The Adventure of the Cardboard Box

The Adventure of the Cardboard Box is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the second of the twelve in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes in most British editions of the canon, and second of the eight stories from His Last Bow in most American versions. Sherlock Holmes stories were bringing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the general public were clamouring for more, and yet Conan Doyle penned a story that could have damaged his reputation severely. On the face of it, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box seems like a case that only deals with a practical joke; and this is certainly a belief that Lestrade holds. Holmes though, immediately sees a more murderous reason for the sending of severed ears from two different people. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle makes use of his own medical knowledge to put details into the story, and also has Holmes demonstrate his own scientific abilities in the examination of ears. Conan Doyle also though, designs the case so that Holmes finds it simple to solve, although it is not so clear cut for Lestrade and Watson. The Adventure of the Cardboard Box is perhaps more famous for a scene between Holmes and Watson, that sees the detective seemingly able to read his friend's mind; something which just goes to prove the prowess of Holmes when it comes to reasoning.