Synopsis by Jim Hoy:

• ELIAS WHITNEY, D.D., principle of the theological college, St. George.
• ISA WHITNEY, his brother. Addicted to opium.
• KATE WHITNEY, Isa’s wife. College friend of Mrs. Watson.
• NEVILLE ST. CLAIR, the man with the twisted lip.
• HUGH BOONE, alias of Neville
• MRS. ST. CLAIR, Neville’s wife.
• A LASKAR, confidant of St. Clair/Boone.
• INSPECTOR BARTON, in charge of the investigation.
• INSPECTOR BRADSTREET, showed Holmes to Boone’s cell and helped wash his face.
• JOHN, a groom who held Holmes’ horses.

SUMMARY

Watson is not living at Baker Street and Holmes deduces that he is a very busy practitioner.

Watson is married and in practice. As the story opens, Kate comes to the Watsons’ house and asks the Doctor to fetch her husband from an opium den, the “Bar of Gold.” Watson does so and finds Holmes there, in disguise, looking for clues to the case he is working on. Watson puts Isa in a cab and accompanies Holmes.

St. Clair was an actor, turned reporter. While doing an article on begging for his paper, he realized that a comfortable living could be made thereby. With his gifts for makeup as well as his skill at repartee, he was a very successful beggar. Soon he gave up his reporter’s job, and subsequently bought a very comfortable home in the country. Eventually he married and had two children. No one knew of his alter ego, who was known as Hugh Boone, except a laskar who kept a boarding house where he changed costumes.All was going well until his wife came by accidentally and caught him at his room. He had his make-up on and was arrested on suspicion and charged with St. Clair’s murder. He did not reveal his true identity because he did not want to humiliate his children.He managed to send a letter to his wife (via the laskar), but it was several days before the laskar could mail it because he was watched so closely by the police. St. Clair enclosed his ring in the letter and told his wife that all would be well.

Holmes solves the mystery, goes to the jail, washes off Boone’s makeup, revealing St. Clair and since no crime has been committed, he is freed.After making him promise to stop begging, Holmes agrees to prevent public disclosure of his situation.

OTHER ADVENTURES MENTIONED
none

DISGUISES

• Holmes is disguised as an elderly opium addict.
• St. Clair is disguised as the man with the twisted lip, Hugh Boone. This disguise is the crux of the story.

UNUSUAL DEDUCTIONS & bits

• Watson’s wife refers to him as “James.” Sherlockians have deduced that in the name, “John H. Watson,” the “H” stands for “Hamish,” the Gaelic form of James.
• Holmes states that though he has often posed as an opium addict, he does not use it as he does cocaine.
• In a rare departure, Holmes is staying at the St. Clair’s home while he conducts the investigation. Mrs. St. Clair comes to the door in her nightie. He also knew where the stable boy slept. Could a little hanky-panky have been going on between Holmes and the distraught spouse? We’ll never know.
• Official Abbreviation: TWIS.
• The Man With The Twisted Lip was first published in the Strand Magazine, December 1891

Find the complete text at Camden Place

DO YOU REMEMBER?

TWISted Quiz posted by Thorney on Fri Sep 20, 2002
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1. Into what river did St Clair hurl his coat?
2. Who operated the Bar of Gold?
3. What degree did the late Elias Whitney hold?
4. What was the name of the St Clair home?
5. What was the name of the company where a package awaited Mrs St Clair?
6. To what is Kate Whitney compared?
7. What was Neville St Clair's newspaper salary?
8. What was the occupation of Mrs St Clair's father?
9. Name the two inspectors in TWIS?
10. Holmes carried a large sponge in a Gladstone Bag.
    a) What is a Gladstone Bag?
    b) What were Gladstone's first and middle names?
    c) How many times was Gladstone Prime Minister?