A review by bespectacledone
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

4.0

A Study in Scarlet is not the best Sherlock Holmes book, nor is it my favorite, but it does bear the distinction of being the first Sherlock Holmes book ever and the first Sherlock Holmes book I read. Unlike most books I read, I viscerally associate it with the first time I read it: I borrowed it from my Fifth Grade teacher's library while I was going through a mystery phase, and it sparked a life-long love of all things Sherlock Holmes. On re-reading, the mystery itself is still the best part of the book, and I loved how the novel introduced the audience to Sherlock. However, the one thing that has always bothered me has been the interjection of the multi-chapter flashback. It took me out of the story the first time I read it, and while I appreciated it much more this time around, I still think it's not entirely necessary. Thankfully, this style was not continued in later novels.

All in all, still an enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it to any mystery fans.