The Problem of Thor Bridge is a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle, which appears in the collection The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes. The story was previously published in the Strand Magazine and Hearst's International Magazine in 1922. An author is the person who creates a written work, such as a book, story, article or the like. ... Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a Scottish author most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes is the final collection of Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. ... 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. ... William Stuart Baring-Gould (1913–1967) was a noted Sherlock Holmes scholar, best known as the author of the influential fictional biography Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street: A life of the worlds first consulting detective, published in 1962. ... A typical cartoon villain. ... Sherlock Holmes as imagined by the seminal Holmesian artist, Sidney Edward Paget, in The Strand magazine. ... Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a Scottish author most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction. ... The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes is the final collection of Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. ... The Strand Magazine was a monthly fiction magazine founded by George Newnes. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Synopsis

Neil Gibson, the Gold King and former Senator for "some Western state", approaches Holmes to investigate the murder of his wife Maria in order to clear his children's governess, Grace Dunbar, of the crime. Holmes compels Gibson to admit his attraction to Dunbar and his dislike of his wife. Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally-owned land. ... A governess is a female employee from outside of the family who teaches children within the family circle. ...

Maria Gibson was found lying in a pool of blood on Thor Bridge with a bullet through the head and note from the governess, agreeing to a meeting at that location, in her hand. A recently discharged pistol with one shot fired is found in Miss Dunbar's wardrobe. Holmes agrees to look at the situation in spite of the damning evidence.

From the outset, Holmes observes some rather odd things about the case. How could Miss Dunbar so coolly and rationally have planned and carried out the murder and then carelessly tossed the murder weapon into her wardrobe? What was the strange chip on the underside of the bridge's stone balustrade? Why was Mrs. Gibson clutching the note from Miss Dunbar when she died? If the murder weapon was one of a matched pair of pistols, why couldn't the other one be found in Mr. Gibson's collection?

Holmes uses his usual brilliant powers of deduction to solve the crime, and even demonstrates, using Watson's revolver, how it was perpetrated.

Connections to real-life events

In 2004 it was stated that the solution to the story may also explain the mysterious death of Richard Lancelyn Green, one of the foremost experts on Sherlock Holmes, who was found having been asphyxiated to death shortly after rediscovered papers of Conan Doyle were put up for auction. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Lancelyn Green (10 July 1953 – 27 March 2004) was a British scholar of Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes, widely considered the foremost in the world in the field. ...

According to David Stuart Davies, the inspiration for The Problem of Thor Bridge came from a real-life case in Germany, which the editor of the Strand Magazine had brought to Conan Doyle's attention.

External links

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The Problem of Thor Bridge

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