Dr. Watson treats an engineer who has lost his thumb under mysterious circumstances and brings him to Sherlock Holmes, and so the game begins in “The Engineer’s Thumb.”

The story is the topic at the Desert Beekeepers meeting Friday, Dec. 6, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Activity Center in the Community Center.

Among the first 12 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for The Strand magazine in 1891-1892, “The Engineer’s Thumb” is the ninth in the series known collectively as “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.”

The meeting starts with an audio presentation of “The Engineer’s Thumb.” The Desert Beekeepers will then discuss their thoughts and feelings about this particular Holmes tale. Attendees are encouraged to read “The Engineer’s Thumb” before the meeting.

Another exciting round of Sherlockian Trivia closes the meeting. Desert Beekeeper Kathy Brackney created Sherlockian Trivia, a quiz in which two teams match wits with each other over all they know 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.