It all started when a MAN WAS OFFERED MEMBERSHIP TO

A CLUB FOR RED-HEADS.

“The Red-Headed League” is one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. In this detective story, a pawnbroker named Jabez Wilson wants to get to the bottom of the “Red-Headed League.” This club, which seems to have closed overnight, paid Jabez Wilson a good salary for several weeks just for being, well, a red-head. Jabez would very much like to keep receiving this easy money—but what happened to the Red Headed League? Where did all the club members go? And if something sounds too good to be true, is it?

With Sherlock Homes on the case, the truth behind the Red-Headed League cannot remain secret for long. In the play version, Sherlock is helped not just by Dr. Watson, but by their equally clever sisters, Shirley and Dr. Watsina. Filled with humor, plot twists, and a fascinating cast of characters, this play is the perfect introduction to Sherlock Holmes and the detective genre. Of all 56 Sherlock Holmes stories, this was one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s absolute favorites. The Red Headed League is also part of the Core Knowledge English Language Arts curriculum.

After reading this play, children can flex their story-based reading, writing and math skills by using the Sherlock Holmes Skills Book. They can also move on to reading more Sherlock Holmes stories and detective books in general. See our recommended reading list here.