A young doctor, a Watson, if I’m not mistaken, is returning from Afghanistan, war weary and a bit ill. He finds himself in London at the end of the 19th century, looking for cheap lodgings and possibly a friend. By word of mouth, he finds himself rooming with the strangest variety of renaissance man. A young guy, as well, Mr. Holmes, I believe it is, who has a collection of habits to make Watson’s head spin. Ever the doctor, Watson sets out to come to the bottom of the bizarre goings-on of Holmes' livelihood and a friendship is born. They embark, almost immediately, on a whirlwind murder investigation involving Scotland yard and perhaps an American Mormon or two.

Even if a reader has never ventured down the shadowy and shenanigan filled road of Dolye’s best known duo, it is, by pure social lore sake, impossible to comprehend a world before Holmes and Watson. Here, we begin, however, in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s very first story of the pair. If you’ve read the Holmes stories out of order, as I have, it’s incredible to read the first few chapters in which the two are just getting to know each other. Throughout Doyle’s later short stories, Watson continues his running commentary of Holmes and his strange habits but his initial impressions are great.

Doyle’s writing is, as always, perfect. My favorite characteristic of Doyle’s novels is Holmes’ florid, albeit scientific prose, coupled with Watson’s more pragmatic thoughts. As for the characters themselves, I think the regular reader would abhor Holmes and his apparent arrogance if he weren’t always so right. Watson begins to, at times, but is always caught off guard when Holmes and his deductive reason get the better of the situation.

A bit of warning about the middle of the book. Keep reading. The book appears to end one story and begin another but they are exactly related in the end, in true crime fashion, so don’t put it down, believing you have come to the end of one story.

This is the first Sherlock Homes mystery and it is timeless in its appeal. ( )

I've read most of the Sherlock Holmes canon but this one most recently. I enjoyed reading about how Holmes and Watson meet.

This story has a similar structure to 'The Valley of Fear' in that a large portion deals with the history leading up to the crime. I did not enjoyed this part of the book as much though. Doyle's deductive strains are the most interesting aspects of his writing, so the parts that do not include Homes seem bland in comparison.

still

I really enjoyed this one. It is the first of the series and yet Doyle already masters the Sherlock Holmes character. ( )

The first Holmes story written - it was first published in 1887, over 120 years ago! Its a good mystery, but not in the Agatha Christie style as there are few suspects. The logic and deductions are intriguing and its a good quick read. ( )

Der Fall, in dem sich Holmes und Watson kennenlernen. Einer der besten Holmes-Erzählungen überhaupt. Wegweisend und hochgradig spannend. ( )

good book, it makes you think! ( )

Simply okay. I really enjoyed the first part in which Holmes solves the murder, but had to literally drag myself through the second part which goes all the way back to America and the Mormons to explain the murderer's motive. And that second part? Yeah, it takes forrrr-ehhhh-ver. Parts of it read like a textbook analysis of the Mormon faith. You can tell Doyle did his homework (and I kinda wish he hadn't done so quite so thoroughly--there's even a freaking footnote). The second half felt disjointed from the first half. I still enjoy the fact that Holmes is such an arrogant and pompous jerk, but if he serves as the basis for television's House (which I read somewhere was true), then I must say that Gregory House does it better. It was tolerable; don't regret reading it, but won't be reading it again. ( )

A Study in Scarlet & The Sign of the Four, two short novels, are the beginning of the Holmes canon. They are racist, sexist, anti-Mormon, and inconsistent, yet enduringly funny, engaging, and entertaining. ( )

Classic ( )

10.0

The original and best Sherlock Holmes story, about fear, hatred, tragedy, recrimination, and all with a back story of Mormonism in the USA. If you have not read this yet, I'd encourage you to. You'll be hard pushed to find better mystery writing today. ( )

The first Sherlock Holmes book -- did Conan Doyle invent the filtering of a story through a secondary participant (Dr. Watson)? I haven't ever read any Sherlock Holmes books, and I wasn't overly impressed. It was okay and a quick read, but Holmes seems like a pretty arrogant SOB to me. Knows too much and is glad to tell everyone so. The Utah digression was distracting. ( )

Link to a review on my personal website (might be in Swedish). ( )

The second edition (1889) was illustrated by George Hutchinson, who did this book. The first American edition was published by J. B. Lippincott Co. in 1890. This is probably an unauthorized American copy.

A Sherlock Holmes book; it is the first of the Sherlock Holmes adventures. Read this some time ago, need to read it again.

A lovely origin story. Dr. Watson, returned from a war and in need of lodgings is led to Baker Street. In this fine location resides one Sherlock Holmes.

They are soon on the trail of a mystery that involves a corpse, and a word scrawled in blood on a wool. Then there are dodgy mormons and a bit of wild west action.

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/244

http://superprose.blogspot.com/2006/1... ( )

I LOVE SHERLOCK HOLMES! 'nuff said. ( )

If you are a science fiction fan, you have probably already read the Sherlock Holmes books. I know I’m late to the bandwagon on this, but if you’ve been avoiding them for some reason, let me add my voice of encouragement. You should read at least one Sherlock Holmes mystery in your life. This was my first, and I really enjoyed it.

In this first volume, Dr. Watson meets Sherlock Holmes and they become roommates. Holmes demonstrates all the nigh-magical powers that his deductive reasoning grant him from the start. Watson finds this at once mysterious and fascinating, resolving to chronicle Holmes’ skill. Those skills are tested by the death of a man in an empty house, with no wounds, covered in blood. Whodunnit?

The language holds up quite well for the modern reader. It is a little archaic, but flows just fine. The most anachronistic part of it is the structure. For one, unlike a modern mystery, the reader doesn’t have access to all the clues and has no chance to solve the puzzle on their own. Also, Sherlock Holmes reveals the murder in the middle of the story instead of at the end.

After the big reveal, the scene shifts so suddenly that I was afraid that my download of the ebook had been corrupted, and that there was another book in the middle of mine. It goes from Holmes’ rooms in London to the middle of the American Western desert forty years previously, where a man and a girl are dying of thirst. This shift was mind bogglingly abrupt, but by following it all the way through one learns about why Holmes’ was right in his identification of the murderer.

This emphasis on deductive reasoning and its power forms a strong link with the mindset of your average science fiction novel – things are known and knowable, the universe works logically and predictably, and by applying logic the most difficult puzzles can be solved. However, by being set in a “normal” setting, it is non-threatening to your everyday reader. I imagine that you can draw a direct line from the popularity of the Holmes’ stories to the popularity of the currently multiplying CSI series. So if you’re a fan of science fiction, or just forensics, this book should be a part of your library. ( )

Daring style, funny, original. ( )

Review: The Sherlock Holmes Reference Library, edited and annotated by Leslie S. Klinger is fulfilling its promise of being the annotated Canon for the 21st century. The latest volume, A Study in Scarlet, has all the virtues of its predecessors: an authoritative text, clearly laid out and printed, with comprehensive, intelligent and authoritative notes and commentary. The appendices give a table of major events and brief summaries of scholars’ findings on Watson’s middle name, Holmes’s university, and the dates of the case. Donald Pollock has contributed a perceptive introduction, the publishers have done a very nice job in producing this large-format paperback (10"x 7"), and the result is a first-rate reference work.
Reviewed by: Roger Johnson, [District Messenger 210, 2001]

The slipcase limitation statement says "No. xx OF CENTENARY FACSIMILE EDITION OF 550 COPIES." The dust jacket limitation statement appears on the inside front flap and says "Centenary Facsimile Edition Limited to 550 copies. This copy is No. 359."

First edition to contain Dr Joseph Bell's introduction. First published in Nov. 1887 as the main part of Beeton’s Christmas Annual. First book edition by Ward, Lock & Co. in July 1888 with illustrations by Charles Doyle, father of ACD. The second edition (1889) was illustrated by George Hutchinson. – The first American edition published by J. B. Lippincott Co. in 1890.