{Sunday Midnight Book Club #3} A Study in Scarlet: Chapter 6
Hello, Internet, and good mornight to you all!
My name is Taffryne, shoppekeeper of Midnight on Memory Lane, and it is my absolute delight to welcome you to the final post for this week's Sunday Midnight Book Club.
'Tis a pleasure, 'tis a pleasure indeed.
As the title of this post says, we're going to be talking about the sixth chapter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's first-ever Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. I humbly present my thoughts for your enjoyment and consideration. Accordingly, please mind that there will be spoilers ahead!
Page Bound Link: click here!
Disclaimer: All of the original Sherlock Holmes books were written by a well-off, white gentleman in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, there potentially will be relics of their time, be it terminology or depictions, at varying levels of offensiveness. I mean no disrespect to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, nor his legacy; I merely want to make it clear that they were wrong during his time, they are wrong now, and I am wholeheartedly in no way endorsing them on this blog. Everyone has different levels of acceptability, so please advise and feel no judgement if you'd rather not take the risk yourself this time around.
Trigger Warnings: Discussion of Murder, A New Murder Occurs, Generic Warning for Sherlock Holmes' Social Skills, Questionable Police Work, Deception and Deceitful Acts, Newspapers Being Political
Chapter 6: Tobias Gregson Shows What He Can Do
Recollection
- The newspapers all spin the story to push some political narrative at varying degrees of actually discussing the murder itself
- Watson learns that Sherlock "employs" a personal network of informants/consultants
- Gregson believes himself to have solved the case and caught the responsible culprit (a member of Her Majesty's Royal Navy)
- The motive and reasoning behind the Navy-Man's guilt is that The Victim was harassing his sister while staying at his mother's boarding house
- Lestrade comes to 221B Baker Street to reveal that The Victim's traveling companion/secretary was murdered that morning
In-case anyone else has never heard the term "cudgel" before, it's just a wooden club. That's it. Nothing fancy; just a short, heavy wooden club to beat stuff with. Thank you, Merriam-Webster.
It's curious that Sherlock having his network was conceived this early-on. Granted, it's not presented as the grand one-phone-call collection of know-it-alls that his later renditions have. I really, really wish this didn't have to be the part where a handful of offensive terms were used, but again, I don't condone the language and I'm sorry to anyone it upset. Not okay then, not okay now, never to be okay.
I know that Gregson's guy is wrong because it obviously has to be. However, it's honestly a really good catch on his part. There's a motive, murder weapon, and opportunity. I think there's a hole at the "the massive wooden club didn't leave a bruise 'cause it just didn't" part, but elsewise, I can't blame him for thinking he's solved it. I do give him some side-eye for getting smug towards Lestrade. You can be proud of your accomplishments without being arrogant. You can also be understanding of other's missteps without mocking, Sherlock.
Now, we have the issue of the second body, huh? We have to wait for the next chapter to compare causes of death and circumstances, but, dang. That definitely complicates this. Yet, why wasn't the secretary contacted prior to this? Surely if the two work together and are traveling together, then The Secretary should've reported him missing or gotten concerned, no? It'll all get explained in the next chapter (I hope), but that's rather curious...
It rules out The Secretary as a runaway murderer, though. Congratulations and my condolences.
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you've been able to read and enjoy the story for yourself! If you haven't, that's okay too! My thoughts are here to keep you updated and entertained in the meantime.
This caps off this week's gathering for Sunday Midnight Book Club, so off into the nighttime we go in preparation for tomorrow!
I hope you'll come back for tomorrow's Manga Monday! We'll be discussing the third volume of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
May we meet again when the clock strikes 12:00!