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A Study in Scarlet Hardcover – October 7, 2010

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Author)

4.4 4,949 ratings

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A Study in Scarlet is a detective mystery novel, which was originally published in 1887. It is the first story to feature the character of Sherlock Holmes.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Alba & Tromm (October 7, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 112 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1609420950
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1609420956
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1070L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.44 x 9 inches

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4.4 4,949 ratings

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Arthur Conan Doyle

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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859 and died in 1930. Within those years was crowded a variety of activity and creative work that made him an international figure and inspired the French to give him the epithet 'the good giant'. He was the nephew of 'Dickie Doyle' the artist, and was educated at Stonyhurst, and later studied medicine at Edinburgh University, where the methods of diagnosis of one of the professors provided the idea for the methods of deduction used by Sherlock Holmes.

He set up as a doctor at Southsea and it was while waiting for patients that he began to write. His growing success as an author enabled him to give up his practice and turn his attention to other subjects. He was a passionate advocate of many causes, ranging from divorce law reform and the Channel Tunnel to the issuing of inflatable life-jackets to sailors. He also campaigned to prove the innocence of individuals, and his work on the Edjalji case was instrumental in the introduction of the Court of Criminal Appeal. He was a volunteer physician in the Boer War and later in life became a convert to spiritualism.

His greatest achievement was, of course, his creation of Sherlock Holmes, who soon attained international status and constantly distracted him from his other work; at one time Conan Doyle killed him but was obliged by public protest to restore him to life. And in his creation of Dr Watson, Holmes's companion in adventure and chronicler, Conan Doyle produced not only a perfect foil for Holmes but also one of the most famous narrators in fiction. Penguin publish all the books about the great detective, A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Valley of Fear, His Last Bow, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, The Uncollected Sherlock Holmes and The Penguin Complete Sherlock Holmes.

Photo by Walter Benington (RR Auction) [US Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

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AM

Excellent!

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2010

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This was the first Sherlock Holmes story I had ever read. I always thought the Sherlock Holmes stories were about a generic genius detective and his kind-of-bumbling sidekick. Was I ever wrong! The characters have so many more dimensions than their pop culture portrayals would lead one to believe.

Yes, Holmes is a genius... when it comes to solving crimes. He's a knowledgeable chemist and forensics specialist, he's a skilled actor and boxer, and his powers in deductive reasoning are superb. He also isn't aware that the Earth revolves around the sun. When he finds out, he simply says that he'll forget it later. (It serves no purpose for detective work.) Did I mention that he suffers from what we would today call bipolar disorder? Oh yeah -- he's also developing a cocaine habit.

And Watson? He's the overweight, bumbling goof that follows Holmes around and has to have simple things explained to him, right? Not so. Watson is a physician, and a wounded veteran of an early British Army campaign in Afghanistan. He came home to London, suffering from what we would today call PTSD, and moved in with an eccentric friend of a friend who needed a roommate who turned out to be Holmes. He's a well-educated person and the perfect Victorian gentleman -- a fitting character to partner with and complement the odd-but-brilliant Holmes.

As for the story, I don't want to give away too much. (It is a mystery, after all.) But I will say the surprising plot turns kept me reading, without seeming like the twists for the sake of twists many mysteries and thrillers plague their readers with. (You should take note, James Patterson.) A story is framed within the main story -- a Western tale of revenge within a Victorian murder mystery, believe it or not. And the killer is just as deep and 3-dimensional as the detectives. But I've said too much. Go read it for yourself!

45 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Study in Scarlet

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024

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Wonderful classic story; first of Holmes genre. I liked the details and Holmes' explanation. The start of the credit of solving the mystery going to the police is established.

I need to do some more rereading. I can't recall another story where both Gregson and Lestrade were investigating.

Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023

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I very much liked the beginning and the ending . I was a little thrown off by the middle but once it came into light it made for a very good story. Better than I was expecting.

One person found this helpful

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blarney

Good Read

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2014

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Old book but great read. A blast from the pass. Language is free from all our modern terms so it gives a great picture of the pass society.

One person found this helpful

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Nehal Nassif

Free Kindle version from amazonClassics series

Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2020

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I loved this story so much; but I loved how it’s structured even more. Without spoiling anything, I think that splitting the plot into two parts the way the author did is brilliant: the first part being the fast paced, yet intricately detailed and manifested part of the book: and that being the mystery itself, the study in scarlet as Sherlock Holmes’ve chosen to name it. And the second part being the slower paced telling of the back story of that triangle of people whose destinies remained intertwined for over two decades before any misfortune took place or any detective work was needed. And this is the part that truly amazed me! I mean I really enjoyed and loved the first part of the story so much: I loved the introduction of our two beloved main characters: Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. John Watson, I loved their fist interactions, and the glimpse the author have given us into the lives of both of them, I loved the dynamics between the two even if there was so little of it in this story but I already know that I’m gonna enjoy these two and their relationship so much for much more stories to come. But I really really loved the second part of the plot, I mean THIS STORY! Oh my God what a wonderful story, I was hung upon every page and every word and couldn’t put it down until I’ve finished it, I literally devoured this second half of the book. And even though this was my first read of Arthur Conan Doyle, I’ve already added the rest of the series to my want to read list, and I know that I’m gonna enjoy the ride. I may also say that I’m thankful that Arthur’s medical career blew for him to have the time to bless us with such wonderful stories and lovable characters.

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Maria Anne Bollmann

The beginning of a personal passion!

Reviewed in Brazil on April 11, 2024

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I couldn't possible imagine how cool and sexy Sherlock and Watson are together in the books! Their friendship is just touching! The case was pretty hard too, despite Sherly saying that it wasn't. I just wished Watson focused a little more in his daily routine with Sherlock. I like to observe this simple aspects.

ANYWAY, IT WAS FANTASTIC AND I'M SURE GONNA READ IT ALL OVER AGAIN!

Johny

1A

Reviewed in Germany on January 23, 2024

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1A, gerne wieder

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Les Brock

Still Wonderful.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 20, 2023

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I first read this when I was 14, over 64 years ago. Over the years I have re-read a few times, but it has been some 30 years since the last time. I had forgotten much of the story so the latest reading came almost as new. It is wonderful. So skilfully thought, and so very well written. This has spurred me to re-read all of the Sherlock Holmes story, and I would urge anyone to do the same.

One person found this helpful

Soumyodeep Biswas

"A Study in Scarlet" book review

Reviewed in India on March 28, 2023

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When you will start reading this as far as the first part of this book will take you to the adventures of Sherlock holmes and bonding of SH and Dr Watson. You will get everything in the first part to bond you to the story. But when as you moved to 2nd part you would Start questioning what was the relevance to write it, but believe me the beauty of this book lies in 2nd part the way story has been narrated and ending connection has been revealed is mind blowing and at the same time you will start feeling that Sir Doyle also cared of emotional aspect in his writings.