"We ought never to do wrong when people are looking." These are the very first words spoken in this clever and demented little story. Archy Stillman may have been born out-of-wedlock, but he was blessed with incredible olfactory senses -- like a bloodhound. When he's sixteen, Archie's mother convinces him to find his biological father and ruin his reputation, extracting a little payback. Five years later, the nephew of Sherlock Holmes kills someone by blowing up his cabin. Holmes uses all of his preposterous scientific methods to reach his brilliant conclusion, only to be disproved by Archy's amazing sense of smell.
This is Mark Twain having a little fun with the mystery genre. If you're a fan of either, you'll find this to be an enjoyable read.