Edmund Carstairs was Sherlock Holmes' client in The House of Silk. He was a notable art dealer at a London firm. He lived in Wimbledon with his wife, Catherine. He sought Holmes' help because he believed he was being stalked by Keelan O'Donoghue, a criminal from America seeking revenge for the death of his brother. Following the conclusion of the story Carstairs leaves the United Kingdom with his sister Eliza, who is left an invalid.