A Study in Scarlet (1887) marks the first appearance in print of the now famous consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr John Watson. Of course, we are now very familiar with Holmes and Watson, so it was interesting to read the book that introduced them to the world.
Dr Watson, recently returned to London after serving with the British Army in Afghanistan, is looking for somewhere to stay. Through a mutual friend, he meets Sherlock Holmes and the two agree to rent an apartment together - the famous 221B Baker Street - in order to share costs.
Holmes and Watson soon become involved in a murder inquiry. A dead man has been found in an abandoned building. There is no mark on the body and the word RACHE has been written in blood on a wall in the room. Holmes is immediately able to give a specific description of the murderer, including his height, complexion, shoes and manicure. Holmes decides to set a bait to draw the murderer out of hiding, and then ...
A Study in Scarlet is an interesting enough book, but it certainly has its flaws. The prose is compelling and lively, although the structure of the book is problematic. A lengthy digression in which Holmes and Watson play no part consumes a lot of the reader's time before the solution to the crime is revealed. As a result, there is a missed opportunity for character development of the two people we want to care about and to know better. Also, the depiction of a certain religion is highly contentious and could be upsetting to some readers.
Not the best book in the world, and not the worst. Worth reading for its significance in terms of popular culture, and not a bad way to spend a quiet afternoon.
P.S. Once again I was unable to solve the crime before Holmes did.
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