The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book

by Kathleen Kaska

  D. There is a dark brown blood stain on the rock.

  9. What crime did John Turner commit when he was young?

  A. John Turner had forged bank documents, swindling several miners.

  B. One evening John Turner was drunk and killed a man who was beating his wife.

  C. John Turner had jumped several claims at a gold-mining camp.

  D. John Turner was a member of a gang of wagon robbers.

  10. Which two terms or phrases helped Holmes solve the case?

  A. Victoria and goldmines

  B. Cooee and rat

  C. Bristol and Bermuda Dockyard

  D. Boats and Boscombe Pool

  QUIZ 20 “THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS”

  Published in the Strand in November 1891

  Shortly before Conan Doyle wrote “The Five Orange Pips,” a horrid incident occurred in New Orleans where eleven Italians were hanged by an angry mob who believed them to have Mafia connections. A political upheaval between the United States and Italy ensued as a result of the American government’s refusing to thoroughly investigate the incident. The Italian government withdrew its minister from Washington in protest. Racism in America was a very newsworthy issue, possibly influencing Conan Doyle to write this intriguing story involving the long arm of the Ku Klux Klan, which reached all the way to England. The following quiz contains ten short-answer questions.

  Story Date: September in the late 1890s

  1. How is Holmes recommended to John Openshaw?

  2. What did John Openshaw’s Uncle Elias do when he lived in America?

  3. What happened on March 10, 1883, and a few weeks later on May 2, 1883?

  4. How many men received the strange message with the five orange pips included in the envelope?

  5. What evidence does John Openshaw present Holmes that puts him on the right track in solving this case?

  6. What does Holmes write in the letter he sends Captain Calhoun?

  7. How is Holmes able to track down the leader of the gang responsible for the murders?

  8. What was the name of Captain Calhoun’s ship?

  9. What is odd about the deaths of the men who received the message?

  10. According to the Holmes encyclopedia, what is the origin of the name Ku Klux Klan?

  QUIZ 21 “THE MAN WITH THE TWISTED LIP”

  Published in the Strand in December 1891

  Conan Doyle would often peruse the court case announcements in Cornhill Magazine for information that he could use in creating his Sherlock Holmes stories. On one occasion, there appeared a description of two men: a gentleman who was involved in a political scandal, and a street beggar who was grotesquely scarred. Conan Doyle combined these two characters, creating the man with the twisted lip. The following quiz contains ten true/false statements.

  Story Date: June 1889

  1. Isa Whitney became addicted to opium when he broke his back in a riding accident, taking the drug as a pain remedy.

  2. Dr. Watson finds Whitney at the Bar of Gold opium den, in Swandam Lane.

  3. Coincidentally, Watson finds Holmes in the opium den looking for the same man.

  4. St. Clair’s wife knew that her husband had been to the Bar of Gold opium den because a colleague of her husband’s had spotted him going into the establishment.

  5. Inspector Barton discovers the gift that St. Clair had promised to bring home to his son in the pockets of St. Clair’s discarded coat.

  6. When Mrs. St. Clair saw her husband in Swandam Lane, she noticed that he was not wearing his shirt or jacket.

  7. When Holmes calls on Mrs. St. Clair to tell her that her husband is probably dead, she surprises Holmes by telling him that she hopes that her husband is dead.

  8. To confirm his theory, Holmes brings a Gladstone bag (sponge) to the prison when he visits Boone.

  9. Neville St. Clair conceived of his plan to make money in an unconventional manner when he was assigned to write an article for a London evening paper.

  10. St. Clair did not tell his family where he was going when he went to work because he did not want his children to be ashamed of him.

  QUIZ 22 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE”

  Published in the Strand in January 1892

  By the end of 1891, Conan Doyle had published six Sherlock Holmes stories, and it was evident that the partnership between the writer and the Strand Magazine would last a long time. Editor Herbert Greenhough Smith, one of the founders of the magazine recalled, “there came to me an envelope containing the first two stories of a series which were destined to become famous all over the world as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. What a God-send to an editor jaded with wading through reams of impossible stuff! The ingenuity of plot, the limpid clearness of style, the perfect art of telling a story!”

  “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” is the seventh story in the collection, and upon completion, Conan Doyle asked the magazine for fifty pounds for this story and subsequent submissions in the collection. The magazine gladly accepted his terms. The following quiz contains ten multiple choice questions.

  Story Date: Late 1880s, Early 1890s

  1. What does Commissionaire Peterson bring Holmes on Christmas morning along with the goose?

  A. A tobacco pouch

  B. An old felt hat

  C. A cracked pipe

  D. A ring of keys

  2. Among the many facts Holmes deduces from the lost item, what astonishes Watson the most about Holmes’s summary of the man to whom the item belongs?

  A. He has probably taken to drink.

  B. He was well-to-do up until three years ago.

  C. His wife no longer loves him.

  D. His grizzled hair has been cut within the last few days.

  3. How much is the reward for the return of the blue carbuncle?

  A. 500 pounds

  B. A choice of one of the Countess of Morcar’s paintings

  C. 1,000 pounds

  D. A small diamond of lesser value

  4. Where was the blue carbuncle originally discovered?

  A. Near Victoria Falls in southern Rhodesia

  B. On the banks of the Amoy River in southern China

  C. On the banks of the Ganges in India

  D. On the banks of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia

  5. From where was the diamond stolen?

  A. The Hotel Cosmopolitan

  B. The Countess of Morcar’s safe

  C. It was stolen en route to the Countess’s safety deposit box.

  D. It was stolen from under the Countess’s pillow while she slept.

  6. What other crimes, associated with the jewel, were committed?

  A. Three blackmails, two burglaries

  B. An arson, two robberies, and two assaults

  C. Three cases of bigamy

  D. Two murders, a vitriol-throwing (acid), suicide, several robberies

  7. What does James Ryder’s goose look like?

  A. It is white with a barred tail.

  B. It is white with a scarred left foot.

  C. It is the only white goose with a black marking over its right eye.

  D. It is a white goose that is missing several tail feathers.

  8. Who is arrested for stealing the diamond?

  A. Catherine Cusack, the Countess’s maid

  B. James Ryder, the head attendant at the Hotel Cosmopolitan

  C. Henry Baker, the man who lost his goose

  D. John Horner, the plumber who came to the Countess’s dressing room to solder a grate

  9. Where does Henry Baker get his prized goose?

  A. Henry Baker is a member of the Alpha Inn goose club, whose members contributed a few pence each week to the inn’s owner in return for a goose on Christmas.

  B. He steals the goose from his neighbor because his neighbor refused to pay for the repairs of a fence that he had broken.

  C. Henry Baker’s boss has given Henry the goose as a Christmas bonus.

  D. He has purchased the goose at a l
ocal church bazaar that was trying to raise money for a new organ.

  TRIVIA FACTS : DID YOU KNOW THAT . . .

  1. Conan Doyle may have conceived of the idea for his story “A Scandal in Bohemia” after his trip to Vienna in 1891. At that time all of Europe was in shock over the apparent double suicide of Austrian Archduke Rudolph and his mistress.

  2. In 1893 Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson began corresponding by mail. Stevenson had read “The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb” to his native overseer, telling him that it was a true story. When Conan Doyle planned a visit to Samoa, his identity as the creator of Sherlock Holmes had to be kept secret, for Stevenson did not wish to confess his lie and disappoint the Samoan.

  3. Conan Doyle used to enjoy telling the story about Sherlock Holmes meeting St. Peter at the gates of heaven. St. Peter was overjoyed that the Great Detective was finally in heaven, because now he would be able to help solve the mystery of who, among the millions of men in heaven, was Adam. Holmes’s response, “Elementary, my dear St. Peter. He is the only one of the millions who lacks a certain je ne sais quoi in the middle of his stomach.”

  10. What does Holmes say and do to the man who stole the diamond after he confesses and begins sobbing?

  A. Holmes throws open the door and shouts at him to leave.

  B. Holmes lights his pipe and sends Watson for the police.

  C. Holmes starts laughing and tells the man that he is not fit to be a respectable thief.

  D. Holmes slaps him on the back and tells him to sit down and join him for Christmas dinner.

  QUIZ 23 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND”

  Published in the Strand in February 1892

  Conan Doyle enjoyed reading the magazine Nineteenth Century, and he often clipped and saved articles for his reference file. In this file was an article written by Sir Joseph Fayrer, in which he describes a deadly snake called the Indian adder. Intrigued by this venomous snake, Conan Doyle used the reptile as one of the more important and pivotal house guests of Dr. Grimesby Roylott in “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.” The following quiz contains ten multiple choice questions.

  Story Date: April 1893

  1. At the beginning of the story Dr. Watson is reviewing Holmes’s case notes and reflects on their time together. How many years had Holmes and Watson been working together?

  A. Five

  B. Eleven

  C. Eight

  D. Nine

  2. Who recommended Sherlock Holmes to Helen Stoner?

  A. Helen Stoner’s sister, Julia, mentioned Holmes before she died.

  B. Mrs. Farintosh from the case of the opal tiara

  C. Helen Stoner’s aunt, Miss Honoria Westphail

  D. Percy Armitage, Helen’s fiancé

  3. What does Helen Stoner believe caused her sister’s death?

  A. Helen believes that her sister died of fright and nervous shock.

  B. Helen believes that her sister must have been poisoned.

  C. Helen believes that her sister had accidentally taken an overdose of sleeping draught.

  D. Helen fears that her sister’s death may have been caused by one of her stepfather’s exotic pets.

  4. What incident caused Miss Stoner to call upon Holmes for assistance?

  A. She had spent the night in the room of her deceased sister and heard the strange whistle that her sister had heard a few days before she died.

  B. She found a letter written by Julia, expressing fear of their stepfather.

  C. The man to whom Julia was engaged told Helen that Julia feared for her life.

  D. When Helen announced her engagement to her stepfather, he flew into a rage and threatened to kill her fiancé.

  5. What unusual pets does Dr. Roylott own?

  A. A black bear and a grizzly bear

  B. Several different species of birds, all imported from the Amazon

  C. A cheetah and a baboon

  D. Two female lions and a jackal

  6. How did Dr. Roylott convince his stepdaughter to sleep in her sister’s room?

  A. He started repairing the west wing of the manor, which required the wall of Miss Stoner’s room to be replaced.

  B. He told her that he was having terrifying nightmares and pleaded with her to sleep in the room next to his in case he started screaming during the night.

  C. He told her that there was evidence of someone trying to pry open the window, and until he could secure the lock, she would be safer in another room.

  D. He told Helen that he kept hearing Julia’s voice and pleaded for Helen to sleep in Julia’s room to see if she could also hear the voice.

  7. What is unusual about the condition of the bed in the sister’s room?

  A. The legs of the frame are sawed off, placing the mattress close to the floor.

  B. Dr. Roylott insisted that the bed remain in the center of the room.

  C. It is nailed to the floor.

  D. Every evening when Helen retires, the bed cover is covered with black fur.

  8. To what is the fake bellrope fastened?

  A. A light on Dr. Roylott’s desk

  B. A small shaft used for ventilation

  C. A door of an animal cage

  D. A bell which hung over Dr. Roylott’s bed

  9. What clue, concerning the chair in Dr. Roylott’s room, leads Holmes to the solution of the mystery?

  A. The placement of the chair in the room.

  B. The chair is covered with a coat of fine dust.

  C. Holmes finds small leaves from the tree located right outside Dr. Roylott’s room.

  D. Because of the scuff marks on the seat of the chair, Holmes knows that Dr. Roylott stood on the chair many times.

  10. What does Dr. Roylott do in an attempt to intimidate Holmes?

  A. Dr. Roylott bends Holmes’s fireplace poker with his bare hands.

  B. Dr. Roylott arm wrestles Holmes and wins.

  C. Dr. Roylott shows Holmes a trophy he won while fighting in the navy.

  D. Dr. Roylott tears through an encyclopedia volume with his bare hands.

  QUIZ 24 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE ENGINEER’S THUMB”

  Published in the Strand in March 1892

  In this story about conspirators and counterfeiters, a ceiling is slowly lowered by levers in an attempt to crush the victim, Victor Hatherley. Conan Doyle developed the idea from a similar scene in Wilkie Collins’s story “A Terribly Strange Bed.” The following quiz contains ten short-answer questions.

  Story Date: Summer 1892

  1. What does Victor Hatherley do for a living?

  2. For whom did Hatherley work before he became self-employed?

  3. How much is Hatherley paid for his work and secrecy?

  4. What does Colonel Stark tell Hatherley that he is excavating near Berkshire?

  5. Who tries to warn Hatherley so that he can make his escape before it is too late?

  6. What clue does Hatherley find, leading him to believe that Colonel Stark is excavating something other than what he claimed?

  7. How does Hatherley lose his thumb?

  8. What evidence does Holmes find to corroborate Hatherley’s story?

  9. Who helps Hatherley escape?

  10. What is Colonel Stark making in the house?

  QUIZ 25 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR”

  Published in the Strand in April 1892

  Conan Doyle had a great interest and fascination for the American West, and in several stories, Native American tribes are mentioned. For instance, the Blackfeet and the Pawnee are referred to in part 2, “The Country of the Saints” in A Study in Scarlet. In “The Noble Bachelor” an Apache tribe is responsible for setting in motion a chain of events that leads from the western United States to London. The following quiz contains ten true/false statements about a story in which a tenacious young American girl, although tough and free-spirited, is no match for the Great Detective.

  Story Date: October 1886

  1. Hatty Doran’s f
ather became wealthy overnight by gambling in California.

  2. Hatty’s maid, Alice, assists Hatty in escaping after the wedding breakfast.

  3. Flora Miller, the woman who was jilted by Lord St. Simon, is suspected of luring Hatty away and then murdering her.

  4. Inspector Lestrade believes that Hatty Doran’s body will be found in the Serpentine River because a witness saw a woman matching her description climbing aboard a boat.

  5. Hatty Doran uses the phrase “jumping a claim” to describe her predicament.

  6. A partial address on the back of the message gives Holmes the clue as to where to find Hatty.

  7. Frank shook Hatty’s hand at the wedding, and as he did so, he slipped her a note.

  8. Hatty was shocked when she saw Frank at her wedding because she believed that he was killed by another miner who stole his claim.

  9. Holmes solves the murder before Inspector Lestrade arrives with a plethora of clues.

  10. Holmes finds Hatty and her lover, Frank Moulton, after convincing Hatty’s maid that she should tell the truth.

  QUIZ 26 “THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET”

  Published in the Strand in May 1892

  “The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet” received admirable reviews, even though it was considered by many critics as one of the least favorite in the collection. Conan Doyle’s flurry of enthusiasm concerning his writing of Holmes stories was beginning to wane. However, once the collection was completed and published in book form, the reviews were excellent. The book was dedicated to Joseph Bell, the doctor used as a model for Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Bell reviewed Conan Doyle’s book for Bookman Magazine and had this to say: “He [Conan Doyle] has had the wit to devise excellent plots and interesting complications. He tells them in honest Saxon-English with directness and pith; and, above all his other merits, his stories are absolutely free from padding.” The following quiz contains ten multiple choice questions.