Lestrade of the Yard summons Holmes to a community in Herefordshire, where a local land owner has been murdered outdoors. The deceased's estranged son is strongly implicated. Holmes quickly determines that a mysterious third man may be responsible for the crime, unraveling a thread involving a secret criminal past, thwarted love, and blackmail.

Librarian's note: this entry is for The Boscombe Valley Mystery. This is #4 of the 12 stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Collections and individual short stories by the author can be found elsewhere by searching for: a Sherlock Holmes Short Story.