A Study in Scarlet

This book was a definite classic in the detective genre, many people know of the author. This is the first of the four books in the Sherlock Holmes series. Written in 1886, the language uses old english and can be hard to read at times as it is difficult to understand some of the humour or meaning of the text. However, skills of reading old language can be learned building the enjoyment of reading the book. The actual story of this book is written in two parts. The first part concentrates on building the character of Dr. Watson and his origins, which is done in a way that does not seem rhetorical as his background is somewhat weaved into the plot. Himself and Sherlock work on a murder case full of turns and twists. A lot is learned about Sherlock and his philosophies (or lack thereof) about the world. The second part focusses on another murder case focussing on love and religion. Generally, I prefer books with a little more continuity as it helps bond the story together, however the way the characters and their individual personalities integrate into the plot/case is well done and makes for an interesting read. Overall, this book is a heavy read but is worth the time, both in broadening your view of literature and having a fun time in reading detective stories. Show more Show less