This book is an intriguing start to the world renowned series. First, readers are introduced to Watson and learn of his background. He then explains how he made the acquaintance of Sherlock Holmes. Watson describes both his quirks and his genius.
Watson learns that inept police detectives consult with Holmes when faced with baffling crimes. Watson gets drawn in to the latest case, the murder of an American named Drebber.
Holmes uncovers the murderer by "reasoning backward", and uncovers an interesting, long-premeditated motive. ( )

Audiobook performed by Frederick Davidson

This novella introduced the reading public to Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr Watson. The case hinges on a dead body found in a locked room; although the corpse shows no signs of having been attacked, Holmes is convinced it was murder.

I found it a slower read than today’s mystery novels. But I was interested in getting to know Holmes and Watson. We learn how Holmes came to his method of deduction, and begin to see the fast friendship that will develop between these two men.

I did find the interlude set in America rather jarring. I wondered if perhaps my copy of the book had inadvertently included a completely different story. But, of course, I was wrong, and this did serve to give a detailed background of the chief suspect. And, eventually, Holmes explained it all to both Scotland Yard and the reader.

Frederick Davidson did a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He set a good pace, and I did like the way he interpreted Holmes and Watson.

As is my habit when listening to an audiobook, I also had a copy of the text handy. In this case, it came with an introduction (dated 2009) by mystery writer Mark Billingham. I’m so glad I took the time to read that introduction. Gives me a whole new appreciation for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes, Watson and their legion of fans. ( )

I devoured the Complete Sherlock Holmes one summer while in junior high school and, for some reason, haven’t reread the stories. But I watched Basil Rathbone, Ronald Howard, Jeremy Brett, and Benedict Cumberbatch bring them to screen. But now I decided to start again from the beginning, with Study in Scarlet.
It was interesting to see how the characters are first introduced. Given the rivalry with Scotland Yard, I was surprised that Holmes invented his self-designation “consulting detective” precisely because Gregson and Lestrade (“the best of a bad lot”) came to him whenever they were stuck. He’s usually able to unravel the tangle without leaving his sitting room.
There wouldn’t be a lot of fun reading about him doing that, so it’s just as well that a murder just off Brixton Road is mysterious enough to rouse him from his chair and take Watson, the convalescent military doctor with whom he shares the rent of the flat at 221B Baker Street, in tow.
Doyle has Holmes later relativize the word “mysterious,” drawing a distinction between that and “strange.”
Strange describes Holmes as well, and this fascinates Watson. He records Holmes’s unusual conception of brain capacity, consciously refusing to admit any knowledge that might not be useful for his investigations, as Watson learns when discovering that Holmes knew nothing of the Copernican system. Oddly, Holmes shares this conviction with Homer Simpson (“Every time I learn something new, it pushes out something old; remember that time I took a home wine-making course and forgot how to drive?”).
I loved the description of Holmes crawling on the floor of the crime scene: “he chattered away to himself under his breath the whole time, keeping up a running fire of exclamations, groans, whistles, and little cries suggestive of encouragement and of hope.”
Holmes is proud of his skill and disdainful of the professional detectives (who no doubt sense this). He knows they will get the credit for each solved crime; he’s ambitious and would like to be famous. Let’s see how he likes it in subsequent tales when he becomes as renowned as he yearns to be.
Something else I’ll be on the watch for: In this story, neither the victims nor the murderer are English. This allows Doyle to bring outlandish (literally, too) elements into his plots. In this case, the Mormons and their infamous Danite Band. Perhaps I’ll keep count of how many subsequent evil-doers and their victims are non-British.
Doyle also presents us with a crime for which the murderer had very good reason, perhaps even justifiable. Although he is captured and jailed, he doesn’t come to trial, and in that sense “escapes” by dying happily. Is that also a recurrent feature of a Doyle plot?
Two interesting technical features (since I’m not only curious about Holmes and the who-dun-it, but also Doyle, the writer, and how he did it): One is that the background of the crime receives its own lengthy treatment, a story within the story. The other is that we are only told, not shown, how Holmes solves the crime and apprehends the perpetrator. Much of the unraveling comes in the form of a lengthy confession. Despite being so far from perfect, I can't resist awarding it five starts for the pleasure of reading it.
One final thought: how would it have affected the balance of the story if the doomed maiden in Utah had not been named Lucy, but Rachel? ( )

This is the very first Sherlock Holmes story which introduces the characters and it’s my favorite. ( )

Who can resist reading the original meet-cute between Holmes and Watson, probably the most famous detective duo in history? I sure couldn't and reread this for my book club #NoPlaceLikeHolmes. Though not one of Doyle's most popular novels or stories, this one's famous for being the FIRST. Period. Some criticism is given for how Doyle portrays the Mormons in part 2 (with some even thinking that that part could/should have been eliminated); however, it remains one of the most classic revenge stories in detective fiction. Appearing in Beeton's 1887 Christmas Annual and noted as being “the most expensive magazine in the world“ by magazine experts, an original copy sold for $156,000 at Sotheby's in 2007. For me, it's always thrilling to revisit the one that started it all. #sherlocked ( )