Fiction · 8,293 words

First lines

One summer night, a few months after my marriage, I was seated by my own hearth smoking a last pipe and nodding over a novel, for my day's work had been an exhausting one. My wife had already gone upstairs, and the sound of the locking of the hall door some time before told me that the servants had also retired. I had risen from my seat and was knocking out the ashes of my pipe when I suddenly heard the clang of the bell.

What this Textopian page supports

The Crooked Man is listed on Textopian as a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, dated 1898 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Short story
• Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Date: 1898 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Mystery, Suspense/Thriller, Detective Fiction, Crime, Adventure
• Length: 8,293 words
• Structure: 1 section, 134 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Crooked Man by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

• What should a reader notice first when entering The Crooked Man?
• How does this short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
• Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

• The Adventure Of The Six Napoleons by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Adventure Of The Norwood Builder by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Adventure Of The Retired Colourman by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Adventure Of The Red Circle by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Adventure Of The Abbey Grange by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• The Adventure Of The Dying Detective by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Genres

• Mystery — The novel features Sherlock Holmes, the most famous fictional detective, as he unravels a case involving a mysterious man. Sherlock Holmes' stories including 'The Crooked Man' are widely considered as prime examples of the mystery genre.
• Suspense/Thriller — Throughout novel, an ambiance of suspense and tension is created as Holmes and the readers try to solve the case. This positions the book strongly in the suspense/thriller genre.
• Detective Fiction — The story follows a detective and his assistant trusted to resolve complicated cases, fitting perfectly into the conventions of detective fiction.
• Crime — The narrative revolves around a crime and its investigation, hence making the book also fit onto the crime genre.

Tags

mystery · detective · crime · investigation · suspense · London · 19th century · Sherlock Holmes · Watson · puzzle · murder · clue

More by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

• The Parish Magazine (1914)
• The Great Brown-Pericord Motor (1914)
• The Holocaust of Manor Place (1901)
• The Debatable Case of Mrs. Emsley (1901)
• The Love Affair of George Vincent Parker (1901)
• The Disintegration Machine (1927)
• The Bully of Brocas Court (1914)
• The Brown Hand (1914)
• All works by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle