He gave a detailed account of the case from start to finish.
Tips
memory
始 (shǐ) = beginning, 末 (mò) = end (top of a tree → tip → end). Pair them: 'beginning and end' = the full sequence of events. Synonym 来龙去脉 (láilóngqùmài) gives the same idea via the dragon/mountain-vein metaphor.
