Life is gloomy, so why share it with the masses? I'm sure you all have enough issues to be getting on with. Instead, this is going to be about my two favourite Holmes stories, which I stumbled across in totally different ways.
The first Sherlock story I ever read was 'The Speckled Band', and was it was devoured in a rapid manner at primary school from the upper class's bookshelves. Along with 'The Magician's Nephew', some Enid Blyton, Willard Price, and the 'Hardy Boys', it formed a fantastic introduction to the world of the written word as was. 'The Speckled Band' is a magnificent little story, featuring one of the old classic mystery tropes of the locked room, and the touches of the exotic that marked Conan Doyle out from the very beginning. The band itself, the great and misleading eponymous serpent, still haunts me from time to time in my phobia of all things snake-like and head scarves in general. It was a magnificent mind that could link so many disparate story elements, including a poker-bending maniacal doctor! Magnificent!
The second story is 'The Musgrave Ritual', which introduced me to the BBC Radio 4 Merrison/Williams adaptations. It was mesmerising, and ironic in that it is for the most part a 'sans Watson' story. The winds of fate can not, however be interfered with, and 'The Musgrave Ritual' is still the pre-eminent prequel story to the Watson era that exists. Yes, the butler did it, or most of it, but this was before the great rash of criminal butlers in the latter Golden Age of Detective Stories. This is long before. As with most of the great Sherlock stories, its strengths lie in Doyle's willingness to jump off into other types of stories, and in this case we have a treasure hunt, but for what treasure? Nothing less than the long lost and ancient crown last worn by the Stuart Kings! What amazing turns are concealed in the first two sets of short stories, and to a slightly lesser extent in the rest. What amazing creativity!
It would be a shame - or perhaps a crime! - not to mention 'The Sign Of The Four', which is my favourite novella length Holmes narrative. It's probably one of the best stories ever told, beginning and ending as it does in such a tremendous manner, which I shall not spoil. A mention also goes to 'A Study In Scarlet', which would be awesome except for the dreary-ish historical flashback/interlude in the centre of the story. The Sherlock portion is excellent, though, and packed with all the quality we would see later in the detective's prime. In fact, that Sherlock portion is prime material to me personally. 'A Study In Scarlet' is the origin story, but why go on so long in Utah, Doyle? Why?
That's one set of gloominess averted, and it surely was a far more enjoyable writing exercise than might have been.
O.
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