"A Case of Identity" is certainly an interesting Sherlock Holmes story, but might just be the most implausible of the ones I've read so far. The story revolves around a young woman who has fallen in love with a man that just inexplicably went missing, hinting just before his disappearance that she should wait for him if anything were to ever happen. Infatuated with or without the odd parting words, she enlists Holmes to help track down her missing love.
It's a very personal and believable mystery here, and the woman rather sympathetic. Holmes is perhaps a bit too caring in his dealings with her, but the overall case is a very compelling one that immediately pulled me in.
The flaw is what Holmes discovers to be the truth behind the mystery. To say it without I hope giving the game away completely, I'll say that it's utterly implausible that the woman herself would not recognize the twist that was pulled with regards to her lover. Not only should she never need to go to Holmes to solve her case, it is frankly unbelievable the matter ever got as far as there being a case.
Also a bit troubling in the resolution is that Holmes cracks the case (of course) and then opts not to inform the client of the truth. While I can certainly believe that he would not succumb to any sentiment in the matter, his explanation of why she won't accept his findings in the matter seems flimsy at best.
That said, despite a spotty ending, the bulk of this story struck me as some of Doyle's most intriguing writing thus far in the series. I'd give "A Case of Identity" a B.
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