Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective

Overview

Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective is a cooperative/competitive mystery-solving game originally published in 1981 and reprinted in various editions. Players (individually or as a team) take on the role of the Baker Street Irregulars, Sherlock Holmes’s network of informants, working to solve cases by visiting locations throughout London, questioning witnesses, gathering clues, and piecing together the mystery. Each case presents a crime to solve, and players are scored based on how efficiently they solve it compared to Holmes himself. The game provides an immersive narrative experience with a London directory, newspapers, and case booklets.

Components

• Case booklets (10 cases per set, each containing a narrative and location entries)
• London directory (alphabetical listing of people and their addresses)
• Map of London (showing numbered locations)
• Newspaper supplements (one per case, containing relevant articles and clues)
• Scoring sheets
• Rules booklet

Setup

Select a case to play. Read the introduction aloud – this describes the crime and provides initial leads. Each player (or team) receives access to the case booklet, London directory, map, and corresponding newspaper. Choose whether to play cooperatively (one team) or competitively (each player/team tracks separately).

Turn Structure

There are no formal turns or rounds. The game is free-form:

1. Discuss leads: Players discuss what they know and decide which lead to follow.
2. Visit a location: Choose a numbered location on the map (based on directory entries, newspaper clues, or deduction). Read the corresponding entry in the case booklet.
3. Record the visit: Track each location visited (this affects scoring).
4. Repeat until the group (or individual) feels they can solve the case.
5. Answer questions: Turn to the quiz section and answer the case’s questions.

Actions

Investigating Locations

• Look up people, businesses, or addresses in the London directory to find their location number.
• Cross-reference leads from the newspaper for relevant articles.
• Visit the location by reading its entry in the case booklet. Each entry provides narrative text – sometimes useful clues, sometimes dead ends.
• Every location visited costs points in the final scoring, so efficiency matters.

Using the Newspaper

• Each case has a corresponding newspaper with articles.
• Articles may contain hidden clues, relevant names, addresses, or red herrings.
• Scanning the newspaper before visiting locations can reveal leads without spending location visits.

Using the Directory

• The London directory lists hundreds of names, businesses, and organizations with their addresses.
• Cross-referencing names mentioned in case text or newspapers with the directory can uncover new leads.

Consulting Informants

• Certain numbered locations represent special informants (e.g., Scotland Yard, the Home Office, Langdale Pike).
• These contacts provide general information that may be relevant to multiple cases.

Solving the Case

• When ready, turn to the questions section of the case booklet.
• Answer specific questions about the crime (who, why, how, etc.).
• Each correct answer earns points.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Scoring System

1. Correct Answers: Earn points for each question answered correctly (point values vary by question).
2. Lead Penalty: Deduct 5 points for each lead (location visited) beyond Holmes’s score.
3. Holmes’s Benchmark: The case booklet reveals how many leads Holmes needed to solve the case. Players compare their total leads to Holmes.

Final Score

Total = Points from correct answers - (5 x number of leads beyond Holmes’s count)

A negative score is possible if too many leads were followed with too few correct answers.

Cooperative vs. Competitive

• Cooperative: All players share one score. Work together to maximize efficiency.
• Competitive: Each player/team tracks leads independently and answers questions separately. Highest score wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• No Formal Turn Limit: Players can visit as many or as few locations as they choose. The penalty system naturally limits excessive investigation.
• Red Herrings: Many locations provide irrelevant or misleading information. Learning to identify dead ends is part of the skill.
• Newspaper as Free Information: Reading the newspaper does not count as visiting a location. It is always free to consult.
• Directory Lookups: Looking up entries in the directory is free. Only visiting the numbered location costs points.
• Multiple Editions: Thames Murders & Other Cases, Jack the Ripper & West End Adventures, Carlton House & Queen’s Park, and Baker Street Irregulars are separate case sets with the same rules.
• Replay Value: Cases can only truly be played once, as knowing the solution ruins the experience.
• Holmes Is Not Perfect: Players can theoretically outscore Holmes by solving the case in fewer leads, though this is very difficult.

Player Reference

Element	Usage
Case Booklet	Read location entries for clues
London Directory	Look up addresses (free)
Map	Find location numbers
Newspaper	Read articles for clues (free)
Quiz Section	Answer case questions for points

Scoring: +Points for correct answers, -5 per extra lead vs. Holmes.

Play Modes: Cooperative (shared score) or Competitive (individual scores).