A Three-Pipe Problem

A Three-Pipe Problem is a 1975 mystery detective novel by the British writer Julian Symons. A pastiche of the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, it takes place in the present day. The title refers to a line spoken in The Red-Headed League, referring to a particularly tricky problem that will take Holmes the time it takes to smoke three pipes to solve. It was followed by a sequel The Kentish Manor Murders.

Synopsis
Overbearing and reactionary actor Sheridan Haynes has a fascination with Sherlock Holmes, and is cast to play him in a new television series. Overidentifying with the role he sets out to investigate three murders that Scotland Yard have failed to solve.