Sherlock Holmes Short Stories: The Adventure of the Six Napoleons, Part One

Host/Narrator: Hugh Bonneville
Podcast: Sherlock Holmes Short Stories by NOISER
Episode Release: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode marks the beginning of "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons," one of Sherlock Holmes's most curious and intriguing cases. The story, masterfully narrated by Hugh Bonneville, follows Holmes and Dr. Watson as they join Inspector Lestrade to investigate a bizarre string of crimes: someone is breaking plaster busts of Napoleon Bonaparte across London. Initially dismissed as a minor act of vandalism or madness, the case takes a deadly turn when a man is found murdered, and Holmes is drawn into a mystery involving burglary, violence, and an enigmatic obsession with the French emperor. The episode captures the trademark Holmes interplay—skepticism, deduction, and a flair for the dramatic—while steadily layering suspense.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lestrade Introduces the Case

• Lestrade visits Holmes and Watson one evening, mentioning an odd case about damaged Napoleon busts (02:22).
• Holmes dismisses the broken busts as trivial, but his interest is piqued upon hearing about burglaries tied to the destruction (03:05).

2. Details of the Initial Crimes

• First incident: A bust is smashed at Morse Hudson’s shop in Kennington Road (04:14).
• Second and third incidents: Dr. Barnacott, a Napoleon enthusiast, finds two busts (one at home, one at his surgery) similarly destroyed, each via break-ins (04:14 - 06:50).
• Holmes and Lestrade discuss whether it’s madness or some targeted purpose, with Holmes doubting a random "monomania" due to the specificity of the busts targeted (06:50 - 08:50).

3. Holmes’s First Analysis

• Holmes points out the methodical pattern, noting where busts were broken and speculating on a hidden rationale (08:50).
• He famously says:

  "The affair seems absurdly trifling and yet I dare call nothing trivial when I reflect that some of my most classic cases have had the least promising commencement." (08:50)

• Holmes urges Lestrade to notify him of developments, no matter how trivial the case may seem (09:20).

4. The Case Escalates: Murder at Pitt Street

• The next morning, Holmes receives a telegram:

  "Come instantly. 131 Pitt Street, Kensington. Lestrade." (09:38)

• Holmes and Watson rush to the new scene, suspecting the "image breaker" has struck again (09:38 - 10:21).

5. Mr. Horace Harker’s Account of the Murder

• At 131 Pitt Street, they meet Mr. Harker, a flustered journalist whose own bust of Napoleon has been stolen and whose doorstep is now the site of a brutal murder (12:01).
• Harker describes a chilling night: hearing noises, then a blood-curdling scream, after which he discovers his bust missing and a man lying dead in a pool of blood outside his door (12:25 - 14:02).
• Notable quote:

  "The most dreadful sound, Mr. Holmes, that ever I heard. It will ring in my ears as long as I live." – Horace Harker (14:02)

6. Investigation at the Scene

• Lestrade describes the victim: a tall, sunburned, strong, and sharply-featured man with no identifying items except an odd photograph (15:26).
• Holmes and Lestrade learn the bust was found broken in the garden of an empty house nearby. Holmes examines the fragments intently (18:20).
• Holmes deduces that the perpetrator chose the specific location due to visibility (street lamp), highlighting the criminal's purpose and desperation (20:45).

7. Diverging Approaches: Holmes vs. Lestrade

• Lestrade plans to identify the murdered man as his main investigative avenue.
• Holmes prefers to work independently:

  "You must not let me influence you in any way. I suggest you go on your line, and I on mine. We can compare notes afterward, and each will supplement the other." (21:56)

• Holmes requests to keep the photograph found on the corpse, hinting that it may be a crucial clue.
• He suggests a small expedition may be required that night, depending on the results of his reasoning (22:20).

8. Cliffhanger and Next Episode Preview

• The episode ends with a teaser: Holmes is on the trail, a suspect with a violent past comes to light, and a treasure hidden in plain sight awaits discovery (22:35).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Lestrade’s Skepticism:

  "You wouldn't think there was anyone living at this time of day who had such a hatred of Napoleon I that he would break any image of him that he could see." — Lestrade (02:45-03:00)

• Holmes on Novelty:

  “This is certainly very novel.” — Holmes (04:49)

• Holmes on Deductions:

  "No amount of idée fixe would enable your interesting monomaniac to find out where these busts were situated." — Holmes (07:55)

• Journalist’s Lament:

  "It’s an extraordinary thing, that all my life I have been collecting other people’s news, and now that a real piece of news has come my own way, I am so confused and bothered that I can’t put two words together." — Mr. Horace Harker (12:25)

• Holmes’s Methodology:

  “To remember it, to docket it. We may come on something later which will bear upon it.” — Holmes, on remembering significant details (21:12)

Important Timestamps

• 01:50: Lestrade introduces the “Napoleon bust” vandalism cases.
• 04:14: Details of the incidents at Morse Hudson’s and Dr. Barnacott’s properties.
• 06:50: Holmes and Watson debate possible insanity, Holmes suggests a method.
• 09:38: Holmes receives the urgent telegram about the latest crime.
• 12:01: Interview with Mr. Horace Harker, witness to the murder and theft.
• 14:02: Harker’s vivid description of the horrific event.
• 15:26: Clues from the victim’s belongings and the discovery of the photograph.
• 18:20: Holmes inspects the broken bust at the empty house garden.
• 21:56: Diverging investigative directions—Holmes vs. Lestrade.
• 22:35: Preview of what’s to come in Part Two.

Tone & Style

The episode maintains the classic Holmesian atmosphere—wry, analytical, and suspenseful. Bonneville’s narration is both stately and vivid, drawing listeners into Victorian London’s foggy mysteries. The dialogue is sharp, occasionally humorous, and always focused on logical deduction and careful observation.

Summary

"Part One" of "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons" sets up a neatly tangled web of mystery involving the destruction of seemingly worthless busts, a perplexing murder, and the promise of deeper international intrigue. Rather than brute force or dramatic action, the suspense is driven by Holmes’s intelligence, patiently extracting meaning from the smallest facts. Lestrade’s skepticism and Watson’s perspective add depth and realism, grounding the story as it descends into the dark corners of London’s underworld. The episode ends with the mystery fully engaged, leaving listeners eager for the next installment.