A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
1887 / 176 pgs.  Detective

Our first introduction to the super gumshoe Sherlock Holmes was the story that started it all.  A Study in Scarlet, which was the name of the case that he investigated in this story.  Also, our first background on how Dr. John Watson, a veteran of the Anglo-Afghan wars, is Holmes’s confidant.  Through Watson, Holmes gives his enigmatic thoughts, allowing the reader to see inside Holmes’s line of deduction.  Watson is the narrator, chronicler of Holmes cases.

How they end up living together is detailed in this story.  All the juicy elements that we know of Holmes, smoking the pipe, the violin, and even the infamous use of the magnifying lens when investigating a scene are on full display.  This narration is the first and excellent image of Sherlock Holmes.

Even the format of the story is exciting.  We are first introduced to Dr. Watson, who is looking for a place to live after returning from the War.  He is presented to Holmes, who requires a roommate to share the rent at 221B Baker Street.  After introductions and moving in, Dr. Watson discovers Holmes is a consulting detective.  His study of past murders, his infamous observations, attention to minute details, master of forensics, and even knowledge of past murders shows up in his logical reasoning for the who done it.  A case came to Holmes that he initially didn’t want because detectives Gregson and Lestrade always receive the credit for Holme’s work is what this story leads into.  After probing from Dr. Watson, Holmes picks up the case and correctly arrests the killer in the first seven chapters. 

Section two is where the story takes a twist because for the following six chapters; it’s the background of the murderer, the why.  Instead of a cold-blooded killer, this is a revenge story for lost love.  After the murderer finishes his story, in the last chapter, Holmes explains to Watson how he discovered the murderer with all the clues that he deducted from the crime scenes.  Dr. Watson naturally chronicles every detail in his journal as he finishes the narration of the story,      

A Study in Scarlet is a short and fast read—exciting and simple fun.  Never did I feel that the story drone on.  When section 2 started, I thought it was another story. I wondered if it was a Holmes story, only to see the bigger picture once the key characters were introduced.  Overall, it’s a delicious tale that I would recommend.  It isn’t the most famous Sherlock Holmes book, The Hound of the Baskervilles, but it is a great introduction.                         
Enjoy a good cup of coffee and an excellent book!

Lopaka