Rachel, no Rache

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Hypothetical name.


In the Sherlock Holmes stories

A Study in Scarlet (1887)

  • On the murder scene at Lauriston Gardens, the word "RACHE" was found on the wall in blood-red letters (605). The police supposed the writer was going to put the female name "Rachel", but was disturbed before he or she had time to finish (617).
  • In fact Sherlock Holmes knew that "Rache" was the German word for "Revenge" (658). He remembered a German being found in New York with "Rache" written up above him (2451).


Illustrations