Paperback, 128 pages
English language
Published Nov. 10, 2001 by Penguin Books.
As a dense yellow fog swirls through the streets of London, a deep melancholy has descended on Sherlock Holmes, who sits in a cocaine-induced haze at 221B Baker Street. His mood is only lifted by a visit from a beautiful but distressed young woman - Mary Morstan, whose father vanished ten years before. Four years later she began to receive an exquisite gift every year: a large, lustrous pearl. Now she has had an intriguing invitation to meet her unknown benefactor and urges Holmes and Watson to accompany her. And in the ensuing investigation - which involves a wronged woman, a stolen hoard of Indian treasure, a wooden-legged ruffian, a helpful dog and a love affair - even the jaded Holmes is moved to exclaim, 'Isn't it gorgeous!' --back cover
the pace is great, story-telling mind blowing.. but the orientalist gaze of the author is so jarring now.
While most Sherlock stories are intriguing, this one stood out to me as perhaps the most interesting. Not because of the crime, but because of all the original stories I have read thus far this one seems the most interested in Sherlock's motivation and character- fleshed him out as it were.
I also can't help but be amused by Doyle's treatment of Sherlock's drug addiction and apparent manic depression. No apologies. I just can't help but feel like Doyle has been trying despretly since day two to convince his audience that Sherlock is not a good guy. Kind of like how J.K Rowling feels about people obsessing over Draco.
