The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot is a short Sherlock Holmes detective story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was published in 1910 and set in 1897 taking place in Cornwall where Sherlock Holmes is taking a holiday because he has been pushing himself too hard. The story begins with Watson and Holmes relaxing in Cornwall when they are approached by the local Vicar and the man living with him asking for help. Watson is not happy about the intrusion because he believes that his friend needs to rest but Holmes is immediately excited by the chance to use his brain and the truth is that they really do need Holmes help. The mystery is the brother and sister of the man living with the vicar have had a strange tragedy. He had spent the night with his brothers and sister visiting and playing whist. The next morning he discovers a strange scene. Something clearly has happened just moments after he had left. His sister is still sitting at the table, but is dead, and both of his brothers have seemingly had some type of nervous break down as they are laughing and singing. The explanation everyone else has given is that this is the work of the Devil...
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle KStJ DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer best known for his detective fiction featuring the character Sherlock Holmes. Originally a physician, in 1887 he published A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and more than fifty short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are generally considered milestones in the field of crime fiction. Doyle was a prolific writer; his non-Sherlockian works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement", helped to popularise the mystery of the Mary Celeste. (Wikipedia)