Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Cooperative Investigation Game That Has Been A Hit For Forty Years.
London fog creeps into your living room, the yellowed pages of the Times rustle, your magnifying glass trembles in the face of crime... Ready to challenge the world's most famous detective? "Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective" is not just a board game, it's an award-winning narrative experience that continues to captivate families, solo players, and groups of tenacious investigators. A comprehensive overview, including extensions, to know where to start... and how far to push the investigation.
An award-winning classic that spans the decades.
Published in 1981 (in the original language), awarded the highly coveted Spiel des Jahres in 1985, the Origins Award in 1982, and the jury prize at the 2012 As d'Or, "Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective" has paved the way for a whole wave of cooperative detective games. No dice, no fixed board: you freely investigate Victorian London with a massive directory, a detailed map, and period newspapers. The goal? Gather enough clues to answer the final questionnaire... then compare your reasoning to that of Holmes, invariably quicker and more brilliant (it's his job).
How does it work? A mechanism
Each case comes in the form of a numbered booklet. You choose a lead: "13 B Scotland Yard", "42 C Madame the suspect"... and read the corresponding paragraph. These paragraphs, sometimes very lengthy, provide clues, red herrings, and juicy anecdotes that bring 1890s London to life. There are no movement limitations, except for time: the more places you visit, the lower your final score will be. Between visits, you scour newspapers (a treasure trove of hidden clues), scribble on the map, and debate. The rules are covered in eight pages, but the depth comes from the text, nearly 150,000 words for the first box!
Close-up on the box
- Content: 10 remastered cases, the map of London, the directory, 10 newspapers, rule booklet.
- Players: 1 to 8 cooperative.
- Recommended Age: 12+, perfect for playing with curious teenagers.
- Duration: 90 to 120 minutes per case (split into two evenings if needed).
- Retail Price: about €45 at FR stores (Philibert, Ludum, Fnac...).
On BoardGameGeek, the game boasts an average rating of 7.6/10 and ranks 50th in the Thematic category, very respectable figures for a game from 1981.
And Then? A Quick Guide to Stand-Alone Extensions
- Jack the Ripper & Adventures in West End (10 cases, rating 7.6): four linked cases dedicated to Jack, plus six more traditional standalone scenarios. Dark atmosphere, thrilling campaign.
- Carlton House & Queen's Park (10 cases, rating 7.8): this box set includes ten fully revised investigations: four crimes in the luxurious Carlton House, two surveillances on the streets of London, followed by a three-day epic case at the heart of Queen's Park. The writing is brilliant, and the level of challenge will delight veterans.
- The Baker Street Irregulars (10 new cases, rating 8.2): you play as Holmes's spy kids, with a progression system and narrative arc throughout the box, highly appreciated by the community.
- Bureau of Investigation: Investigations in Arkham & Other Lands (5 cases, rating 7.2): same engine, but diving into the Cthulhu Mythos, managing mental health, and a Lovecraftian pulp atmosphere.
Did you know? The first French edition (Jeux Descartes 1985) has become a collector's item, with some boxes trading for over €100 on the second-hand market!
At the table: feelings and small pieces of advice
- **Total Immersion**: Newspapers are full of historical nods, the dialogues are rich, and the descriptions of Whitechapel are chilling.
- **Stiff Difficulty**: Beating Holmes is nearly impossible; aim instead for the pride of understanding the case... even if you're 40 points behind.
- **Intense Reading**: Alternate roles (reader, note-taker, cartographer) to avoid literary fatigue.
- **Zero Chance**: No dice, no random cards, the entire narrative relies on your observational skills and discussions.
Playing solo, count on a comfortable two hours. With five chatty players, plan for a good three hours and a strong cup of tea...
Playing as a Family: Why
The classic detective theme is suitable for ages 12 and up: no nightmarish creatures, implied violence, sophisticated yet accessible vocabulary. When playing with children, opt for a single investigation over two evenings, read the Times articles out loud, let them choose the next lead, and you'll see their eyes light up when a name they come across again clicks!
Recommended if...
- You love detective novels, narrative escape games, and reading by candlelight.
- You're looking for a cooperative diceless game, perfect for couples or small groups.
- The idea of filling a notebook with clues like a real detective fills you with joy.
To be avoided if...
- You want a game with infinite replayability: each investigation can only be experienced once.
- You are put off by prolonged reading.
- You prefer modern mechanics with apps and special effects.
Sherlock Meets Cthulhu: A Word on
Looking to swap Baker Street for Arkham? "Mythos Tales" transposes the exact same free-investigation mechanics into the Lovecraftian universe of the 1920s. Ten cases, 1 to 10 players, 90 to 120 minutes, age 13+. Darker atmosphere, management of mental health. But if you're like me and fell into The Call of Cthulhu in your teens, the urge is irresistible... We will be back very soon with a full review of this tentacled version.
