I have always been a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes but I have never actually read any of the books. So after coming back from London this summer, I was really excited to read the books.
I started reading the Sherlock Holmes Mysteries on the plane to London, beginning with A Study in Scarlet.
This was actually a pretty interesting novel as it let the reader get to know the main characters. Of course Dr. Watson is the narrator and writer of their adventures but Holmes is CLEARLY the hero.
The story begins with Watson returning from the wars and trying to find a place to live before he goes completely broke! A mutual friend introduces the two men and the reader learns a little of the very eccentric and complicated man who is Holmes. Holmes goes to university…..but doesn’t actually attend there…..he basically crashed the bio/chem departments classrooms.
Watson and Holmes seem like they can tolerate each other and decide to room together. Finally Watson understands…..(kind of)….what it is that Holmes does. Holmes speciality is attention to detail and the art of deduction. He is able to see things most don’t because he does not remember anything not worth remembering and does not troubleĀ himself with nonsense. As the book goes on it is clear Watson is intrigued by Holmes and his methods. They solve their first murder together using Holmes’ methods alone (more or less).
However before they explain how they solved it—they started in on this whole sub plot and background info—honestly I was lost after the first few pages with Holmes’ methods. All of a sudden….we go from foggy London to the American desert in the land of the Mormons (Utah). And that’s where the story picks up.
I was totally lost but I felt surely this would be linked relatively quickly. After another 100 pages of so it finally becomes clear that the story is some how related to the murder in London. Continue reading “Review: A Study in Scarlet and 3 Sherlock Holmes Novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle”
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