Story Summary compiled by Jim Hoy:

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

• THE KING OF BOHEMIA aka COUNT VON KRAMM
• IRENE ADLER, The Woman
• GODFREY NORTON, a prominent young attorney, engaged to Miss Adler
• MRS. TURNER, Holmes' landlady
• MARY JANE, Watson's servant girl.

SUMMARY
Watson is married and in civil practice.

Holmes still uses cocaine.The King of Bohemia is engaged to Clotilde Lothman, princess of Scandinavia. Formerly, the king was informally engaged to Irene. The king jilted Irene because he felt that she was greatly inferior to him socially and Irene feels very much misused. She has letters which the king wrote to her including a photo of the two of them together, and threatens to send them to Clotilde on the day that her (Clotilde's) and the king's betrothal is announced publicly.

Holmes is hired to recover the photo and letters. The king tells him that several attempts have been made to do this but that all have failed.

Holmes, in disguise, is casing Irene's house and is roped into being a witness at her and Godfrey's wedding. She gives him a gold sovereign for his services which he plans to wear on his watch chain.

Holmes stages an elaborate con and determines that Irene keeps the photo in a secret compartment beside the fireplace.

Returning to Baker Street in deep twilight, Holmes is just opening his door when he hears a passing voice say, "Goodnight Mister Sherlock Holmes." He recognizes Irene's voice.

Returning to Baker Street in deep twilight, Holmes is just opening his door when he hears a passing voice say, "Goodnight Mister Sherlock Holmes." He recognizes Irene's voice.

Early next morning, they call on Irene, planning to take the photo. Irene and Godfrey have fled to the continent, taking the photo with them. She leaves a photo of herself for the king and a letter for Holmes, in which she says that she was cleverly tricked into betraying the photo's hiding place but instantly realized what she had done and followed Holmes back to Baker Street to confirm her suspicions.

Since she is now married, sending the photograph to Clotilde would involve Irene and Godfrey in the ensuing scandal so Irene plans to keep it as a souvenir.

Holmes refuses a heavy emerald encrusted ring but accepts Irene's photograph as payment for his services.

OTHER ADVENTURES MENTIONED 

• His summons to Odessa in the Trepoff murder
• The singular tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Tricomalee
• A mission he had accomplished so delicately for the reigning family of Holland
• A Study in Scarlet
• The Darlington substitution scandal
• The Arnsworth castle business

DISGUISES

• A drunken looking groom
• An amiable simple-minded non-conformist clergyman

UNUSUAL DEDUCTIONS & bits

• Holmes stages a mob scene and fire to get Irene to betray the photo's hiding place
• This is one of the favorite stories among Sherlockians -- even though Holmes was outwitted -- and at Sherlockian meetings the first toast is always to "The Woman."

Official Abbreviation: SCAN

A scandal in Bohemia was first published in the Strand Magazine, July 1891

Notable Quotes:

• "The woman." (Holmes)
• "You see but you do not observe." (Holmes).
• "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." (Holmes)
• "Goodnight Mister Sherlock Holmes." (Irene)
• "What a queen she would have made!" (King).