Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Deadly Illusion

This book was tells of an adventure that occurred while Holmes was a student at Christ Church College, Oxford. At that time, in the term following events recorded in “The Gloria Scott,” Holmes and his Don, the Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, returned to Christ Church after watching a performance by Maskelyne, the magician. Dodgson seemed unable to see though the illusions created by the magician and asked Holmes to explain them. They were interrupted by a note from a friend of Dodgson’s who requested their attendance at a murder scene.

As became common in later years, The Scotland Yard Detective on the scene had completed his investigation by the time they arrived and told them to leave. Dodgson’s friend, whose house had been the scene of the crime, told them to stay and urged the Chief Inspector to listen to them. Holmes remarked on the murder weapon, an odd tool with no apparent uses, and told the detective some of the events that had occurred. After gathering up some of the evidence, the police left to search for the ‘burglar’ whom they thought had committed the murder, while Holmes and Dodgson went to see Maskelyne, who was able to identify the murder weapon from their drawing.

Holmes was finally able to identify the burglar and to help the police to capture him, but Holmes remained sure that the murderer was someone else, yet to be identified. In the meantime, the captured burglar was also identified as the robber who stole currency from The Bank of England, for which detectives were pursuing Phileas Fogg on his journey around the world.

Through careful investigation and planning, Holmes was able to arrange for the murderer to be induced to volunteer as a participant in Maskelyne’s magic performance. At this point, it had been determined that the main crime involved was treason, with the actual murder included as a personal triumph for the main criminal. The murderer was engaged in selling British Naval Designs to a German agent. The actual transfer was arranged to take place during the Maskelyne show, money for plans. The plans, the money and the agent were all taken, but the actual murderer had arranged for someone to fill in for him and so, managed to get away.

The tale is complex and full of interesting characters. Holmes’ telling of the tale is not so colorful and full of life as are Dr. Watson’s narratives, but even the bare facts provide an interesting diversion. The thieves’ terminology is colorful and well-explained and the characters are vividly portrayed. In addition, the ‘feel’ of the time and place is well conveyed, so that we get a real sense of events, albeit in a somewhat “rawer” format than Doyle was accustomed to use.

Reviewed by Philip K. Jones, March, 2014.