| Title: | A Study in Scarlet | Collection: | The Novels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year published: | 1887 (November) | Year set in: | |
| Mystery: | Who killed the man in the house, how and why? | ||
| Apparent crime: | Murder | Actual crime: | Shown below (possible spoiler) |
| Summary: | A body is found in an empty house with no obvious cause of death and the word "Rache" written on the wall. | ||
- Introduction
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Inspector Gregson asks Holmes to assist them with a murder. A body has been found in an empty house in London with no apparent cause of death and the word "Rache" written upon the wall in blood.
Gregson and Lestrade each form their own explanations for the murder while Holmes quickly deduces what happened in the house and the appearance of the murderer.
- Actual crime
- Murder
- Explanation (spoiler alert)
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"Rache" is the German for "revenge" but was a red herring (though apt). Both Enoch Drebber (the body) and his companion (Joseph Stangerson) were killed by Jefferson Hope in revenge for the murder of John Ferrier and the forced marriage of Lucy Ferrier. The killer was Jefferson Hope who had loved Lucy.
- Quotations in this story (3)
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Quote "Dr Watson, Mr Sherlock Holmes," said Stamford, introducing us. "No data yet," he answered. "It is a capital mistake to theorise before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgement." "The most commonplace crime is often the most mysterious because it presents no new or special features from which deductions may be drawn."
- Characters in this story (14)
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Surname First name Title Charpentier Arthur Sub-lieutenant Drebber Enoch Ferrier John Ferrier Lucy Gregson Tobias Inspector Holmes Sherlock Hope Jefferson Lestrade Inspector Rance John Police Constable Stamford Stangerson Joseph Watson John Doctor Wiggins Baker Street Irregular Young Brigham
- Locations in this story (3)
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Location Town/City County 221b Baker Street London 3 Lauriston Gardens London Salt Lake City Salt Lake City Utah
- Other notes
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The very first of the canon which introduces Watson to Holmes.
- Keywords
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Stamford Criterion Barts Afghanistan Lestrade Gregson Dupin Lauriston Gardens Enoch Drebber Joseph Stangerson rache John Rance gold ring Brixton Arthur Charpentier Wiggins Alice Halliday Jefferson Hope America Utah Mormons Ferrier Lucy Joseph Salt Lake prophet Elder Brigham Young Avenging Angels