Sherlock Holmes is the most famous detective ever imagined in fiction. He is so widely loved that it seems no detective stories existed before his character was created. One reason people like to read detective stories is because in real life crimes can go unsolved and unpunished. A crime causes disorder. A detective's job is to solve the crime so our social relationships can be put back in order. The heroes of detective stories show how even very puzzling crimes can be explained. This helps us believe that justice is still possible.

Sometimes Holmes solves mysteries that do not involve a crime. But in any case, his techniques are the same. First, he makes keen observations. He looks very closely at what the details of a person's appearance reveal. Second he is strictly logical. He always finds as many facts about a case as he can before he starts thinking about a theory that would fit them together. Third, he is ready to use disguises and a little trickery to find clues.

(back cover)