A large, blue jewel is stolen and the case falls, quite literally, into Sherlock Holmes’ lap in “The Blue Carbuncle” at the Desert Beekeepers meeting Friday, Oct. 4.

Sherlock Holmes fans who are members of Fountain Hills Activity Center will meet from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Community Center.

“The Blue Carbuncle” is among the first 12 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for The Strand magazine in 1891-1892. It is the seventh in the series known collectively as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

The meeting opens with a video presentation of “The Blue Carbuncle,” starring Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes and Edward Hardwicke as Dr. Watson. The Desert Beekeepers will then discuss their thoughts and feelings about this particular Holmes tale. Attendees are encouraged to read “The Blue Carbuncle” before the meeting.

Another exciting round of Sherlockian Trivia closes the meeting. Desert Beekeeper Kathy Brackney designed and developed Sherlockian Trivia in which two teams match wits with each other about the many exploits of the fabled Sherlock Holmes.

When the meeting adjourns, the group will gather for dinner at a nearby restaurant for further discussions of Sherlockian and other matters.

Membership in the Activity Center is required to attend meetings of the Desert Beekeepers.

For more information, contact Doris Dale at 480-816-6003, or the Activity Center at 480-816-5226.

The Desert Beekeepers of Fountain Hills, a scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars, celebrates the world’s first consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes. The group derives its name from the occupation Sherlock Holmes took up in retirement when he left the hustle and bustle of London and Baker Street for a quiet retreat in the countryside of Sussex Downs.