WhenWatsonreadsfromthenewspapertherehavebeentwosimilarmurdersnearWhitechapelinafewdays,SherlockHolmessharpdeductiveisimmediatelystimulatedtostartitsmercilessmethodofeliminationafterobservationofeveryapparentlymeaninglessdetail.Heguessesrightthevictimsmustbestreetwhores,anddoesntneedlongtoworkhiswaytroughapawnshop,anaristocraticfamilysstatelyhome,ahospitalandofcoursethepotentialsuspectsand(evenunknowing)witnesseswhoarethecastofthegraduallyunraveledstoryofthemurdererandhismotive.