A Study in Scarlet

Lore & Background

The central case involves the discovery of a body in an abandoned house with the word 'RACHE' written in blood on the wall. With Inspectors Gregson and Lestrade already on the scene, Holmes dismisses the message as a ploy to mislead the police, deduces that the victim, Enoch Drebber, was poisoned and supplies a description of the murderer. The second part goes back to Utah's Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and tells how Lucy Ferrier, who loved Jefferson Hope, was told to marry either Joseph Stangerson or Enoch Drebber; Hope, the cabby Holmes arrests, is the murderer of both men.

Reader's Guide

As the origin point for the Sherlock Holmes canon, this novel establishes the essential elements of the detective's character and his relationship with Watson. His method relies on minute details: mud, ash, handwriting, and physical scars. The narrative structure is distinct within the canon, bifurcating between a modern London mystery and a historical Western flashback. The title comes from a speech in which Holmes describes the murder investigation as his "study in scarlet". Though initially published in Beeton's Christmas Annual with modest attention, the novel laid the groundwork for a franchise that would redefine detective fiction.

Did You Know?

• The word 'RACHE', German for 'revenge', is written in blood on the wall, and Holmes dismisses it as a ploy to mislead the police.
• The story and its main characters attracted little public interest when it first appeared.
• Dr. Watson originally served as a surgeon in the Second Afghan War before meeting Holmes.