Arthur Conan Doyle’s Private Detective Fiction:

Over this lockdown period there has been copious amounts of time to spend reading and exploring lots of different genres. I have recently delved into the Sherlock Holmes short stories, which I surprisingly had never really thought to pick up before and I found myself becoming obsessed with the murder, detective series and the world of Holmes that Doyle created. I have decided to recommend two of the novels I have recently read and the BBC series Sherlock Holmes for anyone who has already enjoyed the novels.

A Study in Scarlett:

This is the first novel featuring private detective Sherlock Holmes and his companion Doctor John Watson as they form a friendship over solving the ominous murder of a man found to be poisoned in one of the derelict houses in the winding backstreets of London. The novel introduces Holmes’ extraordinary detective skills, including the art of deduction, as we follow the murder trail through the perspective of Watson’s admiration and awe-struck eyes.

The eerie setting of the decaying room lit by a single red candle, the writing on the wall in blood and the lost wedding ring surround the dead body and tell the tale of the victims past, but the mystery of the murderer makes another twist in the plot when a second body is found with the same writing on the wall in blood. Rache, German for revenge, becomes a symbol of the two deaths. But is this just the culprit trying to throw the police off their scent?

The Sign of Four:

The Sign of Four is the second of four novels featuring Holmes and Watson, bringing the theme of imperialism into the London setting. The reader is exported into the mystery of the Agra treasure and a series of misfortunes and deaths unravel through the pursuit of the mystical fortune of exotic jewels. When a frightened Mary Morstan seeks Holmes for help, to uncover the person behind the series of pearls she has been sent over many years and to find out what has happened to her missing father, the unforeseen encounters of Bartholomew Sholto’s dead body and the cause of his death, a poison dart, the art of deduction rapidly uncovers other mysteries to the missing Agra treasure and the wooden legged man behind Sholto’s death.

The Sign of Four is a fast pace murder mystery, filled with unexpected twists in plot and encounters with unusual characters. Those part of The Sign of Four find themselves haunted by past betrayers trying to steal the treasure and suffer lifetimes of imprisonment in India, as the imperial world dominates the dark backstreets of London.

BBC Series:

My fascination with the Holmes detective stories led me to discovering the BBC series of Sherlock Holmes; each episode adapting one of Doyle’s short stories with a modern twist to the narrative. Holmes and Watson are bought into the 21st century, the quintessentially British detective genre modernised through its explosive action and modern-day visualisation of the classic characters, bringing them to life for a contemporary audience. I completely recommend watching if you haven’t already, the narratives are just as immersive as reading each story and bring an added element of excitement as you watch the events unfold.

All series are available to watch on Netflix and Amazon Prime with subscriptions.

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Thank you for reading, I really hope you enjoyed this post! Please let me know your opinions if you have read any of Doyle’s Sherlock stories or watched the BBC series. I hope you are staying safe during these difficult times!

- Mary