Sherlock Holmes reread: The Three Students

[vivdunstan]

Onto another story that I cannot remember at all, despite reading through the full Sherlock canon at least three or four times before now.

I found this a refreshingly different Sherlock Holmes story, set in an Oxbridge-style academia setting, and involving inappropriate access to and copying of a test paper, and the mystery of which of three students committed the offence.

Holmes solved the case really quickly but it was left until near the end for the solution to be revealed to the reader. I was particularly amused by his deductions re a tiny bit of pencil left at the scene, and subsequent attempts to find if any of the students had such a pencil, and interrogating local stationery shops to see which sold it.

The story also reminded me of the Arthur Conan Doyle non-Sherlockian story "Lot No. 249", which a few years ago was made into a Christmas Ghost Story for the BBC. Another Oxbridge-set mystery, involving a number of students, and also with an athletics connection (which in the Sherlock Holmes story helps Holmes solve the case). Though more horror themed and fantastical than this Sherlock Holmes story.

But yes, this was an entertaining tale, and it's always nice to encounter again a story that I've totally forgotten and find that it's enjoyable.

Comments

[a_cubed]

This was one of the simplified ones that $OFFSPRING read to me last year. I found it quite interesting given my profession, of course.

[vivdunstan]

Excellent!