The Purloined Letter

"The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allan Poe is a short story about a clever detective, C. Auguste Dupin, who solves a theft no one else can crack. A valuable, love-letter-like document has been stolen and hidden by a criminal. The police fail to find it because they look where everyone expects—hidden in obvious places. Dupin deduces that the thief has concealed the letter where no one would think to look. His insight reveals that sometimes, the best way to find something hidden is to think differently and consider the obvious hiding spot.