A Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet is the first Sherlock Holmes book written by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story was first published in Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887, though it was at the time not very popular, and later reissued in novel format.

The novel is split into two quite separate halves. The first is titled “Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John Watson, M.D., Late of the Army Medical Department”. This part is told in first person by Sherlock Holmes' friend Dr Watson, and describes his introduction in 1881 to Holmes through a mutual friend and the first mystery in which he followed Holmes' investigations. The mystery revolves around a corpse found at a derelict house in Brixton, London with the word “RACHE” scrawled in blood on the wall beside the body.

Part I: The Reminiscences of WatsonPart I leads with a heading which establishes the role of Dr. John Watson as narrator and sets up the narrative stand-point that the work to follow is not fiction, but fact: "Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, MD, Late of the Army Medical Department."The story begins in 1881, when Watson, having returned to London after serving in the Second Anglo-Afghan War, visits the Criterion Restaurant and runs into an old friend named Stamford, who had been a dresser under him at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Watson confides in Stamford that, due to a shoulder injury that he sustained at the Battle of Maiwand, he has been forced to leave the armed services and is now looking for a place to live-before his six-month half-pay pension runs out. Stamford mentions that an acquaintance of his, Sherlock Holmes, is looking for someone to split the rent at a flat at 221B Baker Street, but he cautions Watson about Holmes's eccentricities.Stamford takes Watson back to St. Bartholomew's where, in a laboratory, they find Holmes experimenting with a reagent, seeking a test to detect human hemoglobin. Holmes explains the significance of bloodstains as evidence in criminal trials. After Stamford introduces Watson to Holmes, Holmes shakes Watson's hand and comments, "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive." Though Holmes chooses not to explain why he made the comment, Watson raises the subject of their parallel quests for a place to live in London, and Holmes explains that he has found the perfect place in Baker Street. At Holmes's prompting, the two review their various shortcomings to make sure that they can live together. After seeing the rooms at 221B, they move in and grow accustomed to their new situation.Watson is amazed by Holmes, who has a profound knowledge of chemistry and sensational literature, very precise but narrow knowledge of geology and botany; yet knows little about literature, astronomy, philosophy, and politics. Holmes also has multiple guests visiting him at different intervals during the day.After much speculation by Watson, Holmes reveals that he is a "consulting detective" and that the guests are clients. Facing Watson's doubts about some of his claims, Holmes casually deduces to Watson that one visitor, a messenger from Scotland Yard is also a retired Marine sergeant. When the man confirms this, Watson is astounded by Holmes' ability to notice details, assemble them, and draw conclusions.However, a good case soon drops in his lap when he is asked by Scotland Yard detective Gregson to assist him in solving a crime just recently committed. Holmes asks Watson to accompany him and they travel to an empty house in a London neighborhood. There they observe a crime scene that includes cab prints in the street and footprints in the yard, a dead man who has been poisoned but not robbed laid out in a room, and the word RACHE (the German word for revenge) in blood on the wall. A woman's wedding ring falls off of the body when it is lifted. The dead man's name is Enoch Drebber, and he was from Cleveland. There was a note to his secretary, Joseph Stangerson.Over the next couple of days Watson watched more pieces of the puzzle fall into place for Holmes. He informed Watson how he determined the murderer's age and height from his observations, as well as his complexion. An interview with the constable on duty that night revealed that a drunken man in the street was actually probably the murderer returned for the ring. In the middle of the investigation, another Scotland Yard detective on the case named Lestrade, whom Holmes respected, bursts into the Holmes' and Watson's apartment announcing that Stangerson had also been killed. This turned out to be a result of a stabbing, not poison. In Stangerson's room was a box of the pills that Holmes identified as the method of death for Drebber. With this piece of information Holmes excitedly announces that his investigation is complete. Moments later, a cab driver that Holmes called for arrived to pick him up. Holmes burst out that this man, Jefferson Hope, is the murderer of Drebber and Stangerson. With the help of Watson and the detectives, the man was subdued. This is the end of part one.Part two begins with a vivid description of the wild, isolated, and dangerous great American desert. There were two travelers struggling to survive after the deaths of their companions –the tall and gaunt John Ferrier, and his tiny and lovely adopted daughter Lucy. They were rescued from starvation by a massive caravan –the Latter Day Saints on their exodus. Their leader Brigham Young allowed Ferrier to travel with them if he converts; the latter agreed. The caravan continued to Utah.The subsequent years saw the population and wealth of the Mormons' chosen site of Salt Lake City explode. Ferrier grew prosperous amongst the Mormons, but refused to marry. Lucy grew up beautiful and independent. One day she was saved from near death in a herd of stampeding cattle by the handsome, solitary, and industrious hunter/miner Jefferson Hope. The two fell in love and Ferrier gave them his permission to marry when Hope returned from a few months' journey.This was unacceptable to Brigham Young, who personally visited Ferrier and commanded Lucy to marry one of the sons of the Elders, Enoch Drebber or Joseph Stangerson. He gave Ferrier a month for her to decide. Young's behavior was typical of the manner in which the Mormons had been conducting themselves; they were once persecuted but had now turned persecutors. Their community was secretive, violent, controlling, and exclusive. Ferrier had long hated the Mormons and promised his daughter she would not have to marry either of the sons and that they could escape.Drebber and Stangerson arrogantly visited Ferrier's house to talk to him about Lucy, but he threw them out. This egregious act of disrespect increased the surveillance and threats levied upon Ferrier and his daughter. Finally, the night before the month was up, Jefferson Hope arrived at their home in the middle of the night and the three escaped into the mountains. Unfortunately, when Hope went off to hunt game to feed to famished escapees, he returned to an empty campsite –Ferrier had been murdered and Lucy abducted for marriage.Hope made his way back down to Salt Lake City and learned that Lucy had been married to Drebber a few days before. Within a month she died. Hope swore that he would spend his life exacting revenge for the murders (he deemed Lucy's death a virtual murder). Taking her wedding ring off her dead finger before she was buried, Hope fled Utah to concoct a plan and raise money.He tracked Drebber and Stangerson all over Europe. The two men had been part of a fringe group of Mormons that had broken away. They were also aware that Hope had been dogging their steps for many years, and always managed to be a step ahead of him. Hope finally learned they were in London and set in motion his plan to murder them.At this point the narrative returns to Holmes, Watson, the detectives, and their detainee. Hope was taken to the police station but asks to tell his tale because he would not be going to be able to have a trial or go to prison. The men learned this was because Hope had an aortic aneurism that could burst any day. He was allowed to finish his narrative.Hope explained how he got a job as a cab driver and tracked Drebber and Stangerson. He caught Drebber drunk one night and killed him with poison. He tried to do the same with Stangerson but had to stab him in self-defense when the latter fought back. He remained driving the cab for a few days so as to not appear suspicious. The next day Hope was discovered dead of the aneurism, a peaceful smile upon his face.Holmes spoke with Watson about his ability to reason backwards; this method helped him solve the case. He further elucidated the ways in which he figured out certain aspects of the case, especially that it was about a woman. The novel ends with Holmes and Watson reading a newspaper article about the end of the investigation; it only mentions Holmes as an amateur detective who helped but gave primary credit to Lestrade and Gregson.

All in all a decent story. Most importantly you can see why Holmes and Watson would become iconic figures. Holmes solve the puzzle of the murders in an entertaining way. And it's clear that Conan-Doyle is a great storyteller. Even after all this time he still captures the attention of the reader.