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Welcome! Like the book of the same name, this blog is an eclectic collection of Sherlockian scribblings based on more than a half-century of reading Sherlock Holmes. Please add your own thoughts. You can also follow me on Twitter @DanAndriacco and on my Facebook fan page at Dan Andriacco Mysteries. You might also be interested in my Amazon Author Page. My books are also available at Barnes & Noble and in all main electronic formats including Kindle, Nook, Kobo and iBooks for the iPad.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Quintessential Quote #1

"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-- Sherlock Holmes, The Sign of Four, Chapter 6

Holmes says this again in "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet." It's also one of the most frequently quoted Holmes aphorisms by other writers. Just recently, for example, I encountered the quote in The Sherlockian (no surprise there) and in Impact, a science fiction thriller by Douglas Preston.

The virtue of this quote is that it's so obviously true. It's also easier said than done. In many mystery stories what seems to be impossible really isn't. Consequently, the real solution is often considered early on but ruled out.

I plan to comment on a Quintessential Quote every week. What's your favorite quote by or about Sherlock Holmes?

1 comment:

  1. We were just watching something the other day when a character used this quote and Kyle, while he knew the quote, didn't know it was a Holmes quote. I, obviously, did. :)

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