Estudio en Escarlata

Por Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Este ebook presenta "Estudio en Escarlata" con un sumario dinámico y detallado".

Estudio en escarlata (A Study in Scarlet) es una novela de misterio escrita por Sir Arthur Conan Doyle y publicada en julio de 1887. Un cadáver hallado en extrañas circunstancias en una casa deshabitada provoca que los agentes de policía de Scotland Yard se pierdan en divagaciones equivocadas. Y, por si fuera poco, un nuevo asesinato parece complicar aún más la historia. Para resolver el misterio, habría que remontarse en el tiempo a otros asesinatos ocurridos hace 30 años en la ciudad mormona de Salt Lake City... Sólo Sherlock Holmes, gracias a sus implacables poderes deductivos y forenses, será capaz de solventar el crimen.

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930) fue un escritor y médico escocés. Además de haber creado al inmortal detective Sherlock Holmes, escribió novelas del género fantástico, como "El mundo perdido", otras de corte histórico, obras de teatro, y poesía.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: e-artnow
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 24 mar 2014
• ISBN: 4064066498177

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician. He is the creator of the Sherlock Holmes character, writing his debut appearance in A Study in Scarlet. Doyle wrote notable books in the fantasy and science fiction genres, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels.

Vista previa del libro

Arthur Conan Doyle

Estudio en Escarlata

e-artnow, 2021

EAN 4064066498177

Índice

Primera parte

1. Mr. Sherlock Holmes

2. La ciencia de la deducción

3. El misterio de Lauriston Gardens

4. El informe de John Rance

5. Nuestro anuncio atrae aun visitante

6. Tobías Gregson en acción

7. Luz en la oscuridad

Segunda parte

1. En la gran llanura alcalina

2. La flor de Utah

3. John Ferrier habla con el profeta

4. La huida

5. Los ángeles vengadores

6. Continuación de las memorias de John Watson, doctor en Medicina

7. Conclusión

Arthur Conan Doyle

Estudio en Escarlata

Primera parte

Índice

(Reimpresión de las memorias de John H. Watson, doctor en medicina y oficial retirado del Cuerpo de Sanidad)

1. Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Índice

En el año 1878 obtuve el título de doctor en medicina por la Universidad de Londres, asistiendo después en Netley a los cursos que son de rigor antes de ingresar como médico en el ejército. Concluidos allí mis estudios, fui puntualmente destinado en el 5º de Fusileros de Northumberland en calidad de médico ayudante. El regimiento se hallaba por entonces estacionado en la India, y antes de que pudiera unirme a él, estalló la segunda guerra de Afganistán. Al desembarcar en Bombay me llegó la noticia de que las tropas a las que estaba agregado habían traspuesto la línea montañosa, muy dentro ya de territorio enemigo. Seguí, sin embargo, camino con muchos otros oficiales en parecida situación a la mía, hasta Candahar, donde sano y salvo, y en compañía por fin del regimiento, me incorporé sin más dilación a mi nuevo servicio.

La campaña trajo a muchos honores, pero a mí sólo desgracias y calamidades. Fui separado de mi brigada e incorporado a las tropas de Berkshire, con las que estuve de servicio durante el desastre de Maiwand. En la susodicha batalla una bala de Jezail me hirió el hombro, haciéndose añicos el hueso y sufriendo algún daño la arteria subclavia. Hubiera caído en manos de los despiadados ghazis a no ser por el valor y lealtad de Murray, mi asistente, quien, tras ponerme de través sobre una caballería, logró alcanzar felizmente las líneas británicas.

Agotado por el dolor, y en un estado de gran debilidad a causa de las muchas fatigas sufridas, fui trasladado, junto a un nutrido convoy de maltrechos compañeros de infortunio, al hospital de la base de Peshawar. Allí me rehice, y estaba ya lo bastante sano para dar alguna que otra vuelta por las salas, y orearme de tiempo en tiempo en la terraza, cuando caí víctima del tifus, el azote de nuestras posesiones indias. Durante meses no se dio un ardite por mi vida, y una vez vuelto al conocimiento de las cosas, e iniciada la convalecencia, me sentí tan extenuado, y con tan pocas fuerzas, que el consejo médico determinó sin más mi inmediato retorno a Inglaterra. Despachado en el transporte militar Orontes, al mes de travesía toqué tierra en Portsmouth, con la salud malparada para siempre y nueve meses de plazo, sufragados por un gobierno paternal, para probar a remediarla.

No tenía en Inglaterra parientes ni amigos, y era, por tanto, libre como una alondra —es decir, todo lo libre que cabe ser con un ingreso diario de once chelines y medio—. Hallándome en semejante coyuntura gravité naturalmente hacia Londres, sumidero enorme donde van a dar de manera fatal cuantos desocupados y haraganes contiene el imperio. Permanecí durante algún tiempo en un hotel del Strand, viviendo antes mal que bien, sin ningún proyecto a la vista, y gastando lo poco que tenía, con mayor liberalidad, desde luego, de la que mi posición recomendaba. Tan alarmante se hizo el estado de mis finanzas que pronto caí en la cuenta de que no me quedaban otras alternativas que decir adiós a la metrópoli y emboscarme en el campo, o imprimir un radical cambio a mi modo de vida. Elegido el segundo camino, principié por hacerme a la idea de dejar el hotel, y sentar mis reales en un lugar menos caro y pretencioso.

No había pasado un día desde semejante decisión, cuando, hallándome en el Criterion Bar, alguien me puso la mano en el hombro, mano que al dar media vuelta reconocí como perteneciente al joven Stamford, el antiguo practicante a mis órdenes en el Barts. La vista de una cara amiga en la jungla londinense resulta en verdad de gran consuelo al hombre solitario. En los viejos tiempos no habíamos sido Stamford y yo lo que se dice uña y carne, pero ahora lo acogí con entusiasmo, y él, por su parte, pareció contento de verme. En ese arrebato de alegría lo invité a que almorzara conmigo en el Holborn, y juntos subimos a un coche de caballos.

—Pero ¿qué ha sido de usted, Watson? —me preguntó sin embozar su sorpresa mientras el traqueteante vehículo se abría camino por las pobladas calles de Londres—. Está delgado como un arenque y más negro que una nuez.

Le hice un breve resumen de mis aventuras, y apenas si había concluido cuando llegamos a destino.

—¡Pobre de usted! —dijo en tono conmiserativo al escuchar mis penalidades—. ¿Y qué proyectos tiene?

—Busco alojamiento —repuse—. Quiero ver si me las arreglo para vivir a un precio razonable.

—Cosa extraña —comentó mi compañero—, es usted la segunda persona que ha empleado esas palabras en el día de hoy.

—¿Y quién fue la primera? —pregunté.

—Un tipo que está trabajando en el laboratorio de química, en el hospital. Andaba quejándose esta mañana de no tener a nadie con quien compartir ciertas habitaciones que ha encontrado, bonitas a lo que parece, si bien de precio demasiado abultado para su bolsillo.

—¡Demonio! —exclamé—, si realmente está dispuesto a dividir el gasto y las habitaciones, soy el hombre que necesita. Prefiero tener un compañero antes que vivir solo.

El joven Stamford, el vaso en la mano, me miró de forma un tanto extraña.

—No conoce todavía a Sherlock Holmes —dijo—, podría llegar a la conclusión de que no es exactamente el tipo de persona que a uno le gustaría tener siempre por vecino.

—¿Sí? ¿Qué habla en contra suya?

—Oh, en ningún momento he sostenido que haya nada contra él. Se trata de un hombre de ideas un tanto peculiares..., un entusiasta de algunas ramas de la ciencia. Hasta donde se me alcanza, no es mala persona.

—Naturalmente sigue la carrera médica —inquirí.

—No... Nada sé de sus proyectos. Creo que anda versado en anatomía, y es un químico de primera clase; pero según mis informes, no ha asistido sistemáticamente a ningún curso de medicina. Persigue en el estudio rutas extremadamente dispares y excéntricas, si bien ha hecho acopio de una cantidad tal y tan desusada de conocimientos, que quedarían atónitos no pocos de sus profesores.

—¿Le ha preguntado alguna vez qué se trae entre manos?

—No; no es hombre que se deje llevar fácilmente a confidencias, aunque puede resultar comunicativo cuando está en vena.

—Me gustaría conocerle —dije—. Si he de partir la vivienda con alguien, prefiero que sea persona tranquila y consagrada al estudio. No me siento aún lo bastante fuerte para sufrir mucho alboroto o una excesiva agitación. Afganistán me ha dispensado ambas cosas en grado suficiente para lo que me resta de vida. ¿Cómo podría entrar en contacto con este amigo de usted?

—Ha de hallarse con seguridad en el laboratorio —repuso mi compañero—. O se ausenta de él durante semanas, o entra por la mañana para no dejarlo hasta la noche. Si usted quiere, podemos llegarnos allí después del almuerzo.

—Desde luego —contesté, y la conversación tiró por otros derroteros.

Una vez fuera de Holborn y rumbo ya al laboratorio, Stamford añadió algunos detalles sobre el caballero que llevaba trazas de convertirse en mi futuro coinquilino.

—Sepa exculparme si no llega a un acuerdo con él —dijo—, nuestro trato se reduce a unos cuantos y ocasionales encuentros en el laboratorio. Ha sido usted quien ha propuesto este arreglo, de modo que quedo exento de toda responsabilidad.

—Si no congeniamos bastará que cada cual siga su camino —repuse—. Me da la sensación, Stamford —añadí mirando fijamente a mi compañero—, de que tiene usted razones para querer lavarse las manos en este negocio. ¿Tan formidable es la destemplanza de nuestro hombre? Hable sin reparos.

—No es cosa sencilla expresar lo inexpresable —repuso riendo—. Holmes posee un carácter demasiado científico para mi gusto..., un carácter que raya en la frigidez. Me lo figuro ofreciendo a un amigo un pellizco del último alcaloide vegetal, no con malicia, entiéndame, sino por la pura curiosidad de investigar a la menuda sus efectos. Y si he de hacerle justicia, añadiré que en mi opinión lo engulliría él mismo con igual tranquilidad. Se diría que habita en su persona la pasión por el conocimiento detallado y preciso.

—Encomiable actitud.

—Y a veces extremosa... Cuando le induce a aporrear con un bastón los cadáveres, en la sala de disección, se pregunta uno si no está revistiendo acaso una forma en exceso peculiar.

—¡Aporrear los cadáveres!

—Sí, a fin de ver hasta qué punto pueden producirse magulladuras en un cuerpo muerto. Lo he contemplado con mis propios ojos.

—¿Y dice usted que no estudia medicina?

—No. Sabe Dios cuál será el objeto de tales investigaciones... Pero ya hemos llegado, y podrá usted formar una opinión sobre el personaje.

Cuando esto decía enfilamos una callejuela, y a través de una pequeña puerta lateral fuimos a dar a una de las alas del gran hospital. Siéndome el terreno familiar, no precisé guía para seguir mi itinerario por la lúgubre escalera de piedra y a través luego del largo pasillo de paredes encaladas y puertas color castaño. Casi al otro extremo, un corredor abovedado y de poca altura torcía hacia uno de los lados, conduciendo al laboratorio de química.

Era éste una habitación de elevado techo, llena toda de frascos que se alineaban a lo largo de las paredes o yacían desperdigados por el suelo. Aquí y allá aparecían unas mesas bajas y anchas erizadas de retortas, tubos de ensayo y pequeñas lámparas Bunsen con su azul y ondulante lengua de fuego. En la habitación hacía guardia un solitario estudiante que, absorto en su trabajo, se inclinaba sobre una mesa apartada. Al escuchar nuestros pasos volvió la cabeza, y saltando en pie dejó oír una exclamación de júbilo.

—¡Ya lo tengo! ¡Ya lo tengo! —gritó a mi acompañante mientras corría hacia nosotros con un tubo de ensayo en la mano—. He hallado un reactivo que precipita con la hemoglobina y solamente con ella.

El descubrimiento de una mina de oro no habría encendido placer más intenso en aquel rostro.

—Doctor Watson, el señor Sherlock Holmes —anunció Stamford a modo de presentación.

—Encantado —dijo cordialmente mientras me estrechaba la mano con una fuerza que su aspecto casi desmentía—. Por lo que veo, ha estado usted en tierras afganas.

—¿Cómo diablos ha podido adivinarlo? —pregunté, lleno de asombro.

—No tiene importancia —repuso él riendo por lo bajo—. Volvamos a la hemoglobina. ¿Sin duda percibe usted el alcance de mi descubrimiento?

—Interesante desde un punto de vista químico —contesté—, pero, en cuanto a su aplicación práctica...

—Por Dios, se trata del más útil hallazgo que en el campo de la Medina Legal haya tenido lugar durante los últimos años. Fíjese: nos proporciona una prueba infalible para descubrir las manchas de sangre. ¡Venga usted a verlo!

Era tal su agitación que me agarró de la manga de la chaqueta, arrastrándome hasta el tablero donde había estado realizando sus experimentos.

—Hagámonos con un poco de sangre fresca —dijo, clavándose en el dedo una larga aguja y vertiendo en una probeta de laboratorio la gota manada de la herida. —Ahora añado esta pequeña cantidad de sangre a un litro de agua. Puede usted observar que la mezcla resultante ofrece la apariencia del agua pura. La proporción de sangre no excederá de uno a un millón. No me cabe duda, sin embargo, de que nos las compondremos para obtener la reacción característica.

Mientras tal decía, arrojó en el recipiente unos pocos cristales blancos, agregando luego algunas gotas de cierto líquido transparente. En el acto la mezcla adquirió un apagado color caoba, en tanto que se posaba sobre el fondo de la vasija de vidrio un polvo parduzco.

—¡Ajá! —exclamó, dando palmadas y alborozado como un niño con zapatos nuevos—. ¿Qué me dice ahora?

—Fino experimento —repuse.

—¡Magnífico! ¡Magnífico! La tradicional prueba del guayaco resultaba muy tosca e insegura. Lo mismo cabe decir del examen de los corpúsculos de sangre... Este último es inútil cuando las manchas cuentan arriba de unas pocas horas. Sin embargo, acabamos de dar con un procedimiento que actúa tanto si la sangre es vieja como nueva. A ser mi hallazgo más temprano, muchas gentes que ahora pasean por la calle hubieran pagado tiempo atrás las penas a que sus crímenes les hacen acreedoras.

—Caramba... —murmuré.

—Los casos criminales giran siempre alrededor del mismo punto. A veces un hombre

Comentarios para Estudio en Escarlata

[therebelprince · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

I've long felt bad about never having read any of the nine books that make up the Sherlock Holmes canon, so finally I've rectified that... and what an odd little work it is.

The first half of the book is what's important, historically, but it's the least interesting. Conan Doyle doesn't write natural dialogue, and a result the discussions between Watson and Holmes come across more like a treatise on how detective work - in the real world and in novels - is evolving and progressing. While this is all very very interesting, particularly to someone like myself who has read a lot of Christie and Poe etc, it feels like an essay that has been structured in story form, rather than the other way around.

On top of this, I concede that I have a bias against this "one really smart quirky man always outdoes everyone" formula. Holmes started it, but it's returned in the last ten years or so to television, and personally I think it just weakens the narrative when every other character functions only as a sounding board for our god of a leading man. Sherlock is cunningly described by Watson as a seemingly paradoxical man who in fact has rational reasons for all of his education and activities, although even the great detective can't seem to fix his (bipolar?) moods. As their friendship is still embryonic at this stage, Watson can give us no insight into Holmes' life, and Holmes offers none, so he remains a cipher. But I'm treating this as a pilot episode, so that's okay. More immediately fascinating are the elements of contemporary life: street beggars working for Holmes, the necessary advantages and disadvantages that came from being a police officer in the era - thrilling stuff.

The second half is a mixed bag also. Conan Doyle is an admirable prose writer, and his description of the events twenty years prior to the murders is captivating and gripping. On the other hand, it is filled with amazingly anti-Mormon sentiment. I'm no religious sympathiser myself, but I couldn't take it seriously when the narrator assured us that all Mormons kill or destroy anyone who attempts to leave their faith.

An odd little novel, and I've already started the second one, since I'm very eager to see if Conan Doyle can somehow retain his marvelous leading character, whilst furthering his skills in the other required areas.

(Two and a half stars)

[bobbybslax · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

(Audiobook) Wasn't overly impressed with this, but perhaps that's due to it being among the first of its genre. It had two key features I enjoyed, whoever: 1) Watson's first meeting with Holmes and 2) the surprisingly long whodunnit explanation in Part 2. I often struggle with mystery books given their penchant to focus on a large cast of names, objects, places, and other nouns which I find hard to keep track of and continually visualize in my head. I encounter this issue with some more detail-obsessed fantasy stories, too. So, I became lost throughout a lot of the first half even though it was still mildly enjoyable (in great part due to Stephen Fry's narration). The most consistently amusing part of that half is Watson's developing relationship with Holmes, in which we get to discover the detective's eccentricities along with his new sidekick. I often enjoy buddy (cop) comedies, so that stuff provided a more easy connection than the actual investigation. The book then switches out of Watson's POV for most of the second half, providing an extended backstory for the killer and his motivation. While long and not always riveting, it was a novel approach to the often tedious form of exposition dumps you find in mysteries. By the end of it I had even sympathized with the killer enough to hope to see them victorious. It became the emotional throughline of the book how the Holmes-Watson dynamic used to be, but I wouldn't say either of those elements were particularly deep or resolved. A short, mildly entertaining read.

[floratina · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

READ IN ENGLISH

I'm a fan of the BBC-series called 'Sherlock' and that made me want to read the original books. I really loved to see that the series were based so much on the book. It became a search to find all the resemblances between the two. When the second part started (about the Mormons) I at first thought there was some sort of mess up whit my version of A Study in Scarlet (and that it was a completely different story). I read it anyway and it happened to be just a part of this book. That was a thing I thought was a bit strange, but I liked the over all story. The next books are on my To-Be-Read-List...

[breakerfallen · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Great character development that I felt was missing from the later short stories. I'm glad I read this one - it makes me want to read the rest in order.

[great_east_road · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

See my review of this book, and many more, at Tales from the Great East Road.

After serving his country in the Afghanistan war, Dr John Watson returns to his beloved London looking for a home. Permanently injured during his service and with little money, John soon realises he’ll need a roommate. By chance, a friend introduces him to the world’s only Consulting Detective, Sherlock Holmes – a man of great intellect and almost terrifyingly accurate observations. Thus begins their many adventures together, starting with the body of a man found in Lauriston Gardens, and the word Rache spelt in blood across the wall. With the police stumped, only Sherlock can solve the puzzle.

Sherlock Holmes is undoubtably the most well known fictional detective in the world, famed for his amazing ability to decipher clues that no-one else can. We are repeatedly told of his genius, through the adoring eyes of Dr John Watson, and the joy of this entire series is the many mysteries and trying to figure out just how Holmes was able to solve them. It is stated by Holmes several times that he is not in fact a genius, but merely able to observe tiny details that other people nearly always miss. The big reveal in A Study in Scarlet shows that it was actually a fairly simple case had the police seen all the details – as Holmes himself says “I’m not going to tell you much more of the case, Doctor. You know a conjurer gets no credit when once he has explained his trick, and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all”. Since the novel is written from Watson’s point of view, we are unable to notice what Holmes sees, as Watson is not an observant man – or at least, not as observant as Sherlock Holmes. The reader of this series comes to idealise Holmes as capable of solving anything because we see him through Watson’s eyes as an impressive genius beyond all doubt.

In terms of characters, both Watson and Holmes felt a little flat, especially Watson, which is odd considering he is the narrator of this novel. Watson spends most of his time marvelling at Holmes’ amazing abilities, and Holmes showing off said abilities. It seems that Conan Doyle wanted the reader to feel the same love for Holmes as Watson does, and what better way than to have the whole story narrated by a admiring (though not mindless) fan? This appears to be one of those issues with knowing the characters more through adaptations that through the source material itself. The relationship, which plays a huge part in practically all the films/TV shows, felt under developed as we were told, rather than shown, that they had become friends. This relationship is almost certainly expanded during the course of the entire series, but in terms of A Study in Scarlet, it seems to be sacrificed in favour of the mystery.

There were a few other surprises, namely that the story changes in both scenery and characters in the second half, to explain the mystery, and that the author’s political views aren’t exactly subtle1. On the whole, A Study in Scarlet is an enjoyable book, but I can’t help but feel that people’s love of Sherlock Holmes comes both from the entire series and the many different interpretations we have available.

3.5 stars.

1 Conan Doyle seemed to really hates Mormons. I wonder why?

[danielstj · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

This Arthur Conan Doyle novel didn't do it for me. It had a lot going for it but, around the halfway mark, veered off course considerably and (I felt) never regained the same momentum that it started with. The story itself is interesting until this point, but then it falls into platitudes and asides that, I found, were not as interesting in the details rather than in the entire picture. Nonetheless, we are introduced to Watson and Holmes and their investigation of the case and Holmes comes off strong in the first part. 2 stars.

[jasonlf · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Brilliant from beginning to end, even the notorious extended flashback to the adventure story set in the American West. The first Sherlock Holmes book introduces Watson, depicts his first meeting with Holmes, and sets them off on a classic puzzle mystery.

[sueincyprus · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This is the first book about Sherlock Holmes, and begins with his initial meeting and growing friendship with Dr Watson, who narrates the story. It's set in the latter part of the 19th century, and is in two parts. The first shows Holmes' analytical mind and attention to detail as he explains to Watson how he solves a rather unpleasant crime. Part One ends with the perpetrator being arrested.Part Two goes back in time, introducing a man and a young girl travelling rough in the United States after the rest of their group perished. They've given up on finding water, when they're discovered by a band heading to Utah. I don't know how accurate the portrayal of Mormon life and culture in the 19th century is, but it makes an excellent story, albeit quite spine-chilling at times. Ethics and morals are not pointed out, but it gradually becomes clear that there are often two sides to any story, and that the initial clear-cut crime could have quite clear motivations. Recommended to teens or adults who like historical crime fiction. I read it on my Kindle but it's widely available in other forms, mostly inexpensively or (from Project Gutenberg) free.

[andreablythe · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A Study in Scarlet is both Doctor Watson's and the world's first introduction to the frustrating, arrogant, and brilliant Sherlock Holmes. Watson in seeking a new flat to in which to live ends up paired with the consulting detective at 22B Baker Street. While at first Sherlock's profession and strange behavior is a mystery to the Doctor, he soon finds himself following Sherlock along in seeking out the truth behind the mysterious death of an American traveler. While I didn't like it as much as I enjoyed the tales in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the novel is short and a quick read with a compelling mystery.

[archren · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

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.

[nina4jon · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Elementary, Dear WatsonIf someone could only to read one novel in their lives – this is the novel I would recommend. It introduces Sherlock Holmes (and Watson) to the world and it introduces them very well.There’s lashings of elementary deduction and a surprising amount of poignancy and Providence. (Although I do agree with one reviewer on Goodreads that half way through it becomes something else, before getting back to being a Sherlock Holmes again)If you watched the excellent BBC series with Benedict Cumberbatch and haven't yet read A Study in Scarlet – please do so, you’ll see the first ever episode in a new light.Nina Jon is the author of the Jane Hetherington’s Adventures in Detection crime and mystery series.

[regularguy5mb · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Here we have the very first Sherlock Holmes story, where we are introduced to Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes, as well as Lestrade and Gregson of Scotland Yard.What I find fascinating about this story is not only that Holmes pretty much solves the case the day after investigating the crime scene, but that he catches his man at the halfway point of the story. In what would much later become the standard for the stories in Law & Order, the second half of the story deals with the perpetrator in custody and the coming court case.Of course, before that, we have to take a trip back to the American West twenty years prior to the crime to fully understand exactly why it was committed, as the grievances are indeed that old. I know many people dislike that part of A Study in Scarlet, but I love the detail Doyle attaches to this case, and we also know it's meant to be Doyle writing as publisher since he throws it back to Watson's journal after all the backstory is told.This is yet another library sale find that I'll be adding to my Little Free Library in hopes of introducing someone new to the magnificence of Sherlock Holmes.

[saitchy_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

The brilliant debut appearance of the Master of Induction!

[davido1103 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Classic (1st) Sherlock Holmes, very well read. The Mormons don't come out so well in this story...

[kakadoo202 · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

Holmes is just too full of himself.

[leandrod-2 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Intereſtiŋ. Makes me wonder how much of the picture it paints of Mormoniſm is true.

[jamespurcell · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Mostly good or above and on task Bradley, Stabenow, Child, Tod and Winspear a cut above.

[jhullie-3 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

I enjoyed my first foray into the world of Sherlock Holmes. The sudden change of pace, characters and location threw me for a moment but I soon got back into the swing of it. I will definitely read more of these tales.

[ishanella · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I’m a lover of mysteries. I grew up watching Perry Mason with my grandmother (did I just age myself?), Columbo and Matlock came out on top as well, and currently, I enjoy a lot of detective shows. So, Sherlock Holmes always appealed to me, but I never read a full length novel (shocker!). So, in my attempt to rectify this, I decided to listen to the audiobook version of A Study in Scarlet. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a bit of a genius. I wish I could just say, “read this book!” and be done with it, but, I’ll try to be coherent.

A Study in Scarlet is written in two parts, John Watson is the narrator. He is introduced to Sherlock Holmes and the two agree to share a room together - the famous 221B Baker Street lodgings. Their introduction to each other is detailed and a bit tedious, but we learn, along with Watson, the curious nature of Holmes; his diverse visitors and his strange habits. The case starts, as most do, with a murder. Holmes is called to the scene of the crime where he is asked to aid in the murder investigation of Enoch Drebber, who was found dead in a building with the word “RACHE” scribbled above the corpse. Soon, another corpse shows up - Stangerson, the Drebber’s secretary is found dead with “RACHE” written above the corpse.

The first part focuses on the present, the murder of the two men and Holmes’s deduction of the killer. As Watson is relaying the story, the reader isn’t privvy to Holmes’s methods until he reveals them to Watson - who asks intellegent questions (even though he does spend most of the beginning questioning Holmes’s authenticity).

The second part of the story switches to the past and is written in third person. It follows the story of John Ferrier and Lucy, two lone survivors of a party of pioneers who are rescued by a group of Mormons. The sudden switch in story and perspective is a bit jarring, but I was quickly sucked into the society and Lucy’s situation Information on Stangerson and Drebber’s past is revealed in such a way that I felt empathetic towards their murderer - a really interesting twist.

Though it’s very heavy on the narration and light on the dialogue, and though the pace is rather slow, A Study in Scarlet still managed to capture my imagination and only served to cement my love of Holmes. If you’re a fan of mysteries and smart reads, then A Study in Scarlet will be a great read for you.

[toxicmasquerade · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

When I first got this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not. But, I was pleasantly surprised as I was reading it. I was actually laughing at some of the things Sherlock said. It was entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone who really likes detective stories.

[doihachiro · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This story is the first work about Homes.For the widespread oh this story, his name has been famous.And this story shows the first contact of Homes and watson.You can know the root oh their relationship, if you read this.

[nataliec7 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

I just loved everything about this book!

[391_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Doyle's plotting in the deductive portions of the book are fast-paced and intriguing, but the history section in part two always fell flat for me. I don't like the sudden change of style and voice, though the first time I read the book I really enjoyed trying to put the clues together by the end to see if I had followed Holmes' deductions. It's really just on the second (or fifteenth) readings that I realized how -boring- it really is.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I quite enjoyed this book (my first foray into the Sherlock Holmes universe as created by Mr. Doyle.) My only real objection was the completely inaccurate portrayal of the mormons in pioneer Utah. They made excellent villains in this novel but it's a bit much. I enjoyed seeing Holmes and Watson meet.

[michellech_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This was my first Holmes book and yes, I am hooked. For me this was a great introduction to how Watson and Holmes met and the backgrounds that created these fascinating men.

I really like both. Watson is so different from Holmes and is the more practical and immediately likeable.

I don't read a lot of mysteries and this was a very interesting start for me. Holmes and his observations seem so obvious after the fact and I liked being a passenger in his mind. In this tale, the part that the Mormons played was fascinating and meshed well with some of what I have read to date. But again, I don't like being a generalist and I can see how this would prompt concern amongst Mormons. I suppose it is the same with all writers who take liberties with religion, history and famous personalities.

This story also reminds me of Dickens and a Tale of Two Cities. Revenge is at the heart and is bittersweet.

Looking forward to my next mystery!

[ssimon2000-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

First of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, A Study in Scarlet starts with the arrival of Dr. Watson in London after being discharged from military service in the second Afghanistan war. Looking for a place to stay, he boards a flat with Holmes, an intriguing gentleman to say the least. Before he knows it, he’s assisting Holmes with a murder investigation.

Overall, this is the place to start if you want to read Holmes. The story is well-told, the plot hangs together pretty well, and there are plenty of twists for the inquisitive reader to navigate through.

[tronella_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I'm sure I must have tried to read this many times before. But until recently, I have had some mental block preventing me from liking detective novels of any kind. I still mostly don't enjoy them, but this one was pretty fun to listen to.

[booksfordinner · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Funny... I guess I read this 30 years ago when I was a kid, and compared to the short stories, I didn't remember it too well... halfway through the book and all of a sudden there are four or five chapters in Utah with Bringham Young and the Mormons? Huh? What happened to the pocket watches and the gaslights and the coach-and-fours? Still great, of course.

[mossjon · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I read A Study in Scarlet on the heels of Murders in the Rue Morgue. Poe paled when compared to Doyle's rich characters and superb storytelling. My only complaint was the abrupt return to North America which left me reeling as to what the heck had happened but I eventually tuned back in.

This story is a great introduction (just as it was for the characters) to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

[clong_818048 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This is only my second foray into Sherlock Holmes, the other having been The Hound of the Baskervilles (which I read a long, long time ago). Overall, I thought this was decidely so-so. While I am a big Poe fan, I have never been particularly enthusiastic about the Dupin stories. I read this in some ways as the natural evolution of Poe’s tales, and from that perspective it felt like a significant step forward. I’m not sure I find Holmes particularly believable (more on this below), but both he Holmes and Watson are interesting and multi-dimensional characters. They play off each other effectively, and the Lestrade vs Gregson vs Holmes dynamic would also seem to offer fertile ground. I thought the contrast of the urban London scenes with the great Western US outdoors scenes was interesting. And I thought the climactic scene in which the murderer is revealed was an effective piece of theatre.Having said that, plenty of this felt to me like a first attempt at a novel length work. The scene with young Samford in Chapter 1 felt very clumsy to me. I also thought it was strange that Watson at first seems to pay little attention to his surroundings, but then suddenly gives detailed observations when we get to the murder house. I think that one of my biggest problems with the book is basic rejection of the entire premise. Holmes is famous for having said (elsewhere) “when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth" and that is indeed his approach here. But in the real world what happens is that, when you have excluded the impossible you are usually left with a wide range of highly to not so highly probables. Even if you accept Holmes' assertion that he can recognize "a gentleman of a medical type, but with the air of a military man" who "has just come from the tropics" and "has undergone hardship and sickness" and whose "left arm has been injured," I don't see that Afghanistan is the only possible explanation for this confluence of facts. The most probable explanation, perhaps, but ridiculously far from the only one. (Plus, I don't particularly accept the assertion that there is a "medical type.")Also, "On the Great Alkali Plain" seems rife with inaccuracies to me. I have driven (recently) through Utah and Colorado, and while portions of it are indeed desolate and inhospitable, it's simply not true that, "from the Sierra Nevada to Nebraska, and from the Yellowstone River in the north to the Colorado upon the south, is a region of desolation and silence." Oh, and Brigham Young's band consisted fo 148 people, not 10,000. And there were a bunch of indian tribes living in the area, but you wouldn't have been likely to run across any Pawnee or Blackfoot. Does any of this really matter? It seems to me that, in a book where the hero's success depends on meticulous observation of the world around him, verisimilitude matters. And this also includes how you play the violin. My biggest problem with A Study in Scarlet was the laughably stereotypical depiction of the lecherous and avaricious Mormons, and how it is juxtoposed against Jefferson Hope as "a Christian, which is more than these folk here, in spite o' all their praying and preaching." I know that there were Mormons that did bad things (google "Mountain Meadows massacre"), but I have got to think that Doyle was either falling for or taking advantage of anti-Mormon propaganda. (In fairness, I suppose I should thank Doyle for making me curious enough about what actually happened to do a bit of research.)