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The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes #1
The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
"The Adventure of the Illustrious Client," one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, first published in 1927 it is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. Sir James Damery comes to see Holmes and Watson about his illustrious client's problem. It would seem that old General de Merville's young daughter Violet has fallen madly in love with the roguish and sadistic Austrian Baron Adelbert Gruner. The victim was his last wife, of whose murder he was acquitted owing to a legal technicality and a witness's untimely death.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 1924
16 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Conan Doyle
15.4k books24.1k followersSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
January 27, 2019
Sir James Damery comes to see Holmes and Watson about an illustrious client’s problem (the client’s identity is never revealed, though Watson finds out at the end). It would seem that General de Merville’s young daughter Violet has fallen madly in love with the sadistic Austrian Baron Adelbert Gruner, whom both Damery and Holmes are convinced is a murderer. The victim was his late wife, though he was acquitted due to a legal technicality and a witness’s untimely death.
However, Violet has a very strong will, and will not hear a word spoken against the Baron. He has even told her about his chequered past, but always spinning the tales to make himself appear the hapless victim and target of calumny. Holmes also finds out from Damery that the Baron has expensive tastes, is a collector, and a recognised authority on Chinese pottery.
However, Violet has a very strong will, and will not hear a word spoken against the Baron. He has even told her about his chequered past, but always spinning the tales to make himself appear the hapless victim and target of calumny. Holmes also finds out from Damery that the Baron has expensive tastes, is a collector, and a recognised authority on Chinese pottery.
May 15, 2022
4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This is a somber story, but with a good message for young women then and now. I love the glimpse we get of Holmes’ heart here—the side of him rarely seen—and this, as well as his various failures throughout the story, humanize him.
“I was sorry for her, Watson. I thought of her for the moment as I would have thought of a daughter of my own. I am not often eloquent. I use my head, not my heart. But I really did plead with her with all the warmth of words that I could find in my nature. I pictured to her the awful position of the woman who only wakes to a man's character after she is his wife…. I spared her nothing—the shame, the fear, the agony, the hopelessness of it all. All my hot words could not bring one tinge of colour to those ivory cheeks or one gleam of emotion to those abstracted eyes.”
The other characters are none of them very pretty, but faithful Watson is as heartening as ever. The ending was unexpected and I don’t quite like it—it’s rather horrible—but the rest of the plot is fascinating, and as always, the humour is excellent.
Other Content: violence; plot contains a lustful man with many mistresses and a woman who was his mistress; language; smoking. Recommended age: 18+
A Favourite Quote: “The wages of sin, Watson—the wages of sin!” said he. “Sooner or later it will always come.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “Miss Winter's advent rather amazed her, I think, but she waved us into our respective chairs like a reverend abbess receiving two rather leprous mendicants. If your head is inclined to swell, my dear Watson, take a course of Miss Violet de Merville.”
“I was sorry for her, Watson. I thought of her for the moment as I would have thought of a daughter of my own. I am not often eloquent. I use my head, not my heart. But I really did plead with her with all the warmth of words that I could find in my nature. I pictured to her the awful position of the woman who only wakes to a man's character after she is his wife…. I spared her nothing—the shame, the fear, the agony, the hopelessness of it all. All my hot words could not bring one tinge of colour to those ivory cheeks or one gleam of emotion to those abstracted eyes.”
The other characters are none of them very pretty, but faithful Watson is as heartening as ever. The ending was unexpected and I don’t quite like it—it’s rather horrible—but the rest of the plot is fascinating, and as always, the humour is excellent.
Other Content: violence; plot contains a lustful man with many mistresses and a woman who was his mistress; language; smoking. Recommended age: 18+
A Favourite Quote: “The wages of sin, Watson—the wages of sin!” said he. “Sooner or later it will always come.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “Miss Winter's advent rather amazed her, I think, but she waved us into our respective chairs like a reverend abbess receiving two rather leprous mendicants. If your head is inclined to swell, my dear Watson, take a course of Miss Violet de Merville.”
August 27, 2019
المغامرون الخمسة كان فيها حبكة واحداث تشد عن القصة ده
بداية غير موفقة لقصص هولمز
بداية غير موفقة لقصص هولمز
February 6, 2021
This is a fun read. The mystery is not within the case so much, as Sherlock is given a specific task by the client. He must find a way to separate Violet, the daughter of a general, and her romantic obsession, Baron Gruner. We know Gruner is an awful, sadistic man who takes advantage of women and even murders them "allegedly," but Violet doesn't care. Gruner is just too... hot... to care about murder or promiscuity. All Sherlock is tasked to do is figure out how to separate them. The real mystery lies with the nameless illustrious client.
July 28, 2024
Excellent.
This was excellent, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1927] [30p] [Crime] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. A Study in Scarlet [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Sign of Four [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
★★★★☆ 4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [3.5]
★★★★☆ 5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
★★★★☆ 6. The Return of Sherlock Holmes
★★★☆☆ 7. The Valley of Fear
★★★★☆ 8. His Last Bow [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes [2.5] <--
★★★☆☆ 10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes
-----------------------------------------------
Excelente.
Esto estuvo excelente, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1927] [30p] [Crimen] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
This was excellent, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1927] [30p] [Crime] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. A Study in Scarlet [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 2. The Sign of Four [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
★★★★☆ 4. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes [3.5]
★★★★☆ 5. The Hound of the Baskervilles
★★★★☆ 6. The Return of Sherlock Holmes
★★★☆☆ 7. The Valley of Fear
★★★★☆ 8. His Last Bow [3.5]
★★★☆☆ 9. The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes [2.5] <--
★★★☆☆ 10. The Complete Sherlock Holmes
-----------------------------------------------
Excelente.
Esto estuvo excelente, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1927] [30p] [Crimen] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
February 17, 2024
من اجمل ما كتب ارثر كونان دويل .. رواية تجمع كل المشاعر الحب الكره الحقد الخيانه الخدغة .. والشعور بالنقص والشعور بالذنب والحنق والعصبية والبرود وكل ما هو انساني في اطار رواية قصيرة ببداية قوية ونهاية اقوى
November 2, 2020
A good read, well written, and full of mystery.
March 8, 2024
No mystery as such
But great villian
But great villian
March 27, 2017
Noooo! It can't end like this! Did she leave him? Did he recovered from that attack? What about Kitty and her punishment? I NEED ANSWERS!!!!
February 26, 2021
Sir James Damery engages Sherlock Holmes' services on behalf of an anonymous, honorable client. The client is concerned for Miss Violet de Merville. She is the attractive daughter of an lifelong friend, who has fallen in love with a charming but treacherous man: Baron Gruner. Miss de Merville will not hear a word against Gruner. So, Holmes must uncover evidence against the Baron to dissuade the lady from marrying him. It is not an easy task. Gruner is both cunning and merciless. Those who opposed him in the past (as the Baron reminds Holmes) have all "coincidentally" come to harm.
This is a well written and an entertaining read, which suffers a little because of a rushed ending. It enjoys a diverse story with developed character. A definite must read for any fan of Doyle's!
This is a well written and an entertaining read, which suffers a little because of a rushed ending. It enjoys a diverse story with developed character. A definite must read for any fan of Doyle's!
August 19, 2025
Bravo, Holmes, and Watson! Brav-o!!
December 19, 2023
A short scintillating story. As always, keeps you guessing till the end.
September 10, 2022
⭐️2.5⭐️
May 14, 2019
Sherlock Holmes has his hands full as he must match wits against a black widower before it's too late, and he uses all of tact and cunning as well as calling in several of his irregulars for assistance.
December 11, 2021
Weer een goed uitgewerkte SH.
August 29, 2025
#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads #Holmes
This one feels like a late-period Holmes tale in every sense: darker in mood, more violent in outcome, and less about the elegance of deduction than about the collision between cruelty and justice. It opens the collection The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, and in doing so, announces that this is no longer the bright, rational world of Baker Street in its Victorian prime.
Here, the shadows are heavier, the villains more venomous, and the solutions more brutal.
I remember reading it for the first time back in 1996, in the middle of my Board X year, when exams and textbooks pressed close, and it struck me as the sort of story that seeps under your skin.
The “illustrious client” of the title, never named but hinted to be someone very high in society, enlists Holmes to intervene in a personal matter that carries broader implications. Violet de Merville, a young, wealthy woman, has fallen under the spell of Baron Adelbert Gruner, an Austrian nobleman of outward refinement and inner monstrosity. Gruner is handsome, cultured, and utterly corrupt: his past is a trail of ruined women, and the centrepiece of his villainy is a private diary in which he has recorded his conquests with cold-blooded relish. Violet is blind to his true nature, enthralled by his charisma, and Holmes’s task is not to solve a puzzle but to save her from destruction.
What is immediately striking is the shift in tone from the classic detective tales. There is no mysterious footprint, no coded message, and no cryptic clue to unravel. Instead, there is the challenge of character, of perception, of unmasking evil in a form that society admires. Gruner is not a thief or a murderer lurking in the shadows; he is a figure welcomed in drawing rooms, a man whose aristocratic status protects him.
The real drama lies in breaking his hold over Violet and exposing him for what he is. In this sense, the story feels closer to modern crime fiction, where psychology and power matter more than riddles.
Holmes approaches the task with unusual ruthlessness. He knows that Gruner’s charm is his strongest weapon, and that Violet’s infatuation will not be undone by simple words of warning. He also recognizes the value of the scandalous book, which could ruin the Baron if revealed. It is a battle of wills rather than wits, and for once Holmes seems almost embattled, as though he senses that mere intellect may not suffice.
His violent assault outside Gruner’s home—where he is nearly killed—reminds us that Holmes is mortal and vulnerable and that the stakes of this later canon are not only cerebral but also physical.
Watson, as always, is steadfast, though there is in his voice a deeper gravity, a kind of quiet admiration tinged with fear. He sees Holmes battered, yet still unbowed, and we sense that their partnership has aged into something profound. But the most unforgettable presence in the story is Kitty Winter, the woman scarred by Gruner’s cruelty.
Her role is not simply to inform Holmes but to embody the fury of those ruined by the Baron. When she finally exacts her revenge, throwing vitriol into his face and destroying his famed beauty, the story veers into a register almost Gothic, with a sense of justice achieved through violence rather than law. It is shocking, yet it feels earned, for no courtroom or Scotland Yard, charge could balance the scales against such a predator.
Looking back, it is this combination of Gothic darkness and moral rawness that makes the story endure. It lacks the tidy satisfaction of Holmes explaining a puzzle in Baker Street, but it offers something more unsettling: a recognition that evil sometimes wears the mask of elegance, and that justice may arrive in forms that are themselves brutal.
Reading it in 1996, when my own life was filled with the anxieties of examinations and the rigid clarity of textbooks, the story felt like an initiation into a harsher, messier world.
In Doyle’s late Holmes, the detective has not lost his brilliance, but he has acquired a grimness suited to a new century.
This one feels like a late-period Holmes tale in every sense: darker in mood, more violent in outcome, and less about the elegance of deduction than about the collision between cruelty and justice. It opens the collection The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, and in doing so, announces that this is no longer the bright, rational world of Baker Street in its Victorian prime.
Here, the shadows are heavier, the villains more venomous, and the solutions more brutal.
I remember reading it for the first time back in 1996, in the middle of my Board X year, when exams and textbooks pressed close, and it struck me as the sort of story that seeps under your skin.
The “illustrious client” of the title, never named but hinted to be someone very high in society, enlists Holmes to intervene in a personal matter that carries broader implications. Violet de Merville, a young, wealthy woman, has fallen under the spell of Baron Adelbert Gruner, an Austrian nobleman of outward refinement and inner monstrosity. Gruner is handsome, cultured, and utterly corrupt: his past is a trail of ruined women, and the centrepiece of his villainy is a private diary in which he has recorded his conquests with cold-blooded relish. Violet is blind to his true nature, enthralled by his charisma, and Holmes’s task is not to solve a puzzle but to save her from destruction.
What is immediately striking is the shift in tone from the classic detective tales. There is no mysterious footprint, no coded message, and no cryptic clue to unravel. Instead, there is the challenge of character, of perception, of unmasking evil in a form that society admires. Gruner is not a thief or a murderer lurking in the shadows; he is a figure welcomed in drawing rooms, a man whose aristocratic status protects him.
The real drama lies in breaking his hold over Violet and exposing him for what he is. In this sense, the story feels closer to modern crime fiction, where psychology and power matter more than riddles.
Holmes approaches the task with unusual ruthlessness. He knows that Gruner’s charm is his strongest weapon, and that Violet’s infatuation will not be undone by simple words of warning. He also recognizes the value of the scandalous book, which could ruin the Baron if revealed. It is a battle of wills rather than wits, and for once Holmes seems almost embattled, as though he senses that mere intellect may not suffice.
His violent assault outside Gruner’s home—where he is nearly killed—reminds us that Holmes is mortal and vulnerable and that the stakes of this later canon are not only cerebral but also physical.
Watson, as always, is steadfast, though there is in his voice a deeper gravity, a kind of quiet admiration tinged with fear. He sees Holmes battered, yet still unbowed, and we sense that their partnership has aged into something profound. But the most unforgettable presence in the story is Kitty Winter, the woman scarred by Gruner’s cruelty.
Her role is not simply to inform Holmes but to embody the fury of those ruined by the Baron. When she finally exacts her revenge, throwing vitriol into his face and destroying his famed beauty, the story veers into a register almost Gothic, with a sense of justice achieved through violence rather than law. It is shocking, yet it feels earned, for no courtroom or Scotland Yard, charge could balance the scales against such a predator.
Looking back, it is this combination of Gothic darkness and moral rawness that makes the story endure. It lacks the tidy satisfaction of Holmes explaining a puzzle in Baker Street, but it offers something more unsettling: a recognition that evil sometimes wears the mask of elegance, and that justice may arrive in forms that are themselves brutal.
Reading it in 1996, when my own life was filled with the anxieties of examinations and the rigid clarity of textbooks, the story felt like an initiation into a harsher, messier world.
In Doyle’s late Holmes, the detective has not lost his brilliance, but he has acquired a grimness suited to a new century.
July 9, 2025
في “مغامرة العميل المرموق”، يخرج آرثر كونان دويل عن النسق التقليدي لقصص شيرلوك هولمز، ويمنح القارئ تجربة مختلفة، لا تعتمد فقط على لغز بوليسي أو جريمة غامضة، بل على معركة أخلاقية ضد شر مغطى بالأناقة والنفوذ. هنا لا يدور التحقيق حول مَن القاتل أو كيف حدثت الجريمة، بل حول كيفية منع مأساة قبل وقوعها.
يُكلّف هولمز بمهمة تبدو بسيطة على الورق: إقناع امرأة شابة بعدم الزواج من رجل ثري وذو مكانة اجتماعية يدعى البارون غرونر. لكن خلف هذا الطلب تكمن طبقات من التعقيد النفسي والاجتماعي، لأن غرونر ليس مجرد محتال عاطفي، بل شخصية خطيرة تتقن تمويه حقيقتها خلف واجهة ساحرة. التهديد هنا ليس قانونيًا بقدر ما هو إنساني وأخلاقي، ما يجعل القصة تحمل بعدًا وجوديًا، قلما نجده في مغامرات هولمز.
القوة الحقيقية في القصة لا تكمن فقط في براعة هولمز، بل في تحوله إلى طرف شخصي في القضية. نراه يتعرض للضرب، يُصاب، ويخاطر بحياته من أجل منع امرأة من الوقوع في مصيدة مدمّرة. هذا البعد الإنساني الذي يضفيه دويل على شخصيته الأسطورية يجعل القصة أكثر تأثيرًا، ويكشف عن جوانب نادرة من تعاطف هولمز وشجاعته غير المعلنة.
البارون غرونر يُعد من أكثر الشخصيات الشريرة تماسكًا في عالم شيرلوك هولمز. ليس مريضًا نفسيًا تقليديًا، بل رجل ذو ذكاء اجتماعي، يعرف كيف يتحرك داخل المجتمع الراقي، ويُخفي ماضيه تحت عباءة النبل والمظهر الهادئ. وهذا ما يجعل مهمة هولمز أصعب؛ لأنه لا يحاول فقط كشف الحقيقة، بل إيصالها بطريقة لا تُهين الضحية، ولا تمنح غرونر فرصة للهرب من العدالة الرمزية التي تفرضها نهاية القصة.
هذه المغامرة ليست الأسرع إيقاعًا، ولا تحمل حبكة بوليسية تقليدية، لكنها بلا شك من القصص التي تترك أثرًا عميقًا. قصة عن الشر المقنع، عن المسؤولية الأخلاقية، وعن التدخل الصامت من أجل إنقاذ من لا يعرف أنه في خطر. إنها قصة تُقرأ بعين التفكير، لا فقط بعين الفضول.
In The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, Arthur Conan Doyle steps outside the conventional structure of Sherlock Holmes stories and offers a different kind of experience—one that does not rely solely on a mysterious crime or complex puzzle, but rather on a moral battle against evil cloaked in charm and social power. Here, the investigation is not about discovering a killer or how a crime was committed, but about preventing a tragedy before it happens.
Holmes is assigned what appears to be a simple task on paper: to dissuade a young woman from marrying a wealthy and well-connected man named Baron Gruner. Yet behind this request lies a deeply layered psychological and social complexity, for Gruner is no ordinary deceiver. He is dangerous, cunning, and skilled at hiding his true nature behind a polished exterior. The threat in this story is not legal but profoundly human and ethical, lending the narrative a rare existential weight not commonly found in Holmes’s adventures.
The true strength of the story lies not only in Holmes’s brilliance, but in his personal involvement. He is assaulted, injured, and risks his safety not to solve a crime but to prevent a woman from being ruined. Doyle here reveals a more human side of Holmes—one that shows compassion, quiet bravery, and moral resolve.
Baron Gruner stands out as one of the most chillingly composed villains in the Holmes canon. He is not a deranged criminal, but a socially intelligent man who moves confidently through elite circles, hiding his past beneath a veil of nobility and calm. Holmes’s challenge is not merely to expose him, but to do so in a way that protects the victim and denies Gruner the chance to escape the symbolic justice that arrives by the end.
This story may not be the fastest-paced, nor does it follow a classic detective structure, but it undoubtedly leaves a lasting impact. It is a tale about disguised evil, moral responsibility, and the quiet interventions made to protect those unaware of the danger they face. It is a story best read not just with curiosity, but with thoughtfulness.
يُكلّف هولمز بمهمة تبدو بسيطة على الورق: إقناع امرأة شابة بعدم الزواج من رجل ثري وذو مكانة اجتماعية يدعى البارون غرونر. لكن خلف هذا الطلب تكمن طبقات من التعقيد النفسي والاجتماعي، لأن غرونر ليس مجرد محتال عاطفي، بل شخصية خطيرة تتقن تمويه حقيقتها خلف واجهة ساحرة. التهديد هنا ليس قانونيًا بقدر ما هو إنساني وأخلاقي، ما يجعل القصة تحمل بعدًا وجوديًا، قلما نجده في مغامرات هولمز.
القوة الحقيقية في القصة لا تكمن فقط في براعة هولمز، بل في تحوله إلى طرف شخصي في القضية. نراه يتعرض للضرب، يُصاب، ويخاطر بحياته من أجل منع امرأة من الوقوع في مصيدة مدمّرة. هذا البعد الإنساني الذي يضفيه دويل على شخصيته الأسطورية يجعل القصة أكثر تأثيرًا، ويكشف عن جوانب نادرة من تعاطف هولمز وشجاعته غير المعلنة.
البارون غرونر يُعد من أكثر الشخصيات الشريرة تماسكًا في عالم شيرلوك هولمز. ليس مريضًا نفسيًا تقليديًا، بل رجل ذو ذكاء اجتماعي، يعرف كيف يتحرك داخل المجتمع الراقي، ويُخفي ماضيه تحت عباءة النبل والمظهر الهادئ. وهذا ما يجعل مهمة هولمز أصعب؛ لأنه لا يحاول فقط كشف الحقيقة، بل إيصالها بطريقة لا تُهين الضحية، ولا تمنح غرونر فرصة للهرب من العدالة الرمزية التي تفرضها نهاية القصة.
هذه المغامرة ليست الأسرع إيقاعًا، ولا تحمل حبكة بوليسية تقليدية، لكنها بلا شك من القصص التي تترك أثرًا عميقًا. قصة عن الشر المقنع، عن المسؤولية الأخلاقية، وعن التدخل الصامت من أجل إنقاذ من لا يعرف أنه في خطر. إنها قصة تُقرأ بعين التفكير، لا فقط بعين الفضول.
In The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, Arthur Conan Doyle steps outside the conventional structure of Sherlock Holmes stories and offers a different kind of experience—one that does not rely solely on a mysterious crime or complex puzzle, but rather on a moral battle against evil cloaked in charm and social power. Here, the investigation is not about discovering a killer or how a crime was committed, but about preventing a tragedy before it happens.
Holmes is assigned what appears to be a simple task on paper: to dissuade a young woman from marrying a wealthy and well-connected man named Baron Gruner. Yet behind this request lies a deeply layered psychological and social complexity, for Gruner is no ordinary deceiver. He is dangerous, cunning, and skilled at hiding his true nature behind a polished exterior. The threat in this story is not legal but profoundly human and ethical, lending the narrative a rare existential weight not commonly found in Holmes’s adventures.
The true strength of the story lies not only in Holmes’s brilliance, but in his personal involvement. He is assaulted, injured, and risks his safety not to solve a crime but to prevent a woman from being ruined. Doyle here reveals a more human side of Holmes—one that shows compassion, quiet bravery, and moral resolve.
Baron Gruner stands out as one of the most chillingly composed villains in the Holmes canon. He is not a deranged criminal, but a socially intelligent man who moves confidently through elite circles, hiding his past beneath a veil of nobility and calm. Holmes’s challenge is not merely to expose him, but to do so in a way that protects the victim and denies Gruner the chance to escape the symbolic justice that arrives by the end.
This story may not be the fastest-paced, nor does it follow a classic detective structure, but it undoubtedly leaves a lasting impact. It is a tale about disguised evil, moral responsibility, and the quiet interventions made to protect those unaware of the danger they face. It is a story best read not just with curiosity, but with thoughtfulness.
September 27, 2021
La historia trata de Violet, la hija del general Merville, el cliente se mantiene siempre en secreto (supuestamente). El caso es que esta chica está a punto de casarse con el Barón Adelbert Gruner, quien tiene una obsesión con la porcelana china ¿? Idkw, y quien parece ser el culpable del asesinato de su esposa anterior y de maltrato hacia otras mujeres, por lo que evidentemente el propósito de Sherlock y Watson es impedir que se casen.
El Barón es un hombre hella annoying, se cree invencible y... simplemente detestable. Me encantó el desarrollo de la historia, ver a este hombre tratando de hacerle frente con su ego a un ego como el de Sherlock, no sé, me hace muy feliz ver a mi bebé triunfando as always.
Hay un libro ahí involucrado, en donde él hombre recolecta nombres y datos de sus víctimas porque enfermo mental I guess.
Gracias a dios, un mini spoiler logran su cometido y evitan que esta chica se case con un hombre así.
Spoiler (kind of):
Lo que si no me gustó fue leer dos historias seguidas en las que lastiman a mi bebé Watson y a mi bebé Sherlock, en la anterior le dispararon a Watson y a Sherlock en esta lo mandan matar, igual vemos una vez más el amor y preocupación del uno por el otro.
El Barón es un hombre hella annoying, se cree invencible y... simplemente detestable. Me encantó el desarrollo de la historia, ver a este hombre tratando de hacerle frente con su ego a un ego como el de Sherlock, no sé, me hace muy feliz ver a mi bebé triunfando as always.
Hay un libro ahí involucrado, en donde él hombre recolecta nombres y datos de sus víctimas porque enfermo mental I guess.
Gracias a dios, un mini spoiler logran su cometido y evitan que esta chica se case con un hombre así.
Spoiler (kind of):
Lo que si no me gustó fue leer dos historias seguidas en las que lastiman a mi bebé Watson y a mi bebé Sherlock, en la anterior le dispararon a Watson y a Sherlock en esta lo mandan matar, igual vemos una vez más el amor y preocupación del uno por el otro.
August 12, 2024
4 ⭐
A murderous playboy, a girl crazy in his love , an ex-mistress who knows his true colours, a private detective and his chronicler; these are the characters of The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, the first case in The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes is approached by Sir James Damery on behalf of a most noble & illustrious client to rescue Miss Violet de Merville from the clutches of Baron Gurner, a handsome European with a violet past.
The story is one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes cases because this time it isn't Holmes who is the true hero of the story but a woman, who takes the law in her hands , to stop a brute from ruining the lives of other women.
Another reason why I am particularly drawn towards this case is that we get to see that Sherlock Holmes is not the unbeatable mastermind, readers might come to think that he is. He can also be taken by surprise and be defeated (temporarily).
Overall, this was a great read and a solid 4 stars.
"This man collects women, and takes a pride in his collection, as some men collect moths or butterflies."
A murderous playboy, a girl crazy in his love , an ex-mistress who knows his true colours, a private detective and his chronicler; these are the characters of The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, the first case in The Case-book of Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes is approached by Sir James Damery on behalf of a most noble & illustrious client to rescue Miss Violet de Merville from the clutches of Baron Gurner, a handsome European with a violet past.
The story is one of my favourite Sherlock Holmes cases because this time it isn't Holmes who is the true hero of the story but a woman, who takes the law in her hands , to stop a brute from ruining the lives of other women.
Another reason why I am particularly drawn towards this case is that we get to see that Sherlock Holmes is not the unbeatable mastermind, readers might come to think that he is. He can also be taken by surprise and be defeated (temporarily).
Overall, this was a great read and a solid 4 stars.
October 26, 2024
Conan Doyle's work remains popular for a reason: His stories are internally consistent, and they draw you into the world of early forensics (Holme's near-magical observation skills) without sacrificing the plot. Each story is different from the others, and although he peppers the narrative with clues, they are difficult to spot, providing the readers with a challenge.
IN The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, Holmes meets an adversary who is his intellectual equal. No, not Prof. Moriarity. (The doc is only mentioned in two books and shows his face in only one.) Here, we meet Baron Gruner, a charming sociopath with a history of misogyny. The Baron can give Moriarity a run for his money in the villainy department any day.
As a proper Victorian, Holmes seldom gets carried away by his emotions. But like the more famous Irene Adler (i.e., "that woman"), Holmes' chivalrous side surfaces here as he tries to expose the clever barron to the loyal Violet de Merville, the woman whom the Barron is set to marry. This human side of Holmes sets the stage for a darker story, one in which we wonder how far Holmes will go to rescue a client from a terrible fate.
IN The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, Holmes meets an adversary who is his intellectual equal. No, not Prof. Moriarity. (The doc is only mentioned in two books and shows his face in only one.) Here, we meet Baron Gruner, a charming sociopath with a history of misogyny. The Baron can give Moriarity a run for his money in the villainy department any day.
As a proper Victorian, Holmes seldom gets carried away by his emotions. But like the more famous Irene Adler (i.e., "that woman"), Holmes' chivalrous side surfaces here as he tries to expose the clever barron to the loyal Violet de Merville, the woman whom the Barron is set to marry. This human side of Holmes sets the stage for a darker story, one in which we wonder how far Holmes will go to rescue a client from a terrible fate.
February 5, 2025
So it's weird that I'm jumping to one of the final stories of the original canon when I haven't officially read A Study in Scarlet, but I've started listening to the podcast Sherlock and Co. on Spotify, and so I'm going to be reading the stories in the order they're adapted as I get to the episodes, which will be in a fairly strange order. I first found out about the podcast, actually, because of this exact story. In another Holmesian adaptation, Elementary, the first half of the third season is a prolonged adaptation of this story, and it so endeared the character of Kitty Winter to my heart that I'll gladly watch any version of this story. And now it's started a new project, so thank you, this story, for giving me a new way to enjoy the Sherlock canon. As a result, I'm completely biased and giving this a 5, but I think most people would agree that this is probably the best of the latter stories in The Casebook. Well worth the reading.
My rating: 5/5
Would I own/re-read?: Absolutely!
TW: Death, Abuse, Adultery, Misogyny, Blackmail, Physical Deformity
Does the animal die?: No animals die, though a Kitty gets scarred (see what I did there?) but gets her revenge.
My rating: 5/5
Would I own/re-read?: Absolutely!
TW: Death, Abuse, Adultery, Misogyny, Blackmail, Physical Deformity
Does the animal die?: No animals die, though a Kitty gets scarred (see what I did there?) but gets her revenge.
February 19, 2020
AUTHOR Doyle, Arthur Conan
TITLE The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
DATE READ 02/19/2020
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE "It can' hurt now," was Mr. Sherlock Holmes's comment when, for the tenth time in as many years, I asked his leave to reveal the following narrative.
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Crime Fiction/1927/Wordsworth/32 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 29/120;
GROUP READ Sherlock Holmes Group
TIME/PLACE 1902/England
CHARACTERS Sherlock Holmes/detective; Dr. Watson/ his assistant
COMMENTS Baron Gruner is notorious for leading ladies on and then leaving them usually destroying their reputations. His latest conquest is a refined gentle woman who seems to be hypnotized and accepts every explanation Baron Gruner has for any ill said against him. She is deaf to any of his wrongdoings. Holmes and Watson are called in to sway her.
TITLE The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
DATE READ 02/19/2020
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE "It can' hurt now," was Mr. Sherlock Holmes's comment when, for the tenth time in as many years, I asked his leave to reveal the following narrative.
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Crime Fiction/1927/Wordsworth/32 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 29/120;
GROUP READ Sherlock Holmes Group
TIME/PLACE 1902/England
CHARACTERS Sherlock Holmes/detective; Dr. Watson/ his assistant
COMMENTS Baron Gruner is notorious for leading ladies on and then leaving them usually destroying their reputations. His latest conquest is a refined gentle woman who seems to be hypnotized and accepts every explanation Baron Gruner has for any ill said against him. She is deaf to any of his wrongdoings. Holmes and Watson are called in to sway her.
May 26, 2024
Holmes and Watson are on a mission to prevent a marriage between a naive young woman and a murderer. Not the best of stories, but it does give us some great characters: Violet de Merville, Kitty Winter, and the evil Baron Gruner himself. Plus, our heroes have a scene in a Turkish Bath. As for the client's identity? Could have been King Edward himself!
Screen history:
1965 --BBC --Douglas Wilmer/Nigel Stock --interesting dynamic between the baron and Miss de Merville; he has a truly hypnotic effect on her. Good point for the episode; on the other hand, has a couple of scenes of rowdy pub entertainment which are rather irritating
1991 --Granada -- Jeremy Brett/Edward Hardwicke --expands on Kitty Winter's background, making her final act more understandable
Elementary Kitty Winter shows up as a character throughout the series
Note: review is from a printed version, not audio.
Screen history:
1965 --BBC --Douglas Wilmer/Nigel Stock --interesting dynamic between the baron and Miss de Merville; he has a truly hypnotic effect on her. Good point for the episode; on the other hand, has a couple of scenes of rowdy pub entertainment which are rather irritating
1991 --Granada -- Jeremy Brett/Edward Hardwicke --expands on Kitty Winter's background, making her final act more understandable
Elementary Kitty Winter shows up as a character throughout the series
Note: review is from a printed version, not audio.
June 7, 2021
La trama si basa su un matrimonio che dev'essere sventato: quello tra la signorina Violet, figlia del generale de Merville, e il barone di Gruner, un uomo sospettato di diversi omicidi, incluso quello dell'ultima moglie. Violet nutre tuttavia molta fiducia nei confronti del futuro marito e i primi tentativi di Holmes si rivelano infruttuosi. Ciò desta però la rabbia del barone, con il quale Holmes intraprende uno scontro fisico e intellettuale.
Pur non trattandosi di un vero e proprio "caso", il ritmo narrativo è quello tipico dei migliori racconti sul personaggio, per quanto la risoluzione finale non convinca del tutto e si basi più sulle reazioni istintive dell'essere umano che sulla logica propria di questi racconti. Risulta comunque convincente la figura del barone di Gruner, serial killer dell'epoca, descritto nel suo fascino macabro e misterioso.
Pur non trattandosi di un vero e proprio "caso", il ritmo narrativo è quello tipico dei migliori racconti sul personaggio, per quanto la risoluzione finale non convinca del tutto e si basi più sulle reazioni istintive dell'essere umano che sulla logica propria di questi racconti. Risulta comunque convincente la figura del barone di Gruner, serial killer dell'epoca, descritto nel suo fascino macabro e misterioso.
May 22, 2023
Sherlock Holmes and Watson help General de Merville's family out when his daughter, Miss Violet de Merville, comes unwittingly under the influence of a notorious criminal called Baron Adelbert Gruner of Austria.
There is an unnamed intermediary for on behalf of General de Merville. The intermediary is, in turn, represented by a man called Sir James Damery.
Sherlock Holmes has additional help in his investigation from the lower classes, a Shinwell Johnson, a reformed criminal.
Sherlock Holmes also from a former friend of Baron Gruner, Miss Kitty Winter, who has been badly served by him in the past.
Striking contrast between the classes especially between the two women, who have been associated with Baron Gruner, and who interact with each other during their confrontation in the drawing room, 104 Berkeley Square: "...the girl broke in like a whirlwind."
There is an unnamed intermediary for on behalf of General de Merville. The intermediary is, in turn, represented by a man called Sir James Damery.
Sherlock Holmes has additional help in his investigation from the lower classes, a Shinwell Johnson, a reformed criminal.
Sherlock Holmes also from a former friend of Baron Gruner, Miss Kitty Winter, who has been badly served by him in the past.
Striking contrast between the classes especially between the two women, who have been associated with Baron Gruner, and who interact with each other during their confrontation in the drawing room, 104 Berkeley Square: "...the girl broke in like a whirlwind."
July 10, 2024
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
To be fully honest here the plot in this one was very weak, but it was still somehow enjoyable but not so interesting as some other stories about Sherlock Holmes in my humble opinion.
The characters here are okay but when it comes to Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson they are an amazing due and I loved they both because they have something in them which makes us relate to them.
The writing style here was okay but I think that sir Arthur Conan Doyle could have done better in this book.
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
To be fully honest here the plot in this one was very weak, but it was still somehow enjoyable but not so interesting as some other stories about Sherlock Holmes in my humble opinion.
The characters here are okay but when it comes to Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson they are an amazing due and I loved they both because they have something in them which makes us relate to them.
The writing style here was okay but I think that sir Arthur Conan Doyle could have done better in this book.
March 29, 2023
I loved the action in this one. A woman scorned is, well, something to be reckoned with. The man that Holmes is after could be compared to one of our murderer rapists today. A man who preys on women and charms them into thinking he's the love of their life, is the man we're after in this story. Although I would have liked to have been a part of the resolution instead of just hearing third person what had happened from Watson, I was at the edge of my seat for most of this story and so it went quickly. Highly recommended.
August 20, 2020
This case involves the daughter of a distinguished soldier who fought on the Khyber Pass. The daughter ends up engaged to a person deemed up suitable with a poor track record with previous ladies. Holmes is brought in to resolve the situation, although the engaged gentleman’s past comes back to haunt him.
After previous stories in the Sherlock Holmes Chronicles, is is FINALLY nice to see a true ‘Holmes and Watson’ story again. Both of which working well together.
After previous stories in the Sherlock Holmes Chronicles, is is FINALLY nice to see a true ‘Holmes and Watson’ story again. Both of which working well together.
June 12, 2023
The story line was not that unique, felt pretty bland and mundane. The way Holmes solved the case... Not exactly a case, per se! But the way things ended, it could have been better.
But whats the most delightful thing of this story was the way of writing. The way some conversation between the antagonist and Holmes, or the friendly banter between Holmes and Watson... Just loved it. And I can quite confidently say I am most definitely coming for more.
But whats the most delightful thing of this story was the way of writing. The way some conversation between the antagonist and Holmes, or the friendly banter between Holmes and Watson... Just loved it. And I can quite confidently say I am most definitely coming for more.
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