7. The Man With The Twisted Lip
Drug addiction and begging are the order of the day in this fun little story in which no particular crime is actually committed; opium dens being entirely legal, if disreputable, at the time. While probably not sufficient to form the basis of the main narrative, it would be interesting to see this story updated to play around with the shift in attitudes and legal positions since it was written in 1891. The Man With the Twisted Lip sees Holmes undercover in an opium den, posing as an old man, looking for a missing businessman who was spotted by his wife in the window of the drug house in a rough part of town. However, on entering the room there is nobody but a disfigured beggar. After Holmes discovers the businessman's possessions amongst the beggar's, there is an immediate suggestion of murder until Holmes, the master of disguise, reveals the disfigured beggar is the respectable businessman, also in disguise. The theme of Holmes' incredible ability with disguises is one that the BBC series has not yet really touched upon, so it would be nice to see it referenced somewhere with another character being just as successful. The outwardly respectable businessman with a heavy drug habit will always remain a topical subject, but the story's reliance on being able to make enough by begging to own a large country estate seems a bit Daily Mail for the usual politics of both Doyle's stories and the BBC show. That would, though, just allow Watson to express his incredulity and Holmes to, undoubtedly, cite the few cases where beggars have made large profits.