| "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | |||
 Dr. Roylott (left) confronts Holmes and Watson.
1892 illustration by Sidney Paget | |||
 Text available at Wikisource | |||
| Country | United Kingdom | ||
| Language | English | ||
| Genre(s) | Detective fiction short stories | ||
| Publication | |||
| Published in | The Strand Magazine | ||
| Published in English | February 1892 | ||
| Chronology | |||
| Series | The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | ||
| |||
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is one of 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the eighth story of twelve in the collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It was originally published in Strand Magazine in February 1892.
"The Speckled Band" is a classic locked-room mystery that deals with the themes of parental greed, inheritance and freedom. Tinged with Gothic elements, it is considered by many to be one of Doyle's finest works, with the author himself calling it his best story.[1] The story, alongside the rest of the Sherlock Holmes canon, has become a defining part of detective fiction. It has been adapted for television, film, theatre, radio and a video game. It is part of the exhibit at the Sherlock Holmes Museum. The theatrical adaptation was written and produced by Doyle himself, directed by and starring Lyn Harding as Grimesby Roylott. The role of Holmes was played by H. A. Saintsbury. Doyle famously clashed with Harding over several details of the script, but later reconciled with him after the universal success of the play.[2]
- ^ Green, Richard Lancelyn (1998). "Explanatory Notes". The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Oxford University Press. pp. 361–367. ISBN 0-19-283508-4.
- ^ "From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon". 13 March 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2019.